Celebrity Wine - Porn, Sports and Rock 'n Roll!

What do Grammy Award winning musician Carlos Santana and race track star, Jeff Gordon have in common? Their own wine labels. First it started with 60's TV star Fred MacMurray of My Three Sons (who would later sell the vineyard to E& J Gallo) and later Fess Parker, who is probably just as well known for his destination winery, spa and soon to be seaside hotel, than he is for the roles he played as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. Other TV stars of the 60's came along like the Smothers Brothers who own Smothers Winery and Remick Ridge Vineyards of Sonoma.

There are big distinctions behind those labels - the celebs who take active roles in their vineyards and/or wineries (like Smothers and Parker) and those who pay negociants to fetch the wine from various wineries, such as three of my favorite rock legends: Santana, Bob Dylan and Mick Fleetwood. Then we have posthumous labels of rock legends such as Jerry Garcia and of course, Elvis.

One of the more famous wineries, especially seen all over northern California grocery stores is from famed film director of the "Godfather" trilogy, Francis Ford Coppola’s wine label. Yes, this Walla Walla Wine Woman has been known to enjoy a bottle here and there - the Zinfandels are quite nice. However, let’s not forget (no wait - - let's forget) about daughter, Sofia Coppola's Gen-X spin on wine. The stuff in the can that is marketed "for the person who lives like there is no tomorrow." Who thinks like that? There should be no tomorrow when we start drinking wine out of a can.

The Gallo Winery found a "good thing" when they announced last month their partnership with MSO to develop a brand of wines under the "Martha Stewart Vintage" label. Now your dinner party will be complete with the meal prepared from your MS cookbook and MS cookware, your table set with MS plates and linens (umm...even the dining table can be from the MS Katonah or MS Turkey Hill collection) and of course you will need the MS wine glasses from Macy*s to drink the MS vintage from.

Last but not least, golfing legends like Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer. Norman actually owns an estate winery and vineyard and the Palmer label is a partnership with a winery.

So what got me started on this rant? Yesterday, in one of my many wine-related emails was the announcement of the new "Mamietage Collection of Fine Wines." This collection of "fine wines" is named after screen legend and notorious blond bombshell Mamie Van Doren. Huh? I thought she was dead! I must have confused her with the other two blond "Bombshells" of the 50's. Okay, so how do I know about the "The Three M's — Mamie, Monroe and Mansfield?" Umm...my mother told me?

"Mamietage" is produced in 1.5 liter bottles featuring three images of Mamie. Two of the images are of Mamie as she is today, and the third image is from Mamie at the age of 21. The wine labels all feature nude poses of Mamie covered up by a top, clear "peel away" label that has stars strategically placed. Once you peel the label away - - a nude Mamie! The peel away portion is attached, and can be replaced to it's original form. How special - like paper dolls!

Last year I blogged "Porn Wine" regarding porn star Savanna Samson launching her own brand of Italian wine. Wine critic, Robert Parker gave the wine 90 points and claimed Samson’s wine to be "luscious and oppulent." Oh reee-ally Mr. Parker. "Luscious and oppulent," you say?

So, all of these celebrity wines got me to thinking - I need my own wine label. Hey! I’m a celebrity - a wine blogging celebrity - the Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman - a celebrity in my own mind! I could have peel away labels like paper dolls. Your choice of bare umm - - feet or Birkenstocks. Purple and red reading glasses or no eyeglasses. Fountain pen behind my ears or laptop computer. Toga with belly dancing scarves or Washington State University sweat shirt with Sponge Bob Squarepants sweat pants? Ain't she purty? My paperdoll image can be holding your choice of wine. Red or white, but never a glass of White Zin. Cheers!

The Flying Trout Crush

The word from Ashley at Flying Trout Winery is she's keeping busy with crush and it appears there is a rainbow at the end of her '07 crush journey! I recently interviewed Ashley back in August for an article to be part of my new column, "The Tasting Room" in Walla Walla’s newest magazine," Lifestyles." At that time, the only wine she had available for sale was her Deep River Red - 2004. And during that visit, I discovered that Ashley is truly a one-woman-show. Winemaker, marketing director and tasting room attendant and if that isn’t enough, after this crush she will head-down to Mendoza!

Which reminds me - as of this week she is sold out of her Deep River Red blend and is officially closing the tasting room except on event weekends. The Flying Trout Winery door will reopen in May, 2008.

I am so ready to taste her 2007 vintages and they’re not even in the bottle! So far, she has a Malbec from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. In fact, the Malbec is from 21 year-old vines. She is also pressing Phinny Hill Syrah from the Horse Heaven Hills and Syrah from Patina Vineyards in Walla Walla.

Keeping close to old world traditions, Ashley has planned her version of a Beaujolais party for November 17 at the Flying Trout Tasting Room/Winery. Known as "wine for the peasants" many centuries ago, Beaujolais Nouveau may not be released earlier than the third Thursday of November, according to French law passed in 1985. A traditional (and legal) bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau means grapes were handpicked from the Burgundy growing region, then followed by carbonic maceration, pressing, fermentation and then moved quickly to bottling and this all has to be done (only in France and to keep the Beaujolais Nouveau name) in time for the traditional release at midnight on the third Thursday of November. Hmmm - could this be the reason why Beaujolais Nouveau has often been the popular choice with the American Thanksgiving turkey? Good timing or planned by nouveau King of Beaujolais marketer - George Duboeuf (and that my readers sounds like another blog topic)?

Anyways - Ashley has put a new twist on her Beaujolais Nouveau party. Instead of the traditional Gamay grape that is normally used, Ashley will be producing a carbonically macerated Lemburger. There is only one barrel and what isn’t consumed at the party will be available for purchase until the end of November. I must be there! You don't see too many Beaujolais parties in Walla Walla.

A Great Value - A Great Merlot

Lately, I have been in this mode of sampling Walla Walla wines priced under $30 a bottle and is it ever paying off! The good news is I keep discovering wines that are top quality for the dollar.

One of the Valley’s great value is from Lowden Hills Winery. Lowden Hills is a family winery owned by Jim and Sonja Henderson. A highlight about the Walla Walla Valley is if you were born and/or raised here, you just about know or related to everyone. Back in high school, Sonja and I co-chaired a high school girl’s league committee together. And have continued to keep in touch.

Besides a family winery, Lowden Hills also produces estate wines from their Win Chester Vineyards located outside of Lowden, WA. Named after Sonja’s late stepfather, Win Estes, the Estes family were wheat farmers and homesteaded in the Walla Walla Valley since the late 1800's.

The historic barn, now winery, seems fitting considering the Lowden Hills Winery’s family history. The barn was built in 1938 and has been the home to livestock, crops stored by the local truck farmers, and at one time, even an old dance hall.

So - - would you like to know more about their Merlot? Lowden Hills Winery Merlot - 2002 is a blend of fruit from their estate Win Chester Vineyards and the Alder Ridge Vineyard. Alder Ridge is one of the oldest and highly regarded vineyards in Washington State. I discovered this Lowden Hills Merlot not to be a whimp, but a real full-bodied Merlot that I feel should be honored with a good meal. It is a force to be reckoned with when ney-sayers comment that Merlot is merely a blending grape - NOT! Dark and dense in color along with aromas of dark fruit from the orchard. Just that bit of age has given it a well rounded structure with flavors of dark cherries and prune-plums. I even picked up a bit of cocoa in the finish.

After opening, the bottle didn't get finished and was held over for the next day. Just as lovely! And you cannot beat the price for such an exceptional Merlot - - $20!

Garrison Creek Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - 2002

Okay, I am on a roll and it is all about Cabernet Sauvignon - -

It’s been a long time coming, but we are finally seeing wines for purchase from Garrison Creek Cellars. If you read my blog on Garrison Creek Winery - An Exercise In Perseverance, you will remember the five year battle that owner and Walla Walla native, Michael Murr went through for his winery to receive the same treatment as the rest of the wineries in Walla Walla County. The battle is now slowly fading into the sunset and Michael will be victorious. In spite of the frustrations that the winery was put through by the county, the wine did not suffer.

I had an opportunity to enjoy a bottle of Garrison Creek Cellars Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 2002. Pouring the dark liquid into my glass from the long slender and distinct bottle, I could immediately smell the aroma from the Cabernet. A nose of chocolate and bramble berries. I was "warned" ahead of time that I would be seduced by the velvety liquid. Indeed. It was dark, fudgy and yummy. Reminded me of a fresh-baked fudge brownie with walnuts with a side of raspberry coulee. It was dense, well balanced and yet one could probably lay down for a couple of years - - but why? Enjoy it now.

Visiting with Michael, I told him how much I enjoyed the Cabernet and loved the dense and "chocolatety" characteristics of this wine. Of course, he reminded me that it was a 2002 vintage and they discovered that it's best not to release a wine immediately - give it some time in the bottle. So in a sense, Garrison Creek is going to do the aging for the customer. My way of thinking on this is that the wine is going to have more characteristics of an Old World wine and less of the jammy-fruit bombs that often see in New World wines. But then again - - since when have Walla Walla wineries been known to produce a lot of jammy fruit-bomb Cabernet Sauvignons?

Garrison Creek Cellars wines can be found at Walla Walla Wine Woman.

Northstar Cabernet Sauvignon - 2003

It's Fall. My favorite time of the year in the Walla Walla Valley. If you are visiting the area or a local, now is the time to get in your car and take a drive through the foothills of the Blues and especially check out some of the wineries off of JB George and Pepper Bridge Roads. The view is spectacular with all of the colors from the mountains as well as the trees.

It is an especially beautiful drive to Northstar Winery on JB George Road as you pass the row of grapevines lining the drive. Clusters of dark fruit hanging from the vines so close you can almost reach out and grab them. The canopies have been trimmed flat like hedges and the fruit is perfectly spaced in their picking zone. Our timing on visiting Northstar could not have been more perfect as it was the beginning of crush and you could smell the sweet grapes in the air.

Okay, so yesterday I blabbed about expensive Cabernets v. affordable Cabernets, but I actually tasted Northstars first release of Cabernet Sauvignon priced at $60. While Merlot is Northstar's flagship wine (both Walla Walla and Columbia Valley Merlots), they have graduated to other Bordeaux-rooted varietals. I did not rely on another palate, price, or points to tell me it was indeed a worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. My tastebuds sang "Huzzah-huzzah!"

Not a lot of this Cabernet Sauvignon, with a splash of Merlot and Petit Verdot, was produced - only 496 cases. It was first released exclusively for their wine club members and now available to the public. In the glass, a big aroma of cherry juice came through. The dark wine met my tongue with a sophisticated smoothness. Very balanced with flavors of a big chocolate-covered cherry, blackberry jam and a hint of vanilla in the finish. Would I pay $60 for this wine? Yes. My tastebuds gave me persmission and my tastebuds do not know how to read points.

Bergevin Lane Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - 2004

Hey, I don't need an expensive $95 bottle of wine with lots of Parker Points to feel cool about the wine I pour in my wine glass. The most important thing to me is how does the wine taste? If the $95 bottle with 95 points make 95% of my tastebuds sing, than what a joy! However, if it does not wow my palate, why do I want it? Accolades are important for wineries to have and it's exciting to be noticed for all of their hard work, but as a consumer I have to reach deep inside and ponder my motives. Do I want to pay $95 for a bottle of wine that I have relied on someone else's palate because I do not trust my own? Do I buy it to impress my friends? Phhhhttttt!

Sure, in the Walla Walla Valley we have our share of mighty tasty wines with mighty prices, but if you do your shopping and take off the Parker Point blinders, you can find some excellent wines at affordable prices. Of course you will almost have to take a second look and say, "A quality Walla Walla wine for under $25? How can this be true?"

And I found just the wine. I am a big fan of Cabernet Sauvignon and this Cab from Bergevin Lane Vineyards fits the profile. Not a heavy tannic Cabernet, but heavy tannins aside gives you the opportunity to taste the fruit. The Columbia Valley grapes, along with skill, brings forth all of the good fruit like cherries and berries that is typical of a Cabernet, but I also picked up chocolate and Coca-Cola flavors. Can't complain about those flavors.

This 2004 vintage from Bergevin Lane is priced at $20. A smooth price for a smooth Cabernet that allows you to enjoy it as an every-day-sipping wine. And it also makes for a perfect pairing for appetizers like smoked salmon and especially entrees such as Sunday pot roast, grilled beef fajitas or any favorite chocolate dessert. Enjoy!

Simply said - Walla Walla Syrah

Okay, so it's not a catchy title, but I think we are all tired of the "Que Sera-Sera" reference and with no offense to Doris Day (okay, I know I am dating myself here - - ahem). It doesn't need much explaining other than, Walla Walla Syrah. That rather sums it up. So with that behind us, let's go down the list of Syrahs I have tasted in the last three weeks.

Wine lovers and critics from all over the nation are keeping an eye on Washington State Syrahs and in the last few weeks I understand why. Of course, being a proud native of Washington, that's a no-brainer, but I gotta say here - - we grow and produce some of the best!

Now I know this isn't a winery from Walla Walla, but the grapes sure are native. Barrister Winery from Spokane bottled a Syrah that received a gold medal at the 2007 Indy International Wine Competition and these winning grapes were from Morrison Lane Vineyard in Walla Walla. Morrison Lane Vineyards have been providing Syrah grapes to area wineries for several years. We were really fortunate not to have to go very far to taste this medal winner. Dean Morrison had a bottle of the award-winning Spokane-produced wine that he was sharing. Barrister only produced 115 cases and at a reasonable price of $26.

Barrister Winery co-fermented the small lot of Morrison Lane Vineyard Syrah with a touch of Viognier, making this wine a traditional Rhone-style wine. Aromatic with flavors of blueberries and plums. And best of all - - it tastes like Walla Walla fruit.

Just barely released, Forgeron Cellars is sure to come in first with their newly-released Syrah. For the short time this Syrah has been released, it is already gaining in accolades and favorable press. With two vintages behind them, this 2003 Syrah is going to be everything, if not more than the last two. I always love the smokiness of the Syrahs that Marie-Eve produces. To me, they seem so typical of well-made Rhones from France.

Last week I opened a bottle of Forgeron Cellars 2001 Syrah that I've been holding onto for a few years. Oh my! It was like drinking pure blueberry velvet, if you can imagine. And I feel that my timing for pulling that cork could not have been more perfect. In fact, I almost cried as I finally emptied the bottle. I can honestly say that every wine should be that elegant and smooth after seven years.

Cannot beat the bang for the buck with Syrah from winemaker Charles Smith (K-Vintners) of Magnificent Wine Company in Walla Walla. It's a quality wine with an affordable price. Perhaps they save their dollars by not using an expensive label? Kidding ...

So what can I say about Long Shadows Vintner's Sequel that hasn't already been said? Besides, that Long Shadows Vintners has been given the Best Winery of the Year award by Food & Wine magazine, the proof of the award is in the wines. I recently shared a bottle of Sequel - 2004 from my stash with long-time Walla Walla resident and wine connoisseur, H.H. "Dutch" Hayner. Dutch collects some of Walla Walla's finest wines and has been collecting since pioneer wineries, like Leonetti Cellars first opened. He thought Sequel was a wonderful wine and in fact, he went on the internet and ordered more! So how's that for a good reference?

Last, but certainly not least - Isenhower Cellars Syrah. We never seem to plan it but Isenhower Cellars Syrah or their Wild Thyme blend always shows up on our Thanksgiving table. It just seems to magically appear!

Two weeks ago we dined at Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, one of Walla Walla's newest restaurants. It was just the very beginning of crush and yet the intimate dining room was filled with winemakers. I think they knew it was the time to party because in the next few weeks their days and nights would be limited. Norm McKibben of Pepper Bridge Winery sat at a table next to us and shared his bottle of Isenhower Cellars Wild Thyme - a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet. Yes - - wine makers like to drink other wine maker's wine. It was yummy, jammy and paired perfect with the rich mezze spreads and wood grilled hanger steak we were enjoying.

Whether the grapes are from the major Columbia Valley region or the smaller region of Walla Walla, or even a combination of all, no matter. If the grapes come from Washington State and the Syrah is made in Walla Walla, chances are great that they are rich, aromatic and most of all - - world class!

Washington Wines at Wine Library - Again!

This week in Wine Library Episode #324, Gary Vay-ner-chuk is trying to feel better after a huge Jets loss. To help make him feel better, he claims that Washington wines puts him in a good mood. In this episode he isn’t reviewing any Walla Walla wines, but still reviewing three excellent reds from Washington State.

However, he did make the comment, “Walla Walla will surpass Napa as the place for red wine in America.”

Yay Gary!

Ferguson

A couple of weeks ago I had an opportunity to taste this commemorative wine that was named after two local wine pioneers. In fact, not only pioneers in the Walla Walla Valley, but also in the State of Washington.

This 2004 Bordeaux-style reserve was named after Jean and Baker Ferguson. The Ferguson’s founded L’Ecole No. 41 at Lowden, WA. Lowden, located in Walla Walla County, is a small farm community and also known as "Frenchtown" to the locals. Obviously the name comes from the fact that it was founded by French-Canadian settlers in the 1800s. Believe it or not, there was actually a small war in Frenchtown, known as the Battle of Frenchtown/Walla Walla, back in 1855. Local historians tell us that Lecole No. 41 and other wineries in that area, are not the first to be producing wine. Besides fur trapping, nurseries, vineyards and wine production became an important part to Frenchtown's economy. And of course like other communities of wine producers in our nation, prohibition of alcohol stopped the growing economy back in the 1920's.

In 1983, Jean and Baker purchased Lowden’s grand old school house that has been located on highway #12 into Walla Walla, since the turn of the century. Now the school house holds some of the most prestigious wines coming out of the state of Washington. The Ferguson's returned the art of winemaking to that historical area.

How did the 2004 Ferguson Commemorative Reserve taste? This classic was perfect on my tongue - it is a blend that I happen to love. The richness of dense chocolate bouchan and some chewiness came through with the 48% Cabernet Sauvignon. Berries and plums showed well with the 42% Merlot, and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot was just enough to make the red blend interesting adding a touch of violets, pepper and chocolate orange stick candy. A velvety combination that I think will perform well with an assortment of food from a wood grilled hanger steak or salmon to a plate of fresh chocolate chip cookies. This wine is worthy in any collection and like many of Lecole's wines, it should age well. Cheers!

Adopt A Grape

For less than a penny a day, you can adopt a grape in a foreign country called Napa Valley, CA. Won't you please help?

Ever dream of making wine in Napa Valley, CA? Nah - - me neither. But the dream of making wine in Walla Walla or any place in the state of Washington is an attractive thought. However, no matter where it's from, this idea just tickles me - - very clever, educational and fun.

You can now Adopt a Grape for free and follow it from bud break through harvest, complete with a series of fun and educational notes from the vineyard crew. Remember in my last blog how I chastised those of you who gets all "romantical" and dreamy about owning your own winery and/or vineyard with no idea of how hard the work is? Now’s your chance to be a part of a winery and you won’t have to leave your Lazyboy, bucket-o-chicken and The Soprano's re-runs.

Best of all, you don’t need a huge bank account, or a degree in viticulture or enology. Any white-zinfandel drinker can adopt a grape. If you can use a computer, you can adopt a grape. You can choose a little grape from any block in the vineyard, and you will receive a series of short film updates on the progress of your grape throughout the growing season and harvest. I'm going to make holiday cards with my little grape. If you adopt a grape before it’s harvested, you will be notified by email so that you can be part of your grape’s fall journey. Aww...

So, won't you make a difference in a little Merlot grape's life?

Crush - A Labor of Love

Ahh - - the signs of Fall are among us. The evenings are cool and crisp with a smell of the forth-coming autumnal equinox in the air. The berries on the clusters have reached their ripeness. Last week, the Walla Walla Valley started their annual tradition, a tradition for many parts of the world that goes back to Biblical history, thousands of years ago - - crush.

If you are in the wine industry, winemaker to tasting room attendant, there are days when you begin to think that everyone you talk to wants to be a winemaker. It’s an easy "romantical" thought to get into. Visions of Bacchus dancing in their heads. The dream of going out to the open air vineyard amongst the green vines darted with colored fruit. The sun greets you and a light wind kisses your face. Like in dreams, slow and with animation, running to the perfect cluster, as if it were a lover. Extending your hand out to lovingly pick the rachus of colorful jewels. Like a small child, you hold the cluster on your lap all the way to the winery (there are no seat belts in dreams) where you sprinkle some sugar plum (oops - I mean grape) fairy dust on it and within minutes a magical bottle of wine appears! And what do you know, lo and behold it just happens to have a label with your name on it! Admirers come from near and far to "ooh and ahh" over the bottle you gave birth to.

SCREEECH!!!....step on the dream brakes! Dream is over people. Now get to work! Get out in the vineyard and cut those grapes! There are hundreds of two-ton bins to fill and you better do it fast. And while you’re at it, make sure you don’t slice your hand with the knife. We need that hand and don't bleed all over the grapes! Yeah, it’s back breaking work, but grapes don’t wait unless you think you can get a rating with your Late Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon from the boys at the Wine Spectator. They'll laugh their ass off at you while those over-riped grapes haunt you later in your dream saying, "We told you man." Pull out all MOG (matter other than grapes) from the bins before crush. Feathers, bugs, grape leaves, whatever, and move it - move it - move it!

So you want to be a winemaker do you? Plan on early mornings and late nights during crush. Grapes don’t wait people. They are not on your schedule. The grapes rule and you are at their mercy. Those intensely flavored little berries will tell you when it is time to make wine. Crush grapes, move bins, crush grapes, move and clean bins, clean some more bins and it goes on and on. Punch downs and taking temperatures and testing brix. It’s like caring for a sick infant 24/7. Plan on being wet. A pair of waders will help keep you dry. A bit of juice splatters on the wall, you have to be there to clean it up - - now! The last thing you need is bacteria crawling on your walls, let alone all the fruit flies that have surrounded your winery like a SWAT team during a bank robbery. They're here along with the lovely pungent smell of acetobacter coming from your alley dumpster. Oh and the cellar rats you hired to give you a break - don’t get too comfy. There are always illnesses and cellar accidents. Tough! Grapes don’t wait and don’t care about the hierarchy of owner down to cellar rat. So forget about your restaurant reservations, football box seats, your weekend at the cabin and your sleep. It’s your winery - it's your dream - so get to it!

And the story of crush goes on and on. and I have just barely touched on the story of wine making. Plan on having a rest around the December holidays and kiss your wine goodbye for a couple of years, because it still has a long journey to go before admirers come near and far to "ooh and ahh" over your bottle of wine that you gave birth to.

Me? I’ve done it. I’ve worked my crush and I even have the wet t-shirt (pants, socks and purple hands to prove it). Yes - I proudly wore my purple badge of honor. Grapes are slippery and wineries need to be kept clean during crush. It seemed like I was always wet. I watched a winery worker get almost crushed to death when a near two-tons of grapes fell on him. It was a petrifying and helpless moment. Thank goodness he survived. Thankfully he recovered a little slippery, wet, and covered with grapes skins and humility. He’s now a young and upcoming winemaker in the State of Washington who had definitely paid his dues with that accident - - but his name is safe with me.

I don’t need to dream "romantical" thoughts about handpicking my grapes and caressing every little berry or sitting on my gilded throne in my chateau with the view of the vineyard while I watch my workers pick my harvest of gold and royal purple. I know that it takes at least two years of hard work and more for grapes to make their way into the bottle that holds the magic elixir. However, I am not without guilt of holding my own dreams of vines and wines. I was a fan of the night-time TV soap, "Falcon Crest," also known as "Dallas with Grapes. " I vowed I would become the next Angela Channing, but without the murder, treachery and deceit to my family and friends. I even traveled to Napa to buy bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon with the one-time label, "Falcon Crest" from the 850-acre estate of Spring Mountain Vineyard where the outdoor shots of the TV soap was filmed.

Okay - so here I am and the truth of my experience with crush is I never care to do it again. Okay, well maybe for one non-committal hour. Umm - maybe two non-committal hours. At this time of my life, my contribution to the crush is to enjoy the fruits of the labor, write about the wine and maybe even sell a few bottles. Yeah, I still get happy chills when I see the Hysters loading the fruit-filled bins onto the crush pad and also when my nose meets the fragrance of crushed purple fruit topped with bright pink foam during fermentation. All of these senses remind me that a new vintage is on the way, but not without respect and observation of the love and labor that went into each and every bottle. With every bottle I am reminded of the caretakers of the vines and 365 days of their diligence and trust of the terroir. I am reminded by those in the cellar who put more than their backs into the wine. Their heart and their soul and most of all, a huge commitment.

Crush - - it is truly a labor of love.

Don't Wear Whites After Labor Day - Drink Them!

An old custom and rule of etiquette eschewed wearing white after Labor Day. Who knows where it came from, but after the three-day weekend holiday, we are "told" to put away our summer white shoes and other white accessories. And - - if you are a man, you have no business with white shoes and especially a white belt anyways. They should have been tossed a few decades ago with John Travolta and Barry Gibb's disco garments. However, there is one white you can keep out long after Labor Day and that is - - white wine.

In September, the Walla Walla Valley still has some warm summer days and cool nights. Some excellent examples of whites to pair for those late summer harvest meals - Skylite Cellars "Sierra " is a refreshing, crisp and fruit driven blend of 63% Sauvignon Blanc and 37% Pinot Gris. Walla Walla grapes gives this wine floral notes, structure and for food with a spicy kick, it pairs great with a clean finish. I really enjoyed this white blend and paired it with spicy pork verde wrapped in lettuce leaves and wedges of tangy chicken quesadillas with melty and gooey cheese topped with mango salsa.

Ask Lynn Chamberlain of JLC Winery about her Semillon. She is very proud of it and with good reason. It's her new vine estate Semillon and it is another white wine that embraces food. Crisp, clean with floral notes and very lightly oaked so the nuances of the young fruit really came through. I paired it with roasted red bell pepper hummus and a spicy crab dip. This white really stood up to the spiciness of both appetizers.

In the summer months, one of my favorite styles of wine is rose'. And not just any rose'. They must be crisp, dry and still showing the full flavors of the red grape. I tell wine-lovers to drink these wines even up to Thanksgiving. I personally think they pair very well with turkey, cranberries and sweet potatoes. Get beyond the Pinot Noir tradition for Thanksgiving people and go rose'! You know what else I like about these rose'-beauties from the Walla Walla Valley - - very affordable!

Again, Skylite Cellars Rose - 2006 is a blend of 58% Sangiovese and 42% Cabernet Franc. Lots of good fruit going on with layers of berries and tart cranberries. I paired this chilled rose' with a big juicy strawberry dipped in white chocolate. The juiciness of the wine really came out.

JLC Winery also has a Rose, "The Muse" made with Walla Walla Valley grapes. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot brings to this wine cherries and strawberries. I just sipped this without a bite of food and I sipped and sipped. So good. Lynn suggests a range of foods from the spicy to sea food and absolutely suggests it with the Thanksgiving bird.

This week I wanted a good ol' home cooked meal and someone else to do the dishes. The Whoopemup Hollow Cafe was the answer. When I heard the special for the evening, I bit. They had me. I mean, how can one overlook a special of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, biscuits and huckleberry gravy? Okay, so I didn't need that heavy food but I had to try this huckleberry gravy. Yes - - it was wonderful. But since it was still warm outside, in the low 80's, with rich food, a full bodied red wine was not appealing for me, so Waterbrook's Sangiovese Rose - 2006 was a great choice for me. 100% Sangiovese that offered a summer berry salad in the nose and it continued in the taste. Lots of berries, crisp and with a bright ruby red grapefruit finish. But most of all it finished clean.

So, if you've put away your summer whites and not quite ready for winter, you can keep the summer alive in your wine glass by looking for ways to pair whites and roses' with food or just for leisurely sipping. Cheers!

"The Potential of Washington Wines" - - The Potential?

Regarding the Long Shadow Vintner's project in Walla Walla and their Food & Wine award for Winery of the Year: Lettie Teague, Food & Wine’s executive wine editor said "...she has admired the incredible ambition of this project...its brilliant outreach to prove the potential of Washington wines."

To prove the potential...hmmm...the potential? For some reason the word, 'potential' is disconcerting to me. Meriam-Webster says this about the adjective, ‘potential.’

1. existing in possibility : capable of development into actuality

Come on Lettie. - you know wine! You even write books on how to turn a novice wine drinker into a master sommelier practically overnight. Give us more than 'prove the potential.' When it comes to wine in Washington State - - we have moved way past the word, ‘potential’ and way past being capable of developing.

It was not by chance or gamble that former Ste. Michelle CEO Shoup chose to do this project in Washington state, let alone by accident did he choose Walla Walla for winery location. It is not by accident or stroking the rabbit's foot that the State of Washington has vineyards with distinct terroir and award winning wines by those of Cayuse Vineyards, Leonetti Cellars, Quiceda Creek Vintners to name a few, besides many other award-winning wines. It was not a blindfold game of stick a pin on the map and see where it lands, that wine movers and shakers like Randall Grahm, Bonny Doon of California, chose to build a winery in Washington to prove the potential. These wineries and winemakers are not here to prove anything. They already know or they would not have staked their claim into the Washington wine industry. Sorry Lettie, but we are so over potential. Washington State wines have moved way past the point of potential about 10 years ago. Washington wines have arrived as a force to be reckoned with - - -

They_are_here!!!

Winery of the Year and Parker Points - Can it get any better?

Once again, Walla Walla is on the wine map. Food and Wine Magazine has awarded Winery of the Year to Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla. Once named as "the most beautiful winery that you will never see," this international collaboration of wine talent began four years ago by Allen Shoup, former CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. The profile of Long Shadows Vintners and their "Dream Team" will appear in the October 2007 issue and is part of the magazine's 10th annual American Wine Awards.

It is an impressive line-up of winemakers from all over the world who place their talent and individual labels under the Long Shadow's name: Armin Diel of Schlossgut-Diel Winery in Germany (Poet's Leap), Randy Dunn of Dunn Vineyards in Napa California (Feather), John Duval of formerly of Penfolds Grange in Australia (Sequel), Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari of A&G Folonari Tenute in Italy (Saggi), Agustin Huneeus and Philippe Melka both of Napa, CA (Pirouette) and Michel Rolland from Bordeaux (Pedestal). Gilles Nicault, who produces the Chester-Kidder label (Columbia Valley red blend) along with Shoup, is resident and managing winemaker. If you read my Sense of Place series, Nicault was our host during the tour of the Washington State appellations with a focus of the vineyards that supply grapes to Long Shadows Vintners. Through Gilles, we were able to see what he saw and felt - the love of terroir and how great wines start in the vineyard.

After I found out about the award, I went to my wine closet and lovingly held, hugged and stroked my bottles of Sequel, Feather, Pedestal, Chester-Kidder and Poets Leap. Good bottles...what good bottles they are.

But that's not all that is going on at the Long Shadows Vintners. One of their assistant winemakers divulged to me that famous Seattle glass artist, Dale Chihuly was at the winery with his team installing new blown glass light sculptures.

Also in the Walla Walla grape vine news, Dr. Jay Miller of Robert Parker's "The Wine Advocate" was in Walla Walla doing a bit of tasting. A total of 145 wines were reviewed. Thirty-Five Walla Walla wineries were given scores of 80 and above and 26 wineries received scores of 90 points and higher. And no surprises here, that Cayuse Vineyards earned multiple scores above 95, including two 99s. Leonetti Cellar was awarded a 95 and a 97. Congratulations!

These impressive wine scores will no doubt bring in the masses and the old "supply and demand" model could kick in. This is great news for the true wine aficionados as they will have an opportunity to have some of the finest Walla Walla wines in their collections and with pride and pleasure the Walla Walla wineries will be able to accommodate them. And then, as always, high scores will bring out the "cherry pickers." Ahh - - if you are in wine sales or ever been in wine sales - ya gotta love 'em. Cheers!

A Rare Find In Walla Walla

Before Kris Reed was tall enough to reach a kitchen counter, she loved food and cooking. Her major in college was hospitality and she later attended chef’s school. Along came a family and Kris discovered that the food/hospitality industry and raising a family did not mix. While her family was growing, Kris entered Seattle’s hi-tech industry and soon became part of corporate America. After living in Seattle for many years, Kris needed more sunshine and decided it was time to move to a smaller town. While visiting Walla Walla during a wine tasting weekend, she knew where she needed to be.

Once her children were grown and out of the house, Kris was able to return to her first love - - food. Out of that love Kris founded Rare Finds, an online store that provided a year-round outlet for small artisan food producers, who are often limited to seasonal farmer’s markets and small food events. Rare Foods Inc.Com was so successful that Kris took her business to the next obvious, but giant, step and opened up a retail location on Main Street in Walla Walla.

Now that Rare Finds Inc. is planted on Main Street, Kris is going to let the business grow organically based on customer requests. She delights in calling a customer to let them know she has found the long lost favorite food product that they have been searching for. Rare Finds gets constant requests for Walla Walla Sweet Onion products so Kris is adding a line called Walla Walla Gourmet Kitchen featuring, Walla Walla Sweet Onions, of course. Corporate and individual gift baskets are a large business for Kris. Eventually, she will add wines to their online business. She feels that Rare Finds, Inc. occupies a unique space in the food market as it crosses many lines into a gourmet food store, grocery store and health food store. Her goal is to find the very best products produced by people who are passionate about food like she is. Local ingredients and cooking in small batches is equally important as it means healthier foods without all the additives and preservatives. And she is also getting requests from customers who have food allergies. While she is not a health food store, she does believe that the chocolate covered potato chips found in her store produces good mental health to those who eat them. Yum! My kind of health food!

Some of Kris's favorite products are the finishing sauces from Bittersweet Herb Farm, oils and vinegars from Hare Hollow, and Coastal Seasonings spice blends to name a few. Kris has been in Walla Walla now for two years and her store hours are Tuesday - Friday from 10:30 – 5:30 and Saturday from 11 – 5. Kris says she is addicted to the town, its people and wants to see her business expand so it can provide more living wage jobs for Walla Walla. The best part of Rare Finds? The personal attention Kris provides.

(The last couple weeks I have received so many compliments on Kris's recipe I posted in the August "Cooking Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine." If you haven't tried her Walla Walla Onion Pie, I recommend it. I discovered, along with others, what a versatile recipe it was. As an example, I didn't have any Gruyere cheese and used Fontina instead. Another person said they used lamb instead of sausage and discovered what an interesting pairing it made with the sprinkle of nutmeg. I also heard of some different, but great Walla Walla wine pairings to go with. If you haven't tried this recipe - - do!)

Washington Wines on Wine Library TV

For all of you Vayniacs out there - Gary Vay-Ner-Chuck from Wine Library, America’s number one wine show, is back with more wines from Washington State. Today Gary V does tasting from Washington on Episode 307 and as he says, “...brought out the ‘big ass glass’ for some serious wine." And two of those serious wines happen to be made in the Walla Walla Valley - L’ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - 2004 and Pepper Bridge Merlot - 2004. Gary V comments that Washington State is a player and not a punk in the wine industry.

So in the mean time, watch Gary sniffy-sniff! Watch Gary spit! Watch Gary put a wine bottle to his ear! Listen to Gary yell with enthusiasm and help Gary change the world of wine!

A Sense of Place - The Final Chapter

A Sense of Place and Sense of Place - Part II were published in May and June. I apologize for being so late with the final chapter.

Day 1 - The afternoon.

Horse Heaven Hills AVA - When I was a little girl, the parents would line us up in the back seat of the car on a Sunday afternoon and off we would venture to the Tri-Cities in Washington state. Sometimes for dinner, sometimes for a picnic and usually a stop to visit our aunt and uncle. Coming back to Walla Walla, before Wallula and after the Boise Cascade plant, we would watch the illusion of the "magic gates" to the Columbia River close, also known as the Wallula Gap. As the car would travel 45-50 mph south on the old two-lane road, we would watch to our right the illusion of the ragged basalt ridges from each side of the river slowly moving together until they met. Then we would yell out from the back seat, "The gates are closed!"

The Wallula Gap is the prominent area carved between the Horse Heaven Hills on the West side of the Columbia and the foothills of the Blue Mountain on the East side. My parents, especially my Dad, would have never dreamed that some day there would be green vineyards on those rocks that towered the powerful Columbia River.

The first afternoon of our vineyard tour was winding down for the day, or at least I thought it was. Our host drove us to the area where the Horse Heaven Hills Appellation lies. Growers have been raising grapes in the Horse Heaven Hills since 1972, but the AVA was established in 2005. These hills are considered to be one of the most distinguished of the Columbia Valley appellations as it encompasses 570,000 acres (approximately 6,000 in production) on a large wedge of land that starts on the north hills of the Yakima Valley appellation to the slopes moving south facing the Columbia River. It was one long, curvy, rock-filled, dusty 12-mile stretch of road and all the way to who knows where, but I kept quiet in the back seat as I was just along for the ride and just damn glad to be there. And all of a sudden - - there it was - - the Wallula Vineyard - with the most overwhelming view from any vineyard I had seen in my entire life. Words still escape me.

We had met up with Wallula Vineyard owner, Bill "Bronco Billy" Den Hoed and he drove us to the edge of the basalt bluffs that rose above the great Columbia River. There were man-made tiers after tiers built to accommodate each basalt bluff and on each tier there was a block of green new vines. We eased down a narrow switch-back road after switch back that barely teetered on the edge of each bluff (I think "Bronco Bill" got a kick out of seeing our white knuckles clutched to our seats). The lower we got, we were able to view the marks left behind by the ancient Missoula Floods and where they deposited loads of silt on the volcanic fractured basalt. With each switchback the Columbia became closer and the wind became fiercer on this warm sunny day. I could almost reach out and touch the state of Oregon.

It took three years for the Den Hoed family to grade and plant the tiers upon tiers of vines. There are 650 acres with a combination of classic Bordeaux and Rhone influenced varietals, including several Italian-style varietals and one of the most impressive was the special 130-acre block of Riesling. This block of Riesling was established exclusively for Randall Grahm, of the California Bonny Doon Vineyard. The biodynamic-raised Riesling is for Grahm's new project in Washington State, the Pacific Rim Winery outside of Richland, WA. Den Hoed tells of Grahm laying on a small ledge of basalt where it meets with a fierce wind, but if you lay on your stomach you are one with the hawk's view. However, he warned us not to stand up too quick or a fierce wind could take you. If I had never a touch of vertigo before, this was my opportunity. I politely passed on the hawk's view.

We stood in the silence absorbing the awe-inspiring view from the edge of a bluff. Not a sound around us other than the wind slapping against our bodies. Our host, Gilles Nicault, general manager and winemaker for Long Shadows Winery, broke the silence, "It's everything a winemaker could ask for...I love this terroir."

Day Two:

We were worn out from the day and evening before. The first evening, we spent a late night with our new friends dining on good wine and food. Our evening finally ended as we fell into bed, face first, still with our clothes on, to which I groggily announced, "I hate vineyard boot-camp."

Obviously that feeling of "hate" disappeared as soon as the alarm rang. We were up, dressed, and with coffee, eagerly awaiting for Gilles, our host, to start day two of tour to vineyard appellations unknown.

Wahluke Slope AVA - This particular stretch of highway looked familar to me. It was on the way to the Vantage area and Hanford Reach National Monument. I couldn't see anything ahead of me other than slopes of sagebrush and more slopes of sagebrush. A desert. Finally, I saw green! The green vineyards of Stone Tree. Stone Tree is a 250-acre vineyard owned and managed by Tedd Wildman. We were now in the Wahluke Slope Appellation.

Wahluke Slope AVA was established in 2006. This 81,000-acre region is naturally bounded by the Columbia River to the west and south, the Saddle Mountains on the north and by the east of Hanford. There are over 20 vineyards, one winery and two wine production facilities at this time, with approximately 5,200 acres of vineyards. This AVA harvests about twenty percent of the total wine grape acreage in the state. Wahluke Slope is one of the more drier and warmer climates in the whole state of Washington. This climate allows the vineyard owners control of vine vigor and ripening through irrigation.

This visit to the Stone Tree Vineyard was like a homecoming to our host. Gilles and Tedd went way back to the early 90's when Gilles was a intern-winemaker on an exchange from France. As we toured the vineyard, Tedd explains to us that the Wahluke Slope AVA was also defined by the Missoula Floods, while pointing to a huge chunk of petrified wood that traveled along with the floods. The Stone Tree Vineyard has the popular Bordeaux and Rhone-style varietals that we have seen in the other AVA's, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a few rows of Zinfandel and especially Primitivo. Those two varietals are usually seen in northern California.

Back in the car to another vineyard of the Wahluke Slope. We meet up with Todd Cameron of the greater Sagemoor Vineyards. We followed him to the 360-acre Weinbau Vineyard and met up with site manager, Miguel Rodriguez. Miguel has been caring for these vines since 1986. Even after working with these vines for 20-years, Miguel says that everyday he is always learning something new. Miquel and Todd explains about the challenges that the extreme weather brings to the vineyard. The warmth of the desert to the occasional frost. Watching Miguel grab a handful of leaves from a vine, he tell us that if the leaves are cool to the touch, there is no need to irrigate that day, even in the hottest weather. There wasn't a doubt how Miguel knew each and every vine like his own children.

We headed back to the Tri-Cities for lunch. We dined on salads and ice tea while enjoying a different view of the great Columbia River and this time it was on flat-land. General manager of Sagemoor Vineyards, Kent Waliser, joined us. Kent told us to forget everything we had ever heard or read on how "vines seek out water." He explained that plants do not seek out water - - plants follow water. If you irrigate too much then the roots will follow the water's depth and then of course, the canopy of the vine will grow like crazy.

The desert land of Washington state makes for a perfect growing conditions for the vines. The caretakers of these vineyards control the water intake with drip irrigation. Controlling the canopy also allows the caretaker to control the sunlight's exposure to the fruit on the vine. This exposure to light leads to the control of ripeness and sugar content. Events of man and nature working together that gives us a satisfying and memorable bottle of wine - - yes, great wines are made in the vineyard.

Day two was winding down for us and we were still in awe of the scenery. Our brains were filled with so information, they hurt and we were almost speechless. If all of this scenery and information weren't enough, our next stop would be at a winery. And not just any winery in the state of Washington, but the new building that has been referred to by many as "the most beautiful winery that you will never see."

Our magic key into the The Long Shadows Winery, west of Walla Walla, was Gilles Nicault, who had been our vineyard-tour host for the last two days. Gilles is one of the vintners partner and managing winemaker for Long Shadows. Gilles pours through the repoirtoire of Long Shadow's distinguished wines made in the Walla Walla facility and produced by some of the most acclaimed and celebrated winemakers in the world. And to think -- these beautiful wines we tasted that afternoon, their journey all began in those vineyards that we visited earlier.

As our host swirls a glass of red wine, he tells us how you have to love the land, the vines and the weather. "It’s hard. It’s difficult. You have to love it," Gilles says. "But this is what I taste in these wines. I taste love.”

Adamant Cellars Semillon

Those who know my tastes in wine can tell you that Semillon is not one of my favorite grapes. You know, I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I've never warmed up to it. Sure, it’s just okay blended with another white like Sauvignon Blanc, but on its own - can_not_do_it. At the same time, I am trying really hard, I really am, to learn to enjoy this wine. The reason? To practice what I preach - -

My preach? Get beyond the reds people! Why limit your wine experiences? One of my wine pet peeves happens behind the tasting room bar. Behind the bar you will always have certain customers who want you to know that they are rather wine savoir-faire and could replace you and your little cork screw, too, Dorothy. However, they blow it when they are quick with a dismissive, but superior, "Uhhh - - I don’t dooo whitesss..." (complete with eye roll) and you can almost hear a hiss from the "s" at the end of the sentence. Hmmm - would professional wine critics, judges and even Master Sommeliers get very far with attitudes like that?

So in my quest to finally find a Semillon that I liked, I didn’t have to go far because this Semillon found me! In June, when wine tasting with fellow blogger, Gene the notorious "Seattle Wine Blogger", he made a quick trip into Adamant Cellars to buy a bottle of wine he had previously tasted. Of course, I followed to see what I was missing out on and there it was - - I tasted the white wine before I knew what it was - - a perfectly chilled Semillon! And the verdict? I liked it! I really liked it! Gene, who knew my dislike for Semillon, could not believe his own ears when I announced, "Wow! What a bright, crisp wine! Perfect for the summer! I really like this. What is it?"

Devin Stinger, winemaker and owner of Adamant Cellars, really did this grape justice. I think the reason why I enjoyed this Semillon so was due to the fact that the grapes only met with steel and zero oak. I was able to taste the fruit without the heavy swipe from the old oak tree. A single designated vineyard wine, Walla Walla’s Les Collines, and only 180 cases of this Bordeaux-rooted white were made. Definitely check it out because two weeks ago Devin said there wasn't much of this 2006 vintage left.

This is one of the first releases for Adamant Cellars. They are currently part of the new Port of Walla Walla incubator winery project at the airport. Devin also released a Rose’ - 2006 for the summer, using the Saigne method in a small stainless steel tank. It was a blend of 65% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Merlot. Sorry - all sold out, but I can vouch for this fresh and fruity Rose' - delicious!

Named for a legendary stone of impenetrable hardness and sometimes identified with a diamond, Adamant is definitely a winery I would recommend to be there for their future releases.

Freshly Pressed

Wine blogging friend, Jill Bernheimer, of Domaine547 has one of the most refreshing and exciting wine sites around. On her site, it states that no snobbery or attitude is allowed and if you disagree then you will be met with the talking wine bottle and cheese wedge who will remind you, "more wine, less attitude."

Not only does Domaine547 offer a blog to their readers, but an online wine store, too! There’s a great selection of wines from Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and California - - now if we can get Jill to start selling wines from Washington, especially those from Walla Walla. She will in time, as long as I keep heckling her about it.

Sometimes Jill likes to take time off from blogging and bring in guest bloggers to do the messy job of spraining the brain and pushing the keys, and on occasion I have been there in her time of need. Last week Jill asked me several "pushy" questions and of course, I was left with only one choice - - give her "pushy answers."

Anyways - I am thrilled to be on her interview list. In the mean time, sit back and scroll through Domaine547, but leave your wine snobbery and attitude at the door.

Wine Buyer's Poll

Do you purchase wines online? If not, have you considered purchasing wines online and if so, what is important to you? Please answer the poll. If you have any other comments about the whole online wine buying experience, please feel free to use the comment section.

Thanks for your time!

Cooking Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine

For the month of August (I missed July due to vacation - sorry) my guest gourmet and talented foodie is Kris Reed from Rare Finds in Walla Walla. Rare Finds, Inc. started out as an online store. Not only was it an outlet to discover and purchase unique and tasty artisan foods, but most of all it provided a year-round outlet for small artisan food producers to sell their products. The site was so successful, Kris took the next step and opened up a retail location on Main Street in Walla Walla. Kris has it all - appetizers, condiments and sauces, jams, cookies, candy, pasta, spices and more! Rare Finds is the source for artisan foods.

Kris told me that she gets constant requests for Walla Walla Sweet Onion products and she is adding products that feature our sweet and homegrown globes. In fact, the recipe from Kris features Walla Walla Sweet Onions! She says this onion pie makes a great side dish for a BBQ or picnics (equally good hot, cold or room temperature). She also suggests to add Walla Walla Sweet Onion sausage and says it is a wonderful main dish.

Walla Walla Onion Pie

1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs (about 2 sleeves of crackers)
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cups Walla Walla Sweet onions, half moons thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Gruyere, shredded
1/2 lb sliced Walla Walla Sweet onion sausage (or other Kielbasa style sausage), browned (optional)

Combine the cracker crumbs with the melted butter. Press the crumbs into a pie plate to create the crust (use the edge of a large glass to help push the crumbs up the sides of the plate).In a skillet over low heat, saute onions in the butter until onions are translucent. Layer the onions over the crumb crust. If you're adding the sausage, arrange it in a layer over the onions.

Place the eggs in a medium bowl and beat by hand until frothy. Add the half and half, nutmeg, salt and pepper and beat to combine. Pour over the onions. Spread the grated cheese over the top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until the center is well.

So, what kind of wine-pairing for this pie? I would suggest any local white such as dry Riesling. Even an off-dry Riesling would pair very nice with the cheese and the sweetness of the onions. Of if you prefer to stay with a dry wine, Roussanne and especially Three Rivers White Meritage would be another suggestion. If sausage is added, I would go a little bold and pair it with some of the local Sangioveses like those from Mannina Cellars and Russell Creek Winery. By the way - Walla Walla Sweet Onions have a short life-span, but I noticed they're still for sale at local highway stands. Enjoy!

Three Rivers Winery - Meritage White

A white Meritage you say? "How can this be?" You’re probably thinking, "We usually see red Meritage!"

Well, a "Meritage®" (pronounced like "heritage") can be any Bordeaux varietal including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Sauvignon Vert.

Three Rivers Winery have been producing Meritage White since the 2001 vintage and have received great press and medals for this exceptional Bordeaux-style blend ever since. And for the quality, you cannot beat the value at $19. This Meritage blend is 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Semillon. I found it to be a refreshing wine with a nose of light floral and lemon - very clean. The flavors were zesty with citrus and a bit of mineral. I particularly enjoyed this blend as the majority of it is Sauvignon Blanc, which is a white grape that I am a bit partial to.

There had been some sur lie aging, which added balance to the acidity, but it didn’t take away from the crispness of this blend. And in true Bordeaux-style tradition, the wine was aged in 100% small French oak barrels.

Since I believe that great wines start in the vineyard, this bright wine is proof of my beliefs. The Sauvignon Blanc came from Evergreen Vineyard locate outside of Quincy WA, in the Columbia Valley AVA and Klipsun Vineyard. The Semillon was sourced exclusively from Klipsun. It's tough to compete with a grape from the Klipsun Vineyard at Red Mountain.

Three Rivers Meritage White - 2005 makes for a perfect summer sipping wine on the deck or pairs quite well with cheese, chicken salad, grilled shrimp and light fruit desserts. Cheers!

Walla Walla Art & Design Center at NoMa

For years I've been driving west on Rose Street and would admire the woeful old Victorian located on the corner of Rose and Spokane Streets. In spite of its run down appearance with the wrap-around front porch, often cluttered with old sofas, boxes, and an occasional rusty stove; this building told me that at one time the porch and upstairs balcony were enjoyed and not used for a dispository of cast-offs and rubbish, but for relaxation and a view. And every time I drove by, I would wish that someone would see the building the same way I saw it and give the building back its integrity the day it was built in 1902.

In the early years of Sonoma and Napa Valley, San Francisco natives, Alexis and Roger Quiring, would spend time in the California wine country admiring the charm of the small towns, the old buildings, views of the country and of course, the wines. In time, as you know, others discovered the same secrets of the Northern California. By vacation and relocation of old friends, the Quirings visited Walla Walla and once again, found themselves surrounded with charm, historical buildings, views of the country and of course, the wines.

Fashion author and event coordinator, Alexis longed for a new project, but most of all a project that would give her a reason to journey out of the busy area of San Francisco once in awhile. At the same time, one of Alexis's best friends from high school, Ceil Blayne and Ceil's son, Damon Bruck were making plans to open a new restaurant-market, Luscious By Nature in the newly restored Schwarz/Adams Edgewater Plaza at Colville and Alder Streets.

So, it turns out I wasn't the only one who had been admiring the old 1902 Victorian after all and Alexis Quiring got her wish. She found herself a new project located on the corner streets of Rose and Spokane. The old Victorian with the great bones is once again alive and filled with positive movement thanks to Alexis and her dreams for the former run-down apartment house. Named the Walla Walla Art & Design Center, not only has the outside of the building been treated to a face lift, but the inside, too! The WWADC consists of seven tasteful renovated suites ready to accommodate an assortment of artists, designers and other creative entrepreneurs. Several times a year, the WWADC will host special events in their Garden and Interior Galleries featuring a variety of artists. I toured the building last night. The decor is beautiful with a blend of contemporary and vintage-style lighting, soft warm colors, and sea grass floor runners highlight the original wood floors. The first tenants to stake their claim is a mortgage company, video production company, a long time jewelry designer from California, and last but not least is the exquisitely decorated hair studio of Rob Paul. Nancy Mirsky is property manager and director for the new WWADC.

Last month, The Walla Walla Downtown Foundation awarded certificates to Roger and Alexis, in recognition of their restoration of the Walla Walla Art & Design Center and special recognition was also presented to them for the coining the phrase, "NoMa,'' which describes the developing district north of Main Street, where the WWADC is located on Spokane and Rose Streets.

This Friday, August 10, an artist reception will be held for Carolyn Amerian and her photography. Carolyn's works celebrate six years of found objects in her travels from Europe to California. Ceil and Daymon from Luscious by Nature will cater the artist reception and Walla Walla produced wines from Lynn Chamberlain, winemaker/owner of JLC Winery will be poured (by the way: Lynn has a fabulous Spofford Station Estate Syrah that really shows off the true terroir of Walla Walla).

My recommendation is to keep an eye on this resurged and vital downtown corner and when I hear more progress about new tenants and upcoming events, I will definitely let you know.

This cowboy says, "Stop the high alcohol!"

Appellation America recently announced the surprising email to the wine media from one of the industry’s most respected winemakers, Randy Dunn, owner of Dunn Vineyards in Napa, CA. Known for his uber-Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels, Randy shared with his peers that higher alcohol wines should stop! After blending his own Cabernet Sauvignon - 2004 vintage wine that registered in at 14.11% alcohol, Dunn decided it was time for wine consumers to enjoy wine for it's unique aromas and flavors and not for the high alcohol peak that masks the flavors of a meal. This was the first time in Dunn's 28-years of wine making to reach that high percentage (and did you know that wines over 14% elevate to a higher federal excise tax bracket?).

Dunn's focus is against the new trend of high alcohol wines and these "hot" wines are not just limited to the occasional cherry cough syrup flavored Zinfandel that we run into once in awhile. We are seeing 15% alcohol in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and even Pinot Noir. The reason for the high alcohol wines? It starts in the vineyard. If we remember junior high chemistry, we know the basic - - yeast + sugar = alcohol. When grapes are picked too ripe at a higher brix (sugar) and fermented to "dry" (removing most of the residual sugar), not only is the wine left with a higher alcohol content, but most of all the characteristics known to the varietal and the uniqueness from the appellations of origin are seriously diluted. Dunn, a supporter of regional identity, explains that the only way to get back to terroir and celebrate our appellation's unique differences is by returning to lower alcohol wines.

Also note that Randy Dunn is no stranger to Walla Walla. This humble, yet celebrated winemaker has partnered with Long Shadows Winery. He is producing small quantities of his Cabernet Sauvignon, at the Long Shadow's facility located in Walla Walla, from some of the oldest and most diverse vineyards in Washington State. The 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, known as Feather, is at the top of my list when it comes to elegant Cabs. In fact, I have been hoarding my last bottle of this rich and silky dark wine. Oh - - and the alcohol? 14.2%. Fair enough.

Changing The Wine World on Conan

Better late than never - -

Yesterday, my friend Ryan at Calwineries Blog informed me that the energetic and refreshing wine critic, Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV, will be a featured guest tonight on Conan O’Brien’s NBC’s Late Night Show. Gary V, whose "Changing the Wine World" trademark, was recently in TIME magazine, Wall Street Journal, and NPR to name a few.

Gary V represents the new wine faces of the future and takes the "snoot" out of wine drinking. According to Gary V, "Getting everyone to know wine is about personal taste and not what a critic says, and more importantly to try new things and bring younger people into wine."

You can view his Episode #177 where he reviews Washington Wines, including those from Walla Walla. I hope I can stay up long enough to catch the show.

Well Traveled Wines - Walla Walla Under the Big Sky

And indeed it was - the sky was big in Montana! It had been a few years since I had stepped foot in the great state of Montana. US - 93 from Spokane via Coeur d'Alene to Montana was a breathtaking ride through the majestic mountains. The picturesque drive around Flathead Lake brought us to our final destination of Big Fork.

Big Fork is located in the mountains of northwestern Montana with an altitude of 2,900 feet. The town wraps around the crystal blue bay of Flathead Lake. With more than 180 miles of shoreline, Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. The charming town of Big Fork has a western setting with art galleries, fine restaurants, live theatre and of course, shopping. My cousin and her husband live two miles from the quaint little town and of course we couldn’t resist a stop in the "city" for the men in my life to pick up their quota of interesting brews. When in Montana you drink Montana brew. However, that was not the case when it came to wines. No offense to Mission Mountain Winery at Flathead, but you see – when you drink mostly Walla Walla or any Washington wine, you become rather spoiled.

At the market, we loaded up on the local Moose Drool Brown Ale and Scape Goat Pale Ale from the Big Sky Brewing Company and we also spent some time in their very large and impressive wine section. We were pleased to see that some Walla Walla wines were represented in the tourist town of Big Fork. We noted Dunham, L'Ecole, Tamarack, and Woodward Canyon (to name a few) were on the market shelves along with other Washington wines. When we spotted the Waterbrook Melange, two bottles of this affordable and always reliable red blend immediately went into our grocery cart along with the Montana brews, locally made Montana buffalo salami, freshly picked cherries from the many orchards around Flathead Lake and Hermiston melons from our Walla Walla neighbor in Oregon. Who would have thought the best melons from the west would find their way to Montana? We spotted Walla Walla Sweet Onions, but of course we packed our own to share with the relatives.

One afternoon I was able to find a few moments to read, relax and nap in my tent. My family took off to a smaller lake down the road from my cousin’s property. It’s a lake that the locals go to when they want to avoid the tourists at Flathead (not telling the name). Having that quiet time, I started thinking about the Flathead tourists and just tourists in general. Smart move on the wine distributors and the local market to flourish their shelves with wines made from their western neighbor - the state of Washington.

When it comes to wine distribution, wineries should be featured on the shelves where their own tourists reside. In Walla Walla, the majority of our wine tourists are coming from the Western part of the state of Washington - the Seattle area. The second largest group of tourists to hit Walla Walla reside in the neighbor-bordering state of Oregon, and in the last couple of years I have seen a growing number of wine tourists visiting Walla Walla whose homes are in Idaho and Montana. Earlier in the day, as we took count of the Walla Walla and overall Washington wines, it made sense when you consider the miles (Depending on location from MT to WA: two to seven hours in the car with a time change. It's five hours from Seattle to Walla2), that Washington wines would be and should be well represented in this popular town of Montana. It seems like a great marketing strategy to me to saturate a neighboring state, like Montana where your visiting customers are hailing from, before you even market your wine in a mid-west state say like Oklahoma, a northern state like Rhode Island or even the large state of Texas. In Walla Walla we are seeing more visiting wine tourists from Idaho and Montana and following right behind Oregon and certainly not a growing number from Oklahoma, Rhode Island and even a large state like Texas. Besides, all the wine-loving Texans I know do not believe that Washington State is the second largest wine producing state in the nation, let alone that other states in the nation exists. My Texas friends tell me that they are the only ones that produce wine, as far as they are concerned. Afterall, they are known as the "Lone State." Heh. The point is that your largest population of well-cultivated customers cannot always visit your winery, so you go to them by being convenient at their local market or wine store.

I must also mention that while in Montana I discovered that the College Cellars of Walla Walla has new labels! Even the back label has a new feature with handy symbols guiding the customer on how to pair the College Cellars wines with specific foods (beef, cheese, chicken, fish, etc). Great idea! At our reunion auction fund raiser, a bottle of College Cellars Governors Blend - 2005 (rumor is that the Governor herself recently obtained a case for a dinner) and a bottle of College Cellars Lemberger - 2005 found its way to Montana. And might I say that both bottles returned back to Walla Walla and then later one left for the "Live Free or Die" state of New Hampshire. A well traveled wine. Cheers!

On Vacation - Big Blue Sky!

Every three years we have a family reunion camp-out. Usually we camp at family property outside of Dayton, WA near Ski Bluewood. This year, we will be at family property near Big Fork, MT at Flathead Lake. Our reunions are always camp-outs with a variety of tents, travel trailers and luxury motor homes. Me? I like my tent. I have a designer mauve-colored tent that sleeps four, but fits my queen size air mattress just perfect. You see - while I love to camp, I can still be a bit of a diva.

One of the reunion events that we look forward to is the family fund raiser auction on Saturday night. People bring items to donate for the auction and the proceeds go to our family fund. The fund pays for things like port-o-potties, paper plates, cups, and other things that we collectively need. The auction items are so great and always so creative, that it is difficult to chose what and how many to bid on. From handmade quilts, crafted decorative wood items, gourmet packaged foods from touristy areas (they love the Walla Walla Sweet Onions), not-so-flattering framed photos of relatives that come in handy for jovial "blackmailing", and sometimes a family heirloom passed down from a great-aunt. The most popular items have been wine and micro-brews. Always lots of bottles of wine to win! It brings me comfort to know that I am not the only "wine-o" in the family and - - I have won my share and not just from Washington, but Montana, Nebraska and Colorado.

So needless to say, I won’t be blogging for a few days. Instead I will be sitting around a campsite with family telling old jokes and stories, eating and of course, drinking wine. I am especially looking forward to this reunion as my two adorable little granddaughters will be joining me. I can see them now wearing Barbie crowns on top of their unruly thick red curls, princess wings off their shoulders and holding a fishing pole.

I think I'll leave my crown and wings at home.

The Grapes Do The Talking At Mannina Cellars

Every so often I will make a prediction, and when I do my prediction comes true. My predictions are always positive. My motto is, you don't need to make a negative prediction about anybody or anything -- the Law of Karma takes care of it all. My paternal great-grandmother was a midwife with lots of tales and remedies from the back woods. About three years ago, one of my maternal aunts said to me, "You have the gift, don’t you?" She was referring to a trait she felt in our family – being psychic (or maybe just looney). But as I have discovered in life, it’s a tough position to tell someone, "I told you so." Heh.

My latest prediction? Don Redman of Mannina Cellars is going to join the ranks of one of the top winemakers in Walla Walla.

With a background in chemistry, Don’s approach to his craft of winemaking is to create the perfect environment where grapes can make their journey to wine with as little human intervention as possible. This approach results in vineyard-driven wines with lots of varietal character. If you want to know what Merlot, for example, tastes like in its purest wine expression, Mannina's Merlot is the wine I'd point you toward.

A year ago I tasted Don’s first releases, a Merlot and a Sangiovese, both 2004. These classic and clean wines really showed the true qualities of the varietal. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to taste Mannina Cellar’s current releases and if I had to use only one word to describe my reaction to the new wines, it is S_W_O_O_N!

We tasted the Mannina Cellars Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and "Cali", a red table blend. They were all very distinguished wines, but the two that really shined for me were the Sangiovese and the Cali. It’s no surprise that Don's Sangiovese won a Gold from the Northwest Wine Summit. It's a classic Chianti, yet the nose told me it was born and raised in Walla Walla -- our signature local flavor of rich chocolate-covered cherry was everywhere in this beautiful wine.

The Cali takes its name from Don’s grandmother -- Cali was her maiden name, in fact. This red blend is both delicious and affordable, showing the best of Walla Walla grapes in the nose and flavors. It's well-structured, supported by tannins and acidity with additional earth and cherry qualities in the nose and flavors. There's just a hint, too, of vanilla in the finish. This bronze-medal winner at the Northwest Wine Summit retails for an attractive $17.

Don says he wants Mannina Cellar wines to show a true sense of place, and he believes the best way to achieve it is to let the grapes, not the winemaking, do the talking. From my tasting of Mannina Cellar's new releases, I can say that Don approaches terroir in just the right way.