Wine To Your Mother

My adorable mother, who has endured everything, including
being the subject of my blog!

As much as I hate to admit it, I’m pretty much your typical guy.

I like to think of myself as some special hybrid product of the 1970s and 80s, with a lifetime of daytime talk show hosts and self help books to make men more fragile, sympathetic, and empathetic with the plight of the common female. Somehow, I’m more sensitive than the other men around me.

Truth is, when it comes to special events like anniversaries, birthdays, and especially Mother’s Day I become pretty much the typical blithering male who doesn’t go and buy a card or gift until midnight the night before the big event.

Honestly, it wasn’t until I read an article from a female wine blogger this week that I realized that it is mother’s day next weekend. At least I’m a week ahead of the other dweebs with XY chromosomes out there!

So, I know most of us will be out there looking to buy mom a gift this week. I know that I need to myself. But, as you know, I won’t be purchasing anything until next Saturday night. If you’re challenged in that way, just cut out this article and tape it to your dashboard until next week.

There are two types of mothers out there. Those who drink, and those who don’t . You can usually tell the ones who do. They have an extra lilt in their step even when everything else seems to go wrong. It’s as if they are oblivious from all the yelling in the backseat, puke on their shoulder, and their bra being used as a slingshot for Barbie and Ken. They’ve achieved a special zen from living better through chemistry.

If your mom is a wine drinker you’ll usually already know what kind of wine she likes to drink. I’m always amazed at how opinionated people can be about drinking only “red” or “white” wines. However, if you don’t pay that close of attention to your mom I have some suggestions as well.

First, if your mom is a hard core wine drinker you won’t want to go to Rite Aid and just pick up any old bottle from the bottom shelf. Put down the Barefoot Moscato there Bubba and step away slowly.

Your mom is probably a little more defined in her tastes than that if she’s drinking wine on a regular basis. I highly recommend that you go to a wine shop or a local winery tasting room and purchase her something a little more special. The nice thing is that Spring Release just happened these past few weeks and most of the wineries in the region have just popped out several brand new labels that will likely make a discerning mom squeal with joy.

If your mom is like mine. An old, cigarette smoking, bar hugging, tavern frau (just kidding mom...love you!) you might want to consider buying her wine in a box. Otherwise, I wouldn’t recommend any form of bulk wine purchase for the woman who changed your pee pants.

If mom is a red wine drinker, I suggest getting her a nice bottle of red wine such as a Merlot or Red Blend wine. I've picked up a huge number of under $15 bottles from the Northwest red blends recently, and with a few exceptions I've been pretty darned impressed. 

If your mom only likes sweet wine I suggest picking her up a nice Moscato or Late Harvest Riesling. There are several great wines from this region that are sweet. They range from $7 to over $400.  The amount you spend depends on your level of guilt left over from your evil teen years.

I wouldn’t personally use Mother’s day as a time to “enhance” momma’s drinking experience by purchasing her a 50 year old bottle of Chateau Expensive. Just get her a nice bottle of wine that says I love you in liquid form.

Happy Mother's Day!

SunRiver Vintners Features Fantastic Angelica and More

My friends Sean McGrath and Frazier Brown contacted me a few weeks ago to tell me about a new wine centered development that they were working on here in the Tri Cities area. The development, which will be near Badger Canyon will house boutique wineries, fine eateries, and bed and breakfasts. It will be both a destination, and a jumping off place for winofiles of all types. Set in a Tuscan Village theme, it will be an oasis out here in the desert of Eastern Washington.

One of the first wineries to jump on board with this concept locally is SunRiver Vintners. SunRiver is the first official winery located in Kennewick. Several Wineries have set up tasting rooms in Kennewick over the years, but SunRiver is the town’s first bonded winery located in the city limits.

I was invited to visit and taste through SunRiver’s wines this week. How can a guy turn down a personal invitation to taste good wine and meet new people? We were excited to go and give the a try.

Currently located at the corner of 10th and Clodfelter road, the winery shares a parking lot, and is located directly between Sun River Electric and Quality Signs. As I arrived, they had one of the winery’s big bay doors open. Just past the tasting table there was an extremely unusual sight. Some super HUGE oak barrels!

These huge barrels are called Port Pipes. Unlike the usual 60 gallon barrel that we see in most wineries in this region, the Port Pipe is much larger, containing as much as 171 gallons of juice depending on the maker and exact style.

Port Pipes are generally used for making, you guessed it, Port. Daniel Washam, one of the owners, explained how he and Glenn Washam, the other owner, and Greg Vogtritter, the winemaker were able to pick up an exclusive use of these Port Pipes here in the U.S.. Their concept was to make wines using these pipes.

The larger the barrel, the less that the ether phenols from the oak will infuse into the wine. The concept is that the wine will have the benefits of oak without the headaches associated with oaked wine. Whether that hypothesis holds true or not, it is pretty cool to see wine being stored in these gargantuan barrels.

We tasted through a few of the winery’s wines. I found them all to be quite enjoyable, but here are a few of my favorite outtakes from our adventure:

The winery’s Gewurztraminer is available either in the bottle or on tap. The establishment purchases two cases of the wine and the winery places it in a stainless steel keg. It can be served right on the tap line this way, making it affordable to sell by the glass. The Gewurztraminer has 2.8 residual sugar so it is both spicy, as well as a little sweet. A great wine to serve with hot and spicy foods or on a hot day.

Next we enjoyed the 2008 Long Shadows Vineyard Merlot. This wine has a huge nose of cherries an cassis. On the palate the tannins are long and velvety.

The 2007 Phinny Hill Petit Verdot is a 100% Petit Verdot that offers a nose and flavors of blackberry, smoke, leather, and cassis. This wine would be great with a grilled ribeye or by itself. Fantastic!

After enjoying those wines we went around with Greg, the winemaker, as he theifed various Angelicas (Ports) from the big barrels. The Malbec, Sauzo, and Cabernet Franc Angelicas were all fabulous, with each featuring their own awesome flavor profiles. They will be going to bottle from the barrel in the next few weeks.

I suggest visiting the winery and giving their wines a try. Their website is www.sunrivervintners.com and they have a great Facebook page as well.

Enjoy!

Add Market Vineyards To Your Portfolio



Market Vineyards Merlot



Back in 2008 three executives from Wadell and Reed financial were sitting in the dining room of Hotel Beijing overlooking the forbidden city. They were beyond talking about their day jobs, and were ready to talk about something that they all loved dearly. Wine. Not just any wine, but really really good Bordeaux styles wines.

Matt Reisenweber, Daniel Schulte, and Steve Anderson formed Market Vineyards in their minds that night, and soon added Bob Bertsch to their dream. With two of the partners being right here in the Tri-Cities region they were sold on making sure that the wine was sourced and made here. They looked high and low for just the right winemaker, and decided that the only man for the job was Charlie Hoppes from Richland, Washington.

If you haven’t heard about Charlie Hoppes, and his fantastic wines you are obviously not into wine. Charlie either currently makes, or has made wines for just about every top winery in this region. He is quite possibly the Godfather of Washington wine. His reputation and accolades are miles long.

This week I had the opportunity to visit my friend, and Market Vineyards salesperson Erin Sagadin at the Richland tasting room. I’ve known and worked with Erin and her husband Christopher for many years and it was great getting to taste through the wines and get to catch up with her.

Market Vineyards wines are all given financial names in accord with the partner’s background. The first that I tasted was their 2010 Liquidity. The wine is a 50/50 blend of Viognier and Roussanne that was sourced from Gamache Vineyards. Liquidity offers a light gardenia and pear on the nose and palate with a long acidic finish. Serve with anything creamy or buttery.

The 2007 Benchmark is the winery’s first Merlot. It is 100% Merlot sourced from Stillwater, Weinbau, and Conner-Lee. This wine has fantastic dark stone fruit, and a wonderful velvet texture that finished for me like buttermilk.



Erin Sagadin serving customers in the tasting room.



Market Vineyards 2008 Benchmark is sourced at Stillwater Creek and Conner-Lee. This wine is extra large with tons of deep complexity. I loved the baking spices mixed with the dark berries that make this wine go boom.

Basis Points is the name of the winery’s blend. The 2008 is 58% Cab Sauv, 17% Merlot, 17% Cab Franc, and 8% Malbec. Once again sourced from some of Washington’s greatest vineyards. This wine shows a nose of black pepper and mineral, opening to black cherry and currant, moving on to spice box, and finishing with berry pie notes. Very long and complex with soft tannins.

The 2008 Arbitrage is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is sourced from Gamache, Stillwater Creek, and Red Mountain. This wine hits all of my flavor profile and is one that I could drink all night. Full of fruit, spices, and delicate tannin.

Last, I tasted the 2008 Acquisition. This is Market Vineyard’s member’s only wine. Sourced of 100% Red Mountain fruit, this wine offers tons of dark fruit, earthy notes, and spicy complexity. Absolutely fabulous!

Located in Queensgate Villiage in Richland, the winery is open late on weekends and nights when they offer music, so make this one your last stop. You can also pick it up where fine wines are sold throughout the region.

Enjoy!

Thomas O’Neil Cellars Open In Northern Richland

I’m strange. I admit it. It comes from my childhood when my very “artistic” mother used to say “If all your friends were jumping off a cliff, it doesn’t mean you should do it”.

So, a few months ago when all my friends were going to the newest winery in the Tri-Cities I was a bit standoffish. I wanted the hubbub and craziness to wane a little before I went rushing in. After all, by the end of the first day of business most every wine writer in town already had at least a tweet up about the new place in town.

This week I finally decided it was time to make my way to the Thomas O’Neil Cellars in Richland, near the Horn Rapids golf course. The tasting room is visible on the north side of Highway 240. You really can’t miss it.

We were greeted warmly at the door by Tricia O’Neil and a couple of their fantastic staff. Their French intern Clémence, who is with them for just a few more weeks, poured wines and Tricia ran to the tank room to pull Thomas from his task of racking wines. Within moments my quiet and unannounced visit became a grand scale tasting and interview.

Thomas and Tricia have a very interesting story. Living most of their lives in Michigan, Tom worked many years in business administration, with wine being a serious hobby for the couple. It wasn’t until about 10 years ago, when Michigan State University’s Enology center opened that Tricia urged Tom to go back to school and follow his dream.

Tom interned at Ste. Michelle in Patterson, and then went on to take the assistant winemaker position at Milbrandt Vineyards. A few years ago he decided it was time to stop making mass amounts of juice for others and focus on making smaller lots of wine for himself. That was the birth of Thomas O’Neil Cellars.

Tom, having been trained in white wine country, and a lover of red wines, is well versed in all varieties. The wines all show a considerable amount of fresh acidity which compliments Tom’s desire to make wines ready for food and focus away from “cocktail wines”.

Clémence started me off with the 2009 Chardonnay. It is primarily American neutral oaked, Chardonnay grapes sourced from the Walluke slope, with a little Pinot Gris for the balance. The wine is full of fresh apples, pears, and pineapple, with a gentle acidity on the finish. Some oaky vanilla, but overall very crisp.

The 2009 Riesling offers a light residual sugar of 1.6% making it a delicious off-dry wine. I loved the florality of the wine, with a nose of white flowers and orange water. I picked some up to enjoy with ceviche this weekend.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon offered up a light fruit forwardness of cherries, raspberry, and cocoa. Very enjoyable.

I loved the 2009 Merlot. A combination of jammy fruit forwardness. Black cherry, vanilla, and cocoa, with a light tanned leather finish.

Tom’s 2009 “Fusion” is his flagship wine. It is a red blend of Syrah, Petite Syrah, and Grenache. Dark blueish purple in the glass with a rich nose of prune orchard. The wine has a hint of toasted oak that mixes with the dark fruits to fill the palate. Nicely balanced on the finish. This wine was a must have for my cellar.

Enjoy!

Beautiful View, Nice People, and Great Wine at Kitzke Cellars

Being a wine writer has its benefits, however, I'm usually met with clenched teeth behind the smiles when I visit a tasting room. This was clearly not the case with my visit to Kitzke Cellars this week. As a matter of fact, I received a nicely done e-mail, a phone call from my old friend Robin who now works with Kitzke, and a very warm greeting at the tasting room door by none other than Vickie and Paul Kitzke, the owners.

Kitzke Cellars is located just off Dallas road in West Richland. The easiest way to get there is take Interstate 82 to the Dallas Road exit. Go North, past Goose Ridge winery about 500 yards and you will see the signs on the west side of the road. The winery is located among several nice homes, at the top of the hill overlooking the entire Tri-Cities, Hanford, and the Columbia Reach. The view from the front of the tasting room is truly breathtaking.

The Kitzkes opened their tasting room officially 2 months ago. The family has been actively involved in orchards in the region since the 1970s. Slowly over recent years their orchards have been transformed into vineyards, and now they've started producing their own wines.

As I mentioned, I was met at the door by a very gracious Vickie Kitzke, soon followed by other tasting room staff, and last but not least, Paul.

First to taste was the winery's “Upside Down” label. It is a fun red-blend of Merlot, Cab Sauv, Syrah, and a balance of Cab Franc. Made and labeled in honor of their professional snowboarding son, the wine has flavors of plum, blackberry, and spice. A nice wine for $10.

Next I got to meet the Kitzke's beautiful daughter Janaina, and the wine that her parents named after her. Janaina Sensacao 2006 is a delicate red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. The wine is ripe with berry fruit, rhubarb, peppery spices, and a soft tannic finish.

Beyond their blends the Kitzkes have an enormous selection of single varietals as well.

The Sangiovese offers a nose and mouth-full of bright cherries, raspberries, and spice box. The light fruit mixed with a nice level of acidity blends well with the short tannins and alcohol to produce a great food wine. I would love to have this with putanesca sauce and penne pasta.

One of my weaknesses is for a good Cabernet Franc. It is hard to do Cabernet Franc well, and I think that the Kitzkes have done a great job with this one. Dark, ripe fruit is balanced nicely with herbs and floral accents. Soft tanins mix with the herbal qualities to give this wine a nice finish.

Next, I tasted the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine offers a nice delicate mouth feel. I could clearly taste the fruit, the mocha on the mid-palate, and the lightly herbal finish to this wine.

I've saved my favorites for last. Kitzke's Syrah and Nebbiolo are definitely the stars of their lineup. My hardest time with these wines was choosing which one I was going to buy a few bottles of. The Syrah offers bright fruit on the front, dark berries on the mid-palate, and a soft finish of spice and lingering fruit. The Nebbiolo is complicated and beautiful. Anise and dark fruit on the front of the palate, mixed with herbs, violets, and finishing with dark cherry and vanilla.

Enjoy!

No April Fool's Day Joke at Grocery Outlet Today

Wheeehaaw!

Ok. Be still my racing heart. I just came home from Grocery Outlet, where I seriously scored some amazing wines for uber cheap.

I know you're thinking, "aw Rich, It's April Fool's Day and you're playing a joke on us". No!! Seriously!

Let me tell you what I just picked up off of their 20% off sale this afternoon. Don't worry, as soon as I can get the wife to free up some more allowance I'll be back for more.

First, my friends at Claar cellars had a private label made a few years ago. 2002 to be exact. The wine is called Wooded Island. They had a bunch of the Merlot left over and liquidated it out to the G.O. company a few weeks ago. I just opened it and it was fantastic! Just know that anything this old isn't going to open quickly, and every few bottles is going to have a bad cork. Be prepared to decant this one.

Second, I picked up a bottle of Hayman and Hill 2007 Dry Creek Zinfandel. This Sonoma is filled with pepper and blackberry. Spicy and good.

Another fantastic find was Toasted Head Barrel Reserve Chardonnay and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. I purchased the Pinot Noir, and was very pleasantly surprised at the earthen flavors mixed into the bright fruit of this wine. It's a touch hot on the alcohol, but at $5 it's worth it.

Third, I found a bunch of splits of Sageland Red Blend and Canoe Ridge Merlot for $2.99 before the price break. I love love love splits of wine. Perfect for the one to two glass evening when you don't have time to kill a whole bottle. I haven't tasted them yet, but I'm excited for the opportunity that presents itself!

Last, and possibly the best wine purchase I've ever made at Grocery Outlet is the 2005 Reserve Merlot from Canoe Ridge. OMG! This is a fantastic purchase at $5.99. Not to mention that there is an additional 20% off of that price. Rich with fruit and full of flavor, this wine is supple and features a gorgeous finish.

G.O. planned for a big sale this time, and the back room is filled with many more treasures to come. I say get down there right away and buy big. Like all Grocery Outlet wine bargains these wines won't be around long.

Hey, and while you're in the store, do me a huge favor. Ask to speak to Dane, the owner and thank him for owning and running the store this past year. He and Jamie, his wife have been absolutely fantastic to work with, and have been a great addition to our community. In spite of the crappy location that the company chose for this store, They have done a fantastic job of making a success out of it!

Enjoy!

Rich

Covey Run Quail Wines Are At Grocery Outlet

I’ve known about it for a few weeks. Dane and Jon at Grocery Outlet Kennewick tipped me off. I have to admit that my heart gave a little jump when I heard that a limited amount of Covey Run was going to be available on the shelves soon.

Covey Run, one of the wineries that I consider local to this region, is located in Prosser, Washington. The winery was started in 1982 by local families, and is still in operation today. Truly a pioneer brand for the Washington State wine industry.

Winemaker Kate Michaud, who has worked for several industry leaders such as Bonny Doon, and Canoe Ridge, came to Covey Run Winery in 2007. Since then she has become a substantial name in the Washington wine industry while making the famous Quail label wines at Covey.

As you already know, there are many reasons why wines go to Grocery Outlet. In this case, there were a couple of years where the vineyards produced more supply than there was demand. This drove prices down, and the supply remained until the next year’s crops were ready to go into the barrel and bottle. That means great deals to consumers!

The three bottles of Covey Run that I tried this week were the 2008 Fume Blanc, The 2006 Cabernet-Merlot blend, and the 2007 Merlot.

Fume Blanc is truly a beautiful wine. The 2006 is made with 100% Fume Blanc, this wine offers up a nose and palate of citrus right off the top. Lemongrass, herbs, and lemon-lime flavors mix in the glass to make a bright, crisp wine for drinking alone or with creamy dishes.

The 2006 Cabernet-Merlot shows dark ruby red in the glass. It is somewhat fruit forward, meaning that the nose and the palate show a wonderful bouquet of fresh fruit right from the start. The cherry, vanilla, and chocolate aromas and flavors make me want to just keep pouring more from the bottle. Great with a steak or all by itself!

The 2007 Merlot is also rich with fruit, but shows a great maturity in the glass. Plum and cherry meet the nose, and a rich dark ruby color lines the glass. The flavors are much more complex than expected. The fruit comes forward, followed by a rich smokey finish with long tannins.

The best part of these wines is not only their flavors, but also their price. I picked them up for $3.99 a bottle. I remember these vintages selling for up to $15 when they first came out, but at this price I might buy a case of each.

Finally Telling The Truth About Flavors In Wines

Blame it on the heat. Blame it on the people that only materialize at the county fair, or the WalMart lingerie department. For some reason I got to giggling as I sat down to write this column. My friend Barry Featherstone and I were visiting the other day and he said that I just haven’t been honest with you about where the flavors in wines come from.

Now, I know that I’ve written columns about this before, but he says that people are still coming to him confused and wondering. Heck. I realize that I’ve just downright been deceitful. So, once and for all, I’m going to tell you the full and complete untruth about wine flavors.

Yes…Wine flavors are the work of fairy gnomes. You heard it right here for the first time ever. I know that this will probably get me permanently banned from ever writing for a high-faluten publication like Wine Spectator or Wine Press Northwest. I’ll probably even be banned from attending events like Taste Ukiah.


You see. The fairy gnomes are paid henchmen for winemakers. The better known the winemaker, the more he or she has to spend keeping the gnomes quiet. It really is a racket. The problem is that gnomes can’t really be brought up on charges. They’re too small to catch, and if you do nobody will be able to flavor the wine any more.

Call it a symbiosis. An agreement between the winemakers of the world and their “little people” as they like to call them. The fairy gnomes get a little pay and all the beer they can drink for their nightly work. We all get to benefit from wonderfully flavored wines.

Since gnomes can basically live on beer, and they make their own clothes and furniture, they don’t need much else. I only know this because every time I go to a winery for a visit to one of my friends I must bring a 30 pack of Coors Light. When I don’t have a case under my arm the winery staff get a wild, scared animal look in their eyes. I don’t blame them. Those gnome wives can be vicious!

Ok. So here are some of the particulars. When I say that a Merlot has berry jam flavors I really mean it. Those little guys work all night slathering the inside of wine barrels with jam. It takes them hours for each barrel. The mis-truth that we’ve been telling all these years is that jammy flavors come from the reaction of malolactic fermentation and the oaking process mixing with the flavors in the fruit.

When I say that a Pinot Gris has a mineral finish, I’m saying that those little suckers really got even by rolling in the dirt and then swimming in the juice. It has nothing to do with the balance of low residual sugar and terrior.

It is the leather flavors that you really have to watch out for. Don’t worry though, racking and filtering usually catches the shoes before bottling.

If you don’t believe me on these new revelations I don’t blame you. I just want you to know some of these secrets so when the fairy gnomes flavor your wine badly you’ll know who to blame. And, you can always make a winery staff happy by bringing a 6 pack to share. It might get you a private tour of the gnome’s homes.

Taking A Trip Down Avery Lane Tastes Pretty Good

Ok. So something happened this week that I thought was totally cool. I got asked to taste some wines. I know what you're thinking: "So what? You're the wine guy and you're always tasting somebody's wine. Right?"

Well, this is sort of true, and sort of not true. Usually I dive bomb into wineries without staff knowing who I am, pay my fee, and walk out just like any other customer. That is unless somebody knows who I am. This situation is a little different though.

My relationship with the owners of Grocery Outlet in Kennewick has been growing over the past few months. This week, Dane approached me and asked if I would taste some new wines that he had just brought in. These are wines from Avery Lane, one of the Precept Wine brands from Walla Walla.

Precept is well on its way to becoming one of the largest wine producers in the United States. Using talented winemakers from throughout the state, the company uses juice from many of the state's famous vineyards, bottles it, and markets it. Frankly, some of their wine brands are simply fantastic. Not only that, but the prices are out of this world!

One of the Precept brands is Avery Lane. A beautiful label, bottle, and cork. This wine is fit to be served anywhere from weddings to dinner with friends and they'll have no idea unless they read this column how much you really spent.

The wines I tried are as follows:

2008 Riesling: Peach blossoms and honeysuckle aromas fill the nose as you inhale. The initial taste is brilliant citrus, followed by a nice creaminess on the mid-palate. The finish is crisp and sweet with just the right amount of sugar balanced with acid to cleanse the palate. Enjoy with spicy home-made ceviche for a great meal pairing.

2007 Merlot: Cherry and vanilla fill the senses both on the nose, and in the mouth. When the wine is decanted or swirled in the glass the alcohol flavors make way for a delicious layering of cherries, dark berries, and vanilla. The jammy flavors make you want to have another sip! Enjoy with pork, beef, or a grilled salmon fillet from our freezer section.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon: Dark cherries, blueberries, and currents on the nose. The flavors are dark berries, vanilla, and a hint of leather. Silky tannins on the finish. This bottle tastes like a rich, dark berry cobbler ready to be gobbled up.

Now for the kicker...this stuff hit the shelves today at $3.99 a bottle at Grocery Outlet. I don't know how much there is, but I've already picked up my case!

Grocery Outlet is located on the corner of 4th and Olympia in Kennewick. I hope you can make it down there and check out some of their great wines. When you do, let them know I sent you!

Enjoy!

Restaurants Serving Grocery Store Wines A Poor Choice

The other night I met with some old friends in downtown Pendleton at a local establishment known for fine dining. I was looking forward to a few bites of grilled beef and a good glass of dark red wine to wash it down. Unfortunately I was both shocked and mortified that all that the place had on their glass pour list was the same stuff I could have bought at WalMart. The worst part was that the price for a glass was the same as I could have gotten an entire bottle for at the store!

I have a strict rule about writing this column. It comes from my old friend Thumper in Disney’s Bambi. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” With that in mind, I’m not going to rail on about my snobbish wine tastes and the lack of good selection in Eastern Oregon.

Quite to the contrary, I am impressed with some of the skills used by a few restaurant owners in the region. I just wish that everyone could come up to speed. My “ask” today is that you, the consumer, be aware of what is available out there and demand it. Don’t let some bozo restaurant owner bully you into drinking Barefoot Merlot for $6 per glass.

The first thing that you need to know is that there are many, many wines out there that are reasonably priced specifically for the purposes of restaurant sales. These wines are marketed as such, and aren’t even allocated for sales in stores. Many don’t even have a scan bar on the back label so they can’t be sold at the register.

These restaurant wines are a little harder to acquire, and many are locally produced. Unlike wines that are allocated for the major chain stores, their marketing efforts and dollars don’t go into big ads in magazines. They are focused on producing really great wines at the best prices for “on-premise” accounts.

Examples of these types of wines abound. As I mentioned, many are locally produced, such as many of the wines produced by Precept Wine Brands out of Walla Walla. These are amazing wines, made by renowned area winemakers for the sole purpose of producing wines that are affordable and attractive to the restaurant market.

A few of my recent favorites are the Gordon Brothers Kamiak Labels, Ste Michelle’s Antinori Family labels, and Terra Blanca’s new arch label wines. All of these are very reasonably priced for restaurant sale, and absolutely fantastic. What’s more, I’m not going to refuse to buy a glass when I know I can’t get the bottle at the same price at a local store.

I know what you’re thinking now…”But, what if all I want is a glass of White Zinfandel?” My answer is that there are still options out there, literally sitting in a warehouse ready for delivery to your favorite restaurant. All you need to do is tell your waitperson that you don’t appreciate them selling you Sutter Home for the same price that you could buy it at Safeway. Ask for something different next time, and expect it.

Enjoy!

Canyon Del Sol 10 Year Anniversary

Friday night the 28th was a fantastic night out at Canyon Del Sol Winery located just outside Benton City, Washington. The weather was perfect. A little windy, but that's normal for the Tri-cities, right? Victor and Kim Cruz, the owners of Canyon Del Sol Winery are holding their 10 year anniversary celebration, and I was there for the big kick-off.

The evening, catered by my friends Andy and Kathy Craig of Castle Catering, was a wonderful fiesta, filled with library wines, great food, games, and entertainment. One of the most entertaining portions of the evening was a trivia contest held by the Cruz's adult children. Market Vineyards, Victor's source for grapes over these past years, presented him with a Champagne Sabre, a bottle of Veuve, and a bottle of Dom. Cruz got a little instruction and then successfully sabred both bottles for the crowd.

The night ended in the barrel room with library wines and a plethora of different perfectly paired deserts by Chef Andy. A short bit of information for those who are Canyon del Sol fans, Victor has produced a short run of beautiful 3 liter etched magnums. His first, and according to him, his last for at least another 10 years. I suggest if you want to get one of these you might want to get in touch with the winery soon.

Roundup A Great Time For Happy Canyon Wine

The days are hot, and the nights are brisk. The wasps in the trees are nesting like crazy, and the squirrels are running around my yard picking up this year’s crop of walnuts. It’s Mother Nature’s way of letting us know that it is Roundup time again.

In just a few short days the town of Pendleton will become a haven for cowboys, cowgirls, and those who want to play like they are. The usual drink of choice is whiskey, beer, or soda. But, for those wanting something a little more “high-faluten” there are a couple of good wine choices that offer a lot of fun, and are only available in the Pendleton area.

A few years ago, I was approached to produce a label for a “Happy Canyon Wine”. With the help of the Happy Canyon directors, Maryl Featherstone of Graybeal Distributing, and Tom Huggins the Founder of Eola Hills Winery, we were able to come up with a couple of wines that are fun, refreshing, and provide great souvenirs to take back home and enjoy with friends later. My contribution was the actual label for the wine, which I had a great time creating.

Eola Hills winery, located in Rickreall, Oregon is a 100,000 case winery that produces about 50,000 cases for their own label and the rest under contracts with other wineries. Huggins, who has family in Pendleton, was very happy to work with the directors and Graybeal to come up with a couple of wines that would be very drinkable and fun for just about anyone. Their choices were a Merlot for the red wine, and a Pinot Gris for the white wine.

The Eola Pinot Gris is one of Eola Hill’s flagship varietals, winning several top scores in contests throughout the United States. Fresh Bartlett Pears come to mind when you first inhale the delicious aroma. At first taste, it is light, refreshing, and a little fruity with a light finish. The thing a lot of people enjoy is the spritzy finish caused by just the right amount of sugar and acid when the wine hits the front of the tongue.

The Eola Pinot Gris is great with fish or poultry. It works well with buttery dishes as well, like twice baked potatoes or cream sauces. I especially like it with a nice creamy seafood fettuccini.

The Eola Hills Merlot is produced mostly from Columbia Valley grapes, which tend to yield bright cherry and plum on the nose and flavors of the wine. The Merlot is not a big bold red. It is really more of a soft, drinkable wine that most people will find a good fit with anything from burgers, steak, or even just sitting on the patio as the sun goes down.

You can pick up Happy Canyon wine throughout Umatilla County and annually there are displays at Dave’s, Great Pacific, and Albertson’s downtown. If you want to try a glass before you buy the whole bottle just ask at one of the many restaurants in town. Most offer them as special glass pours throughout these next few weeks.

Enjoy, be safe, and Let ‘er Buck!

San Juan Vineyards Offers Beautiful Grounds and Refreshing Wines

Sometimes I just have to pinch myself. “Ouch!” Ok, I’m not dreaming. I really do live in the greatest country, in the greatest region, and get to do for a living what I love every day. This week is one of those weeks where I really am pinching myself over an over again.

I just returned from a one week school for professional photographers on San Juan Island. My favorite part of the whole week, was on Tuesday evening when we took some time to visit San Juan Vineyards to photograph the vineyards and the staff, eat dinner, and drink wine.

San Juan Vineyards is located on the North Eastern side of the island near Roche Harbor. It is just a few miles from the ferry dock, and easily accessible by bicycle or moped if you decide to leave your car on the mainland. 60 acres of beautiful landscaping and vineyards, with a little church, covered events area, and plenty of room to roam make the vineyard a great event center to host parties or a beautiful wedding.

Owner, Yvonne Swanberg, warmly met us at the tasting room. The vineyard, started by her late husband, and friend Tim Judkins, has been producing wines since 1999. Cutting-edge winemaker Chris Primus joined the winery in 2006. His background as assistant for vintners in Willamete Valley prepared him to create food friendly wines in even cool climates. His whites are bone dry, and his reds are dark and structured.

I had the opportunity to sample through several of Chris’ wines, and thoroughly enjoyed every one. The first that I found to be exceptional was the ‘07 Siegerrebe. Siegerrebe is a cool weather grape varietal that has a lot of characteristics of a Pinot Grigio. It is cool and crisp, with flavors of pear and citrus. With a residual sugar of .06% it is a great wine to pair with fish, or sip on the deck on a summer evening.

The second wine that I found exceptional was the ’07 Madeline Angevine. This is also a fairly rare varietal that is suited to grow well in cool, wet climates. Chris has done an exceptional job in creating a dry wine with flavors of melon and citrus. It tasted to me like I was eating cold honeydew right off the vine. Crisp, yet flavorful, this wine would pair very well with Alfredo or other cream sauces.

The ’07 “Afterglow” is a fantastic Rose’. The wine is a blend of several red grapes from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, mixed with San Juan Vineyard’s own Madeline grapes. Nicely balanced with good acidity, fruit, and depth.

How does a winemaker in a cold climate create an award winning Merlot? He sources his grapes. Chris created his 2005 Merlot from Alder Ridge and Kestrel Vineyard fruit. This wine has great color, depth, and textures. I especially loved the flavors of cocoa and chipotle mixed into the deep rich stone-fruit of cherries and plum. This wine has won several awards, including a recent double gold.

Next time you are planning a trip to San Juan Island, take the time to visit the vineyards. Tell my friends there that I sent you!

Young Professionals Wineing Their Way To Success

When people ask me what my wine pedigree is, I often say “I used to be a wine snob…now I’m a wine slob.” The truth of the matter is I’ve come a long way in my wine drinking experiences over the years. I’ve learned a lot, and had a lot of really good mentors along the way who were patient in explaining what was good, and what was rot gut.

My own experience stems back to my childhood. No, I’m not going to write about debauchery and underage drinking. However, I was raised in a simple farming community in the Boise valley. In my early teens a new winery was raised by a local fruit farming family named the Symms. This new winery was called Ste. Chapelle.

Ste. Chapelle made wonderful wines in the day. Fantastic Cabernet Sauvignons, beautiful Chardonnays, and great Merlots. But, they became known for one thing which sprung them into international notoriety…their Johannesburg Riesling. A spicy sweet concoction that made the mouth tingle and the girls go wild.

As a young, legal drinking age male, I was very interested in making girls go wild. So, my buddies and I would drive our female friends out to the winery for free samples of the gooey stuff. We’d pick up a few bottles and head for the river. I did mention that Ste. Chapelle had wonderful red wines, but to our uneducated palates this stuff tasted terrible.

Fast forward a few years to my young professional life. I got married, got a career, and started a family. The gooey sweet wines were left behind for Cabernet and Syrah. I only drank reds for about 15 years. Over the past four to five years that I’ve re-developed an interest in white wines. Even tasting some fabulous ice wines and loving them.

Enough about me, and my Idaho, farm-boy past. I’m ready to talk about you and where you are in your palate. What kind of a wine drinker are you? If someone hands you a glass do you politely dump it in their houseplant and get a beer? Do you know the proper way to serve wines to your guests?

Today’s young professionals are savvier than we were back in 1980. They are more willing to try nice wines, and understand the nuances that make up a really good wine. As I talk with today’s young professionally minded people I’m constantly impressed with their knowledge and their palates.

Enter a new era of wine drinking. Through social media such as Facebook and Twitter, there are many new avenues for these youthful trendsetters to reach out and tell each other what is going on in the world of wine.

A group of these individuals have started a new social media driven website that offers blogs, facebook updates, and twitter to tell others about the world of wine. Palatebomb.com will go online the evening of July 20th, 2009.

If you are interested in attending the “detonation” event, network with other wine minded people, and have a great time come to Bookwalter winery in Richland Monday night. The event starts at 6 p.m. and goes until closing. There will be music, raffles, wine tastings, a no-host wine bar, food, and more. If you can’t make it to the event I suggest going to http://www.palatebomb.com/ and getting linked up.

Hope to see you there!

Wine And Weddings A Good Combination

It’s hard to believe that Memorial Day is upon us. Soon it will be June, and either you or someone you know will be getting married. So…it is probably a good time for us to have the “talk”. The talk about wine at your wedding, of course!

Wine at weddings is an ancient tradition, steeped in culture and religion. After all, Jesus performed his first miracle by being a master winemaker at a wedding. (I’ve always wondered what kind of Wine Spectator score they would have given him on that vintage.)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run across people in the grocery isles struggling to figure out what they’re going to pour for guests, or buy for the newlywed couple. I can tell you this, that buying wine for a wedding is not as easy as it looks.

The problem is that there are wine drinkers and non wine drinkers. The wine drinkers know that you are a low budget slob for buying Crane Lake, soaking off the label, and putting on your own label. The non wine drinkers look at your cute little label, put the bottle under the table, and go get a beer because they aren’t going to drink it anyway.

My suggestion is that you go ahead and buy some inexpensive wine (not Crane Lake) and dress it up with a cute label. The cuteness effect will work, and your non-wine drinking guests will enjoy it thoroughly as a beverage. I strongly suggest Tisdale, Barefoot, or Sutter Home brands for this task. They are inexpensive and can be appreciated for their lack of rancid vinegar flavors.

Now that we’ve got cuteness out of the way, let’s take care of your wine drinking guests. I suggest that you buy a few bottles of wine for guests who, like me, are frankly snobbish about their wines. If budget is a factor, offer them at a no-host bar for purchase. Some great brands that offer fantastic value are Columbia Crest Grand Estates and Red Diamond. You can even take it up a notch and offer a wine or two from your favorite local winery. I’ve been to several weddings in the last year where I would have given my leg and my firstborn for a glass of decent wine.

The trick is to offer a few choices without overwhelming people. A good Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet are three solid varietals to serve. You can switch the Chardonnay for a sweeter white such as Reisling, and the Merlot for a red blend. But, don’t add too many more choices.

A general rule of thumb for serving people wine is to offer approximately one bottle for every four guests of legal drinking age. So, if you have 100 guests you will need 25 bottles, or just over two cases of wine. My suggestion is to get together with store management and make your choices early. Most of the stores in the region are happy to oblige your special orders in advance, and not have their shelves wiped out on a Saturday morning.

All my best to the loving couples! May your years together be many, your children as plentiful as the stars, and your marriage be as pleasurable as the wine you serve on your wedding day!

Winemaker Dinners A Great Way To Try Something New

Whenever I get the chance, I encourage people to attend winemaker’s dinners. They are a great way to meet new people, taste new wines and foods, and have a really good time at a relatively inexpensive price for the value you receive.

Last Saturday night, I had the unique opportunity to help pair wines at a winemaker dinner for Will Wolfeil, my friend, and the executive chef at the Hilltop Restaurant in Pullman.

I was able to bring two winemakers to the event. Jay Dewitt from Dumas Station, and Bob and Crista Whitelatch from Claar Cellars. Dumas Station is a small winery that offers Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Claar has several offerings, and has been in business since the 1980s.

The dinner started out with a wonderful salmon wrapped scallop on a mixed bed of greens, and finished with a citrus dressing. I paired this with the Claar Savignon Blanc. The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc has a wonderful nose of honeysuckle and pears. It finishes crisp and light.

Course two was a wonderful cheese and mushroom soup, made with dried chantrelle mushrooms, which gave a wonderful texture to the soup. I paired this with the 2007 Claar Riesling. It is lightly sweet and shows wonderful flavors of apricot, honey, and nectarines.

Next, Will brought out a wonderful dish called stuffed zucchini tubes with roasted tomatoes. This dish is both beautiful and delicious. He hollows out a zucchini and roasts it with fresh tomatoes and various fresh herbs. It has a wonderful Italian zestiness to it. For this dish I chose the Claar 2006 Sangiovese. It is bright with flavors of cherry and floral accents, and finishes with a nice spiciness. This vintage has won several awards throughout the United States.

After a great Palate cleanser of homemade lemon sorbet, we were on to a sesame crusted Ahi with wassabi horseradish. For this I paired the Claar 2007 Chardonnay. The Chardonnay is non-oaked, which pairs very well with all types of fish. It’s flavors are of ripe citrus fruit and crisp green apple. It finishes with a light minerality.

Next we were served a Smoked Chicken Roulade with roasted peppers and Proschuito on a saffron cream sauce. The smoked meat and spiciness paired nicely with the 2005 Dumas Station Merlot. This wine just received a 92 in wine spectator. It is rich with plum jam, cocoa, vanilla, and a wonderful balance of tannin, fruit, and acid. It finishes long and beautiful.

The sixth course was a Bison Strip with Blackberry Brandy Sauce. I paired this with the 2005 Dumas Station Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2005 vintage is pulled from Walla Walla’s Minnick vineyard. It has deep, rich flavors of blackberry and currant, and spice box.

Dessert was a wonderful cream cake with huckleberries. The natural pairing for this was Claar’s 2007 late harvest Riesling. The rich flavors of apricot, peaches, and pears in the wine mingled nicely with the buttery richness of the frosted cake.

If you ever have the chance to enjoy a meal at the Hilltop, I would highly recommend it. Will is a fantastic chef, and his staff was great to work with. Also, when traveling Hwy 12 between Dayton and Waitsburg, I suggest stopping to visit Dumas Station. Claar Cellars is located in Zillah just off of I-82. On your next trip to Seattle, stop in and tell them I sent you.