Catch The Crush!

I don’t know about anyone else, but the week after the Pendleton Roundup I’m tired but still wanting to get out and go. It seems like life just slows down in the third week of September. The leaves start to officially change colors and the mornings are crisp and cool, yet I’m not quite ready to hibernate yet.

The crush is on, and if you aren’t ready to hibernate either I suggest you join me by visiting the Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, Prosser, and Yakima Valley Wineries this weekend.

Wineries all over the region are participating in this year’s Catch The Crush event this weekend. The event has been growing for the past 30 years, and this year is no exception. You can literally visit dozens of wineries, or as many as your designated driver can stand.

Many of the vintners open their doors to offer tours, show the crushing operations, taste barrel samples, and offer food and wine pairings to visitors this weekend. If you haven’t ever gone to a “Crush” event, I think I could best explain it as fun, high energy, and one of the weekends where everyone is a friend.

My friends, the Whitelatch family, who own Claar Cellars in Zillah will even be holding a grape stomping contest for teams of two who want to try it. The contest will be a fundraiser for the Tri-cities Cancer Center, and will happen from 10a.m. to 6p.m. the 25th and 26th. The cost to get your feet in the barrels is $2 per team. Claar’s Busty Blush will even be on hand to sample.

The cost to attend the crush is free, however is has become quite customary in the past few years for the wineries to charge a tasting fee. Usually the fee is waived with the purchase of a bottle of wine.

To get the best bang for your buck I suggest getting a Premier Pass to the event. The pass includes a wrist band, a wine glass, and a map of all the participating wineries. For the cost of $35 you can taste all day and not have to pay at each bar when you get there. To find out which wineries will be offering the wrist bands go to www.wineyakimavalley.org and click on events.

While you are traveling through the region make sure to either start early or end late as you go through Prosser. Prosser’s annual balloon rally is this weekend, with balloons filling the skies at sunrise, and participating in nightglow events in the evening.

My friends Jesse and Susanne Ayala who own Tuscany Grill, and Kari from 6th Street Coffee will be open early for breakfast. So, after you take in the balloons you can start tasting wines with your tummy full. The Ayalas and another friend Frank Magana at Picazo’s and Mojave, located in Desert River Inn Winery will remain open late in order to keep that belly full for your safe drive home.

Enjoy!

The Crush Is On!

Who would have known? This spring was so cold and wet that many grape growers were afraid that this year would be a total bust. Now, after months of record setting high temperatures we are looking at one of the biggest bumper crops of wine grapes to ever hit the region. Heavy clusters of huge, perfectly ripe berries are headed to crush pads throughout the northwest, and the wineries are celebrating!

Every year at this time the region comes to life again with wine celebrations. This year, thanks to the bumper crop conditions, it seems that vintners are really rolling out the red carpet to guests. Crush festivities abound starting this weekend, and running through the next few weeks. If you get a chance to break away this weekend I highly suggest joining in on the fun.

For years the Columbia Valley Winery Association has been celebrating crush the last weekend of September. Wineries from Pasco to Prosser will be in full force party mode this weekend, with bands, food, tasting, and local artisans showing their wares. Just a few of my friends who are offering celebrations in this area are Anelare, 360 Cellars, Barnard Griffin, Bookwalter, Goose Ridge Estate, Tagaris, Buckmaster, Canon Del Sol, Hightower, Kiona, Oakwood, Sandhill, Seth Ryan, Tapteil Vineyard Winery, Terra Blanca, Preston winery, and Columbia Crest.

A few of the larger celebrations that I’ve heard about are happening at Barnard Griffin, where there will be salsa tastings and artists, Terra Blanca, where my friend Frank Magana will be serving fantastic foods, and Oakwood Cellars, who will be featuring a full-on carnival with artisan booths, music, and caterers. Some vintners will also offer old-fashioned grape stomping experiences to those who wish to try it.

If you are in the Pasco vicinity I highly recommend visiting Gordon Brothers located off of the Kahlotus-Pasco highway. This rarely open to the public vintner will be open this weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

In Prosser, the vintners are also opening their doors with food and fun. Milbrant will be featuring live music on their patio, and the entire airfield area will come to life this weekend with the most beautiful balloon rally of the fall season. Get up early to watch the sunrise, as the balloons dance in the skies and on the river through downtown Prosser, then catch the crush action throughout the day. End your day with a visit to Picazo 717 restaurant where you can view some of my wine photography, and then finish the evening with night-glow activities at the airfield.

Now, if you’re like me and want to really experience crush like an industry professional, I hope that you’ll join us at Waving Tree Winery next Saturday October 3rd. The third is scheduled to be the day for Syrah harvest at Waving Tree. Terrance Atkins will be serving lunch to those who wish to join in the actual grape harvest next weekend. Expect to drive away dirty, tired, and completely filled with the joy of knowing that you helped produce some of the region’s best wine. This is a RSVP required event, so call the winery first to make sure there are spaces available. You can reach them at 509-773-6552.

Have a great crush, be safe, and enjoy!

Fall Is A Time Of Renewal In Wine Country

Ah! Can you feel it? Fall is in the air. It is that ever so subtle feeling that you get. So hard to explain, yet so palpable. Just like every year since I can remember the change happens during fair week. Sometimes, the change is so small and imperceptible that you don’t notice it. Other times it roars in with a huge storm that rips all of the Coors banners off the fences at the rodeo grounds. Nevertheless, it has happened again, and boy am I excited!

My excitement is for more than one reason. First, I’m not a hot weather fan, and the 105 degree temperatures that we had this year were not what I’d call refreshing. Second, within just a few weeks crush will be upon us, signaling a whole bunch of new red wines to hit the market as vintages change and the wineries make room for new juice. As far as I’m concerned, Fall is the new Spring in wine country.

I was out on Red Mountain and in the Columbia Valley this week photographing vines and vineyards. This year’s harvest is looking to be fantastic. The clusters are heavy, with beautiful berries that are going to be rich from the cool spring and the substantial heat units that we received this July.

As I mentioned, there is a plethora of new wines getting ready to hit the market. New wines usually mean a celebration is in order. This week I’ve compiled some of the celebrations I’ve been invited to just this week. I’ll be at most, however it gets hard to keep up when you’re young, good looking, charming, talented…well you get the picture.

First, my friends Terrence and Evelyn Atkins, owners of Waving Tree Winery will be hosting a Labor Day Weekend Celebration September 5th through the 7th. They’ll be pouring their newest Gold Medal winners from the World Wine Championships, along with several of their other fantastic wines. For more information contact them at 509-250-1412.

The same weekend, my friends at Anelare will be hosting their 3rd annual New Release Event. Their new releases of the 2007 Ciel du Cheval Syrah, 2007 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 “Nonna Viola”, and 2007 “Saint Helena” Syrah will be available for tasting. They are planning quite the celebration, with food, entertainment, and art from local artists on the weekend of September 5th and 6th. Contact them at (509) 588-6171 for more information.

Catch The Crush, the annual Columbia Valley AVA wine celebration will be happening on the weekend of September 26th and 27th. Wineries throughout the Columbia Valley will be opening for this celebration to offer winery tours, stomping contests, food, entertainment, and tastings of their newest releases.

But wait…there’s more! My last event is not exactly a new release party, but a fantastic evening of fun, friends, food, and wine. Picazo Seven Seventeen Restaurant in downtown Prosser is hosting a meet the artist night on Thursday, August 20th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.. The featured artist is yours truly, as my wine photography graces the walls of Picazo’s for the next few months. If you can make the event I would love to have you there as my honored guests. For more information you can contact me at (509) 586-6695 or at my blog http://www.onerichwineguy.blogspot.com/ .

Enjoy!