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.

The 500th Washington Winery - Sweet Valley Wines

There has been a lot of press recently about the new 500th licensed winery in the state of Washington and especially the news that it will be located in Walla Walla! But out of all of those press releases, how many of them have actually tasted the 500th winery’s first release? Well, we did!

Double Barrel Red Blend - 2005 is the first release for Sweet Valley Wines, the 500th winery to be licensed in the State of Washington. We visited with owner/partner of Sweet Valley Wines, David McDaniels, as we enjoyed this distinguished table blend. Keeping true to the sweetest valley around, only Walla Walla Valley grapes from Forgotten Hills, Les Collines, and Va Piano were used.

55% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon with a skoosh of Syrah (2%) was blended to make this everyday, but bold sipping wine. Lots of fruit, like a mouthful of dark cherries, but still enough tannins that you could cellar this wine for a couple of years. Fruit and tannins are balanced with a nutmeg and peppery finish. Double Barrel will be able to join other local wineries with a quality Walla Walla wine for under $20.00. Huzzah!

David also shared with us his future winery plans for a great old structure on Rose Street. Best wishes to Sweet Valley Wines. They have the start of some good things going for them.

They're here! Go to the light, Catie Ann!

What happens when an Eastern Washington Wine blogger meets up with a Western Washington Wine blogger? Lots of opinions get tossed back and forth, lots of chatter fills the air, and a whole lot of tasting of some of the best wines in the world gets done, that's what happens! Best of all for this Eastern Washington wine blogger, I learned to love Walla Walla all over again, as I was able to see Walla Walla through the eyes of the Western Washington Wine blogger, Gene Stein, known as the Seattle Wine Blogger, his wife Diane, and their friends Bob and Kathy Tovey from Bend, Oregon. The crew was in town a little while ago to taste the local product, and I was invited to join them. Dr. Stein is a wine writer, wine educator, wine judge and former publisher of Northwest Consumer's Wine Guide, and his friend Bob Tovey was the Oregon correspondent for a consumer wine guide.

I was born and raised in Walla Walla, and I have many fond memories dating back to the late fifties and early sixties when my parents dressed up and took me and my siblings to downtown Walla Walla for a Friday night dinner. Before we left the house, we were all lined up and seated on the white Naugahyde couch (very Nauga-Boomer style) and got coached on how we should behave in public -- it was either behave or get "the look!" No child ever wanted to get the "look" from my father, let me tell you. Spank us, ground us, take away privileges -- but never -- ever -- give -- us -- "the look!" Sometimes we went for spaghetti either at the Pastime (now empty) or DeLucas (now the Red Eye, and before that Pacific Express) or even the Newberry's (now Heritage Park) fountain counter for a hot roast beef sandwich.

When us kids weren't along to crowd the table, our parents dined at the Corner Restaurant (now the Paul Richardson Agency) the former Elks Club located downtown on Fourth & Alder, The Grand at the former Grand Hotel (now Banner Bank building on First Street), or at the Heidelberg Villa, a swanky German restaurant (now the Golden Horse Restaurant). Or they took in a movie at the old Liberty Theater, spending an extra dollar to sit in the plush balcony loges. In fact, my parents first met at Clemies Diner on Main Street, now the tasting room of Waterbrook Winery. My siblings and I were very content staying with Grandma (who lived and owned acreage on School & Bryant Avenues, a few lots up from Leonetti Cellars) when our parents were out for a special evening. We could overlook Lawrence Welk on their TV if it meant sharing a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of Pepsi-Cola with Grandpa.

Sometimes I take Walla Walla for granted, I admit, yet at the same time I can be very protective of it. I have seen our downtown go from the very best to the very worst -- and bounce back again. It's a shining star now.

About a year ago I was sitting at a dinner meeting, and some of the others at the dining table said about Walla Walla, "They need to quit opening up wineries." "They need to open some chain stores like the Tri-Cities have," someone said. "They need to open up some chain restaurants, like the Red Olive Lobster Garden. They don't need more wineries. They don't need more art galleries." I finally had to ask: "Who is this "They" that you speak of?" If some of these "theys" are who I think "they" are, "they" are corporations from out of town with no local connection -- faceless companies, in other words, the same corporations that gave the Eastgate and Blue Mountain malls, which are now ghosts of their previous selves. "They" are the various corporations that plundered and pillaged (yeah I have seen too many pirate movies lately) the jewel of our city, the elegant Marcus Whitman, so that it was barely saved from the wrecking ball.

Visiting with Gene, Diane, Kathy and Tom that afternoon, I started looking at Walla Walla with a fresh eye. I became excited for all of the things that they were excited about. Tom and Kathy commented about the bumper stickers, "Don't Bend Walla Walla", that some Walla Walla locals created. The Toveys said from their experience of living in Bend, Walla Walla will never become a Bend, Oregon, and explained that Bend is tearing down their historic structures while Walla Walla has worked so hard as a community to preserve them. As I sat at lunch enjoying tapas outdoors at Saffron, a new Mediterranean restaurant (formerly the old Schwartz Beer Parlor and a garden-feed store), I was reminded by my new friends how fortunate I was to live in Walla Walla.

Later that afternoon we were at aMaurice Cellars visiting with, Ned Morris, the winemaker there, when Kathy directed me to the lovely view we had from the winery's tasting area. Kathy commented on the beauty of the multi-colored foothills of the Blue Mountains. I guess that before Kathy spoke of the view we shared, I had taken those blue and green colored foothills for granted.

Once again I thought about the "Theys." Recently, the county of Walla Walla had struggled over potential restrictions on located winery structures in the agriculture zones quilting those foothills. Those opposed to more wineries argued that if the wineries were built, "the next thing "they" will want is rock concerts." "They" will want weddings and "they" will demand the farmers quit operating while "they" have their ceremonies and concerts. "They" will litter - "they" will litter their wine bottles around our foothill roads. I remember thinking, "They" will do all of this? I never knew what to say to those comments about those damn "theys" and the problems "they" bring with them. I never knew any "theys" who littered their $30-50 wine bottles on the roads. Usually "they" pack their bottles home to age them in their cellars. I never knew that "they", the majority of winemakers and winery owners, wanted to fuss with the mess, details and liabilities of rock concerts and the wear and tear rock concerts can put on a winery and especially a vineyard. I thought the majority of winemakers just wanted to make good wine. Who knew "they" also wanted to take the time away from their winemaking and patrol concert crowds and fuss with little bridezillas and their soon to be monster-inlaws?

I always thought winery structures would be more appealing and complementary to the foothills than the rock quarries, pig farms, and small aircraft landing strips, all of which are already zoned in the foothills. The winery opponents keep trying to tell us that "they", wine and grapes, are not agriculture.

That late afternoon I left my new wine friends and kept thinking about all of the wonderful things "they" had to say about our Valley. "They" commented on the beauty of the old trees, the majestic old buildings and homes. "They" commented on the beautiful view surrounding the Valley on all sides, the great dining, the mesh of eclectic characters and how we have made each other into neighbors. Most of all, my new friends commented on our world-class wines. My new friends made me see my town as if I was falling in love with it all over again, just as they were for the first time. "They" told me again and again how fortunate I was to have been born and raised here. "They" told me how fortunate I was to have the old cherished memories and to be able to witness the positive growth. "They" reminded me just how fortunate I was to have all of these wonderful things about Walla Walla around me and at my fingertips.

I decided that "they" were the ones that I would finally listen to. "They" had the comments and opinions that I would value. Thanks Gene, Diane, Kathy and Tom!

Drenched in Greatness - aˋMaurice

First of all, it is worth the drive. Of course, what am I talking about? Everything in Walla Walla, is no further than a 15 minute drive from the heart of downtown.

The winery and 13-acre vineyard of aˋMaurice is located in the Upland area of Mill Creek. Besides the appropriate growing conditions, you can almost reach out and touch the panoramic view of the multi-colored foothills of the Blue Mountains. One is surrounded in tranquility.

If there is a distinguished nose coming from a wine, it is exciting to me. It makes me want to learn everything about that wine. And no – not every wine will have a dominant aromatic nose that reaches beyond the glass.

The first release of aˋMaurice Premier Red Blend - 2004 is such a wine. 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec were hand-picked, carefully sorted, then crushed and fermented in small lots and later aged in mostly French oak. The result is an aromatic wine with the Malbec reaching out beyond the glass, in spite of the small percentage. The rich taste reminded me of the holidays. I often tell people that when you are learning to taste wines, rely on your fondest memories in the kitchen and you can often pick out those same smells and flavors that were brought together during that special time. The richness of dark fruit like plums from a cobbler and pumpkin pie with all the right spices, with a touch of vanilla, were there for me. This blend would suit me for every day sipping, but foods from the grill like salmon, sausages and aromatic vegetables with herbs will really be at the advantage.

Visiting with Ned Morris, winemaker for aˋMaurice, we discovered that he has apprenticed under some of the best. Ned also received sommelier training in Australia and has a Masters of Science in Food Chemistry and Fermentation.

They are charter members of Vinea, a voluntary trust of Walla Walla wineries and vineyards that follow strict guidelines for sustainable viticulture. Future plans for aˋMaurice is a larger structure to be built for their winery along with gardens.

We tasted through the aˋMaurice wines and I can honestly say that the owners, the Schafer Family, have everything in place to continue making distinguishable wines. Location, soil, talent and most of all pride for their craft. When you put all of those components together, and as their motto says, aˋMaurice is truly "Drenched in Greatness."