 Napa used to be the first and last word in California wine. Wineries are branching into all corners of California and the other 49 states as well. There is an American wine revolution taking place and it is exciting to see. Americans are planting vineyards and opening tasting rooms in far-away locations, housing wineries in obscure locations such as backyards, mansions, former cotton gins, schools, old tobacco barns and even churches. Wine is now produced in all 50 states , including . . . |
|
|
 The history nut that I am and my passion for wine left me curious about the history of wine in my own state. When did wine first come to Washington State and who planted those first vines? Did they have any idea in the 19th century that this beautiful and bountiful state would one day in the 21st century produce some of the most coveted grapes in the world? To answer my question, I had to do a little digging, and what I found was interesting and informational. |
|
|
 Up, Up there somewhere, above the dismal gray murk that is covering the Earth, there is a world of sunlight. Children are playing ball and flying kites, young lovers are hiking along woodland trails. There are sunbeams that reflect through a wine goblet as if it were stained glass and, yes, there is a wedding party set amongst a herd of dairy cows. |
|
|
 This unique wine is often misunderstood. Many think that it is made from “pink grapes,” because of its pale red/pink color. You need to understand that you need red grapes to make rose’. Any red grape varietal will do. Although its color is made from red grape skins, it is still considered a white wine.
There are two ways that the red grapes make pink wine. First is when the winemaker lets the skin of the red grape come into contact with the wine for a short period of time. The skin . . . |
|
|
 I often wonder, “wouldn’t it be nice if all I ever had to do to learn about wine was to drink it?” Drinking wine is definitely a big part of the learning process; but so is learning what some have termed “wine knowledge.” Some of the most popular wine knowledge out there is really only based on romantic myths rather than on scientific truths. Some never question the basis of these beliefs and just except them as truths. These truths are often derived from history. As the times change . . . |
|
|
 Many of you have experienced tasting rooms that are located in the concrete business park of cities such as Woodinville, Washington. You simply park your car and follow the signs to the numerous tasting rooms which are boutique wineries that transform the grapes from Eastern Washington into some amazing and many of them award-winning wines. I too have experienced these wineries and although I enjoy tasting their wines, the experience leaves me a little cold. I much prefer driving through . . . |
|
|
 It’s time to put on some of your favorite music, indulge in some great food, invite friends into your home and turn your living room into your own winery. Why not step out of the wine shop and enjoy wine sampling with your guests in the privacy of your own home? Learning about wine should be fun and easy. Surrounding yourself with friends eliminates the stress and brings out the joy of a great wine experience. |
|
|
 Tasting wine isn’t really hard; but it does take some effort. There are six steps that the pros use. |
|
|
 While visiting the Red Mountain area of Washington, we enjoyed numerous wineries, most of which have beautiful tasting rooms, beautiful grounds and sweeping views of the mountains. In this day and age, most wine enthusiasts come to expect that wineries should have these features, which will no doubt make their tasting experience even more enjoyable. We have even come to expect that we will have to pay a nominal fee for the privilege of tasting their fine wines. Paying a visit to . . . |
|
|
 We’d like to introduce you to Jesus Guillen. We met Jesus for the first time in April 2009 during our tour of Dundee Hills when we stopped in at White Rose Wines. Jesus is a very personable young man who has the true spirit of following ones passion and reaching for the American dream. . . . |
|
|
 Now you may be asking yourself, “what does horseback riding and wine tasting have to do with each other?” I never would have thought that the two would go so well together; but I quickly learned that it is a unique adventure offered in the Dundee Hills area by Jake Price of Jake Price Stables. . . . |
|
|
 I like to think that wine goes with all things good in life. What better way to spend a sunny Memorial weekend, but by sipping wines from wonderful wineries in the Red Mountain AVA. As usual, we had a mission in mind, so we narrowed our search for only Red Mountain AVA reds and whites and if lucky, an AVA port, that we will feature for our wine club members and an upcoming wine tasting party for members. We also needed to find a reasonable red table wine for our son's upcoming wedding. |
|
|
 For many wine connoisseurs there is no better place to be than in the Pacific Northwest. From the bold merlots of Walla Walla, Washington to the rich pinot noirs of Oregon’s Willamette Valley and everything in between, the love and study of wine and how it is made is growing by leaps and bounds. With this ongoing popularity of all things vino, more and more wine enthusiasts are creeping up everywhere and their home is becoming an important sanctuary for storing their cache of fine wine. |
|
|
 The Hills of Dundee, otherwise known as Dundee Hills, is at the heart of Oregon wine. I have researched this area in the past and found that some people actually feel that it is the center of all Oregon for Pinot Noir. The unique relationship between volcanic Jory soils, elevation and protective microclimates has proven ideal for vineyards, and the Hills of Dundee have produced Oregon's top Pinot Noirs for decades. |
|
|
 No , AVA is not the name of a woman who loves her wine. Chances are you have driven through a few, without even knowing that you did. When a US winery wants to tell you the geographic pedigree of its wine, it uses a term on its label called Appellation of Origin. This term must meet certain federal and state legal requirements. However, the term appellation of origin is not the same a viticultural area. |
|
|
|
“Time for another adventure,” my husband said. I am always up for an adventure or a new challenge. This past weekend we decided that the new AVA (American Viticultural Area) to be featured on our website, in June was going to be the wines from the Walla Walla Valley AVA. It has been a few years since we have made our jaunt to Walla Walla and our wine cellar was in short supply of Walla Walla reds. I knew it was going to be easy to select reds for our wine club members and to restock . . . |
|
|
 Having dinner the other night with a friend, we had a somewhat deep conversation about our wine of choice. She told me that she has tried several wines over the years and she keeps going back to the classic Chardonnay. She knows that Chardonnay is typically on every wine list, she doesn’t have to really think about what she wants and what she likes, and it makes her life that much simpler when dining out. She even narrowed it down further by saying that she typically always buys . . . |
|
|
 Our quest for the month of March was to track down some amazing Pinot Noirs for our wine club members at Northwest Wine Quest for the month of May. We had very good reason to do so: Pinot Noir has become extraordinarily popular. Of course our quest for Pinot Noir took us to the beautiful state of Oregon, whose Pinot Noir is now highly recognized around the world. Of course our time as usual, was very limited. How on earth were we going to find incredible Pinot in just two short days? . . . |
|
|
 There is something about blazing the wine trail of Yakima Valley that stirs the interest of most of us wine lovers. Whether we fancy ourselves as a wine expert or a wine novice, there is always something to see and learn about when touring wine country. Did you know that only one bottle in six consumed in Washington was produced here? Many would think that the only wine country that needs exploring is the California Wine County. This just isn’t so! There are so many different wineries . . . |
|
|
 I was motivated and excited when asked to write an article on the relationship of wine to health. As a physician/scientist with a keen interest in presence of antioxidants in various foods, such as grapes and mushrooms, this request also channeled me to collate my ideas on this subject. As a Physician I was intrigued by the fact that one of the first persons to recognize the nutritive properties of wine was the physician Hippocrates around the year 450 B.C. Hippocrates recommended specific . . . |
|
|
 Attending a winemaker’s dinner hosted by a nearby winery or an upscale restaurant is a near effortless undertaking. You can simply put yourselves in the hands of your hosts and rest assured that the wines will be palate pleasing, the presentation educational, and the food exquisite. All you have to do is show up. By the end of the night, I’d wager you leave thinking “Hey, I could do that.” Yes, you likely can put on your own winemaker’s dinner but don’t let you previous experiences . . . |
|
|
 How do you define wine? It seemed like a simple question. What is wine? After all, there are definitions of wine. Here is one that is widely accepted: Wine is the naturally fermented juice of grapes. This leaves several questions. Are all grapes included? What about Brandy and Port? Why are so called Sake “Rice Wine”? Should we also not include the fermented juice of other fruits or vegetables? Is Barley Wine a wine or a beer? What is it that makes something a wine? This is the . . . |
|
|
 The art of cooperage – barrel making – arguably dates back some 3000 years, to the first recorded evidence of closed-end wooden barrels. Though there have been improvements over the centuries, the craft has remained largely unchanged for the last 1200 years. You might ask why the barrel developed as the preferred vessel to store and ship wine? The answer is that barrels can be rolled easily, even when full. The use of oak to age wine and spirits was discovered when both were shipped in . . . |
|
|
 To filter or not to filter, a question in the minds of many winemakers. There are those who say unfiltered wines taste better than filtered wines; that in the process of producing a bright, clear, highly stable beverage, something is lost that never returns. We live in a world (or country, anyway) where many consumers demand products that contain absolutely no blemishes and that includes cloudy wine. A crystal clear beverage is considered . . . |
|
|
 When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine…. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and . . . |
|
|
 Oak barrels have two qualities essential to winemaking: oak barrels breathe, which allows the tannins in red wine to polymerize, and oak barrels interact with wine as it ages to produce a range of effects in taste, including the "oak" flavor itself. "Breathing" The staves and headboards of an oak barrel are assembled without adhesive or caulking. When new, and dry, the seams are open and the barrel leaks. When wet, the wood fiber absorbs liquid and swells, pushing the stave boards . . . |
|
|
 The truth is, your next promotion at work is probably not dependent on your ability to spell "Gewurztraminer." And, chances are your marriage isn't teetering on whether you select the appropriate wine to accompany a medium-rare filet mignon. But one thing is undeniably true: today, wine culture is everywhere, and there is great pressure to be part of it. For many, being wine-savvy is more important . . . |
|
|
