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  Transport yourself to Wine Country-Lake Chelan The beautiful Lake Chelan Wine region offers so many options for grape varietals, views, and food.  Our recent visit there, the first part of October, greeted us with crisp fall air, blue sky, and breathtaking lake scenery. When arriving in Chelan, we made our first stop for lunch and wine tasting at Tsilliam Cellars.  Their spectacular and elegant wine selection along with their menu options make this a great way to kick off our weekend. Mellisoni Vineyards has a breathtaking view to sit and enjoy their lineup of complex varietals, including sparkling, white, rose’ and reds. Stop and enjoy the patio hillside setting at Nefarious Cellars. The view of the lake, which has such a relaxing vibe for you to enjoy their selection of whites, rose’ and reds. Hard Row to Hoe is up on the hillside outside of Manson with winery views.   You must hear the story behind their name, visit the gift shop and restroom wallpaper which give you a g
  Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon - Chenin Blanc I’ve recently enjoyed three wines that reminded me of warm spring days on the back deck with good friends, sipping good wine. Olalla Winery produced a 2014 Merlot (Kilted Scotsman – Conner Lee Merlot) – this deep rich inky wine is not like any merlot you have ever experienced.     Each sip is lush, full of flavor and complexity.   I was recently introduced to Caymus Vineyards out of Napa Valley.   Their 2014 and 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is so amazing.   Words fail to describe this deep dark wine.   It is so full of fruit and very smooth on the finish. Because of Denise’s recent research into Biodynamic wines, I tried an organic 100% French Chenin Blanc varietal from the Anjou, Loire Valley region .   It is full of fruit flavor but low in sugar.   I was able to enjoy several glasses with no side effects. There are so many wonderful wines out there today and I look forward to tasting and sharing them with all of you. Cheers, LaDo
  Petite Verdot is a brilliant grape for blending and on its own! When I opened this 2014 Petite Verdot from Dumas Station I was awestruck how it glided smoothly across the pallet with a deliciously long finish!   Petite Verdot is usually a blending grape, when you find a single varietal, explore its beautiful aroma and flavor. I paired this bottle with a grass-fed grass-finished Beef Filet and rosemary herb roasted mushrooms for a decadent meal. Do not get stuck in a rut and keep buying the same thing, try something new this week like a Petite Verdot! Cheers! Denise
  Did you stop drinking wine because it made you sick ? Hold on, you can possibly have your wine and feel no effects?   Did you ever notice how wine has no ingredient label?   You cannot look at the label and see what additives are in the bottle that you might be having a reaction to.   There are over 70 plus FDA approved additives producers can put in your wine, some natural and some not.   Luckily, many producers are now making wine that is Biodynamic, using wild yeast and no additives.   Do your research on the Slow Wine movement promoting sustainable wine practices which started with primarily Italian wines and now have expanded into Oregon and California. There are also now many subscription services that promote natural wines, explore these for what they have to offer you.   Please also visit your local natural wine producers, ask questions about their practices and do a tasting.   If have given up wine, explore again by finding a clean, pure, natural wine and go back to enjoying
Another Year…….. The vines are now asleep; the wine is aging in the barrels and we gather with family and friends to celebrate the holiday season and the end of 2018. It has been another fantastic year for discovering new wines and revisiting old favorites.   Our busy lives kept us mostly in Oregon and Washington this year but its amazing what you can find in your own neighborhood. Palouse Winery - Vashon Island, Washington was a great find.   On our way to a friend’s wedding, we stopped for a quick sample and discovered a complete line of beautiful crafted wines.   We took the opportunity to come back on another day and experience the full line up.   If you have an opportunity to visit Vashon Island you must stop and visit Palouse. Denise discovered Olalla Winery in Olalla, Washington.   This is a family operated winery that has become a local gem.   Evenings of music out on the lawn, while sipping great wine and nibbling on your favorite appetizer.   Throughout th
Cinco de Mayo, break out from the standard Sangria, Margarita or Corona….try Tempranillo. Tempranillo/Rioja is one of the oldest variety of grapes.   Why isn’t is more poplar?   I wanted to taste for myself and I came to find out it’s fantastic! Tempranillo pairs so well with spicy food, we served it for our tasting event with baked goat cheese topped with roasted tomato pesto, smoked chicken and roasted corn empanadas with spicy adobo dipping sauce and spicy guacamole, grilled shrimp topped cucumbers.    Tempranillo brought out the spicy notes of the food and the food brought out the spicy, berry and earthy notes of the Tempranillo.   Next time you think of getting a margarita, go for the Tempranillo instead, you will be pleasantly surprised! At our tasting we tried two Rioja from Spain which were 100% Tempranillo grape and Tempranillo from Oregon, sometime Rioja can be mixed with other variety’s however usually predominantly Tempranillo. Oregon and Washington stat
If you are driving along Highway 101 past Port Angeles Washington and you see this sign…. STOP!  You will find the most unexpected fantastic wine lineup and experience.  Not just because Harbinger Winery is such a random out of the way place, but from their wide variety of wines offered which all have great fruit and depth of flavor. Starting from their White Table Wine, to their poplar Dynamo Red Blend, a wonderful Malbec, my favorite Sangiovese with rich rustic flavors, to the ever so surprising Blackberry Bliss. Check out their website for their wines and great pairing ideas. Cheers! Denise
Discovering Hidden Washington Wine Country A beautiful pastoral scene you want to capture and keep with you…. you can with a bottle of Olalla Vineyards Wine .  Country setting, small batch wines that have creative and well-developed flavors, what more can you ask for on a summer day.  Check out this hidden gem in Pacific Northwest community of Olalla for some old world flavor and style. Cheers, Denise
2016 – Another Year Over……2017 - A New Year Has Begun Happy New Year!  2017 brings a promise of new and exciting things for all of us.  Will 2017 be a good year for the vines?  What excitement, what anticipation……but before we move ahead, I want to take a moment and look back at all the wonderful wine experiences Denise and I shared in 2016. We kicked off 2016 at McCall Hall on February 8 th with the Walla Walla Wine Tasting event.  I really liked how they did this event.  Lots of Vintners from the Walla Walla valley and a good pairing of food to go with it.  It was our goal to seek out wineries that we had not tried before.  We were not disappointed.  I love how the Walla Walla valley keeps producing some of the most amazing wines in our region and the wine makers hone their craft to perfection.   February 21 st found us at the “Seattle Food and Wine Experience.  I just love this event.  So many wines to sample and the food is outstanding.  Besides wine there is also
Wine tasting etiquette You are not a camel; therefor learn to spit When implementing the spitting method during a tasting, I found it is best to use a paper cup and spit directly into the cup, not a mile away into the bucket they have on the table.  If there isn’t a paper cup in sight and you find yourself having to use the bucket provided, please try to get close enough to get inside but not too close that there is splash back….ewww!  Practice at home is my suggestion to get it down, better safe than sorry. It’s always “no white after Labor Day”  Not the time to wear your white anything; shirt, dress, slacks.  Stay on the safe side and wear dark colors to avoid any embarrassing splashes and stains. Not a BYOB party  Do NOT bring your own bottle, that is just poor manners. If you don’t like red and they only pour red, then you are now the designated driver.  I suggest that you keep an open mind and try the red that is poured, you just might find that you like it a
Balla d of Syrah’s…    Syrah or sometimes called Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world; Syrah should not be confused with Petite Sirah which is a different grape. Syrah is full-bodied, dark colored with soft tannin, jammie fruit and spice with notes of licorice, anise and earth, which makes it so wonderful paired with rich meats. Here are some we sampled at a resent WLW wine tasting event: Dumas Station, 2012 Walla Walla Rich garnet color, jammie fruit with a hint of floral and smoky spice nose. Ripe fruit, spicy and creamy generously lasting thru to the finish. Pairs well with roasted asparagus, dark chocolate, roasted meat and smoked herb potato. Laurelhurst Cellar, 2012 Walla Walla Intoxicating nose with hint of fruit and spice, long harmonious layered fruit finish. Paired well with caramelized onion, roasted mushroom, smoked potato wedge, triple cheese blackberry melba appetizer and dark chocolate. Dumas Station, 2013 The Excursion, Walla
New Discoveries Spring Forth February 2016 – Denise and I attended the “Walla Walla Wine at McCall Hall” tasting in, Seattle, Washington.  We discovered some wineries that we had never heard of before and really enjoyed their wines.  We decided at that time, in the spring we would make a point to go visit these new discoveries and see if they would become some new favorites. Not long ago Denise and I set off on a spring day to Walla Walla, Washington to visit our dear friends Michael and Coralee.  We were so excited about this visit because we had a list of newly discovered wineries and couldn’t wait to share. We had two full days of tasting and here is just a sample of what we experienced. Tertulia Cellars – www.tertuliacellars.com 2015 Estate vineyard Rose’ – old world style rose with a light salmon color and dry finish.  I loved the way they described how they got the color for the wine.  “In the time it takes to drink 2 beers, that’s how we determine the press
Wine Tasting and Water During our trip to the Willamette, the tasting room attendant at one of the Winery’s first poured us some club soda upon our arrival.  This was great, we just had a fantastic brunch and the flavors still lingered on our palates.  The club soda worked well at neutralizing our taste buds to receive the grape we were about to taste.  This got me thinking about waters and how to use them to improve our wine tasting experience. Still water or Acqua Panna, which is Italian, these are best for tasting the following: *White wines *Barrel Aged White Wines *Sparkling Wines *Red Wines that are light and subtle San Pellegrino is Italian, Perrier is French and both carbonated water which make for softer smoother bubbles which complement the tasting of: *Rose’ wines with high alcohol content *Young red wines *Red wines that are full and mature *White wines that are full bodied The difference between these bottled carbonated waters and club
Willamette Valley -Fire, Volcanic eruptions, Earthquakes, Floods and coastal effects…..sounds like the makings of a new disaster movie however it is actually the makings of some great soil for one of the largest AVA in Oregon, extending from Portland to Eugene. Many factors contribute to a wines flavor, mostly what happens in the cellar however one of the elements is the soil the grapes are gown in. The Cascade mountains on the East and Coastal mountain range to the West with low hillsides, which make up the 6 AVA (American Viticultural Area) regions in Oregon; Dundee Hills AVA, Chehalem Mountains AVA, Ribbon Ridge AVA, Eola-Amity Hills AVA, McMinnville AVA, Yamhill-Carlton AVA. This trip, we went to Newberg and Dundee area, here are some places we visited that will hopefully inspire you to visit this region too. August Cellars- Family owned with a tasting room situated at the edge of 42 acre farmland of English Walnuts, Italian Prunes and Pinot grapes. August Cellars is
Walla Walla Wine Tasting at McCall Hall Another great year of wine is upon us and Denise and I kicked it off by attending the “Walla Walla Wine Tasting at McCall Hall” on Monday evening (February 8 th ).  This was our first time attending this event and it did not disappoint. Forty-five wineries were pouring.  We sampled a few old favorites but enjoyed new ones we had never tried before.  Five Star Cellars – 2011 Syrah – I tried this Syrah with duck and it was fantastic.  Food really brought out the flavors. Foundry Vineyards – 2013 Chardonnay – This chardonnay was done in steel.  The fruit really shines. Henry Earl Estates – 2012 Malbec – Very unusual Malbec.  Light with little to no tannins. Kerloo Cellars – 2013 Les Collines Syrah – Great Syrah!  Can’t wait to visit them. Tempus Cellars – 2013 Evergreen Vineyard Riesling – A nice refreshing Riesling.  Not too sweet but also not dry, just right! These are just a few of the wineries we tasted at