Conversate at the Walla Walla Tasting Room

Perhaps you're planning a trip to taste the wines of Walla Walla or you just came back from wine tasting there. You feel like getting on the computer and leave some messages about the experience or maybe you want to learn something new about wine or the Walla Walla area. Other food and wine boards aren't going to be nearly as focused about Walla Walla - - so where d'ya go?

Grab that mouse of yours and click onto the Walla Walla Tasting Room! Joel Clark (aka JoelC on the WWTR board) of Walla Walla Village Winery will be your host and will guide you as if you were sitting in his living room with a glass of wine. Whatever you want to discuss: from the best Chardonnay made in Walla Walla to Stanley Mouse, the designer of The Grateful Dead album covers. Maybe you're a first time visitor to Walla Walla and want the scoop on the best places to eat and stay during your visit? Perhaps you have a Wine-101 question or want to comment on your favorite Portuguese Vinho Verde or Touriga Nacional? Maybe you have discovered a new Oregon Pinot Noir? What do you mean that "bung hole" is a wine term and not a rude name from Beevis and Butthead? Want to post photos of your new home brew set-up? Where's the best pizza in Walla Walla? Is anybody in Walla Walla producing a Sangiovese? Get the idea? This is the place to "conversate!" So click on over to Walla Walla Tasting Room and make yourself at home!

(PS - I know - - I know - - please do not send me comments/email that "conversate" is not a real word. Tell that to the Urban Dictionary. I also like the words: "shiznit", "redunkulous" and "nunya bidness" - - so there.)

Visionary Vintner: Robert Mondavi

Today at 9:00 am, a “visionary vintner, winemaker, and wine marketer" died at his home in Yountville, CA. Robert Mondavi was 94 years old. He was one of the most influential winemakers and wine marketers in California history and certainly the driving force behind the new era of California wine (and at his lengthy age a good argument for drinking a glass of wine a day). Robert Gerald Mondavi was born June 18, 1913. His parents were Italian immigrants and settled in the Minnesota city of Hibbing, where Mondavi was born (another legend would also be born in Hibbing, MN almost 28 years later - Robert Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan).

After learning of Mondavi's death, I thought about the legacy he leaves to everyone who is a New World wine aficionado, whether we knew of him or not. And I also thought how he may have influenced Washington State's own wine legacy and especially the wine industry in Walla Walla. Later this morning I was reminded of this quote by Allen Shoup, CEO of Long Shadows Wine Consortium in Walla Walla, WA. It's from an article in the March 21, 2008 issue of the WASHINGTON CEO Magazine, “Refined Vintages” by: Steve Bjerklie.

"The genesis for Long Shadows goes back to Robert Mondavi, who I got to know when I worked for Gallo in the 1970s and who is still a good friend," says Shoup. "In 1978 he and the Baron de Rothschild came out with Opus One, their joint project in Napa Valley. It instantly hit me as an ingenious thing to do. California was still fighting back then for recognition and Opus One helped put Napa wine on the map -- I give a lot of credit to Bob, who always promoted Napa ahead of his own wine. But if Bob was building a mountain in California, up here in Washington we were still in a chasm." - - Allen Shoup

Moved by Sleight of Hand

He was okay but wondering about wandering.

Was it age by consequence or was he moved by sleight of hand? – Pearl Jam

It’s a perfect fit that a Washington State winery with a “magic touch” is named for a song by a famous rock band from Washington. Winemaker Trey Busch and partners, Sandy and Jerry Solomon have created a Walla Walla winery like no other and to take a phrase from them, their wines are “simply magical.”

I had my first experience with Sleight of Hand when they opened their doors in 2007. Upon our first taste, Steve immediately joined their wine club, the Wine Illusionist Society. It was at Taste Washington last month, where I tasted the wines again and I couldn’t get Sleight of Hand wines off of my mind - - and was reminded about this winery again the day after Taste Washington when Steve and I visited Seattle’s Experience Music Project, the museum of music, upon viewing the Pearl Jam exhibit - - and I knew I must have Sleight of Hand wines for my new wine store.

Sleight of Hand has everything you want in a wine: not only style, of course they are highly pleasing to the palate, and last but not least - - beautiful labels! Five days later after the Experience Music Project we were back at the Sleight of Hand winery in downtown Walla Walla visiting with Trey. I found myself standing back from the other visitors and taking in the relationship between the winemaker and the guests he was pouring wine for. Trey is personable, charming and he has a way drawing an audience like a fine magician should.

If Sleight of Hand hasn’t named a signature wine, it should be “The Magician Gewurztraminer.” Sleight of Hand is one of the first small handful of Walla Walla wineries to brave the screw-cap and it just seems to work with this particular wine that makes me think of picnics and easy entertaining. The Gewurztraminer is refreshing and indeed shows off its German-style from the aromas of green apples and rose petals to the flavors of stone fruit from the orchards. It’s yum-yum with a yum-yai salad or any other Asian-influenced dish.

Ahhh…Rose'. What can be said about the beautiful Magicians Assistant? Of course, the first thing you will notice is the label and once you get past the beautiful pink liquid it’s all about the taste. Cabernet Franc is one of my favorite grapes to make into a rose'. And so perfect for summer when you want the taste of a red grape but the cool crispness of a white. Only 60 cases of this 2007 vintage were produced and it’s going fast.

The Levitation Syrah – 2006 is another wine that less than 100 cases were produced. Four very special barrels of 100% Syrah (and from some of the oldest vines in the state) were “levitated” into bottles. A bold and rich Syrah giving the impression of a fine old Northern Rhone (one of my favorites) leaving a mouthful of blueberries. Again, there wasn’t a lot of this special Syrah produced and mainly to be sold within the winery so I felt privileged Trey let me have a few bottles for my store. (note: all three of the above wines are also available through me at Walla Walla Wine Woman).

You have my word that when in downtown Walla Walla it is time well spent to check out these magical wines at the Sleight of Hand tasting room and I promise you it won’t be an illusion of sleight of hand - - but the real thing.

A time to dream to himself…
I'll see you on the other side.
Another man moved by sleight of hand.

Pursued by Bear - - Grrrr!

It's a great label, isn't it? It caught my attention immediately as I collect grizzly bear items - from old wooden and stone carved grizzlys ( Ursus arctos horribilis), especially those carved with a Native American or old German Black Forest influence. I've even picked up a few old plush German Steiff grizzly bears and old Yellowstone grizzly memorabilia. And of course, any piece of silver jewelry with the bear paw fetish especially captivates my eye.

Now, there's one more thing that captivated me about this label - - it happens to belong to Eric Dunham, owner/winemaker of Dunham Cellars and actor Kyle MacLachlan. You may recognize Kyle, who is a Yakima home-grown, from many TV favorites such as "Desperate Housewives," Sex and the City," and remember "Twin Peaks?" Now we know why there is a new winemaker at Dunham Cellars. This is quite a project!

Pursued by Bear will be a red, yet very expensive blend, and will be released before the end of the year. Am I right to smell a bit of a Shakespearean soap opera here? The Winter's Tale?

Wine Blogging Wednesday #45: Riesling

When I first started this wine blog, Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine, I decided I would only blog about wines from Walla Walla, WA and the very most I would stray would be other wines from Washington State. Because of my commitment, (or is that I need to be committed?) I do not participate a lot in Wine Blogging Wednesdays. Hell, it was all I could do to even host it one month, a year ago in June and that was due to the fact I hassled creator Lenn and our host, Tim for months threatening I would hold my breath until they recognized me and if I died from holding my breath, the coroner would find clutched in my hand their websites scrawled on old Bartles & Jaymes wine cooler labels. They finally gave in, but I was still left with the impression that they didn’t take me serious let alone that Walla Walla was serious about their wineries.

I have missed out on several Wine Blogging Wednesdays and this month’s theme is to blog about Old World Rieslings grown in Germany, Austria or Alsace and in a pinch, even Northern Italy, the Czech Republic and Slovenia will do. So with that kind of theme, it is apparent it is not meant for me to blog. Well, I decided to stretch the rules a bit. Okay, maybe I am cheating. But, I think I found a loop hole. How about if I blog about a Riesling that is made by an Old World German winemaker who treks to the New Wine World and produces the Riesling here in Walla Walla, WA? That’s close - - right?

This Riesling is so fabulous that it could even make Lenn of Lenndevours, the LIRA (Long Island Riesling Aficianado) salivate with envy. And I am talking about Poet’s Leap Riesling from Long Shadows Winery in Walla Walla. Last year Long Shadows was given the Winery of the Year title by Food & Wine Magazine.

Armin Diel, a winery partner of Long Shadows, is one of Germany’s most acclaimed Riesling producers. His family has owned the celebrated estate of Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in the Nahe River Valley since 1802. Schlossgut Diel is internationally renowned for its white wines, predominately Rieslings. Now how Old World can you get? While made with fruit from some of the oldest vineyards in Washington State, these grapes are hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed with a small amount of the Riesling (3%) fermented in a tight grained, lightly toasted French oak cask (and these casks are an example of gorgeous craftsmanship). Diel, who uses the same tanks at Schlossgut Diel, introduced the technique to give the wine added brightness without imparting wood character. Remaining grapes are fermented at cool temps in stainless steel keeping the freshness and delicate aromas and flavors.

This year’s release, 2006 is crisp and fresh with aromas of pear, melon and honey. Just the right acidity with a hint of delicate sweetness (never cloying) gives a long lingering finish. It’s a great food wine and in fact, I enjoyed it last week at Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood, Oregon. I paired it with lobster stuffed flounder on top of creamy risotto. O-my-o-riesling-gasmic! And I shared this prized white with other peers from the wine industry who were eager to put down their glasses of reds to have a glass of this Riesling. The winery is sold out, but I know where you can buy some…

Hey Lenn and Tim, are you going to let me host again? Really – we really do make wines in Walla Walla, WA and this Riesling is proof!

Mild Mannered: The W5?

According to the story about me and the wine biz on the front page of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin on May 1, From Blog To Biz, the article says I am mild mannered

Yes, the W5 is mild mannered and stop laughing - - I know who you are. Since I was born under the Gemini sign, I have two sides. The quiet yet thoughtful and then the opinionated and loud.

When I first read the article, even I became verklempt. A bit choked up and later I was reminded of something that my high school Latin and Humanities teacher had said many "Bad Moon Arising" (old 70's song in high school) ago. Perhaps it explained why a tear got caught in the corner of my eye. Mrs Koch walked around the classroom and commented on what she saw in the future for her graduates. She based this on their performance in class, grades and overall attitude. When she came to me, I squirmed a bit, but she saw for my future that I would be a famous business woman and one in particular that owned a corporation. Now note, in the early 70's, for a woman to be even a bank teller was a big deal. And it just so happened I visited with my former Latin/Humanities teacher's daughter, Mary Koch Campbell the other night over dinner and when I asked about her mother, she said her mother hadn't changed much other than she was now 90 years old. I cannot imagine - but then again, Mrs. Koch always seemed timeless to me.

Back to the article: many thanks to Vicki Hillhouse of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin who did a wonderful job, as she really captured my story and of course, last but not least to Jeff Horner, photographer who realized going into this photo I was going to be difficult as this wasn't the first time he's had to take my photo. He remembered how I hate-hate-hate my photo being taken. Jeff did it in less than 10 minutes and overall it was painless and the results - - see for yourself.

Green & Tender: Walla Walla Asparagus!

A week ago Sunday about 7:00 am, I was traveling down highway 12 headed toward Mt. Hood and was reminded it was local asparagus time. Yellow crates were spread about the fields and pickers were filling the crates up with tender green spears. If you are a long-time resident of Walla Walla you eventually start taking two things for granted: your fair share of fresh picked asparagus and Walla Walla Sweet Onions. You will find them easily accessible at any produce stand, Saturday Market or free from a farmer friend.

Yesterday I was reminded one more time it was time to buy a "mess" of asparagus when I dropped by Dave and Darrel's Valley Produce in College Place. Gosh, what can’t you do with asparagus? It’s a pretty versatile vegetable and easy to prepare from soup, stir-fry, pickled, grilled, quiche, included with Eggs Benedict, and broiled wrapped in bacon. But my favorite and easiest way is to lightly blanch it. I break the tough ends off (each spear will break at the tender point) and lightly trim up the broken edges with a knife - looks prettier. Start a large pot of water to boiling, add a sprinkling of kosher salt to the water and toss the asparagus in the boiling water. When the spears turn a brilliant green (less than a minute), drain and immediately place the tender spears in a container filled with ice water - ice included. This will immediately stop the cooking of the asparagus giving you a nice crunch to the vegetable. However, don’t let the spears sit in the water as they can turn slimy. Drain well and serve chilled.

Now, you will need something to dip those tender spears in. I have many favored mayo-based concoctions that I prepare - - from a curry flavored to Dijon mustard. Last night I prepared a dip using AJ’s Dill Flavored Walla Walla Sweet Onion Mustard. Easy to prepare, remembering one part good mayonnaise (Best Foods/Hellmans or even better, make your own) and one part AJ’s Dill Flavored Walla Walla Sweet Onion Mustard. You can make it in tablespoon quantities or by the cup - - mix together and voila - dip! It will keep up to a week in the refrigerator - - umm...if you don’t eat it in one sitting.

For a classic vinaigrette, instead of Dijon use AJ’s Walla Walla Sweet Onion Mustard. It makes a great salad dressing, which is tasty drizzled over chilled asparagus or makes a great grilling marinade for veggies: 1 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup AJ’s Walla2 Mustard, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper and kosher salt or no salt to taste. In bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, vinegar and pepper and salt. Serve immediately or cover and store in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

So we need some wine to drink with this and yes, wine can pair with asparagus no matter what you have heard. I think it pairs best with crisp whites such as very lightly oaked or steel tank-fermented Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Before the season leaves us, check out the fresh Walla Walla asparagus now! Not only are these spears (and no we aint talking Britney) healthy for you, being a good source of folic acid, potassium and dietary fiber, but it’s also known to be an aphrodisiac.

Spring Release Weekend: D' Vine Wine Tasting Etiquette

Listen up Wine Tourists!

Ya know, you weren't the first ones to "find" Walla Walla. Lewis & Clark got here way before you ever did. Same with Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisnhower (my grandma's cousin) and even Richard Nixon. However, you're the lucky ones as we now have lots of tasty wine to offer you - - perhaps that's the reason why Lewis, Clark, Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Nixon never came back - - if they only knew?

We love you. We really do and we want you to enjoy yourself so you will come back. In fact, Walla Walla Spring Release Weekend is this weekend, May 2-4. Always the first weekend of May, this is the time for wineries to present the “fruits” of their hard labor. Recent news from other wine regions regarding limousine-riding bacchants taking advantage of free alcohol, will hopefully bring to our valley some insight on how to avoid these incidents, ensuring that both the tourists and the wineries have memorable, safe and successful events. One way of preventative medicine are tasting fees. Fees can assist the wineries overhead, as well as weed out the bacchanal from the oenophile (and it’s okay for two people to share one glass and pay only one tasting fee). There really aren’t any “rules” when it comes to visiting tasting rooms. There is no “wine etiquette police” ready to write you a citation. Just by using common sense and courtesy will get you a long way. Remember, using wine etiquette really isn’t any different as if you were an invited guest to someone’s home, but we’re giving you permission to spit.

When starting out for a day of wine tasting, pack in the proteins and hydrate-hydrate-hydrate! Pack water with you or whenever a winery has water to offer - - drink that H20! And as far as breakfast: now is not the time to crunch on some damn granola-cardboard bar. If your accomodations are only pinching out some poofy-foofy little "French" pastry (it can't be French if it's made in Washington), head to the nearest Le Mac Shac and get an Egg-0-MacMuffbutt! You get the picture - - protein-protein-protein! Hydrate-hydrate-hydrate! Proteins! Carbs! Proteins Carbs! Hydrate-hydrate-hydrate! And by the way, don't grumble when asked for I.D., be flattered you don’t look your age! It’s for your protection and the winery. In the mean time, hydrate-hydrate-hydrate!

Okay, now that we have you fed and watered - - after seven years of pouring wine to the masses during these event weekends, I have developed my small list of pet peeves that might give some insight on behavior to avoid while wine tasting.

Put down the cell phone and no one will get hurt:
You’re really not that important, are you? If you are, perhaps your secret service men can take your calls. Take your conversation outside and away from the tasting room. Entering a tasting room oblivious to others, with loud phone chatter can break the ambiance between staff and other visitors. You wouldn’t walk into your host’s house that way, would you?

Thanks, but I’ll pass on the glass of Eau d’ Toilette:
Nothing worse than a self-proclaimed wine “expert” that reeks of the perfume counter. If you really are a “wine expert," then you know that cologne, perfume and even fragrance enhanced hair and body products can offend the olfactory system. You may not be able to smell yourself, but everyone in the tasting room can, making their Merlot taste like grandpa’s “Old Spice.”

I love children, especially for breakfast with cream and sugar:

Seriously, I really do love children and have two adorable granddaughters that are four and almost three years old. Even one of the granddaughters has been wine tasting with me (she usually wears a tiara and a purple princess dress with purple athletic shoes). While wine tasting is a 21+ environment, wine tasting can be a fun family event with some planning and especially keeping in mind visiting larger wineries who are set up with pic-nic areas. But please be mindful of other adults who may have paid for a baby sitter to provide them an adult weekend away. Children can get bored, tired, hungry and when it's nap time, pay attention to them and don't keep tasting wine! How would you like to be kept from your nap? Please keep the little ones within an "eye's reach." The tasting room staff's sole purpose is not to be your nanny and monitor the children from climbing racks of barrels and playing with bottles of wine. So we should put the wine in plastic bottles and move all the barrels in locked storage because you don't want to watch your own children? (ummm - you know who you are.)

Pimp your ride, but un-pimp the attitude:

As you know, drinking and driving is dangerous, so a designated driver is encouraged. Hiring a limousine service is a safe and fun way to enjoy wine tasting with friends. However, being chauffeured in a limousine doesn’t give you carte blanc to get drunk and assume you are exclusive because you have the biggest-effing car in the parking lot. Eat well and drink lots of water (hydrate-hydrate-hydrate!) Most wineries are very generous with pours, so limit the number of wineries you visit in a day. Once you reach your sixth winery, the taste buds become fatigued and you probably won’t remember what you tasted anyway. Be considerate of individual public hours and don’t use the wineries for your free happy hour.

So now that I have told you my pet peeves, have I skeered (cross between "scared and steered") from wine tasting? Don't let it. Just remember, wine etiquette is pretty simple. Pace yourself and don't try and visit every winery just because they are “there.” Remember, chances are pretty great that the winery you may have missed on this Spring Release, will be here the next time you come back to Walla Walla.