We toast at South Coast Winery. Shelley (R) with a 2008 Grenache Rose' and mine, a 2010 Tempranillo Rose'.

Within the first five minutes of our visit, however, we realized we weren’t in Kansas anymore (or more specifically, we were tasting wine in California).  The tasting fee is about 5 times more than the wineries tasting fees in Washington, give or take.  After I swallowed hard and paid the fee, my building regret for having stayed a few more hours to taste some more Temecula wines started dissipating.

It was fairly busy at the time we were there (after all, it WAS around Noon on a Monday) and they had two people pouring behind the bar.  The person pouring for us was named Jennifer.  Jennifer was not for the timid.  She spoke her thoughts and opinions and was very much in command of what was going on.  She was a perfect blend of somebody who could give impeccable customer service yet would never be taken advantage of.  I’ve been to enough tasting rooms to have seen many classless and snooty people with countless personality disabilities try to one-up, two-up or even three-up the poor person pouring the wine.  Jennifer would dice and slice anyone like that, but do it in a way that they would have no idea what hit them.

Fortunate for her (and probably for me, as well), we are pretty easy going and will let the person behind the bar guide us through the best experience possible.  That isn’t always the case, for many reasons, and we were happy where things were heading.  Jennifer started us out with an extra dry sparkler that was marvelous.  It was very crisp, light and simple but I loved it.  We tasted so many wines including, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah, <taking a breath> Late Harvest Riesling and Port.  Whew!

Jennifer definitely had a passion for Italian styled Red wines and she steered us in that direction which was fine with me!  One of them was a 2006 Wild Horse Peak 100% Sangiovese with a smokey nose and luscious, soft tannins.  There were two Syrahs that were outstanding as well, both 2006 vintage, one a Reserve and one from Wild Horse Peak.  Both were big and bold and packed a punch.  We also enjoyed a Tempranillo Rose’ that was absolutely exquisite, perfect for a hot summer day.

But the one that stood out over all of them, in my opinion, was their Black Jack Port, which is a blend of Tinta Cao, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Zinfandel and Alicante Bouchet.  WOW!  Deep raspberries on the nose and so many layers.  We had this with milk chocolate kisses and it paired beautifully.

So many times at tasting rooms the wine is superior but then the person pouring is snobbish.  Or the other way around, with an outstanding person pouring a less than satisfactory wine.  In the cases where you have both a snob and poor quality wine, it’s best to just back out the door slowly and make a mad dash to anywhere but there!  In our experience at South Coast Winery we were treated to both excellent juice and a very knowledgable and friendly person behind the counter, Jennifer.

The enchanted entry to Briar Rose Winery.

Our last stop of the day was at Briar Rose Winery, mostly because of the name and because we were given a coupon for “buy one tasting and get one free”.  I’m glad we had it, too, because this was even more expensive than the last place!  It was a very cute property that Beldon Fields purchased in the 1970′s and built replicas of Snow White’s cottage for his wife.  Beldon worked for Walt Disney and was one of many artisans who built Disneyland’s Fantasyland and Toon Town.

In the early 1990′s, Les and Dorian Linkogle purchased the beautiful estate from Beldon Fields with the promise to not change the architecture of the cottages.  It turned out that the estate location was perfect for growing grapes.  So, in the late 1990′s Viognier grapes were planted along with Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.  Their grand opening was in 2007, so they are a very young winery, indeed.

We were the only ones there and their cat kept us company at the bar while we glided through the tastings.  This was tannin city! Every single one of their red wines had sharp tannins.  I didn’t give huge scores to any of the wines we tried but there were two worth noting.  We tasted a 2007 Citronier which surprised us with a zingy lemon finish.  Light and crisp and brilliant lemon flavor.  The other was their 2008 Estate Zinfandel which had quite a lackluster nose but made up for it with an explosion of flavor.  This wine was extremely smooth and balanced.

This finishes The Wedding Weekend trifecta which marks and honors the marriage of Shelley’s son Tyler to his new bride, Jennifer.  Wherever we go we try and incorporate a winery visit.  For this momentous occasion we probably wouldn’t have because the priority was on the wedding, as it should be.  However, we were blessed to have the wedding events be in and around the wineries of Temecula and so it was a perfect combination.

If you have any comments please feel free to write them below.  You can also reach me by following me on Twitter and “Liking” me on Facebook.  If you’d prefer to go (semi) old school my e-mail address is drinkwine@generalwinethoughts.com.  As always, thank you so much for reading and remember, bottoms up!

And I am back in North Idaho for this little gem of a wine shop which is MORE than just a wine shop.  The Dinner Party, in Coeur d’Alene, sets out to provide  a truly unique collection that would lend richness and warmth to any gathering.  There are examples of exquisite linens, eclectic table settings and art that will set the stage as you entertain, greeting you right as you walk into their shop.  Of course, I am entranced with the fact The Dinner Party also offers distinctive wines that please the palette, pair well with food and expand the entire wine experience.  YES!  Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!

Balletto Vineyards Winemaker, Anthony Beckman, and I at The Dinner Party in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Often times on Saturday, Owners George and Mary Balling, along with a winery or distributor, will host a wine tasting.  I’ve been to two such tastings, most recently a tasting of Balletto Vineyards, with winemaker Anthony Beckman, out of the Russian River Valley area of California. 

There were five wines poured this particular afternoon and all of them showed well.  Even the young 2009 Balletto Estate Pinot Noir showed well, though it was TOO bright and berryish for me.  Shelley LOVED that one, however.  It’s interesting what different palettes enjoy.

We started out with the 2008 Pinot Gris, moved on to the 2007 Estate Chardonnay, tasted the ’09 Pinot Noir, then a 2008 Balletto Winery Block Pinot Noir, which was my favorite of the two, and finished with their 2006 Estate Syrah.  All of the Balletto wines we tasted had an undercurrent of mustiness and were fairly light, including the Syrah.  The Syrah, however, did have a wonderful, huge peppery nose which I loved. 

We didn’t have a white wine to drink when we got back home so we bought and brought the Pinot Gris back with us.  Historically, Pinot Gris is not usually a varietal that makes it through our door.  I think it has less to do with the grape varietal than it does the quality of the Pinot Gris we’ve tried.  This one is a notable exception.  Again, a little mustiness on the nose.  It’s not like it’s over powering, but just enough to force you to give it some thought.  They accomplished their goal of producing a French style Pinot Gris.  We had it before dinner and it was wonderful. 

The other tasting, a couple of months back, was of Renwood Winery Zinfandel’s.  Renwood, also in Northern California, produces many different Zinfandel’s and they all were marvelous!  As you may or may not know, I used to “dance” with Seattle Civic Dance Theatre when my daughters took dance lessons.  I was privileged to be asked to “dance” in their two annual performances.  Basically, we were walking props for the real dancers!  One of the other Dad’s that did this was Jeff Peda and he was the one pouring for Renwood Winery that day!  It was great to see him again, especially when he was pouring such quality Zin.

Here Jeff Peda of Renwood Winery talks about one of the fine Zinfandel's being served at The Dinner Party.

So, both times I’ve been to a tasting at The Dinner Party there has been some history.  My relatiohship with Jeff was the first stop and this last time it was George’s relatiohship with Balletto Vineyards.  George broke into the wine business by working for Balletto Vineyards and the winemaker, Anthony Beckman, made a special trip up North just for this weekend (which included a winemakers dinner the night before at a local restaurant). 

Whenever I’ve walked into The Dinner Party, I am always welcomed by a smiling face, usually that of Mary.  Though they both know about all of their stock, I get the impression that George knows a bit more about the wine and Mary knows a bit more about all the accessories for putting on a fantastic dinner party.  When you’re stuck on what to use while creating a memorable dinner party there is really no other place to turn than The Dinner Party.  I know this from experience!

Now, today the NFL Conference Championships were played.  As you know, I predicted the Packers and the Jets would meet in the Super Bowl.  NOT gonna happen.  I split my predictions.  Had Sanchez, a USC alum, not fumbled late in the first half the outcome might have been different.  But, as my brother-in-law always says, “If if’s and buts were candy and nuts we’d all have a very Merry Christmas”.  Sorry… 

I will give you my Super Bowl prediction before the game.  Until then, thank you for reading and, as always, bottoms up!

The last submission I highlighted a small little Deli in Hayden, Idaho which is stocked full of quality wines but lacking in web presence.  THIS will be the exact opposite.  Well, not TOTALLY opposite. 

Josh Wade knew what his target was when he started tweeting on Twitter and providing his status updates on Facebook.  His goal was to get a strong enough following so that he could open his very own wine bar in Spokane, Washington.  So, Josh tweeted, updated and posted, and then did it some more…and some more….and then he threw in some interviews and then tweeted and updated and blogged some more. 

A couple of weeks ago was the culmination of months upon months of hard work and perseverance and the net result was the grand opening of Nectar Tasting Room, a calculated spin-off of his wine blog of the same name.  Josh HAS the quality AND he has the web presence.

By Definition Nectar means, ”the life-giving drink of the gods”, which I rather like.  If that’s too esoteric for you, then simply understand that Nectar means, “any delicious drink”.  And that is what Josh is serving up, delicious drinks, the Nectar, if you will!

I had a chance to visit Nectar Tasting Room recently and discovered 30 wines by the glass offered ALL of the time.  If somebody would like to try one of the 30 wines and the bottle is not open, then open it shall become.  To keep track of all these wines by the glass you simply have to look at the menu…which is an iPad.  There are four of them there.  Social media started this so why not continue to use technology to the fullest!  The room is a decent size and it’s clean and contemporary.

The 30 different wines are produced by five different wineries including, Anelare Winery, Hard Row to Hoe, Northwest Cellars, Skylite Cellars and Terra Blanca, all Washington wines.

I tasted five wines, one from each of the wineries.  I had a non-vintage Pinot Noir from Hard Row to Hoe, a Northwest Cellars 2005 Merlot, a 2008  Skylite Cellars Rosé from Sangiovese, a 2007 Syrah from Anelare and a 2008 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc from Terra Blanca.

All had their pros and cons, as is typical when wine tasting, but my top two were the Rosé from Skylite and the Late Harvest Chenin Blanc from Terra Blanca.  The Rose was certainly a European style with a mustiness on the nose that included prunes and raisins.  It was absolutely delicious!  Not as crisp as some Rosé’s tend to be.  The Late Harvest Chenin Blanc had a delightful blend of peaches and flowers on the nose and it was VERY tasty. 

To open a business in this economical climate, no less, a wine bar, is a risky venture to say the least.  The location seems to be in a good place so hopefully Nectar Tasting Room can sustain a healthy business until the Summer rolls around when it will be a little easier.  If you are in the Spokane area you should really try to make it over to Nectar Tasting Room.

As per tradition it is time to make some predictions for this weeks NFL Conference Championship games.  By DEFAULT, I pick the Jets to defeat the Steelers.  I can’t stand the Steelers and their quarterback, in my humble opinion, is overrated.  How ’bout, 23-14.  Gary Vaynerchuck will be pleased I’m choosing the Jets as well.  If you watch ANY of his epidodes, you know he’s an obnoxious Jets fan that hopes to someday own that team.  Oh, obnoxious in a GOOD way, Gary. 

On the other end, how can you NOT pick the Packers over da Bears?  Rogers is playing out of his mind and they are on a major roll, plus the Bears just up-ended my Seahawks, so still not too happy with them.  The score will be 30-17.  There you have it, the Jets versus the Packers in the Super Bowl in Dallas in 17 days.

I will write before THAT however to give you my Super Bowl prediction.  Until then, thank you SO much for reading and bottoms UP!

I grew up in West Seattle.  I played football at West Seattle High School and graduated in, um….. 1979.  I know West Seattle like the back of my hand.  I have been called Mr. West Seattle by people because I’m constantly running into people I know when I’m out and about.  A few of months ago I was in West Seattle I found this new wine store and I “forced” myself to enter the shop for the FIRST time. 

Jon McNamara approached me immediately, partly because I was the only one in there.  He owns it with his wife who is simply named, T.  It is clean with very simple displays of many different wines from many different wine regions of the world, but of course, heavily stocked with Washington Wines.

The LAST time I visited bin 41 they had a tasting that showcased a couple of newer wineries, Fall Line Winery and Reynvaan Family Vineyards.  This particular tasting both of the wineries’ winemakers were there, to help promote their wines.  I find it very helpful to be able to talk to the winemakers whenever possible.  It’s nice to be able to put a face that’s behind the juice that’s in the bottle!

Tim Sorenson, shown with me to the left, is the winemaker at Fall Line Winery which produces about 2,000 cases each year and is located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.  He was pouring the year 2007 this particular night.  The first was a red blend called Exhibition, which fuses Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot.  I also tasted another red blend called Artz which has Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from a single vineyard on Red Mountain.  I also tasted their 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.   All the wines were young but solid, with soft tannins and an easy personality.

The other winery that was there pouring was Reynvaan Family Vineyards and proprietor Mike Reynvaan, shown with me to the left.  Reynvaan produces only 1,200 cases a year and they are located in Walla Walla.  They also grow their own fruit, their first release being the 2007.  I tasted their 2008 Unnamed Syrah which has about 10% Viognier in it which I found softened it up quite a bit.  This one had quite the nose on it with a smokey barnyard funk peppered with tar.  The other was their In The Rocks Syrah with a little Viognier and a dash of Marsanne.  This was my favorite of the night.  I found blueberries in the nose with a dark, inky taste.

Bin 41 typically has two tastings like this every week, usually on Wednesday and Saturday, but sometimes they’ll sneak another tasting in.  What’s fun about small wine shops like this is that they are motivated to teach their customer base about wine in an easy, non-expensive way.  This particular tasting was 5 bucks to taste 5 fun wines.  I saw a couple of people that wanted to taste one or two of the wines again for comparison and it was completely acceptable.

Another great thing about small wine shops like this is you are more likely to be remembered.  When I first visited bin 41 Jon and I had about 20-30 minutes of conversation as he told me a bit about their story and sold me a couple of bottles of wine.  When I walked in this time, nearly four months later, Jon not only recognized me but called me by name!  Are you SERIOUS?  Not only that, he told me the wines he recommended and that I purchased, the names I had long forgotten (not because I didn’t like them but because I have early signs of Dementia setting in!).  That absolutely amazed me and, yes, I will make it a point to come in whenever possible to pick up some more fun wines I haven’t tried yet.

It’s these family owned, small little wine shops that bring intimacy and knowledge to a fast growing group of wine lovers that have a thirst for wine education.  To meet the winemakers behind the wine escalates the relationship between the wineries and consumers.  In this day and age of increased competition in the wine world that’s just one more marketing tool a winery has in their arsenal to help the consumer make a wine buying decision in THEIR favor.

As always, you can find me on Facebook AND Twitter, and I hope you WILL! 

Thank you to all the new people registering for this blog!  And thank you SO much for reading and bottoms up!

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!

The tasting room at RockWall Cellars.

By Phil Anderson

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

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!