Here is the majestic Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast in Athol, Idaho.

Last Saturday night I had the fantastic opportunity to experience a wonderful winemakers dinner at Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast featuring wines from Pend d’Oreille Winery (pronounced pond-or-ray), out of Sandpoint, ID. 

Stopped and smelled the roses before tickling our taste buds
Before I lavish praises on the wines we tasted along with the food we ate let me just say that the award winning Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast is as majestic as it comes.  Tucked away in the fir trees of Athol, ID, it is a true log home with six luxurious rooms, all with their own bathrooms.  Midnight Dream even has a private hot tub on the balcony overlooking the waterfall at the entry.  Gorgeous flower gardens brighten up the exterior decor and this B&B also boasts fresh eggs and veggies that they gather right there from their property!

We would have stayed there for sure but they were all booked up, which is a very common thing.  I was quite impressed by both hosts, Robin and Lew, who made us feel like we were the most important guest’s in the lodge.  There were no spirits, per se, that visited us at Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast but the wildlife sure paid us a visit as a small family of deer wandered by as we ate.  Great food, great wine, great company and great wildlife all rolled into a three hour period of blissful satisfaction and contentment.

I can’t wait to return to the serenity of Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast at some point in the very near future!

And now for the main event
Well, this IS a wine blog, afterall, so I will get right to it. 

This whole night came to be because of Lew who happens to love wine.  He continued to pester Stephen Meyer, owner and winemaker at Pend d’Oreille, to do a winemakers dinner at their B&B.  After literally years of this ongoing persistence, Stephen was able to come up with an available night and thus this event was born.

The evening started at 6PM and, believe it or not, we were EARLY!  Think we were excited?

The first course was blueberry-bleu cheese ball and liver pate with crackers served with Pend d’Oreille’s Rosette, which is their dry Rose of Merlot.  The Rosette had some strawberries on the palate and paired wonderfully with the liver pate. 

The next course was an avacado cream soup with a 2008 Pinot Gris.  VERY interesting finish in the Pinot Gris…quite heavy; not like the fruit foward and light Pinot Gris’ we’re used to.  This was a little peppery on the finish and it lingered a LONG time.  I don’t believe there to be a better wine to compliment this soup.  It was fantastic and at this point we were two for two in the food and wine pairing.

Here is the Asian-styled buffalo short ribs, roasted winter squash and fanned rosmeary new potatoes with the Syrah (L) and the Cabernet Franc.

After a palate cleanser, which simply consisted of a lemon sorbet (that was phenomenal) the next course paired an apple salad with caramel walnuts and bleu cheese/balsamic vinegar dressing with Pend d’Oreille’s 2008 Chardonnay.  This Chardonnay had a little oak in the mix (about 9-10 months on new French oak) but it was well balanced.  A wonderful nose, with hints of caramel.  We ended up buying a bottle of this to bring home with us. 

Time for the big boys
At this point in the evening the heavy artillery was presented to us in the form of Asian-styled buffalo short ribs, roasted winter squash and fanned rosemary new potatoes.  The meat literally fell off the bone as it was just SO moist and tender.  We had two bold reds to go with this entry:  A 2006 Cabernet Franc and a 2006 Syrah.

Lew made no bones about it, the Cabernet Franc is his most favorite Pend O’Reille Winery wine.  In fact, after talking with him a bit more, it sounds like it could be his all time favorite wine.  Subtle he wasn’t!  I personally enjoyed the Cabernet Franc more than the Syrah, as well, though the Syrah was also very good.  It had licorice on the nose and some soft tannins.  The Cabernet Franc, however, was smokey, dirty and earthy; just a lot of terrior.  It also had hints of raspberry on the nose.  Delicious!

Time for a treat?
Then we were treated to a surprise!  Stephen had brought down from Sandpoint (only 20 miles North of Athol) his 2007 Meyer 100%  Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which only 97 cases were produced.  Wow!  Although very young, this wine packed a punch.  Extremely structured with raspberries and blueberries on the nose and very smooth.  I rated this as the best wine of the evening.  Of course, it also had the highest price tag of the evening at $35 a bottle but it will be well worth it after laying it down for a few years.

The evening ended with a raspberry parfait with chocolate hearts paired with a Port styled Oui! which is made from Syrah.  After tasting the three big boys this Port styled wine seemed to lack the nose and taste.  It paired well with the parfait, especially the chocolate.

Stephen Meyer, owner and winemaker at Pend d'Oreille Winery (L) and I enjoying a glass of the 2007 Meyer 100% Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pend d’Oreille has been around since 1995 and gets almost all of their grapes from Eastern Washington.  They have worked out exclusive relationships with the vineyards so that there will be no quality control issues.  Stephen learned about winemaking from Burgandy, France, which is reflected in his terrior driven wines.

One thing I love about Pend d’Oreille Winery, besides their quality wine, is their “Think Green, Drink Red” self coined slogan which refers to their value priced Red Blend Bistro Rouge re-fill program.  When you buy a magnum of their wonderful red table wine, Bistro Rouge for $25 (which is a value right off the bat!), then finish it, just wash it out with hot, HOT water, dry it VERY well and bring it back into their tasting room where they will fill it back up for only $16!

Their tasting room, which is right there at the winery in Sandpoint, was named one of the 10 Great Pacific Northwest Tasting Rooms by Wine Press Northwest in their Summer 2010 edition of their magazine.  Their tasting room also boasts a wonderful Lifestyle Store which I visited last Christmas for some of Shelley’s Christmas gifts.

If you’re ever in Sandpoint, Idaho, be sure to visit Pend d’Oreille Winery.  If you make it there, you likely drove right through Athol, Idaho, so you might as well stay at the Log Spirit Bed and Breakfast as well.  Tell them Phil sent you!

If you like drinking wine please become a fan on Facebook.  You can also find me on Twitter as well by clicking here.  I also want to thank the many people who have subsribed to this blog!  I am very humbled and honored that you have chosen to read this blog when you have so many options out there.  Thank you, very much. 

As always, thank you for reading and remember, bottoms UP!

In the month of June “Taste Washington” has taken on an entirely new meaning for me.  To start, on June 6th I completed the Hat Trick of pouring at the White Out Table at Taste Washington! Spokane for the third year which is held at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane, Washington.  This year we had double the white wines to pour.  These are all supposed to be wines that pair well with seafood, which is good because our White Out Table was immediately following the Anthony’s Seafood bar which boasted muscles, clams and oysters (oh, my!).  With their plates full of fresh seafood, people continued on to us hoping to find a great wine to pair with their delicious seafood.

Phil Anderson (that's ME!) pouring at the White Out Table at Taste Washington! Spokane!

The past two years we poured between 20-25 white wines but this year we were around 40-45 ranging from your standard whites that pair well with seafood to a Rose or two and even a sparkler.  There was a Terra Blanca Chardonnay that was quite delicious; of course, the Ryan Patrick Naked Chardonnay, as well.  Gifford Hirlinger brought a Pinot Gris for us to pour so that was kind of cool, because that was one of our favorite stops in Walla Walla last November.

One thing that was interesting was just the Friday before I had stopped in the tasting room at Jones of Washington in Quincy, Washington, to taste some of their wines on my way back home from Wenatchee.  We actually enjoyed their Chardonnay and a Rose of Syrah that Friday night, with the Rose of Syrah REALLY standing out and hitting the spot with outstanding mouth feel.  And come Sunday, there was that same Chardonnay from Jones of Washington so we could really add some insight for people when they had questions about that wine, since we weren’t given ANY tasting notes this year.

Yvonne Swanberg, General Manager of San Juan Vineyards (left) and Vivian Flanagan, co-owner of Ryan Patrick Vineyards.

A highlight of the evening was when I got to venture out among the masses to taste and visit and I went directly to Ryan Patrick Vineyards’ booth to introduce myself to Vivian Flanagan (and it turned out Terry Flanagan, as well) and it turned out they were right next to San Juan Vineyards’ booth!  You might remember Yvonne and San Juan Vineyards from the previous two years when I went on and on about their Madeleine Angevine.  We poured that again as well as their Siegerrebe, which I STILL cannot pronounce to save my life!  I tasted a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Ryan Patrick that was wonderful and a Cabernet Franc from San Juan Vineyards that would stand up great with a juicy steak.

It’s always a pleasure to see Jill from Townshend Cellars and I said, “hello” to her and Marlene from Woodward Canyon told me she reads this blog all the time, which I am very grateful for.  Now, if I can only find the time to write more than once a month!  (Remember, last year I was a complet failure at this point of the year.  I vow not to let that happen again!)

Some other reds that stood out during the evening were Five Star Cellars Super Tuscan Red, a Tempranillo from Kana Winery, Hedges Family Estate Red Bordeaux Blend, Robert Karl Claret and Forgeron Cellars Syrah.  You just can’t taste every wine at the event but every year I give it my best go!

This year we stayed at the hotel which was wonderful.  The room was extremely comfortable and it was such a luxury not to pack everything in the car and then drive an hour back home after tasting wine for four hours and then helping to break down for another two.  Personally, I think we’ll do that every year from now on.  Click here to watch a short video of Taste Washington! Spokane and look for me pouring at the white out table in the upper left hand corner (bald dude!) at about the 2:08 mark and at the end!

As for the rest of the “Taste Washington” scenerio, I will be partaking in the North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla this weekend, preceded by the WBC or Bust Road to Walla Walla tour, sponsored by Wine Chatr, that I won a seat on because of this very blog.  It starts Wednesday and we will arrive in Walla Walla on Thursday night.  I am going to do my very best to blog about each of the days’ activities, but there are no guarantees!  I can’t begin to tell you all of the things that are lined up for the journey to Walla Walla and then the conference once we get there.

And lastly, I have just entered TWO (count ‘em, TWO) contests with a blog that ALSO won a seat on the WBC or Bust trip, Another Wine Blog and at Andrea Wine.  The first one is for a set of The One wine glasses developed by Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson and the second contest is by that same Master Sommelier that developed The One wine glasses as she is giving away a trip to Napa Valley!  If you are going to enter those two contests, as well, I wish you luck! 

Remember, if you really DO like drinking wine you should absolutely show your passion by “liking” drinking wine on Facebook (it’s kind of like becoming a fan but then they changed it!).  Everyday you’ll find a little tid bit about wine and you can share your OWN general wine thoughts, as well!

So, until Wednesday night, ciao for now and remember, bottoms UP!

Omak, Washington.  Not a place you would think to look for a quality wine.  Or is it? 

Upon a local recommendation I seeked out and found RockWall Cellars in the phone book and realized it was only 3.2 miles from my hotel.  After phoning the winery I was told the tasting room had closed for the day.  Bummer.

The person on the phone said he would call the owner to see if he would come open up the tasting room and I said that would be great.  After five minutes my cell phone buzzed and, sure enough, I could come up to the tasting room right away. 

“What great customer service,” I thought.  I ALREADY like them!

Owner and Vintner of RockWall Cellars, Doug Sheets, pours a glass of 2008 Off The Wall in the tasting room at RockWall Cellars.

Little did I know what I was about to walk into.  The tasting room was simply decoratated but comfortable.  Doug Sheets introduced himself as the owner and vintner of RockWall Cellars and asked me what I wanted to start with. 

After taking a look at 19 (yes, 19!) different wines to taste I started checking off the ones I wanted to try and still came up with 13.  I tasted four different whites, including their 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Auxerrois, 2008 Chardonnay and their 2008 To Di For–Lula, which is a blend of 55% Gewurztraminer and 45% Riesling.

It became quite apparent from the first taste that this was a good idea to look these guys up.  I liked all of the whites I tried.  The Chardonnay uses light oak and it had perfect balance of oak and fruit along with a very floral nose.  Their top selling wine is their To Di For–Lula blend which I found delightful.  Interesting profile, however.  Do you remember those felt pens that are designed for kids that have fruit fragrances in them?  I got that in the nose, strawberry to be exact.  And on the palate I detected a bit of petrol, which I understand is not probably something one would look for in wine but it didn’t detract from the wine.  It was very interesting to be sure.

While I was tasting the To Di For–Lula, Doug told me of the story behind the name.  Lula was his Great Grandmother and she inspired the naming of this wine.  He also mentioned that the winery has only been around a couple of years and he owns it with his partner and sister, Diana Mock. 

Pinot Noir grapes growing across the street from the RockWall Cellars tasting room.

The next wine I tasted I had never heard of and that was Auxerrois.  I was very intrigued.  He poured it and as I was sipping it I stared out the front door of the tasting room gazing at the sprinklers watering the Pinot Grapes just across the street.  As the sun hit the water coming off the sprinkler it had a magical look to it.  The Auxerrois had a slightly pungent nose and, for a white, had some body to it.  It was very interesting and I’m glad I tried it.  I look forward to doing some more tasting of this “off the beaten path” white varietal.

Doug then found out I am rather partial to reds and turned the tasting sheet over to reveal 11 different reds that they pour.  I realized then I should probably learn to spit, but concluded now was not that time.  I tasted ALL of his reds and gave each a very good score.  I tried RockWall Cellars’ blends including Off The Wall, To Di For–Eddie (named after his Great Grandfather, naturally), To Di For–Amore (probably named for the love his Great Grandparents had for each other!), Generation and Second Generation.  I also tried their varietals including their Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot and Reserve Merlot.  RockWall Cellars also makes a Port style wine that they call Foch Lore, which is made from 100% Marechal Foch, aNOTHER varietal I had never heard of before. 

It would have been rude had I not tried their Foch Lore and that’s exactly what I did.  It was marvelous!  It was SO good!  This was the first time I actually smelled AND tasted tobacco in a wine.  This had it on the nose and at the front of the palate.  I know it sounds odd to say something that smells and tastes of tobacco would be good.  I don’t like black licorice but when those profiles show up in a red wine I like it.

The wine that I purchased was RockWall Cellars’ 2008 Off The Wall red blend which has Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Marechal Foch in it.  It had a FANTASTIC nose which I immediately fell in love with…pepper, smokey, licorice.  There was a LOT going on.  It also had a very long finish.  I can’t wait to open this up and try it with a steak because I think this will be fantastic.

My very favorite wine from RockWall Cellars, however, came from a varietal that I don’t often enjoy this much and that was both their 2007 Merlot and their 2007 Reserve Merlot.  I gave my highest marks to both but they were actually both quite different.  Their Merlot had an outstanding nose and I there was plum in the taste.  Doug didn’t have a bottle of the Reserve Merlot open but he felt compelled to open one for me.  Although I didn’t expect that because it WAS after hours, after all, I was extremely thankful for him offering this and I accepted, with great anticipation, his pour.

This Reserve Merlot is sold for $47 a bottle, by far the most expensive of RockWall’s collection of wines.  The Off The Wall blend that I purchased was only $16 a bottle, a virtual steal for what you get.  Everything about the Reserve Merlot was smooth…the nose, the taste, the mouthfeel.  It was a bit tight at the very beginning but it opened up quickly and wonderfully.  I caught a little bit of chocolate on the nose, as well.  One of my very favorite wines to date.  Spectacular.

RockWall Cellars only produces about 1,200 cases of wine a year so you won’t likely find them in your favorite wine store.  One of the major benefits of stopping by wineries to taste their wines is that you are likely going to taste something brand new because stores and restaurants just cannot stock ALL of the wines made in the world.  What you CAN do, however, is call them right away and sign up for their wine club or, at the very least, get on their mailing list.  This WILL be my next wine club that I join, without a doubt.

I am SO happy that I took the time to stop by RockWall Cellars in Omak, Washington, and taste what they’re making.  If you have tasted their wine, or when you do, let me know what you think by writing a comment about it below.  And if you like drinking wine but aren’t yet a fan of drinking wine on Facebook, you can click here and sign up today…like right now. 

As always, thank you for reading (sorry this was such a long post) and, until next time, bottoms up!

Toni getting herself prepared to pour Ryan Patrick Vineyard wines for me in the tasting room located in Leavenworth, Washgington.

By Phil Anderson

For many, many months we have been drinking a particular un-oaked Chardonnay, naked Chardonnay if you will.  Each time we buy it we open it, drink it and say, “This is just really good wine!”  The amazing thing is that this wine costs UNDER $8 a bottle AND you can find it in most stores in their wine section.  Let me see…easy to find, easy on the pocket book and EASY to drink.  Sounds like a great combination, yes? 

Ryan Patrick Vineyards is doing it the way a winery should do it.  They are single family and estate winery with three vineyards located in central Washington State near the banks of the Columbia River and is ideally located to assure the successful growth of top quality grapes.  They grow Bordeaux varietals as well as their Chardonnay, naked and clothed (with oak).  Terry Flanagan, and his wife Vivian, own the winery and vineyards and sons Ryan and Patrick serve as the inspiration for the company’s name.  Terry says, “Our goal has always been to produce limited quantities of reserve quality wines at affordable prices.”  Their first vintage was just 10 years ago, 1999.

I visited their tasting room recently and Toni, who was behind the bar, treated my like a V.I.P.  It was a delightful time.  Right next to their tasting room, located in Leavenworth, Washington, is a fine meat and cheese shop called Cured at Visconti’s (Visconti’s Ristorante is located right up the stairs) selling old world salami and market cured meats as well as fine cheeses.  We sashayed over to pick up some samples of things that might go with their wine and came up with porcini, cacciatore, elk jerky and an assortment of different cheeses thanks to Randy Nichols, the helpful man behind the counter.

The first thing that touched my lips was my old friend, their 2008 Naked Chardonnay which is fermented totally in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures.  No oak touches this wine ever and it is so refreshing!  This has literally turned into our house white wine in the past year.  They made just under 4,000 cases of this vintage but have continued to increase producion over the years because of it’s popularity, and it will soon push to near 6,000 cases.  My notes didn’t get too specific with this wine other than to say, “Still love it!”  Crisp and clean–just delicious.

 Ryan Patricks 2007 Estate Chardonnay was actually a nice surprise with a touch of oak that was not too overbearing.  It had good balance and a little bite on the finish.  Certainly a nice alternative to their Naked Chardonnay.

 I tasted their 2006 Barbera, which was earthy and smokey with some pepper on the nose, their 2006 Syrah, their 2007 Rock Island Red and their 2008 Rose.  I have to say, I really enjoyed the Rock Island Red, consisting of 50% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc, but what surprised me was their Rose.  It was absolutely delicious!  Very floral on the nose as well as strawberries.  Perfect for a nice summer afternoon that rolls into a nice summer evening.  It is made with Syrah and it is sensational.

I didn’t get the opportunity to taste their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve as it was basically sold out and they’re down to just about three cases left, just enough to stick in their library.  I couldn’t quite get Toni to open a bottle.  Can’t say I blame her for not opening one but I DID try…can’t hurt to try, right?

I know I’ve seen the Rock Island Red at the Costco in Coeur d’Alene.  The Naked Chardonnay is everywhere around where I live.  If you can’t track these down call Ryan Patrick Vineyards and have them send you a bottle of each.  Don’t forget the Rose!  Like I said, the Naked Chardonnay is under eight bucks, usually, and the Rose is $11 while the Rock Island Red will pull $18 from your money clip. 

I really don’t care how you do it, just do it.  These guys are trying to make a good wine for inexpensive and I, for one, am liking the results.

I want to thank all of the people who have become fans of wine on Facebook (or have now “liked” wine on Facebook).  I can’t tell you how thankful I am that you take the time to read this simple little wine blog and have taken the energy to join wine on Facebook.  I hope that you continue to enjoy my scribes here at General Wine Thoughts.  I am toying with the idea of changing the name to something more catchy, more hip, more….more something I don’t really know.  

Any suggestions?  Any comments?  Please don’t hesitate to click on “comments” at the bottom of this post.  Until next time, keep it real, keep the beat and BOTTOMS UP!

My travels have recently brought me to Wenatchee, Washington.  As has become habit, I’ve sought out wineries first instead of the work that originally brought me here.  That’s ok, noboby has to know that!  The first winery I happened upon was Stemilt Creek Winery.

Roni greeted me with a warm smile as I entered the tasting room in the heart of downtown Wenatchee.  From the very start of the convesrsation she let me know of the history of the Mathison family and how they started growing quality fruit on their Stemilt Hill homestead just after the turn of the 20th century.  They have now grown into one of the worlds largest producers of quality fruit including apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines and blueberries. 

Until 2002.

That is when they decided to add grapes to their repertoire.  Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot, to be specific.  I had the pleasure of tasting all these with the exception of the Syrah.

What I found very interesting was that Stemilt Creek Winery didn’t produce a white wine.  No Chardonnay.  No Reisling.  No Viognier.  Only red, which would make my friend Les Sargeant very happy.  What I also thought was interesting is that none of these wines had many tannins; at least no harsh tannins.  They were all very ready to drink, very smooth, had personality, character and depth.  I found the Merlot to be complex and very rich with a hint of plums on the nose.  The Cabernet Franc also had a very rich nose and a hint of raisins on the palate.  The Cabernet Franc runs $28, their Merlot $14, and the Syrah $20.

My favorite wine was their 2005 Stemilt Hill Red which consisted of 63% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Syrah.  Winemaker Jan Mathison, with her husband Kyle keeping an eye on the vineyard, hit a home run with this blend.  It was lovely with cherries on the nose and palate.  I enjoyed this wine so much I asked how much it was, thinking it must be pushing $30.  To my astonishment it was only $14!  How could I NOT get a bottle?  And since I had no answer to the just asked question, I had no choice but to purchase a bottle and now I look forward to tasting it with a luscious steak.

Roni went on to explain that their winery produces less than 1,400 cases of wine a year which qualifies them as a boutique winery.  What that also means is that their wine is not so easy to find in your favorite wine store.  What I would suggest is to visit them at their tasting room in Wenatchee or in their just opened tasting room in Leavenworth, Washington, which is a very cute Bavarian themed village.

If you can’t visit the winery then the next best thing is to become a Stemilt Creek Winery wine club member because that is likely the only way you’ll be able to taste the quality wine that the Mathison family has taken so much pride to produce.

Don’t forget, if you’re not yet a fan of wine on Facebook, it’s not too late to become one by clicking here.  As of this writing I’m at about 90 fans so I need an additional 35 to become the official wine fan page of Facebook. 

As always, thank you SO much for reading and remember, bottoms up!

Eric Dunham, the winemaker at Dunham Cellars, which is located in Walla Walla, WA, has been making wine for about 15 years and the buzz surrounding Dunham Cellars wines seem to always be, like wine in a glass, swirling.

I’ve had the opportunity to taste wines from Dunham Cellars periodically over the past years.  Like I said, when we visited Walla Walla last November we made their tasting room a priority and didn’t regret it, having also bought a barrel top lazy susan from there that still sits on the island in our kitchen.

I was introduced to Trutina about a year ago when I had the pleasure of enjoying a juicy filet mignon at The Metropolitan Grill in Seattle and a friend of mine brought a 2005 Trutina from Dunham Cellars.  Trutina is Dunhams Bordeaux style blend and their 2005 consisted of 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 13% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Franc.  It paired wonderfully with the steak and I will always remember that dinner with great friends, including Dunham Cellars’ Trutina.

Recently we had the luxury of tasting the newest vintage of Trutina, the 2006.  The blend was a bit different this go around as it had 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot and 3% Syrah.  It has recieved high scores from wine reviewers everywhere which led me to buy this having high expectations.

We served this with rib eye steak, which Shelley prepares to perfection each time, and it paired wonderfully with it.  There was rich raspberries on the nose and black pepper and plums on the taste. 

This is a good spot to write about one of the things I enjoy most about tasting wine and that is the experience.  When you purchase a wine that you are looking forward to drinking, THAT is when the experience begins for me.  You make the conscious decision to choose a particular bottle of wine, in this case it was the Trutina, bring it home and set it on the counter.  As the steaks are marinating you glance over to the bottle, wanting to open it, but withstanding the temptation.

FINALLY, you get to open it, but you still have to WAIT a bit before you pour.  In this case, we let it stand for about a half hour and then poured a small amount in each of our glasses.  That is when the experience really starts taking hold.  We swirl the juice, looking at the color and consistency.  THEN, we gently, albeit eagerly, put our nose in the glass to see what we smell (hmmm, that doesn’t sound right.  We don’t ’smell what we see’, why do we ’see what we smell’?  Just wonderin’…).

This can take anywhere from a minute to 3-4 minutes depending on what we’re getting on the nose and the conversation that takes place.  FINALLY, after ALL of that, we get to actually taste the wine.  We slowly taste the wine, swishing it around in our mouth, trying to make contact with each part of the tongue, bringing in air to mix and activate the tastes within the wine…..and swallow.  All of that build-up for a swallow of wine!

After the initial taste we usually dish up and enjoy the meal with the wine.  The sadness comes with the last sip of the wine.  As I swirl the last sip, usually about ten minutes or more, I smell it often, seeing if I can tell any changes to the nose of the wine since I first opened it.  I finally, slowly, take the last sip, let it rest in my mouth until the last possible moment and then……I swallow it.  Reality sets in as I realize the wine is now gone.  It is truly a sad moment.  The only consolation is knowing I will once again be able to enjoy another bottle of wine, probably the next night.

With the Trutina, this was the case as I was very sad when it was all over.  I will wait with frustrating patience until I once again get to go through the process of tasting a bottle of wine.

That is what wine lovers “get” to go through when tasting wines.  Not all wines carry this long experience with them, but the ones that do are so fun because of that.  I hope you’ll get the opportunity to visit Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla.  If you can’t go THERE then bring them to you by purchasing a bottle of their wine.  You won’t be disappointed!

One more thing to note about Eric Dunham is he has collaborated with Kyle MacLachlan to produced a Cabernet Sauvignon under the Pursued By Bear label.  There are two vintages for sale, the 2005 and 2006, which both earned a 91 point rating from Wine Spectator.  If you don’t recognize the name, Kyle MacLachlan, perhaps you will better recognize the name, Orson Hodge, as the character he plays on Desperate Housewives.  Both those wines will run you about $65 a bottle.

You might have noticed that I’ve been writing about Washington Wines a lot recently, which is true.  I’ve been leaning heavy on Washington Wines because:

A)  They’re SO good and SO close and SO good.  And…

B)  …I’m trying to win a seat on the the road to Walla Walla to attend the annual Wine Bloggers Conference in June.  You’ll notice a badge at the top of the column on the left, just below where you sign up to be a member of General Wine Thoughts (which, why haven’t you done THAT already?) that is for the WBC or Bust contest.  It is sponsored by WineCHATr.com and I really want to win a seat on that trip because they will be stopping at all sorts of wineries from Seattle to Walla Walla and it will be a great opportunity to meet and talk with people in and around the world of wine.

And lastly, before I go, I want to ask you, “Are you a fan of wine?”  If you answered ‘yes’ to that then are you a fan of wine on Facebook?  If NOT, then just click here and you TOO can become one!   Thank you!

Until next time, bottoms up and thank you SO much for reading this!

Sooooo, with that setting the table for another post about wine, here we go!

Nearly a year ago I wrote a post that described our visit to the Townshend Cellar tasting room.  I recently was able to visit Townshend again to see what they were pouring and, once again, Jill Rider was at the ready.

I was able to taste a number of different wines this time.  Among them:

2007 Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Viognier, 2005 Syrah, 2002 Merlot, 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006 Lemberger, 2007 Malbec, Tempranillo and their non vintage T3 Rose, Red Table Wine, Pink Table Wine and their Vortex.   The Tempranillo consisted of both the 2005 and 2006 vintages, which I purchased to taste more in depth at home.

I am seeing a trend in what I like the most from Townshend Cellar.  Their Viognier is always good and this time was no exception.  I purchased a bottle to have before dinner that particular night.  Nectarine and floral notes in the nose gave way to a very fulfilling and refreshing taste.  Delicious!  This is a perfect wine to start the evening with, especially in the summer or on a warm day.

Another trend I’ve found is their Syrah.  It was a favorite of mine in the past and this time didn’t disappoint as well, with dark cherries on the palate.  I bought a bottle of this as well and we are still waiting to open it.  It will likely be paired with a steak which, now that I’m writing this, am hoping will be this evening!

Lastly, I bought a bottle of their Pink Table Wine.  This pretty little pink blush is delicately sweet with aromas of strawberry and cherry and flavors of strawberry, apricot and peach.  Shelley enjoys a good rose from time to time and this one was very satisfying.

Townshend Cellar has just made their T3, which is their non vintage Bordeaux blend, available in stores, as it used to only be available for purchase at the winery or at a restaurant.  It sells for under $20 which is a bargain for what you get.

If you’re ever around the Green Bluff area of Spokane, I would encourage you to take time to say hello to Jill in the Townshend Cellar tasting room.  And tell her Phil says, “hi”.

Until next time, bottoms up!

I knew very little about Knipprath Cellars except that there WAS one, so I asked many questions and Sinay answered them one by one.  I found out that Knipprath Cellars is a family owned winery that just celebrated ten years of being a full time winery.  All in all I tasted 13 different wines including Roussanne, Syrah, Tempranillo, Merlot and a whole slew of dessert wines, which seems to be their niche.

Of the typical wines I really liked the 2007 Tempranillo and the 2006 Merlot. 

The Tempranillo was very good with some prune on the back of the tongue.  They combined fruit from both the Lodi (California) and Columbia Valley (Washington) Appelations, which I find very interesting.

The Merlot was also very good, with peppery notes.  I have found pepper to be a mainstay of wines I really like.  This would REALLY pair well with smoked cheeses!  Yum!

Although I DID enjoy their Pink, which is a Rose of Merlot (it was very swishy, not that I even know what that means!), the 2003 Matrix Port, which had black licorice flavors with a hint of nuttiness, and the NV Positron Port, which was very rich, I liked the LaV (pronounced, “La Vee”) Dessert Wine and Au Chocolat! the most.

The LaV Dessert Wine is fabulous!  My notes say, “Wow!”  I could have written, “Pow” as well.  Full on vanilla in this dessert wine that is absolutely wonderful.  I bought a half bottle of this to surprise Shelley and had it waiting for her with a bath I ran for her one night.

The other is a perfect fit with the LaV Dessert Wine, Au Chocolat!  Obviously, THIS one is heavy on the chocolate.  As I tasted this it got better and better as it opened up in my glass.  I would recommend either of these two if you like after dinner dessert wines at all.  I’ve only recently began to enjoy these wines and the more I try ‘em the more I like ‘em.

It would be worthy to note that I tried their Coffee Port even though I really am NOT a coffee drinker (I have never even had a cup of coffee in my life!).  It had a wonderful nose but not such a good taste.  Then Sinay did something interesting:  She added a small amount of the LaV Dessert Wine to the Coffee port and that REALLY softened it up to where I liked it better.  It is probably still something I wouldn’t drink if I had the choice, not because it’s not good, but because I just don’t like the taste of coffee.  I know, what’s wrong with me?  If you asked my daughters they would tell you the list is long! 

Knipprath Cellars will be one of the featured wines at the 6th Annual Poverty Bay Wine Festival in Des Moines, Washington this weekend, March 5, 6 and 7.  I certainly wish I could attend this gala event but since I will be heading into that area the following weekend for my Dad’s 70th birthday celebration I don’t think it’s going to happen. 

But that doesn’t mean YOU shouldn’t go and taste some Knipprath wine.  Or, when you’re next in Spokane, cozy up to the tasting room bar in the old schoolhouse and try some very warm, soothing dessert wines from Knipprath Cellars as well as their other wines.  You’ll be glad you did.

Thank you again for reading and bottoms up!

The wine being produced in Walla Walla is sensational.  Even the juice that wasn’t great was still good.  Walla Walla is located due South of Spokane, Washington in the Southeast corner of the state.  It’s about a 262 mile drive from Seattle and 158 miles from Spokane.  This was our first time in Walla Walla and it was beautiful.  We had great weather as the sun was out.

We were able to visit eleven wineries:  Woodward Canyon Winery, L’Ecole No 41, Gifford Hirlinger, Beresan Winery, Balboa Winery, Basel Cellars, Trio Vintners, Kontos Cellars, Dunham Cellars, Cavu Cellars and Waterbrook.

Our first stop was at Woodward Canyon where we were met by Kellie Berg, the tasting room manager, who was extremely friendly and nice to us.  I tasted six of their wines with my favorites being their 2008 Burgundy styled Chardonnay, NV Columbia Red Wine (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 14% Syrah), Artist Series #15 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (which actually had a bit of Syrah and Merlot in it) and 2006 Estate Red.   The best value of the bunch was the NV Columbia Red Wine, which at $20 is a true bargain.

The following day, while having breakfast at the Hotel, we met a couple who live in Coeur d’Alene named Jen and Mark.  They were also visiting Walla Walla to taste wine.  We found out they go to the same church as we go to, Lake City Community Church.  Small world–but I wouldn’t want to paint it. 

As we made our way out for another day of wine tasting we were joined by my friend, Aaron Pang, who ran the valet company I was a part of for many years in Seattle, as he now lives with his wife in Walla Walla.  We were impressed with two wineries, Basel Cellars and Gifford Hirlinger.

Basel Cellars Estate Winery is located on a bluff overlooking their vineyard and the surrounding area.  It is absolutely beautiful.  They have a huge tasting room and we were lucky enough to meet Becky Basel, one of the owners of the winery.  We tasted nine different wines there including, but not limited to, Claret, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Carmenere. 

The two that knocked our socks off were the 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 100% of that varietal, and the 2007 Carmenere.  I love Cabernet Sauvignon and this one was delicious.  But the one that caught our attention was the Carmenere.  As you know, I don’t fancy myself as an expert in wine, but it has certainly become a passion of mine.  I had not heard of Carmenere before and when I found out it was one of the SIX Bordeaux varietals I was shocked.  I thought there was only FIVE Bordeaux varietals. 

The Carmenere grape, I found out, was wiped out many, many years ago (like around 200 years ago) and the French decided not to replant it.  It did make it’s way to Chile and Argentina and those vines somehow made their way to Walla Walla.  This 2007 Carmenere was sensational, with bell pepper on the nose and a lot of richness and depth.

Gifford Hilsinger Winery and Tasting Room.

Our last stop of the day was Gifford Hirlinger, which is run by one man who wears many hats, Mike Berghan.  He was SO down to earth.  We were the only ones in the tasting room at the time, the sun was setting and it was a picturesque view outside the very contemporary building. 

The winery is right on Washington/Oregon state line, which is why he named one of his reds Stateline Red.  We tasted the 2007 version of this which was 50/50 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Most all of the juice he makes is from his vineyard with the exception of his LV.  The 2007 uses 90% Napa, California Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Walla Walla Merlot.  That one had a lot of tannins.  He also makes a wonderful Petit Verdot, which was blended with 11% Merlot, and is VERY good.

This is the barrel top lazy susan we brought back from Dunham Cellars.

The last day’s highlights were Dunham Cellars where I actually tried ten of their wines.  Dunham has won many awards for their wine over the years as their quality is exceptional.  We purchased a barrel top with a lazy susan that we use in our kitchen.

We also enjoyed our stop at Trio Vintners, a small, new winery, located in the airport district of Walla Walla.  There we ran into our new old friend, Carmenere once again.  This time, we had to bring a bottle back home with us, which we have yet to open.  I will write about that for sure when that happens.

On our way out of town we made a “quick” stop at Waterbrook where Shaun “forced” us to stay for God only knows how long.  In all seriousness, the ONLY thing that I didn’t like was the fact they had the Seattle Seahawks on the big screen losing aNOTHer game.  The upside of that was it only made me want to try yet another one of their wines.

This was the only stop in our weekend that had a complementary tasting, and they didn’t skimp on how many wines they opened, either, as 15 were offered to try.  I didn’t try them all but I did taste nine of them.  My favorite was their 2005 Meritage which had a very nice nose and was delicious.  They also make a Sangiovese Rose which was nice as we’ve been sampling Rose’s as of late.  Waterbrook Winery is producing more wine than all but two wineries in the state of Washington.  What impresses me is they can produce that much wine and still put out a quality product. 

Even though I only elaborated on a handful of wineries we visited we did not have a bad experience in any of them.  To a winery, the people were friendly and knowledgeable.  The great thing about tasting wines in a tasting room is that if they are busy you make conversation with the people you are with while enjoying new experiences in wine.  If they’re NOT busy, you can tap the person behind the counter for information about the winery, winemaker, the history of the winery and so forth. 

So, as this new decade has started so has my resolution to produce more blog posts than the end of last year.  I know I’ve already written about that before but this time I mean it because, after all, it’s a resolution.  I HAVE to do it!

Also, I am very excited and pleased to announce that I am putting together a telesummit for early fall that will teach people about wine from square one.  When I started learning about wine I noticed it can be very intimidating and if I hadn’t been a person that doesn’t really care what people think of me, I might not have gone forward with learning about wine like I have. 

The world of wine is huge.  Wine has never been more popular than it is today and people in all walks of life are wanting to learn more about wine.  With that being said, I am compiling a group of experts that I will interview about wine.  Each will cover a topic and they will likely include the following:  Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc (the three big whites), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir (the three big reds, at least to me), labels (and how to read them), off the beaten path whites, off the beaten path reds and wine etiquette, among other topics.  If you are somebody or know of somebody who would like to start learning about wine keep visiting General Wine Thoughts for more information!

Also, if you have something that you want to know about, write a comment on this blog or e-mail me at aphilip369@aol.com or direct message me on Twitter. 

Also, for those of you that have stuck with me through last year, I want to thank you.  The first “real” blog I wrote was on January 19th of last year.  This one marks the start of 2010 and it promises to be even better.  As you might recall I made predictions for both of the NFL Conference Championship games and I was 50%.  This year I will make yet another prediction for this weekends games.  In the AFC, I have to say, it’s hard to go against the Jets since they are the Arizona Cardinals of this year and Gary Vanerchuck lives and dies with the Jets.  I do, however, have to go with the Colts winning in a very close game.  The Jets defense will keep it close.

On the other side of the league the Saints will beat the Vikings 48-13.  I know that sounds extreme but Favre just makes me want to….well, never mind.  Saints win.  The Colts versus the Saints in “The Big Game” (I don’t want to get fined by the NFL for using the other term when I haven’t paid to use it!).

Until next time, bottoms up and thank you SO MUCH for reading!

Now, about White Table Wine, Syrah and Viognier!

One of the many incredibly fun things about enjoying wine is meeting so many great people that share the same passion for wine.  As I found myself around the Green Bluff area just North of Spokane, Washington, I felt compelled to stop by the tasting room of an old friend, Townshend Cellar.  It seems like where ever I see Townshend Cellar set up (Taste Washington, Food Services of America events, etc…) I see Jill Rider.  Her Business card says she is the Director of Sales and Marketing for the winery but she is also the General Manager and manages the tasting room and winery events and she does a stellar job, from what I can see.  Really, what DOESN’T she do?  The last time we were there it was myself, Shelley, her dad, Lloyd, and our newest pup, Izzie (see the last post for pictures of all!).

In fact, while visiting with Jill during this “out of the blue” stop, the winemaker, Don Townshend, called her to let her know he had just returned from his trip to Italy.  Undoubtedly, a wine driven trip to be sure.  The story of Townshend is refreshing.  Don debated for years on whether or not he should make wine.  Having never made wine he took the leap of faith after attempting a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in 1995, bottling them in 1998 and realizing they tasted as good or better than some of the best California and Washington wines.

Now, Townshend Cellar makes about 10,ooo cases of wine a year and offers around 20 different wines for their customers to choose from.  Their most popular wine is probably their T3 which is a non-vintage Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.  I see this wine on many restaurants’ wine lists and we have a bottle of that in our cellar, as well as their Vortex, 2002 Late Harvest Merlot and 2005 Syrah (which I just purchased when I was there). 

The other night we opened their White Table Wine which consists of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay.  For a price of under $11 you can’t really go wrong.  It was very crisp from the first sip.  Shelley tasted the Viognier right away and thought there may be too much of it.  She thought it was syrupy and slightly metallic.  I noticed there was a tartness to it right at the back of the tongue.  We also noticed hints of apples and apricots on the nose and I also tasted the apricots.  I was captured by the legs on this wine–the wine just seemed to cling onto my glass! 

All in all, we enjoyed this White Table Wine.  They also make a Red Table Wine.  In the never ending quest of coming up with labels that will catch the eye of the consumer the labels on these wines simply have a white table and red table, respectively.  Simple, to the point and catchy.

As for their Syrah–I bought the recently released 2005 while I was there but we already owned a bottle of the 2004 from our last trip to Townshend and we chose to open that.  We drank this with barbequed ribs which was quite tasty.  Since we had a half bottle left over we had that with steak the following night and it was even better!  It is almost entirely Syrah with only 4% Merlot and it’s from Washingtons Columbia Valley.  Very rich.

Shelly exclaimed, “It’s SO PURPLE!” as I poured her a glass.  True, it is very dark.  Right away there was alcohol on the nose but as it opened up the alcohol went away and was replaced with raspberries and pepper.  I thought it was very soft with good mouthfeel.  It paired well with the ribs but was outstanding with the steak.

The following night we completed the Townshend trifecta with their 2007 Viognier.  I remember tasting this at the tasting room and thinking it was quite sweet.  When we opened the bottle it wasn’t AS sweet but SO much fruit on the nose.  This is a wine that would be wonderful on a hot summers day or with some oysters. 

Townshend has made a name for itself with its quality juice and have only ten years making wine.  Just think what another ten years will do for them.  Why don’t you pick up a bottle of something from Townshend Cellar and try it for yourself.

Until then, bottoms up and ENJOY!