Rose’s Are In Full Bloom This Year

 As I look at the weather bug on my phone this week I keep getting freeze warnings for the next few days. At the same time, over the past few days and weeks it has been a burgeoning summer already, with a few days last week over 90 degrees. Welcome to spring in the Northwest!

Maison Bleue and Longshadows Rose's

The crazy thing about these springtime days and evenings around here, is that you don’t know what you’re going to get. You don’t know if you’re going to be in your bikini, or in a sweater from moment to moment.

My recommendation during these few crazy weather weeks of the year is to dress in layers, and drink Rose’.
Why Rose’? The reason is simple, yet the wine is complex. Rose’s are truly a wine made from red grapes, with all the complexity of red wine. Yet, at the same time, the wine is not as heavy and tannic as you would normally find those grapes producing. It is a highly complicated wine to produce. Yet, at the same time, the wines are usually less expensive than their dark-red partners.
One thing that is kind of wild about Rose’s is that the wine is very hand-crafted, and can change dramatically from vintage to vintage. It is usually bottled in early spring, and sells out of the wineries and shops by early summer.
Definitely something you need to know if you buy a bottle now, and decide to go back for more later. You don’t want to wait too long. The good stuff flies off the shelves early and doesn’t come back till next year.
I did a little survey among a few wine shop staff, and my wino peeps out there these past few weeks. I also did a little taste testing of my own. These are the must drinks that I’ve been hearing about in the market this year:

The Rose’ that went over huge at Taste Washington this year was Maison Bleue’s Rose of Mourvedre. It was explained to me by a couple of my serious wino friends as being “OMG Good!”. I went and bought some at my neighborhood wine shop and was a little freaked at the $20 price tag, but when I tasted it I have to say I agreed with the reviews. Jon, the winemaker makes his Rose’ in a Bandol style which is bone dry.

Another one that is getting raves this season is Juliette’s Dazzle. This one, made by Dolan & Weiss (Long Shadows) from Walla Walla, is selling off the shelves well. I bought some but haven’t tasted it yet. The bottle is cool though!

A couple that have been produced beautifully season after season for years are Barnard Griffin and Maryhill’s Rose’s of Sangiovese. Both are off the shelf for around $10 and are never fail favorites every year. I’ve had a bottle of each this year and love the balance of fruit and acidity in these wines.

Several of my Facebook friends voted Martinez and Martinez as their Rose’ of the season. I personally loved it last year, and look forward to trying their Rose’ again this year.

Along with that, a few of my friends voted Kestrel has having an amazing Rose’ this season. My friend Scott Abernathy hosted a brown bag event recently and said that Kestrel, Martinez & Martinez, and Jones of Washington won the votes amongst some pretty experienced palates.

Another friend, Kace Allen, from Southern Oregon said that his wife loves Sweet Cheeks Winery’s Rose this year. Next time I’m in the Willamette Valley I’m going to check that one out!

Enjoy!

Yummy Easter Wine Pairings

Happy Easter!! I have to say that this is probably one of my most favorite religious holidays of the year. I think it is because the days are noticeably longer, and usually, this year excluded, the world is a little warmer. It is possibly also because we get to eat!

After surviving the last few weeks of fasting, sackcloth, and ashes I am ready to get my feast on. Ham, lamb, prime rib, deviled eggs, lime Jello with fruit cocktail in it, and all the rich dark chocolate that I can possibly inhale. All those wonderful Easter foods make my mouth just water. Many are foods that the majority of us eat only once a year. This makes a terrible quandary as to what wine to pair with them.

The Easter Ham - Yes, thanks to Jesus we can eat Ham! After all, it isn’t what we put into our mouths, but what comes out of them that makes us saints or sinners. The natural pairing for ham is Merlot. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot is a hands down favorite for this region. It has considerable fruit on the front of the palate, with mid tones of cocoa and anise, and a velvety finish.

If you are wanting to try something a little more on the edge with your ham I suggest a Pinot Noir. I suggest the Eola Hills Pinot Noir. It offers nice cherry and raspberry on the front, with a slight earthiness, and beautiful finish.

Leg of Lamb – The perfect food to celebrate the resurrection of the sacrificial lamb. Many families pull this meat out only once a year and ruin it with lack of knowledge. If you want to know how to cook lamb you need to take a lesson from Mario at Mario’s Basque Barbeque and marinate and spice the meat. Actually, forget the lesson, just have Mario cook it for you!

Many people love to pair with Merlot. Columbia Crest’s HH Merlot is great for this. I also suggest going for something a little larger such as a bottle of Merlot from my friends at Forgeron. This wine is full of fruit and spice that blends so well with the richness of the meat.

I really prefer a spicier wine to pair with Lamb myself. I would really suggest a delicious Temperanillo, or Sangiovese. There are several locals available on the shelves. Maryhill Sangiovese is a local favorite, with lots of great fruit and spices that pair themselves nicely with lamb.

Prime Rib – This is always the great celebratory meat for this region. I’m sure Jesus would have loved smoked Prime Rib. Of course, the natural pairing for beef is Cabernet Sauvignon. Once again, many great local Cabs are available in our area. From Red Mountain I suggest the Cooper Hightower vineyard. This wine is large but beautiful with cherry and minerality that pairs oh so nicely with the meat.

Egg Dishes – You can’t really have Easter without eating deviled eggs, scrambled eggs, or some other egg dish. Eggs are symbolic of Easter, and I’m sure you aren’t a good Christian unless you eat an egg that day (I’m joking).

My personal love for pairing eggs with wine is Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc. Deviled eggs require a lot of citrus and acidity to pair correctly. My local favorite is Gordon Brothers. I’ll be drinking a lot of that on Sunday.

Jello, and Chocolate Easter Candy – No I’m not going to pair wine with Jello. As for the chocolate, do what feels and tastes good!

Enjoy!

Drinking Alone Isn’t Near As Much Fun

One of my favorite songs from my college years still is George Thorohgood’s “I Drink Alone”. I can’t name the number of times I’ve driven down Interstate 84 with that song cranked up on my Sirius receiver. I think it is one of the best party tunes of all times.

The problem with drinking alone is that it isn’t as romantic or fun as old George makes it sound. As a wine writer there are a lot of nights that I have to open a bottle alone, take a few sips, and pour the half-finished bottle down the drain.

Honestly, with all of the wine that I smell, sip, and sample all over this region, my real preference is when I’m at a function or tasting room filled with other people doing the same thing as me. Truth is, drinking wine with others makes the wine tasting experience so much more fun and exciting.

All that was to tell you about some of the great wine tasting events that are coming up in our area in the next few days and weeks. I know that I’m going to be making the extra drive to come out to some of these events, and I hope that you’ll come join me so that I won’t have to drink alone.

The next big wine event in the region rolls into Echo on March 12th. The Red to Red Mountain Bike race will be held in Echo, with over 400 racers ready to hit the trails out at Lloyd Piercy’s vineyards. This is also the release party for his newest vintage of Red to Red blend. Along with the bicycle racing and the wine tasting there will be music and dancing until midnight, and prodigal son brew available as well. Sounds like nobody will be drinking alone in Echo next weekend!

If you are wanting a little quieter experience, and happen to be down in the Baker City region I suggest dropping into Bellas, or Earth and Vine on March 10th. L’Ecole Winery out of Touchet (Walla Walla) will be on site pouring their newest releases, as well as some old favorites.

Jumping ahead a couple of weeks, I really want to encourage you to go out to Wildhorse Resort on April 6th. Col Solare will be the winery of the month at the Plateau. The chefs and restaurant manager Jeff always pair up some amazing food to go with the monthly wine choices. With Col Solare being the pour of choice I know you can’t go wrong.

April 7th and 8th brings an old friend back into town. Rich Marshall from Maryhill Winery will be at Bellinger farms on the 7th, and then pouring at the Great Pacific on the 8th. I always love catching up with Rich, and tasting the newest vintage of the best Zinfandel in the Pacific Northwest.

While Maryhill comes to Umatilla County on the 7th and 8th, further south on I-84 you will find some local heros pouring their wines down in LaGrande and Baker City. The folks from Reininger Winery, who’s Helix wines are such a hit in the Pendleton area, will be pouring at Bellas in LaGrande on April 7th. They will be back again the following week in Baker at Bellas and Earth and Vine on the 14th.

I only have one other admonishment if you are going out to any of these tastings: Please don’t drink and drive. Be safe and enjoy!

Eggs, Ham, or Lamb… A Few Wine Pairings For Easter

Did you know that Easter is one of the biggest wine days of the year, just behind Christmas, and Thanksgiving? It is. But, unlike those other two holidays, people tend to eat food that is a little more exotic on Easter. Blame this on the melding of various cultures, and both religious and secular traditions. Yes…we all know…it’s the Easter Bunny’s fault!

If your family is like mine, you’ll probably start the day with a little Easter egg hunt. Some people use plastic eggs out of food safety. But, we’ve raised our kids to be accustomed to food poisoning, so we use the real ones from real chickens.

While the kids are out running around the yard with their baskets, fix yourself a nice mimosa. I love to use Ballatore Rosso, or Domaine St. Michelle’s Blanc de Noir in my mimosas. Mix the sparkler liberally with fresh orange juice for a wonderful treat.

After a few rounds of hiding and finding, we bring the eggs in and serve them with brunch. Deviling eggs for me means a little ground onion, mustard, mayo, sweet relish, paprika, pepper, and a dash of jalepeno juice. This combination of ingredients leads to a nice Sauvignon Blanc. I suggest Terra Blanca Sauvignon Blanc. It is filled with wonderful citrusy flavors that clear the palate and prepare you for another bite.

Along with deviled eggs, we are also big into ham at our house. There are two varietals that really pair with ham without much thought: Pinot Noir or a zesty Zinfandel. Our ham gets glazed with honey and orange zest, so I always reach for a really great bottle of Pinot Noir. Eyrie, Domaine Drouhin, or Sineann all make exquisite Pinots from Oregon grapes. I’m also partial to Whitehaven Pinot Noir from New Zealand. The Whitehaven fills your senses with the feeling that you are walking in a redwood forest. (This has been corrected from my post in the EO - I suggested McWilliams in the article, which is an Australian wine that is also good, but not nearly as satisfying.)

If you serve your ham dry smoked, or grilled, I strongly suggest using a Zinfandel. Bogle makes an Old Vines Zinfandel that you can pick up in local grocery stores. It is rich with fruit and spices, and finishes just a little sweet.

The local choice for a Zinfandel is Maryhill. Maryhill Winery, located just across the river from Biggs makes probably the best Zinfandel from the Northwest. This wine pairs extremely well with ribs, ham, or just about anything off the barbecue. You can get Maryhill wines at any of the local wine shops, and many convenience stores as well because it is such a local favorite.

Many people eat lamb for Easter. I’m partial to a nice rack of lamb, rubbed in olive oil, garlic, and dried herbs, and then grilled. Once again, go for the Maryhill Zinfandel on this one. If you have time to get out to one of the local wine shops I also suggest grabbing a Temperanillo or a Carmenere. These dark, rich, and spicy Spanish varietals are wonderfully paired with the flavors of the meat.

Oh, and not to forget, if you are into spending Easter sitting on the couch eating the head off of a chocolate bunny, I suggest a nice Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark chocolate bunny head goes really well with a nice glass of Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon.

Enjoy and have a great Easter!

Red Wine and Chocolate Events Are Fun Valentines Activities

There is just something about February in Eastern Oregon. The days are a little longer, and the chill coming up the Columbia River isn’t as bad as it was a few weeks ago. Yet, there is just a grayness to it all, and something that makes you want to reach for dark red wines, and equally dark, rich chocolate to sooth away the dullness of the season. Pair that with a weekend full of adventure with your sweetheart, and you’ve totally blown away the blahs.

With Valentine’s Day falling on Saturday, the wineries of the region are breaking out the best to offer lovers an adventure they can’t refuse. Red wine and chocolate events are available from Walla Walla to the Willamette Valley.

The Willamette Valley Winemaker’s association is kicking off their “150 Days of Wine” event starting Valentines weekend, and running through September. 39 of the wineries, including Torii Mor, Argyle, Bethel Heights, Domaine Droughin, Rex Hill, and Raptor Ridge will all be tasting wines, chocolate, and other gourmet goodies in their tasting rooms.

Coming up the river at Maryhill you will find Maryhill Winery’s “Passport to Passion” and Waving Tree Winery’s “Sweehearts Red Wine and Chocolate” weekend. Both wineries will be tasting a cornucopia of wines and chocolates, with live entertainment running through Monday the 16th.

Continue over the hill into the Yakima Valley, and take the scenic route back to the Tri Cities to find another nearly 60 wineries that will be offering rich chocolate desserts paired with excellent wines. There is an opportunity to purchase a special “Premier” pass for $20 per person which will open up the doors on special tours, tastings, and extra chocolates reserved only for pass holders. Go to http://www.wineyakimavalley.org/ to get your pass. You will actually pick up your pass at a winery you designate as your starting point.

If you are feeling really adventurous, you can always head to the North Cascades region to enjoy wineries not normally open to the public. Be sure to check out their website at http://www.columbiacascadewines.com/ before going in order to know where and when the wineries are available.

In Walla Walla, the newly opened winery leChateau is offering a complete class on wine and chocolate pairing in conjunction with Petit Noirs, a chocolate artisan from Milton Freewater. There is a cost of $30 per person to attend this class, but well worth it considering all of the chocolates, wines, and even a souvenir glass for participants.

When you get back into town, I encourage you to attend one of the many special Valentines Meals being prepared at establishments in both Pendleton and Hermiston.

As always, enjoy and be safe!