Sunday, October 01, 2017

Story in a Bottle

Wine is personal. It’s personal when it comes to favored tastes and aromas, but there are often personal stories in a bottle of wine. Sometimes the stories are from the winemaker, and sometimes there are new stories and memories to be made by the collector of the bottle. Today, wine consumers want to know everything about a bottle of wine – and they want to hear the story.                           

In the Walla Walla Valley, there are many stories, and many wine labels reminiscent of memories right out of an old family scrapbook. One of these labels tell a story about a man who would eventually blaze a trail of history - - literally. 

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Monday, May 01, 2017

Mother Earth: Vines, Wines, and Moms

Studies have shown a mother’s impulse to love and protect her child appears to be hard-wired. This impulse is often referred to as “maternal instinct.” Is there a mother’s impulse to love and protect the wines and vines, as well?  In the Walla Walla Valley, it is certainly true. 
                                       
There are at least 1,200 people employed in the Walla Walla Valley wine industry. This number includes winemakers, production, hospitality, retail, and administration. Women are still under-represented in this industry, but they are certainly not excluded. 

In the U.S. there are roughly 10 percent of wineries that have female winemakers, yet the number is growing. In the Walla Walla Valley there are over a dozen women winemakers that are also mothers who wear that “purple badge” of honor on their hands – it’s the lingering stain of the grape that tends to make a mess of a new manicure or a favorite article of clothing.           

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Saturday, April 01, 2017

Keepers of the Vines

After a very long and unusually hard winter’s nap, the grapevines of the Walla Walla Valley are beginning to come alive.                                                                                                             

The Valley is home to 116 vineyards with a total combined of 3,100 acres of wine grapes. SeVein Vineyards, home of the original Seven Hills Vineyard first planted in 1980, is one of the first commercial vineyards in the area and is located on the southern border of the Walla Walla AVA in Oregon State.

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Wednesday, March 01, 2017

Rose': The Drink of Kings

Often known as a girlie drink because it's so pretty in pink... 

It was the drink fit for kings and aristocrats.

Provence is a historical province of southeastern France. It is known for its vast fields of lavender, as well as known for being the oldest wine growing region in France. It was in 600 B.C. when the Greeks founded the area and introduced the first grape vines. 

The first wines to be made in Provence were Rosés, and by the end of the 20th century, that lovely blushing wine would find its way to Walla Walla.                                                                                                       
Rosé – Rosato - Rosado, no matter in France, Italy, or Spain; the meanings are the same – pink. French-inspired Rosé wines are made from red grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Pinot Noir, and Syrah; to name a few of the red grapes often used for Rosé wines, and even Pinot Gris (aka Pinot Grigio), a white fleshed grape with a pinkish gray skin. In Italy their Rosato’s are typically produced from the popular red grapes, Sangiovese or Nebbiolo; and in Spain their Rosados are often produced from their widely grown red grape, Tempranillo.

And yes – to those who were entranced with the creation of “White Zinfandel,” a pink off-dry “blush” wine introduced in the mid-1970’s that would technically be considered a Rosé, and yes – it is made from the very dark red grape, Zinfandel. There are no pink or white Zinfandel grapes growing on the vines in California. 

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