Wine Lovin Women

A sommelier friend once said, “Drinking wine should be about the emotions you experience as the wine crosses your lips; glides over the palate; slips down the throat and says farewell.”   I have always enjoyed tasting wine and the emotional experience that comes from each sip and appreciate the nurturing care and emotional structure the Vintner crafts into each bottle. In the Walla Walla Valley, a couple of Vintners allowed me to tag a long one fall evening as they tended   their vats of fermenting grapes.   Harvest had just begun and I was giddy with the excitement of what I would see and experience by this unexpected adventure……… As the winemakers performed their punch downs of the grape vats, the CO gases were released and replaced by heady aromas of grapes and yeast working together. Slipping my arm into a warm vat of fermenting grapes, I could feel the yeast and grapes working together to create the foundation of the perfect nectar.   A small cup in hand allowed me to s

Wine Lovin Women set out for Walla Walla, WA again for another adventure.   This time was for Fall Crush , where we visited some of our old favorite wineries, Tero Estates and Dumas Station.   Both wineries had amazing releases to sample, if you haven’t been there yet or tried their wines you are missing out….so get started on making some plans to check them out.   During our visit, we discovered a new favorite, El Corazone, which has a tasting room in downtown Walla Walla.   We walked into an eclectic, packed out showroom which made you realize great things were about to happen…no wine snobs here. El Corazone has been producing since 2007 and during our visit we tasted: ♦      First Crush , Malbec (Walla Walla Valley) - Stronger tannins and bolder fruit flavor   ♦      Supernova , Malbec, (Columbia Valley) - Beautiful color, smooth tannins, full fruit and a slight spice on the pallet ♦      Pistalero , Bordeaux style blend - Marriage of bold fruit, which intoxicat

Malbec If I were to choose a wine for its color, I would pick a Malbec. It has such a succulent deep rich color, with dark fruit and spice to complete the dance on your palate...it tantalizes my taste buds. It's not the most popular; however there are more great Malbecs becoming available. The Malbec grape truly comes into its own in Argentina, where Malbec is the major red variety planted and is most often bottled as a singe varietal.  Argentina might have claimed this grape but it originated in the Southwest of France, however Eastern Washington is producing beautiful Malbecs with intense fruit and subtle spice. Malbec is a spicy wine reminiscent of blackberries and chocolate, with an enticing aroma and velvety texture.  Malbecs are also used in small amounts as a blending grape, such as in Bordeaux blends to add color and to smooth the tannins of the other wines in the blend. One winery you have to be sure to put on your agenda when visiting Walla Walla is Flying Trout

We found a great Rose' to take on a picnic or camping trip, Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose 2011.   This Willamette Valley Rose has a fresh fruit aroma with a crisp, light and refreshing taste; even better yet it has a twist top so you have one less thing to pack.   Cheers….Denise

4th Annual Kitsap Wine Festival Last weekend I had the pleasure to enjoy the 4 th Annual Kitsap Wine Festival at the Harborside Fountain Park in Bremerton, Washington.   This event brought together some of the best wineries within Washington and Oregon in order to raise money to benefit the Harrison Medical Center Foundation. Besides enjoying amazing wines there was also delicious food and brews to enjoy.   It was well worth the entrance fee and I was especially impressed with the overall organization. I would like to share some of my favorites from the day.   I recently listed in a former blog other wineries that also were present at this event but since I did a recent review of their wines I felt it was important to bring you some new wineries to explore.   Hightower Cellars – Red Mountain, Washington Out of Line 2009 – a Blend – Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot – rich, structured and a little complex.   It has a gentle nose with a mild finish. Pepper Bridge

Simple White Wine Sangria My Sangria recipe re-posting for you to cool off from the summer heat.  Many recipes out there have a lot of ingredients, I made this one simple and refreshing, enjoy…Denise 1 bottle dry white wine ( Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio) 2 shots of brandy 1 orange sliced 1 lime sliced 1 peach sliced 1 lemon sliced 2 shots of triple sec 1 shot of simple syrup (optional) Club soda Pour the wine in a pitcher add sliced fruits (be sure to wash your fruit before slicing) brandy, triple sec, stir and chill 2 -4 hours.  Before serving, add 1 liter of club soda, taste test to see if you need the simple syrup (you might need if your fruit isn’t that sweet).   That’s it, you are ready to chill!

Gig Harbor Wine & Food Festival 2012 An event that I can highly recommend is the Gig Harbor Wine & Food Festival.   This event was well coordinated and worth the entrance fee.   There were 30 wineries, 5 breweries and food tasting tables that complimented the wine/beer perfectly.   Tasting classes were also offered along with cooking demonstrations and a cook off competition. There were so many things to drink and eat that I was unfortunately only able to get around to a small fraction of what was being offered.   Obelisco Red Mountain Estate Wines – Woodinville, Washington Dry Riesling – VERY dry.   I would pair this with rich seafood and sweet deserts. Mosquito Fleet Winery – Belfair, Washington Meritage Blend 2009 – I love when you smell a wine and it tingles all your senses clear to the back of your throat and then leaves you with goose bumps.   That’s how I felt about this wine.   Paired with a meat slide