Caretakers of History: Tero Estate Winery

Once upon a time two local doctors, Dr Herb Hendricks and Dr. James McClellan planted a vineyard by the name of Seven Hills. It was also the first commercial vineyard in the Walla Walla area, since prohibition. In 1994, the vineyard was split in half - half of the vineyard was sold, along with the rights of the name, Seven Hills. The remaining half of the vineyard was renamed, Windrow. Since 1995, several Who’s Who of the Walla Walla Valley wineries have used the Windrow Cabernet Sauvignon for their outstanding wines. Thirty-years later, a new partnership was formed and they would eventually become the new caretakers of the Windrow vines.

In 2006, Jan and Doug Roskelley traveled from their home in Woodinville to check out the vineyards in Walla Walla. Much to their good fortune and surprise, they discovered that the old Windrow Vineyard was for sale. Later, partners Mike Tembreull & Doug Roskelley lent the first two letters of their last names to create Tero Estates. In July of 2007, the Roskelleys would make Windrow Vineyard their home. Doug immediately went to work rebuilding the old equipment shed into a winery. In February, I visited their “old equipment shed” located at 52015 Seven Hills Road in Milton-Freewater during the "Tero Estates Announcement Party." To my surprise, what I discovered was no old equipment shed. Instead, the old shed “shed” its cocoon and released a beautiful new winery. The top of the new winery holds a magnificent view of the surrounding vineyards and the Blue Mountains.

However, underneath the newness and the beauty still remains some of the old shed. If walls could talk, the old walls would tell its visitors how it was a part of Walla Walla wine history, as many of the original discussions about the formation of the Walla Walla AVA were surrounded by the old shed walls.

Tero Estates first crush was in 2007 and they will release their Estate Cabernet Franc, Herb's Block Merlot (estate), Estate Windrow (their signature Bordeaux-style red) in October 2010. Also included in their first releases will be Cabernet Sauvignon and a table red produced from Walla Walla fruit. Spring of 2011 will be the release of their estate Cabernet Sauvignon and a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - all from the 2007 crush at Windrow. During the afternoon event, we were treated to an early sip of the Estate Cabernet Franc. It was chocolatey, peppery and herbacious - just how I love one of my favorite reds.

More surprises were waiting us at the Tero Estates Announcement Party on that wonderful sunny afternoon at the vineyards. We were met by a smiling Ashley Trout pouring her elegant Flying Trout wines. I tasted through her collection and I was very taken on how Ashley's winemaking skills just keep evolving. Her wines are sophisticated and complex. The big news was Flying Trout and Tero Estates have “merged.” Flying Trout’s new home is at the 52015 Seven Hills Road winery. Ashley now has the support and a facility she needs to continue to build on her outstanding wine portfolio. She will also act as a consulting winemaker along with Doug, who is the winemaker for Tero Estates. There’s Malbec on the Tero Estates and no doubt, Ashley will know exactly what to do with it – as she continues to make her annual winemaking trek to Mendoza, Argentina.

The country life has been good for Jan and Doug Roskelley. Not only is Doug busy as the winemaker for Tero Estates, but he is also designer and construction-dude for their new home on site, as well as expanding their vineyard. Jan is a gracious hostess and eager to get involved in "social media" on behalf of their winery. And this “once upon a time” beginning will definitely have a happy ending – with Jan and Doug living in the middle of a vineyard with two dogs and ten cats and they will all live together happily ever-after.

Feast Walla Walla 2010

Just like in the movie, The Wizard of Oz - "Ignore the voice behind the curtain."

Sold Out! Wine Bloggers Conference - Walla Walla!

Yup, that's right. The Third Annual North American Wine Bloggers' Conference in Walla Walla is now SOLD OUT!

This year in Walla Walla the attendance was raised to 300 from 270 in the last two years when the conference was held in Napa/Sonoma. Destination Walla Walla was ahead of the game and selling out before Napa/Sonoma did in 2008 and 2009. Three hundred wine bloggers and wine industry representatives are registered to attend the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington June 25 – 27. Registrations will continue to be accepted and names are now being added to a "Wait List." Participation in the conference will be on a first-come, first-serve basis from the wait list as space becomes available.

And "they" say it couldn't be done - for many reasons and for many reasons that went without research: "Walla Walla is too far and the closest airport is in Seattle. Walla Walla produces wine? There are vineyards in Walla Walla? The only wine country in Washington state is in Woodinville." Even when it was announced at last year's conference in Napa/Sonoma, there was speculation made that "Napa/Sonoma set the bar pretty high and Walla Walla better be on top of their game." Was there any doubt? Walla Walla is on top of their game!

In the last five years, wine bloggers have changed and are still changing the way wine consumers gather information about the wines they want to drink. Traditional media is still a valuable and reliable tool, but for how long with the new up-and-coming wine drinking generations who rely on their iPhones and iPads for information? Why do you think traditional wine media are adding blogs to their websites?

In the mean time, now more than ever, the WBC Scholarship needs your help. Currently there are 13 scholarship applications needing assistance to attend WBC10. The committee will need to make some difficult decisions in the next few days and without your generous support, they will be unable to fulfill all of their wishes. Please donate generously and assist a wine blogger to "blog 'n walla" in Walla Walla!

New Roots Meet Established Roots at Robison Ranch Cellars

I typically don't run a lot of press releases and if I do, I will often change things around. But today I am going to be guilty of reposting someone else's words - - well somewhat. I am still going to change words around (you know me), but overall I couldn't have said this any better. The press release is also about the Robison-Riordan Families. Yeah - I am rather fond of them.

One afternoon I was visiting with Jim Robison and although he is a third generation wheat farmer in the Walla Walla Valley, he told me how he liked the wine industry and how they have contributed to the valley. Enter family friend, Brad Riordan a wine and vine hobbyist. And yes - - I have sampled all of the wines. I recommend them.

In 2005, Walla Walla newcomer Brad Riordan dug more than 200 holes through pure river rock to plant new grapevines on his quarter-acre “hobby” ranch. Two years later, he became the winery partner of one of the Valley’s most established wheat ranchers, Jim Robison.

Brad's short path from a “quarter-acre vineyard and a mule” (the mule being Brad himself) to becoming a winemaker and winery owner is a true Walla Walla story. He studied winemaking “at the knee of a great teacher and person,” Stan Clarke, the former Associate Director at the Center for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College. Third-generation rancher and successful Walla Walla businessman Jim Robison then discovered Riordan’s winemaking. Together they formed Robison Ranch Cellars.

Robison Ranch Cellars debuted its first vintage last fall with the single release of 2008 Rosé. The release has since sold out. This May, Robison Ranch Cellars will release its second vintage of Rosé and inaugural vintages of 2009 Viognier and 2009 Semillon. Later this fall, Robison Ranch Cellars plans to release inaugural vintages of 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Merlot, 2008 Spofford Station Syrah and 2008 Sangiovese. Robison’s first artist’s series wine, a 2008 Red Mountain Petit Verdot, will debut winter 2010. Brad is most excited by the 2009 Viognier and the 2008 Spofford Station Syrah.

The Robison Ranch Cellars winery facility is housed in a converted shallot production building on the 3,000 acre Robison Ranch, just 5 minutes from downtown Walla Walla. The winery sources grapes from several noted Walla Walla vineyards including Spofford Station, Dwelley and Blue Mountain and plans production of 500 cases for its 2009 vintage. On-site Winery events will be held twice each year (for Spring and Fall Release) in the historical shallot barn on the ranch. Winery visits are also available by appointment.

Stay tuned for more info regarding Spring Release and don't forget to check out their new website.

Washington Merlot Twitter Tasting - Walla Walla

As Julius Caesar would say, "Venimus, vidimus, vicimus, vino - We came, we saw, we conquered and we drank a lot of Merlot from Washington State!"

Many thanks to Josh Wade of Drink Nectar for coordinating this fun Twitter event promoting awareness of Washington Merlot; sending a unified message about Washington wine; and promoting Washington wine tourism.

Also many thanks to Muriel Kenyon of Otis Kenyon Wine for her generous hospitality and for taking good care of our "nutritional" needs with a tasty assortment of cheeses, charcuterie, breads, hummus and of course the beautiful "Sarah Brownies" made by Sarah German, Pastry Chief - all from Olive Market Place.

Twitter Tasting Event: We Are Drinking F----ing Merlot!

I can remember as if it was yesterday. There I was, sitting in the movie theatre watching "Sideways." It was the scene whereupon entering the restaurant the rather dull and morose wine snob character, Miles Raymond shrieked at the top of his lungs, "No! If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f---ing Merlot!"

It was at that moment I tossed a few popcorn kernels at the movie screen and hissed under my breath, "Well obviously Miles, you haven't tasted any Washington State Merlot."

Movies can influence lives and often for the better. However, it was the movie Sideways that put a cork in the sales of Merlot. Sales took a slump while Miles favorite wine, Pinot Noir had a boost in sales. Unfortunately, not knowing any better, many consumers drank some very bad Pinot Noir and forsaked some excellent Merlot

In the hands of a skilled vintner, there is nothing like a rich Merlot from Washington State. These wines are not only affordable, but many are world class. Merlot has been a key grape for us since the 1980's and in spite of Miles contempt, we are fighting back and keeping the faith for our beloved Merlot. We invite you to show your love, too!

It's easy to show your Mer-love. Here's what you do:

Twitter your love for Washington Merlot on Thursday, March 25 from 5 - 8 pm PDT.

• Locate a Washington Merlot or two or three! Make it your favorite stand-by or grab a couple of new favorites.
• Hop or fly and land on Twitter. As you're are tasting your scrumptious Merlot, you can also track the tweets. Follow the hashtag #WAMerlot in a search column and tweet, tweet, tweet away.

You can tweet from home. You can invite your neighbors and friends over and make it a party! We have a party going on here in Walla Walla (email me for info). Tweet from your favorite local winery, wine bar or restaurant. No matter where you are tweeting, just make sure you are tweeting and slurping a Merlot from Washington State!

For more information and how to sign up to show your support, check out: http://wamerlot.eventbrite.com/

Walla Walla Wineries: It’s all your fault!

Every so often, my sense of logic gets insulted and when that happens I find myself climbing on my soapbox for a rant. Here’s my rant.

For several years now (and especially last week), as I live and breath in the Walla Walla Valley, I hear, more than I want to, negative remarks about wineries and tourism in Walla Walla. And more than often the words uttered are narrow-minded opinions that have not been researched. The opinions may be phrased a little different, but it all focuses on one topic: Everything "bad" (whatever that means) about Walla Walla is the fault (and responsibility) of the wineries.

Just when I think I have heard it all, and every time I hear a new one, my mouth drops to the floor and I can’t seem to find the strength to pick up my bottom jaw due to the fact I am blown away at the ignorance of the statements.

“They should build more chain restaurants and big box stores instead of building another winery.”

Excuse me. But could you clarify for me who “They” exactly are? Is there a clandestine committee here in town by the name of “They” that decides to shut out potential businesses and only allow wineries to open a business? I don’t think so. So should property managers not rent space and realtors not sell buildings and land to wineries and wait for some non-winery business to come along? Who would win at that kind of business proposition? No one. We've been there. Done that.

“Instead of building more wineries, “They” (there’s that darn pesky clandestine committee again) should fix the potholes on our city streets.”

Unfortunately, my SUV takes on a few new rattles every time I hit an unavoidable pothole. It doesn’t make me happy, either. One of the worst looking streets in Walla Walla bears the name, Walla Walla Avenue. Ironic, huh? However, tell me again what a privately owned winery has to do with fixing our potholes? Repairing and maintaining the streets in Walla Walla is the responsibility of City of Walla Walla’s Administration of the Public Works Department. The wineries and the City of Walla Walla are not working together to create potholes to make your lives miserable. Besides, haven’t you heard that a winery is no different than any other business? If you think privately owned wineries should be responsible for fixing potholes, then so should your private and locally owned plumbers, dry cleaners, restaurants, etc. be responsible, too. Oh and by the way - these local businesses are going to adjust the prices a bit higher so they can pitch in to pay for repair of those potholes and still make a profit to pay their employees and overhead it takes to run their business. Many wineries in the Walla Walla Valley are independent "mom & pop" family-owned businesses.

Every bottle of wine that is sold in the city or county of Walla Walla is charged a revenue tax, as well as tax is charged on prepared food and lodging. The standard revenue tax rate charged on every of bottle of wine is 8.0% (county) or 8.3% cents (city) on the dollar with .015 or .018 being local and of course, comes back to our area. There are a lot of bottles of wine being sold that the city and county of Walla Walla are benefiting from.

"Why don't "They" use winery money (or instead of building another winery) to clean up the Blue Mountain Mall?”

I live near the Blue Mountain Mall (BMM) and I hate-hate-hate that eyesore. It is shameful. But here's the deal folks - - the wineries are not responsible for cleaning it up. The BMM is a privately owned corporation. Expecting wineries (or any other private business) to be responsible for clean-up of another private business is no different than expecting wineries to clean up your neighbor's lawn or house that is in need of weed-pulling and repair. Let me guess, you also expect Burger King to buy you a bigger size pair of pants, too?

"Why don't "They" spend more time promoting the Walla Walla Sweet Onion instead of wine? Wine has taken over the status of the onion."

Well gosh boys and girls, guess what? Wine tourism has actually helped the status of our beloved Walla Walla Sweet Onion. Growing up in Walla Walla, the house I was raised in was surrounded by sweet onions. Family and family friends are or have been Walla Walla Sweet Onions farmers. Unlike wineries, Walla Walla Sweet Onions are seasonal. The harvest is short as well as the shelf life of the onions. Most wineries are working all the year round. However, when onions are available wine tourists buy their share either from the road-side stands or at the downtown Farmer's Market. The years I spent working in winery tasting rooms, several tourist's plans included the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival in July.

We got the Walla Walla Sweet Onion voted as the official vegetable of Washington. What else do you want?

"Wineries do not create very many jobs."

They don't? Wineries not only need staff, but they rely on services from other local businesses (banks, attorneys, advertisers, computer techs, office supplies, lawn and ag services, food and catering, automotive repair, electricians, plumbers, etc.) Wineries create tourism. Tourists need gasoline, accommodations and food.

The Marcus Whitman Hotel is one of many accommodations in the area and a large employer creating jobs from wait staff, housekeeping, maintenance and even their own staff that keeps the furniture repaired and upholstered. The hotel provides employment almost 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. And it wasn't always that way. I hear many yammer on about how they want Walla Walla back to the way it "use to be." When? Back in the 1970-80's when the downtown was full of empty store fronts and the Marcus Whitman Hotel was on its way to have a date with the wrecking ball? Out-of-towners owned the building and could have cared less about our history. The building and it's furnishings were pillaged. In 1999, Kyle Mussman and company bought the historic structure. It was restored, expanded and once again, the hotel is the way it "use to be" providing more jobs than ever.

Besides creating jobs, Walla Walla wineries give back to the community. They donate a lot of money and goods to many of our local charities. You can bet if there is a fund raising campaign or a charity event, several wineries are going to be there donating their wine or a special party. Many wineries create the expensive large formats of wine just to give away for fundraisers knowing that the larger bottles of wine can bring in big dollars.

Change is hard and I am not immune to it. But I have realized to keep things that are important to us, sometimes we have to bend and open the mind. I am of the attitude, if you don't like something then either put up or shut up. There is nothing wrong with having an opinion, but instead of yammering incessantly about something, understand the real problem and find the proper channel to voice your opinions to - - and stop blaming everything on "They!"

Brad & Buffy: Wine Tasting in Walla Walla

Okay, so I've got the "movie making bug." Thanks to Greg Harrington of Gramercy Cellars for the inspiration of playing with this movie making toy, as well as Margot Sinclair Savell of Write for Wine for the inspired topic. In other words, don't blame me. Heh.

Sommelier Starts A Winery

This video is not only funny, but as brilliant as his wines. Greg Harrington, MS of Gramercy Cellars tells the story, with the help of robots, on how it all began. Next stop: Walla Walla.

The Tiny Terroir-ist: Alice Feiring

Tiny in stature, but certainly not on opinions, Alice Feiring is a wine journalist, author and one of the leading advocates of natural wine in the USA. Wednesday evening, Walla Walla had the great experience of listening to Alice speak at Whitman College. And many thanks to Professor Kevin Pogue of the Geology Department and the Lecture Series for making it possible.

Many may know Alice from her controversial book, The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization Since the release of her book, Alice has added to the fans she already had through her blog, Veritas In Vino and also added some critics to her list.

It was a pleasure for me to visit with Alice before she went up to the lectern. She was genuine and warm. We mostly discussed her visit to Walla Walla and the politics of wine blogging. Alice started her wine blog in 2004 (I started a year later) when wine blogging was still very much a "man's world." Watching her mannerisms, they were very delicate and ethereal and she even curtsied at the end of her speech. There was a sense of shyness about her and I thought to myself, "This cannot be the same woman who was kicked out of Mark Squire's Forum - - I mean, Robert Parker's Forum."

So you might wonder, "How did Alice save the world from Parkerization?" The New World has been accused by many of pandering to Robert Parker's palate, which often means "manipulating" and following a "recipe" to get Parker's palate all twitterpated. After all, a "twitterpated Parker palate" (say that three times) can often bring high scores. It can also be a double-edge sword if it means losing the expression of the terroir.

Seconds before Alice took the stage, I looked behind me and saw the auditorium was filled with WWCC Eno/Vit students, winemakers and vineyardists. Something told me before the end of the evening, "feathers would be ruffled." Or is that vines would be shaken and leaves would be ruffled?

Alice Feiring believes in the natural wine movement, such as organic and biodynamic wines. Alice prefers wines that have not been "manipulated" by man, even down to the irrigation (I knew the irrigation comment was going to get some reactions from the audience - and I was right!) She feels that wines are manipulated by irrigation when we water and then stress out the grape. Water should only be used to keep a vine alive or when newly planted, says Alice, pointing out the vineyards in the Sinai Peninsula.

Of course, it is no secret that some New World wines have been "manipulated" by oak, adding acids to over-ripe grapes, using packaged yeasts instead of "wild yeasts", adding water to correct sugars, and even reverse osmosis removal of alcohol. She even suggested that stirring of the lees in white wines was a manipulation.

Do I agree with everything Alice had to say. No, but it was certainly good food for thought. Alice says oak is to be used as a vessel and not for flavor. I can appreciate the use of the vessel, but I will admit that I enjoy "vanillans" in merlot and cabernet sauvignon, yet I hate "getting run over by a logging truck of oak" in white wines.

This is the second visit to Walla Walla for Alice. She was here in 2004 and this week she returned to several of the vineyards and wineries she visited back then. She mentioned in Washington State we still haven't defined our terroir. I think that is true when you consider how extreme in climate and soil the state of Washington is. But she did say, the closest wine she has tasted to being Washington terroir was the wines from Cayuse Vineyards in Walla Walla AVA.

When I left the auditorium lobby I was wishing I was a little mouse in the pockets of the winemakers and vineyardist who were possibly rebutting what Alice had to say. I love these kind of discussions and I love hearing both sides, because I feel there is no wrong or right. Let me say this, I think all Alice really wants is for consumers to think about the next bottle of wine they purchase. And I think Alice wants winemakers and vineyard owners to think about their next vintage and how they can make it more expressive of the terroir.

And when it is all said and done, for better or worse, we all want the same wines that "Appellation Feiring" wants (from her blog): " ... I want my wines to tell a good story. I want them natural and most of all, like my dear friends, I want them to speak the truth even if we argue. ... those who love the differences in each vintage, who abhor homogenization, who want wines that make them smile, think, laugh,and feel sexy."

Do You Love Washington State Merlot?

Do you love Washington State Merlot? As Pee-wee Herman would say, "If you love it, why don't you marry it?"

Well, unfortunately we can't marry Merlot. I understand it is still illegal to marry Merlot in several states, especially in the southern states - ahem. Don't cry and there's no need to picket! Not all is lost. You can Twitter your love for Washington Merlot on Thursday, March 25 from 5 - 8 pm PDT.

It's easy to show your Mer-love. Here's what you do:

• Locate a Washington Merlot or two or three! Make it your favorite stand-by or grab a couple of new favorites.
• Hop or fly and land on Twitter. As you're are tasting your scrumptious Merlot, you can also track the tweets. Follow the hashtag #WAMerlot in a search column and tweet, tweet, tweet away.

You can tweet from home. You can invite your neighbors and friends over and make it a party! Tweet from your favorite local winery, wine bar or restaurant. No matter where you are tweeting, just make sure you are tweeting and slurping a Merlot from Washington State!

For more information and how to sign up to show your support, check out http://wamerlot.eventbrite.com/

It Was Finally the Right Time to Open the Leonetti.

Now mind you, I'm a frugal kind of "girl" and I don't keep a lot of Leonetti Cellars around in my modest wine collection. Since I've been single in the last 12-years, I find what I would spend for one bottle of Leonetti Cellars I could buy almost three bottles of exceptional wines from the Walla Walla Valley. Hey, my maiden name isn't McIntyre for nothing. Scots are known for their frugality.

In the last month, for some reason, I kept staring at my last bottle of Leonetti Cellars, a 2001 Columbia Valley Merlot. What ran through my mind was, "Do I open it? Do I put some more age on it? Or shall I just tuck it away 'forever' and let my kidlets and siblings find it someday in my estate and either enjoy it or have a good chuckle?"

I eventually just stuffed those questions in the back of my mind, like I often do knowing that when I least expect it, I will have my answer. You see, I didn't buy any of my Leonetti's. They were either gifts or wine trades from one very special person. If you are any kind of a professional or self-proclaimed "wine-o" you have to know about the wines from Leonetti Cellars in Walla Walla. Quality exudes from these luscious red wines.

Exactly a week ago Friday morning, I finally had my answer on what to do with the last bottle of the Leonetti Cellars. I called some friends and invited them over to my house the next evening. One of the friends I invited is a student at the Eno/Vit Center in Walla Walla, whose wine palate I respect. The other phone call was to long-time family friends who just moved to Walla Walla from Seattle. They are extreme "foodies" and known to make road trips with bottles of Leonetti Cellars just in case the restaurants they dine in doesn't have any "decent" wine on the menu.

Saturday afternoon, just before I headed out to run some errands, I finally opened the bottle of Leonetti Cellars Merlot - 2001. I wanted to give it some breathing time. As I opened the bottle, I was reminded of how I obtained it. I giggled to myself, fondly remembering this elderly and very distinguished gentleman and how I would type some special projects for him. And even though I was on law office time and worked at the law office that bore his last name, he would often drop by a gift of thanks. He would drive in the parking lot and stop his car at the front door of the office before he headed to his personal parking space in the back. He would come in the front door with a bottle of wine wrapped in a plain brown paper sack and quietly place it under my desk. He would then head back out to his car, drive it to the parking spot and come in the back door like he always did every morning.

Through the last ten years we would exchange opinions about the local wines. I would often tell him about some of the new wineries and their wines and he would tell me about some new wine gadget he had just purchased and whether or not it worked. Sometimes we would trade bottles of Walla Walla wines and I often felt as if I got the better part of the deal, but that's how he preferred it. He had a good palate and understood quality - well, not just with wine but with everything in his life.

My friends showed up that evening and we had a feast of cured meats, cheeses, olives, flat bread and chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons. We gathered around the kitchen island which seems to be the gathering place, while the formal dining room now gets ignored. The Leonetti was poured. The color of the Merlot was a deep red with just a halo of copper showing that the wine indeed had some age. Aromas of fall leaves and sweet straw came from the glass. The anticipated sip brought large flavors of bramble berries and undertones of currants and licorice. It wasn't big on oak, but rather silky on the tongue. The finish kept traveling with hints of spice. The wine was just what we hoped it to be - it didn't disappoint. Of course, before we tasted the wine we had toasted the gentleman who gave me the bottle. The room remained silent as we pondered the wine and the moment.

I have discovered the most important thing about wine, and especially wines of this quality like Leonetti Cellars. Wines shouldn't be tucked away forever like trophy pieces. They are meant to shared and enjoyed. Wine can make new memories and revive memories. This bottle was given to me with a lot of thought behind it and given with the intent for me to enjoy. It was a bitter-sweet ending that I would eventually share this bottle of wine with friends, just as it had been shared with me.

Here's to you, Dutch. I feel honored to have had you in my life.

The Beauty Behind the Buty and the Beast

The first time I was introduced to Caleb Foster was in a viticulture class. The focus of the lecture was the importance of the relationship between vineyard owner and winemaker and Caleb was our speaker for the evening. Caleb obviously left an impression on me because I can still remember the class, and after visiting with Caleb recently and drinking his wines with him, Caleb is a man of his word. His wines express the importance of the relationship between vineyard owner and winemaker. The wines of Buty indeed stay true to the vineyards.

Caleb Foster's winemaking career started in 1991 as a winemaking assistant for Woodward Canyon. In 1999, he moved on to become an enologist for Chateau Ste Michelle. The start of the new millennium was a significant one as Caleb traveled down to Marlborough, New Zealand as a production assistant for Foxes Island and Seven Tarraces wines during their 2000 crush. In 2001, the married team of Nina Buty Foster and Caleb Foster created Buty Winery in Walla Walla. Buty Winery produces small cuvees of white and red single vineyard blends from Washington State. Their accolades are many, including two times named as "Wine of the Year" by Seattle Magazine and also by Food & Wine Magazine.

The selection of Buty wines are impressive. Caleb poured a classic Bordeaux-style white blend of Buty 69% Sémillon, 26% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle. I believe this was the first time I had ever tasted a Washington State wine with Muscadelle and I believe this is the first Muscadelle produced in Walla Walla. Caleb described the vineyards that grew these white grapes and from his descriptions I felt as if I was part of the journey. I could even see in my mind's eye the Muscadelle from the Lonesome Springs Ranch and how the fruit was kept fully shaded from the summer sun. The nose on this 2008 white wine was of honeysuckle and the palate was clean, fresh and dry with taste of melons, lemon and a bit of honey.

The cool desert nights created a bright and acidic wine for the Buty Winery Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay - 2008. Notes of peaches and green apples picked from the orchard were alive and yet eased into a soft citrus finish. This was my style of Chardonnay - the style that shows off its fruit without being overoaked and cloying of butter.

Phinny Hill in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA holds the secret to the Buty Columbia Rediviva, a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Syrah. This 2006 estate blend showcases that Buty was the first Washington state winery to focus a Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blends as "deluxe" wines.

The Phinny Hill Vineyard is one of the warmest sites in the state. It's layers of ancient cobblestones and sandy silt-loam soil sits high above the Columbia River, but the chosen blocks remain protected from the high and piercing winds. Cherries, berries, caramel and pepper greeted my nose and palate. This rich inky blend is definitely an age-worthy wine.

The thoughtful name, "Columbia Rediviva" was the name of Captain Robert Gray's ship, the first non-Native American navigator who entered an unnamed river. It was in 1792 Gray gave this powerful river its name, The Columbia. It is the same majestic Columbia River that connects and has contributed to all of the vineyards that Caleb has crafted into his wines.

Enter the BEAST! The BEAST label is the alter ego of Buty. It's that "second self" that allows Buty to explore special one of a kind releases. Every year on Halloween and sometimes on April Fool’s Day, the BEAST releases wines that are not typically in Buty's wine portfolio. To catch a BEAST, you must join the Friends of the BEAST Club. Since BEASTS are known to be elusive and difficult to control, these very limited single vineyard wines move fast! I had a rare opportunity to sample three of the BEASTS - a Syrah, Malbec and a Grenache. Since my tasting, I understand that two of the BEASTS have been tamed and left the building. BEAST Phinny Hill Syrah - 2008 is still available to catch.

In 2006, Nina and Caleb purchased 10 acres of orchards near the Washington/Oregon Border on the Oregon side. They organically prepared the land and planted clones of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Marsanne and Roussanne. The venerable cobblestone land, which was part of the old Walla Walla River, gave the estate its name: Rockgarden. The "Rediviva of the Stones" from this vineyard of the Walla Walla Valley are wines to watch for.

These wines spoke "old world" to me. They are aroma driven and well thought out from the soil to the bottle. The wines told me that indeed, Caleb Foster is a winemaker of his word, and not only does he have a relationship with the vineyard owners, but the soil and the vines, as well. And with each new vintage, the contributions of the terroir and the vineyards will continue to create new beautys and new beasts for Buty Winery.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #66: Your Tender-est Twosome - Skylite Cellars Syrah and Cheesecake

This month's host for Wine Blogging Wednesday is a goddess – a Domestic Goddess. Jennifer Hamilton of The Domestic Goddess has selected "Your Tender-est Twosome" as February's theme. She has asked us to pair a wine with a dessert as she believes that after several great entrees the focus of the meal is long gone. Jennifer says, “Every once in a while, dessert deserves the attention given to a main course; and a wine to match.”

As a fan of a good dessert, I have to agree with Jennifer. However, I typically do not keep a lot of dessert around my house other than a canister of licorice and a apothecary jar of Hershey Kisses on one of the kitchen counters. It's almost more for looks than anything. But a few weeks ago I had a very memorable dessert that was paired with a memorable wine. The pairing of the two were just - - well - - memorable!

Cheryl Hodgins, co-owner of Skylite Cellars in Walla Walla invited me to the winery to enjoy a wonderful spread of food and Skylite Cellars wine pairings. It was a great evening catching up with all of the exciting news going on at the winery, as well as our own gossip. You see, it seems like I have known Cheryl forever as in our "early years" we spent a lot of time together working on charitable causes in Walla Walla.

There were many “perfect pairings” of nibbles and Skylite Cellars wine, but that will be another blog at another time. The evening ended with the exact focus that Jennifer Hamilton of Domestic Goddess is looking for - - a slice of cheesecake topped with a rich cherry sauce and a glass of Skylite Cellars Columbia Valley Syrah - 2006. Nope. Not a dessert wine, but a dry Syrah served with a dessert - - and it worked. Oh my how it worked! The sweetness of the cherries and the creamy mouthfeel of the cheesecake paired oh-so-well with the spice and the meatiness of the smoky Syrah. After a bite of cheesecake, the finish of the Syrah still left a dark cherry flavor on my palate, but almost like a dark sweet Port. The finish of the wine and dessert alone was an experience.

The "twosome truth" about this pairing is the wine and the cheesecake, along with the cherries, really complemented each other. I honestly don't think an off-dry wine, such as a late harvest or an icewine would have paired as well. A dessert wine would have taken away from the focus on the plate and the wine leaving the experience a cloyingly sugary mouthful of just exactly that - sugar. The Skylite Cellars CV Syrah - 2006 enhanced the experience from the cheesecake to the finish of the cherries. Indeed, it was a Tender-est Twosome!

Wine Netiquette

What is “netiquette,” you ask mon cheri? Why “netiquette” is network etiquette -- the etiquette of cyberspace.

Like any culture, cyberspace also has its own etiquette. If you were dining in Japan or a guest at the Rabbi’s Passover Seder, I mean, we wouldn't stick chopsticks in our nose to imitate a walrus nor would we bring a bacon cheeseburger to the Rabbi’s house now, would we? So, should we behave any different when we are in cyberspace?

Of all of the cyberspace groups I have been a part of, I think wine bloggers really give it their best - they are the best. Now let me say, I am not perfect in my netiquette. What you see on my blog, mouth and all, is pretty much my personality. What you read is what you get. But in spite of it all, I still remember the golden rules my parents and kindergarten teacher taught me and I really treasure Robert Fulghum’s, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.

Share everything, play fair, don’t hit people, say you are sorry when you hurt people, wash your hands before you eat, flush, hold hands and stick together, cookies and milk are good for you …

In fact, I think these rules should be a wine tourist's motto, of course trading out the milk for wine.

In the crazy, fast and free world of cyberspace, I think there should be one important rule: remember the human. We need to remember, what we pound out on the keyboard, would we be willing to say it to the person’s face? I probably would, but I also have to remember the mischief in my eyes, my scrunched up smirk, and the smart aleck tone in my voice (and even me sticking out my tongue like a juvenile) doesn’t always convey to everyone, only after they know me (So I apologize to anybody I may have offended this week - but, just this week).

Recently, I was seeking journalistic advice on an online message board. I was "told" by one of the journalists that my messages on that particular board needed some polish. I was told I was nothing but an amateur writer. I was told my sentences were clunky and often didn’t make sense.

Yeah, I know - sometimes. Again, I am not perfect, but nobody is harder on me - than me! Sometimes I even talk "clunky." Sometimes I stutter, twist words and cannot finish complete trains of thought. I forget. I've had a few head injuries in my youth and developed adult dyslexia. There are times I cannot read a newspaper article without it being a struggle. I use to be able to read a book in one night and now it can take me almost a month to process a book. Writing and blogging has helped. I think it has kept my noggin' from getting worse. I am grateful to my readers and editors who put up with my foibles.

So, did the criticism from this person hurt my feelings? Naahh. I considered the source. Was I surprised by the brazen tact? A little. But later it got me to thinking, wonder if that person said the same criticism to a very sensitive person whose feelings would be hurt or had a severe challenge? And in the end, what did this miserable source of criticism really hope to gain? Was it from their own source of insecurities? And if they had an opportunity to be with me in person, as well as with all of the people in the message board, would they have been able to say that to my face in front of all of these people?

Last year, some of the wine bloggers had a few heated debates in cyberspace with editors and wine enthusiasts, Robert Parker and Anthony Dias Blue. Sure, an emoticon of :-P (sticking out tongue) and a (_x_) (kiss my a ... well you get the message) was thrown around here and there. But hey, it was a debate of sorts - a disagreement. There is no doubt in my mind the same words would have been slung around even if the debate was face to face in a wine bar. But in my opinion, Parker and Dias Blue lost the debates, even with their best and most reasonable points.

They lost when they called the wine bloggers names in a magazine editorial and online. If either of these public speakers were addressing a group of wine bloggers at a seminar and a comment was made they didn't agree with, would Parker and Dias Blue address the group as "blobbers and bitter carping gadflies" for retaliation? I would hope not. It might stifle their careers a bit. So why should it be any different from the keyboard?

Two days ago I received an email from a woman who is a retired English teacher, recipe blogger and a wine lover. As a fun hobby, or she may even believe it is her calling from the Goddess of Grammar, she sends emails to owners of wine websites about their incorrect spelling and grammar. So, my offense was that I had used the word "compliment" instead of "complement." Now this woman didn't introduce herself and her approach was just, "You misspelled a word. Common error and you need to correct it."

Was I offended? Hell no! (I mean, "Heck no!") Was I surprised. Well, yeah because of the intrusion, so to speak, and without an introduction. My response? Like a playful cat, I knew I had a mouse I could bat around and have some fun with. After I got ahold of my uncontrollable giggling from daydreaming about Machiavellian tactics I could use, I looked her up on the web. I read her recipes and sent her an email. I asked her if she was the Chief of Spelling and will I be arrested if I didn't correct my spelling error?

I asked her if she typically spent her time correcting websites without any kind of introductions? I mean, approach and style is everything, right? I also pointed out she had several errors on her own blog, such as run-on sentences, over use of commas, and some sentences needing proper punctuation, but I would never dream of pointing out her errors without a proper introduction - -

Hello my name is Catie ...

She wrote me back and said I didn't need to be so defensive and there was nothing wrong with her written grammar. She said I should have been more appreciative of her wanting to help me, because everyone else is. To make a long story short, she apologized, I accepted her apology and we parted well with her leaving me a compliment (or was it a complement?)

It's nice to see young people taking the initiative to make something of themselves.

Now, what would I say to her if I ever meet her in person? I would introduce myself, give her a hug, and ask if she thought I made some thing of myself. Also, I would remind her to be cautious about using too many contractions in a sentence and that she should have put a period at the end of "It's important to whip your cream until it's stiff and let your meatloaf rest "

Cheers!

Wine Social Media: Backlash or Enhancement?

As always, there are two sides to everything so allow me to rant a bit and tell you my side.

Steve Heimoff did it again. Once again, he has poked a stick at the wine bloggers and got us all riled up. Steve is pretty good at it. Let it be known that Steve has never been a fan of social media and especially wine blogging. But oh my, how he has one of the most visible and well-read wine blogs in the industry.

I like Steve. Steve Heimoff is an American wine writer and a California wine expert. He has been the West Coast Editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine since 1994 and he is also an author: A Wine Journey along the Russian River. I like the fact that Steve has a way of motivating us to speak up and bring our opinions to the surface. He gives us food for thought and gives us leverage to stack soap boxes and be heard.

On yesterday’s, Steve Heimoff wine blog, not only does he speak out about not being a fan of social media and wine blogging, but he also claims that technology has hurt traditional social structures and he doesn’t see any benefit.

I will agree with Steve about cell phone usage being intrusive. As I have always said about the cell phone user in a wine tasting room who insists on breaking up the relaxed ambiance with their loud voices and obnoxious cheap ring tones, “Are you really that important to conduct incessant blabbing on your phone and if you are that important to our world, perhaps your Secret Service people or your Chief of British Parliament Security can answer your calls?"

Sure, I can agree with Steve about how technology has affected us in a negative sense, but those people who use technology in offensive and selfish ways (It’s all about me!) more than likely possess no social refinement and skills to begin with. Social media only intensifies their ill-mannered ways. But this is where I have to stop and disagree with Steve Heimoff - - social media has enhanced my life:

Let’s start with my wine blogging. Well, what else is there to say? Here’s the proof, you’re reading it. Five years of wine blogging and I have created a network of wineries, other wine bloggers and readers who, are not only my colleagues, but my friends. This form of social network has given me a new career. I now write for other lifestyle and food and wine publications. Without this form of social media, wine blogging, Walla Walla and the Washington State Wine Commission wouldn’t be hosting 300 wine bloggers from all over the United States in June 2010. This new group of wine lovers gets to see first hand what our wonderful city and our wine country is all about.

Facebook and Twitter has also enhanced my life, not only professionally as a wine blogger but also with my family. As a youngster, I spent a lot of time playing with my cousins as our families gathered for weekends, vacations and large reunions. In the past years, our only link has been the yearly Christmas letter. Now we can keep in touch with each other through Facebook, almost daily and plan a new generation of reunions.

And it was just yesterday, I went to a wine industry party and what a great example it was of how Facebook and other forms of social media has enhanced wine lover’s lives – and of course, my own. There were many people attending that I knew of in the Walla Walla wine industry, but my only connection with them was through Facebook. I was finally able to put real faces to their Facebook photos and instead of having to introduce myself to a “stranger,” instead I was able to reach out to an “old friend” and immediately resume conversations.

Now Steve, how can you argue with that? I don't think you can, but thanks for giving me the idea to speak up about how social media, especially in the wine world, has enhanced my life.

Olive Marketplace & Cafe by T Maccarone's

They did it again! Tom Maccarone and Chef Jake Crenshaw, co-owners of the popular T. Maccarone’s restaurant in Walla Walla purchased one of downtown's beloved landmarks, the 34-year old Merchants Ltd Deli. Tonight was the premiere opening for the Olive Marketplace & Cafe. It proved to be a grand evening of good food, good wine and visiting with many familiar faces, besides being the first ones to see the new design.

Yes Walla Walla Peeps, in many ways it is still the same Merchants LTD but even better with the same casual feel; adding a new paint job, furniture, art, kitchen and restrooms. The balcony area has new furniture and even niches for studying and meetings. In fact, it looks even bigger in spite of the sea of growing people who were there tonight to celebrate.

The Olive Marketplace will be opened daily from 6am to 9pm and 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Breakfast from 6-11am and the lunch and evening menus will feature their flat bread pizza, sandwiches, soups and other items. I can tell you first hand the flat bread pizza was luscious and so many toppings to choose from. Espresso, tea, local and imported wines and beer on tap are available.

And no. T Maccarones is not closing. It will still be down the street featuring the same popular menu with its contemporary approach to authentic Italian cuisine.

Julia Child Boeuf Bourguignon Cookoff in Walla Walla!

The Julia Child Boeuf Bourguignon Cookoff Contest is Friday, Feb. 5 from 5-7 pm at Someone's In the Kitchen, located at the corner of 4th and W. Rose, downtown Walla Walla. This event is co-sponsored by Walla Walla Lifestyles Magazine and the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation. It was inspired by the movie "Julie & Julia."

If you are not familiar with the movie, "Julie & Julia", it depicts events in the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career, while contrasting her life with Julie Powell. In 2002, Powell aspired to cook all 524 recipes from Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking during a single year. Powell also shares her experiences online about her experiences cooking the recipes in a blog named, The Julie/Julia Project which led to a book and of course, a movie. The movie itself is a must-see for foodies, wine lovers and of course, wine and food bloggers. I left the theatre with this need to cook Boeuf Bourguignon, chocolate cake and omelettes. In fact, I swung open the door to my house and greeted my dog and two cats singing in a high pitched voice, "Bonjour!"

Now, here is how this contest works - contestants will deliver their dishes at 4:45 pm to Someone's In the Kitchen. Local Chef/Judges and guests arrive at 5 p.m. The judging chefs will be escorted into SITK's "Green Room" and judging will begin at 5:15 p.m. It's quite an impressive list of local judges:

• Jamie Guerin, Whitehouse Crawford
• Jake Crenshaw, T. Maccarone’s
• Bear Ullman, The Marc
• Gene Soto, Someone’s in the Kitchen
• Damon Burke, Salumiere Cesario
• Michael Kline, Walla Walla Bread Company
• Noah Viavant, Brasserie Four

For $15 a ticket, you will definitely be wined and dined. You will enjoy Boeuf Bourguignon and a wine pairing from Walla Walla's Sapolil Cellars (they have generously donated the wine). You will be entertained with the warblings of the French sparrow, Edith Piaf singing in the background and Julia's PBS series "The French Chef" will be playing. And last but not least, "Julia Child," (aka local actor Topher Murphy) will be the MC -- commenting on her life, the importance of wine with food, the need for butter and "she'll" be presenting the award to the winner -- the two-volume set of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

A portion of the proceeds will go to Providence St. Mary Medical Center Patient Care. The Cancer Center's spokesperson, Mardi Hagerman, will be on hand to talk about what the donation will do for Patient Care, such as assists in purchasing wigs, transportation to and from hospital to name a few of the needs.

The sponsors are asking that all contestants send in their recipes ahead of time so they might compile them for a small booklet. The winning recipe will be printed in the March issue of Walla Walla Lifestyles. The contest will be filmed by the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and being photographed for Lifestyles. Available at Book & Game,Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, Tourism Walla Walla Info Booth, and at the door.

For sure, I am not going to miss it and will report back with the winner and the highlights. Bon Appetit!

There's Some New Faces in Town: Walla Faces!

Rick and Debbie, along with Janice and Jane, are the new faces of Walla Walla's Main Street.

As they say, "It all starts in the vineyard." And for Debbie and Rick Johnson, it certainly did. The Walla Faces Vineyard was planted in 1999 by Three Rivers Winery (formerly known as the Ahler Vineyard). In 2006, the Johnson's purchased the Ahler Vineyard, as well as the home site above the vineyard and renamed it Walla Faces Vineyard. Along with a new name, they also brought organic farming practices to the vineyard and of course, with these changes brought a new degree of excellence in the wine.

There are other faces of Walla Faces, such as Matt and also Candice. We'll get to Jane, Janice and more on Rick and Debbie, later. In 2008, Matthew Loso became the winemaker "face" for Walla Faces. Prior to joining Walla Faces he was the founder, owner and winemaker at Matthew Cellars in Woodinville, Washington for 15 years. During that time Matt built a solid reputation in winemaking with many accolades and national wine review publications

Not only have I had the pleasure of visiting with Rick and Debbie, but also the creator of these "Faces," Candice Johnson. Candice is also Rick's sister. Trained as a interior designer, Candice's creativity has brought her to places from Los Angeles to Paris, France. While in Paris she apprenticed under several well know Parisian artists. Her art has been sold and celebrated throughout the world, but it is Walla Walla where she has hung her hat or more like "placed her face." Her faces shows her enthusiam for life, color and a youthful spirit. I also discovered Candice has embraced her own "Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman."

Walla Faces tasting room on Main Street is very comfortable and modern, with memories of the past from the brick walls to the tin ceiling. There are colorful touches of Candice's small portraits around the room, which she refers to as “Tetes” (French meaning heads). And it just so happens those Tetes are also on the labels. And this is where we will meet Janice and Jane.

Janice is the Face on the Walla Faces Cabernet Sauvignon - 2006. Right up front Janice told me she was a Cabernet with her bold, dark and sassy fruit. Janice is juicy! She is nicely balanced and her tannins are visible, but just enough to tell me she is also worthy of some beauty sleep to turn those tannins into silk. $34.90

Jane is the Face on the Walla Faces Syrah - 2006. This estate Syrah is inky in color. Jane shows off her dark fruit with aromas of Walla Walla's earth and flavors of blueberries and spice and still - there's a lot going on with this wine. Most Jane's I have known do not like to be known for their "fullness" but Jane isn't afraid. She is big! Jane will definitely scream more of her personality after being decanted. An excellent price at $28

Rick and Debbie have been fused together to create Fusion, of course! This Bordeaux-style red blend is a real show off - showing off the terroir of Walla Walla. It is lively with a nose of dark fruit and a bit of the ol' cigar box. The "fusion" of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc makes this wine complex - there's a lot going on. Yeah - it's a wine that I could get greedy with and not want to share. $29.90

So, just face it. Stop by and introduce yourself to the new Faces of Walla Walla - Walla Faces.

Four Wine Questions For: Amy Mumma

Welcome to my sixth interview in my 4WQ4 blog feature. This is the first 4WQ4 for 2010 and if you are not familiar, this is a quarterly article where I ask four Q&A’s to a “celebrity” in the wine industry. However, I have to admit I failed in 2009 and was short three interviews. But hey - this is a new year and I have another chance to meet my goal!

To start 2010 off, I decided to interview a woman - a wine woman - a Washington Wine Woman! (You know how I love those "W's") I was first introduced to Amy Mumma from the movie documentary, Washington State: Get the Dirt on Wine. A few years later I would meet Amy in person - - in fact, I met Amy at my house a few months ago! And of course, I poured her some good stuff - a lovely Merlot from Walla Walla!

Amy Mumma is the coordinator and instructor for the World of Wine Program at Central Washington University at Ellensberg and is internationally recognized for her knowledge of wines. She holds an MBA in Wine from the University of Bordeaux Business School, the Advanced Certificate of Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London, and a Diploma of Tasting from the Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France.

A biochemist in protein-chemistry research, Amy's scientific background provided a foundation for her strong knowledge of the science of wine. Her business background includes nine years in international business with experience in sales, manufacturing, distribution, wholesale, retail, import, export and international finance.

Amy was awarded the prestigious title, Professional Wine Woman 2005-2006, the top award of the International Wine Women Awards in Paris, France. She lived and studied in France for several years and continues to enjoy traveling and learning about vineyards and winemaking regions around the world.

W5: At what point in your life did it all come clear for you that the wine industry was what you wanted to be a part of?

AM: I was at the University of Burgundy while doing my undergraduate studies in Foreign Languages and International Affairs and it is there where I earned my Diploma of Wine Studies. It was much more interesting than 18th century French grammar!

I lived with a French family who worked in the wine business. The father of the family worked with negociants and both large and small estates. I was exposed to the world of domestic as well as export sales and was able to participate in many facets of the wine industry. And during my time there I was lucky to be able to travel and visit the major wine regions of Europe

I also studied overseas and received my Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London. I think it's great to expand your horizons beyond wine to the wider world. I learned a lot about Scotch and other drinks that is very applicable to tasting in the wine business. Another example was a tasting put on by Herradura tequila down in Tequila, Mexico which was very informative. It all works to improve your palate and tasting skills. My MBA comes from the Bordeaux Business School in France and that was certainly and eye-opener. The Bordelais are quite closed when it comes to wine tourism and are steeped in tradition. I was fortunate to visit many of the esteemed growths, view the winemaking process and talk with the owners and feel even though they have a strong hold on the market, they still are attempting to maintain and increase the quality of their wines. There is also a lot of innovation going on in the south of France where old vines are being pulled up and replanted to higher quality varieites.

W5: When you were at the University of Burgundy, was it common for women to be in wine studies?

AM: It was a humbling experience. I was one of just a handful of women in the program and the only one that was not French. Fortunately at the time I was fluent in French, but it was still very difficult. I remember our first blind tasting exam which was a Santenay (Pinot Noir) 1984. The instructor handed the test back to me and said "At least you got the color right mademoiselle".

W5: What's the most interesting development you've seen in the Washington State wine industry over the past five years?

AM: Of course we've seen the rise of many small family wineries, but what I think is exciting is the rise in overall quality for Washington wines. Although, I think we still have a long road ahead on recognition of Washington wines around the world.

W5: How much larger can the Washington State wine industry grow, do you think? Is there a limit somewhere that will inevitable be reached? Have we reached it and how do you feel the State of Washington could expand their recognition around the world

AM: That is a very good question which I am not sure has an easy answer. For one thing, we are limited by water supply for irrigation so that may limit our vineyard plantings. Currently we have enough grapes and are not undersupplied. Can we add more wineries? I am sure we can, but as an industry grows there will be consolidation which we have already seen. In addition those wineries not producing wines up to quality will eventually fade out as consumers chooses higher quality wines.

I think Washington State can expand their reach in a number of ways. The first and foremost is to have consistently high quality. Just one winery can bring down the others, but fortunately, quality has increased dramatically. Then of course there is the inevitable marketing. The wine industry is a 3 legged stool: wine, vineyard and marketing. Forget the marketing and the stool does not stand. It can be expensive to market, so it's important to work smarter rather than spending a lot of money and wasted effort. Be creative, look for a niche, find a target market. You can't be everything to everybody.

If wanting to work out of state, a winery has to take the time to research the market, the consumers, key buyers and distributors. Visits to the marketplace are essential to meet with key players and get a pulse on the industry. It is also crucial to have large players in the industry that can spread the word on Washington. It's expensive to go out of state for many small producers, so it's a good idea to support the bigger wineries in spreading the word.

Many studies have shown that to be successful, it is important to be in the UK market. The UK market has often been a gauge for global success. But it is a fiercely competitive market where retailers are squeezing suppliers. It makes sense to also put effort into new emerging markets such as Asia. Washington State already has trade ties to Asia and wineries should leverage that. Washington wines are considered in the premium price category which is what many Asians buy on as wine is considered a luxury and often a symbol of status. Washington has a long way to go. Relationships take time to develop. We are a young industry and it is important in the world of wine tradition to be patient, smart and look for new opportunities.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #65: "Snow Day" - Tranche Cellars Red

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday #65 and our hostess, Michelle Lentz also known as "Wine Girl" of My Wine Education has asked wine bloggers everywhere to look out our windows and imagine snow and then imagine what wine we would like to enjoy during a "snow day." In Walla Walla, Washington it is easier to imagine snow, then it is what wine we want to drink. You see, no matter where we are in the valley, we can often get a glimpse of the the snow covering the Blue Mountains and the foothills in the winter months, but in Walla Walla, Washington imagining what wine to drink can be difficult since there are so many great wines!

Last Wednesday, I met with friend-wine lover-winery web designer-extroidinare, Julia Herres of Winery Designs at one of my favorite places to enjoy a glass of wine - The Vineyard Lounge at the Marcus Whitman Hotel. And no, it wasn't snowing. But we sat, I can honestly say, is one of my favorite places to enjoy, with or without the snow, a glass of wine. Especially if you get a table with the comfy chairs or the sofa by the fireplace. The elegant room gives us an outside view, with many windows, of the impressive entrance to downtown Walla Walla.

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Julia and I spent about 20 minutes trying to decide what bottle we wanted to order from the large book of Walla Walla and imported wines. Finally, Julia pointed out the Tranche Cellars Red - 2004. Neither one of us had tried it yet - and that bottle would be the star of the evening - - along with the cheese and fruit plate.

Tranche Cellars is an "off-shoot of the Corliss Estates vine." Corliss Estates is owned by Michael Corliss and Lauri Darnielle with Kendall Mix leading the winemaking for both wineries. Inside the bottle of Tranche Cellars Red - 2004, adorning a label reminding one of currency, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. When the server handed me the cork, at first glance I couldn't help from noticing the residue of "wine diamonds" on the bottom of the cork. Just that alone, I knew I was in for a treat. And as we swirled the wine, we couldn't help notice the rich sediment in the bottom of our glasses. This was definitely a wine worthy of decanting.

Julia and I decided to take notes on this luscious red blend we were enjoying. As I refer back to our notes, the aroma was smoky with notes of coffee and mocha. The taste was bold and round with notes of blackberry, brown sugar and creme brulee - - with just a hint of licorice. We took our time and enjoyed this wine - like four hours worth! Tranche Cellars Red is just too good of a wine to hurry through and it gave us a good reason to relax from a busy day in a big comfy chair to talk a little gossip and a little wine biz by the warm and cozy fireplace. Tranche Cellars Red is definitely a "snow day" wine.

Natural Wine: How au naturel before we lose the point?

Allow me to have my quarterly rant.

In the last few weeks I have been bombarded with so much information about organic and “natural” wines, "natural yeast" vs. “unnatural yeast” (Ahem – native yeast vs. “cultivated” yeasts. All yeast is natural.) and even “going green.” There is so much discussion on these topics that I am going green - from nausea. How much more natural can we make our wines, apart from our winemakers and cellar rats working in the wineries au naturel? When it comes to alcoholic beverages I have always considered wine as being the most natural, as wine is not distilled. It is not brewed. It is picked "fresh" from the vineyards and immediately transported to the winery to be fermented into wine.

It’s even been suggested that the government steps in again and make wineries add their ingredients, serving size, nutritional and caloric intake to their already congested labels. How romantic the art and craftsmanship of winemaking will become - not! Let alone that someone is going to have to pay those costs to meet the requirements. That "someone" is the consumer.

Hey people – didn’t we learn anything from the sulfite fiasco? The listing of sulfites on wine bottles caused much unnecessary hysteria and unfair blame with very inaccurate and self-diagnosed “allergies.” When studies came out from UC Davis, it was determined sulfites affected 1% of the population in the US. And more than likely, half of the 1% didn’t even drink wine.

In past discussions I have had regarding sulfites, the majority who were against sulfites in their wine didn’t realize there were more sulfites in their dried fruit and in many of their dehydrated backpacking meals, then in a glass of wine. Over and over I have listened to customers in tasting rooms tell me they could only drink white wine because all the sulfites in red wine gave them headaches (ahem - slightly higher sulfite amounts in white). Once I explained to a white wine drinker that sulfites were natural and found in the soil, plants and in fact that the human body produces about 1000 mg/day, which would be 100 times more than in a single glass of wine. They responded very seriously with, "Well, that explains why I am allergic to myself."

See me rolling my eyes? Since the FTC, FDA and ATB likes disclosures and labels, here's mine:

I am not a HATER against wholesome, natural foods and wine! I am a label reader. I drive across town to buy “organic” meats and free-range eggs. Buying local and seasonal foods are a priority for me. I was raised on "organic" meats and vegetables before we knew of this trendy term, "organic." Hey, I even did my time as a vegan in my glory days. In the 80's I stopped buying canned tuna because of commercial fishing practices netting dolphins along with the tuna - - and I haven't bought a can of tuna since.

I am proud to say our local wine community has a voluntary group of winemakers and growers who have formed VINEA - Winegrower's Sustainable Trust and have embraced environmentally-friendly and socially responsible viticultural practices. And laugh at me or not, I think one of our local winemakers may be onto something with his witchy wine practices by the taste of his esquisite wines. But what would the future hold for him? Will he have to list the ingredients of the compost mixture he used to fill the cow horn he buried in his vineyards?

It gets even crazier when you consider while we pontificate and demand "natural" wines, we will overlook that some of our finest wine crystal glasses we drink our "natural" wines out of are made with over 24% lead.

This is what I am a HATER of: misinformation, unnecessary hysteria and extreme measures. I also fear that with all of the trendy movement towards "natural, organic and green" we will move it right into a moral and class issue. It doesn't mean that families with many mouths to feed on a limited income doesn't care any less about their children if they have to stretch their food dollars by purchasing a 99 cent bag of carrots and a box of Quaker oats instead of a $3 bag of organic carrots and a handwoven hemp bag full of oats hand plucked by barefoot virgins. At this point, I would just like to see more families return to the kitchen and the dining table instead of tossing a sack of Mac-Shac at the kid in the back seat.

So how far shall we, as consumers, push it? How about if we start demanding that all independent restaurants and cafes list all ingredients and nutritional information on their menu's or slap a label on the table when we are served our entrees? Talk about putting a damper on a special or impromptu evening under candle light. Oh yeah, is the candle burning made from soy or paraffin hydrocarbon (aka wax kerosene)? And who will pick up these added costs? Shall we push further and force the Colonel to list his secret 11 herbs and spices on the KFC bucket? And will we insist his spices are Fair Trade Certified and the herbs are organic wild and not hothouse?

Shall the winemaker have to expose his skill and methods with each unique vintage and be reduced to tweaking a formula and even risking his vintage and harvest to comply with government labeling and "natural" standards?

And here's the irony of getting oneself in a dither about "natural" wines and being an alarmist when it comes to sulfites and what type of yeast were used produce a bottle of wine: How many people have died due to addictions and liver disease that have been the direct cause due to sulfites? How many people have died after they wrapped their car around a telephone pole due to drinking 350 ppm of sulfites (parts per million with 350 ppm being the maximum legal limit) in their wine? How many fatal car accidents have been the direct cause of cultured yeast? I can hear it now - the coroner stating, "If they would have drank wine fermented with native yeast instead of cultured yeast they might have walked away from the fiery wreck."

The alcohol is going to get you before the sulfites, calcium carbonate, asorbic acids and cultured yeasts ever will. To sum it up:

"All things in moderation, including moderation." — Mark Twain.

SYZYGY Walla Walla Syrah - 2006

As the winery says:
When earth, moon and sun align - it’s syzygy
When earth, vine and sun align - it’s SYZYGY!
　
One might think with the self-named title of Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman that I kick up my heels every night drinking wine and hanging by downtown lamp posts - - au contraire. Believe it or not, I slip quietly into wine bars and restaurants, don’t make a fuss and usually home by 8:00 pm.

The Vineyard Lounge at the Marcus Whitman Hotel is one of my favorite places to haunt in Walla Walla. I have a favorite table, which I am not going to tell you which one it is. When I visit the lounge, I play a little game in my head regarding which wine I will order, so I look for a "sign." When I check the wine list and there are so many tempting Walla Walla wines to sample, I need a little help. So, I look for a "sign"...

The other night, I walked into the Vineyard Lounge and sitting in there was Zach Brettler, winemaker and owner of SYZYGY Winery. Could this be a sign? Sure enough. I opened up the wine list and there it was - my sign! The first "rouge" wine on the list that jumped out at me was SYZYGY’s Walla Walla Valley Syrah - 2006! I had to have a glass.

Okay, so I am not one of those bloggers who give scores and QPR’s. If I say a wine was yummy, then trust me, it is yummy! But if you are familiar with the vineyards in the area, how can it not be "yummy" considering the fruit for this 100% Syrah came from Seven Hills, Morrison Lane and Les Collines vineyards? The nose came through with berries and a hint of vanilla and smoke. The flavor - - a lush mouthful of ripe blueberries and a gentle finish of spice. The tannins weren’t in your face, but just enough to remind you they were there. Defintely you could lay it down for awhile, but why? Enjoy it. It's a classic Syrah showing all of the components of a Syrah that I look for and immensely enjoy.

Again, I am not into points and scores, but when I did some further research about the SYZYGY Syrah, I discovered that the Wine Spectator also liked it and gave the Syrah 93 points.
Cheers!

Send a Wine Blogger to Walla Walla!

Yup, for only one week skip that morning "iced latte grande with 2/3 half-caf free trade, 2 1/2 pumps of sugar-free cinnamon dolce, 2 1/2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla, 1 pump sugar-free gingerbread, half 2% milk, half nonfat, a splash of soy, 2 raw sugar packets, 3 Splenda packets and 3 honey packets (shaken not stirred in the hot espresso first) light with ice and whip, heavy on the chocolate sprinkles, light nutmeg sprinkles, and don't forget the twist and two olives."

Just think - with all the money you’re spending on fluff, flavoring, whip and grounds, you could help send a wine blogger to Walla Walla! Now, I bet you're thinking, "Why would I want to send a wine blogger to Walla Walla?" Here's why - so they can share with their many readers all about the growing wine industry and the many distinct wine appellations in Washington State, as well as Walla Walla’s own fabulous wines, food, agriculture, and historical downtown. Th-Th-That’s why!

The Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship Fund was designed to sponsor selected recipients in attending the Third Annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington held at the Marcus Whitman Hotel, June 25-27, 2010.

Funds for the Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship Fund are generated by donations from wineries, PR and marketing agencies, wine industry members, and individual wine lovers. Through a committee, applicants are asked to describe their blog, their financial needs pertaining to the Wine Bloggers Conference, and why they are deserving of a sponsorship. Funds are awarded based on the committee selection process, and monies are pooled. No one donation will be given to a specific individual, which provides more wine bloggers to attend the conference. It is important to know that the committee members, who will determine the scholarship recipients, have paid all their own individual fees to attend the conference.

Now, what’s that reason again to send a wine blogger to Walla Walla? First of all, the majority of independent wine bloggers write for free - for the love of the grape. In the mean time, the wine industry's traditional media is evolving and traditional print is being replaced with social media and blogging. And if you don’t believe it, ask the traditional print media why they have suddenly hopped on the Facebook, Twitter, and the blogging bandwagon. And here you thought Facebook et al and blogging was just for techy, love starved, angst ridden teen-agers.

The Third Annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference offers an extraordinary opportunity for wine bloggers, wineries and wine and media related industries to learn more about this exciting industry, from soil to bottle, and most of all, gain further understanding of each other's needs. Wine lovers, wineries and companies that donate to the scholarship fund will be spotlighted on the Wine Bloggers Scholarship Fund website, and every effort will be made to encourage the winning scholarship recipients to blog about you as well.

And when this is all said and done, who will benefit most of all? It is the wine consumer who will benefit as they seek up-to-date information online about what wines to purchase and overall information about the growing world wide wine industry.

Many thanks to Thea Dwelle of the Wine Bloggers Scholarship Fund and her committee. Tell them I sent you.