~ Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine™ ~

Fall Release Weekend in Walla Walla!

2009-11-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

It’s time for Fall Release in Walla Walla and what does this mean? Well, the truth of the matter is every first weekend in November, Christophe Baron of Cayuse Vineyards opens his doors to all of his fans who are on “the list” to pick up their “futures.” It also means it's a great time for the other wineries to show and shine! And what does this mean for the rest of us who are on the main Cayuse waiting list or on the chain of waiting lists to get on the waiting lists? (Hmmmph, I lost my place on the list in the “divorce” – phhhhtttt!) It means there are plenty of other great wines to taste in the Walla Walla Valley! So buck up and wipe those tears. Not all is lost. Here’s a few surprises some of the wineries have in store just for you!

Basel Cellars will be featuring local photography, book signing by Steve Roberts, Wine Trails of Washington and bratwurst on the grill. Bergevin Lane will release “Heart and Soul” Pinot Noir – 2007. Now that’s a grape we don’t see too often in Walla Walla. Canoe Ridge Vineyards will be celebrating their 20th Anniversary with vintage wine pours and appetizers. It’s a grand opening for new winery Castilo de Feliciana. Enjoy regional Spanish food and Flamenco guitar. Dumas Station Wines from Dayton will be poured at Merchants Deli featuring selected breads and cheeses. Gramercy Cellars will be serving their recently well a-“pointed” wines under the big top circus tent in the vineyard. The Wine Advocate gave Gramercy some love with 96, 94 and 93 point wine ratings! Selected barrel tasting and appetizers at the school house that Wine & Spirits magazine named L'Ecole No. 41 "Winery of the Year" for the 8th consecutive year! WOW!

It’s a rare opportunity when Long Shadows Vintners opens their doors – don’t miss it! They will be pouring their new releases along with scrumptious appetizers (as always). Sonja and Jim always have good food at Lowden Hills Winery along with some great sales! Northstar Winery will be pouring new releases paired with an assortment of cheeses. Check out their spectacular view of the Blue Mountains. Otis Kenyon Winery will be available at their downtown tasting room and out at the winery. Ask them to share their fascinating story about their label. Check out the bronze exhibit at Rulo Winery and taste their fabulous and affordable Syrahs! Rich at Saviah Cellars is releasing a Petit Verdot! Yum! That wine will go fast! Live music all the time at Sapolil Cellars – check it out! There is an art exhibit at Seven Hills Winery and Vicky McClellan told me she's digging through her library wines to share. Don’t miss that one! Enjoy local cheeses from Monteillet Fromagerie at Skylite Cellars Winery on the highway. Stella Fino will feature their new releases and beautiful chocolate from Petits Noirs chocolatiers.

It’s the 10th Anniversary at Three Rivers Winery and what a party! Featuring music, appetizers, food demos and VIETRI handcrafted Italian home décor is making an appearance. Trio Vintners at the incubators is opening their Willow Annex art gallery featuring smoke prints by Frank Janzen. If you are downtown, tickle your nose with a glass of bubbles from Tru Cellars. The sparkling Blanc de Blanc is a treat! Then walk across the street and start your weekend on Friday at Walla Walla Wine Works and listen to the tunes of Paul Gregutt (famed wine writer and author) and Pete Crawford (“Where’s Mary?”). Small plates of deliciousness are available for purchase. Drop by Woodward Canyon and check out their new “Reserve House.” Chef Charles Caulder and Chef Jay Entrikin will offer special bites to pair with current releases.

Now if this isn’t enough to keep you busy I don’t know what will! For a list of other participating wineries, releases, and special dinners check out the Walla Walla Wine News Fall Release Guide. For a map and directions there are brochures available at most of the wineries or go online to Walla Walla Wine Alliance.

Need a guide on how to act savvy and cool at the wineries? Check out the Walla Walla Wine News Fall Release Survival Guide written by Yours Truly. The guide will assist you in making the most of your weekend. And let me add some new pointers such as all of the basic things we learned in kindergarten: When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together; Share everything; Play fair; Don't hit people; Put things back where you found them; Clean up your own mess; Don't take things that aren't yours; Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody; Wash your hands before you eat; Flush; Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you or in this case - -

Wine and cheese are good for you! Enjoy!

Game On! 8-Bit Vintners

2009-11-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

When it comes to gaming I plead ignorance, but I wasn’t always. In the early 80’s I polished my skills on Ms. Pacman. I was in a situation of "if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em." At the time, my young step-son and his friends were very much into arcades and when we took the kids out for pizza after a football game, they became glued to the video games.

Mike James, self-proclaimed gaming geek and owner/winemaker of 8-Bit Vintners realized while gamers were busy slaying dragons and saving princesses, these heroes with square box weapons needed their own wine. I could hardly wait to try 8-Bit Vintners “Player 1” when I first heard it was to be bottled in July.

“Player 1” is a red blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Tempranillo, 10% Cab Sauv, and 5% of Carmenere and 5% Malbec produced with fruit from the Columbia and Walla Walla Valleys. Mike chose to use screw caps instead of corks and it wasn’t a statement against corks either. His intentions for the wine was easy access and to be enjoyed NOW! Like who needs to screw with a cork when you are busy playing with your joy stick?

A few days ago, I heard my doorbell ring just as I opened my first bottle of 8-Bit Vintners. It was a good friend stopping by and he must have heard the snap and release of the bottle cap. It was a fun surprise and a great reason for an impromptu plate of water crackers, crisp apple slices and a wheel of smoked gouda. We found the blend to be an “easy sipper.” Right up front it showed the fruitiness of the syrah with just a hint of spice at the end. The tannins were well balanced and the acids didn’t clash with the tartness of the apples. Yeah, and the price is right. At $18 a bottle it’s a wine you could enjoy every day or share with friends for a special event. Rumor is there may be a white blend named “Player 2.”

I think Mike James has accomplished his goal. Game on!

Which Walla Walla Washington Wine for the Wicked Witches?

2009-10-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

I love scary stories, don’t you? Hold onto your seats because this is the scariest Halloween story you will ever hear.

Once upon a time in a little town called Walla Walla there were a coven of four witches by the names of Grand Cru-ella, Claretta, Uvaggio, and Mog. All Hallows Eve was just around the corner, so they decided to plan a soiree to celebrate. Of course, if you are a witch you don’t need to hire a caterer or a sommelier to handle such a grand party, because all you have to do is wrinkle your nose or cast a spell and voila - dinner and wine is served! But their wine spells still needed some guidance. As the coven gathered drinking River of Skulls - 2007, from Twisted Oak Winery out of their tea cups (so their neighbors wouldn't see them drinking a California wine), Grand Cru-ella, the head witch lead the discussion on which Walla Walla wine would pair with what wicked witchy entree.

“Now Sisters, here is the menu with the six courses that Sister Claretta chose for our All Hallows Eve Soiree. I will read each course aloud and together we will cast a spell for the magic sommelier to choose the appropriate wine” said Grand Cru-ella. "And note, there will be no white or pink wines. The only wines to be served will be the color of blood red."

Claretta, was a sophisticated witch from England. She had wine and dined with the finest royalty for centuries, while Uvaggio was still locked into the 80's and only drank California Chardonnay. And then there was poor little Mog. She was just a silly little witch who typically during these food and wine pairing discussions would talk about any "material other than grapes."

"We will start our evening with an amuse-bouche of clown's tongue on a skewer. We thought the clown wasn't very funny, but perhaps he will amuse us now." said Grand Cru-ella. "Now Witches, which wicked Walla Walla Washington wine?"

And together the little coven sang their spell, "Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!"

"POOF!" Sleight of Hand Cellars The Spellbinder - 2007 appeared! An aromatic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese.

"Next on our menu is a light offering of fresh flesh of sea beast on wafers with an O- blood drizzle," Grand Cru-ella said.

And together the little coven sang their spell, "Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!"

"POOF!" Thirsty Pagans Communion Red - 2005 appeared! A great every day sipping wine that is produced with a screw cap.

"For our third course, it will be a little heavier. Broiled Hansel and Gretel in a mole gingerbread sauce. Now mind you, not a chocolate mole' sauce, but a sauce actually made from moles," Grand Cru-ella pointed out with her gnarled finger.

And once again, the little coven sang their spell, "Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!"

"POOF!" L'Ecole No#41 Recess Red - 2007 appeared! An affordable and tasty red blend from an award winning winery. Claretta was particularly happy with that choice as the winery was once an old school house filled with tender young children. She so enjoyed pâté de pupils on pumpernickel.

"Sisters, our fourth course is very special." Grand Cru-ella said with delight in her voice. "We are celebrating the other planets around us. Remember Uvaggio when we visited Mars and you came back with that new hairdo? We'll celebrate with sauteed toadstools over risoto spoiled by weevils and sprinkled with moon dust."

And again with anticipation the cackling group of crones sang, "Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!"

"POOF!" A bottle of SYZYGY SAROS 139 - 2006! A unique and elegant blend of Malbec, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon.

"We're going to do another plate in celebration of the sky," said Grand Cru-ella. "I love flying on a starry night. Our fifth course will be a tribute to flight. I particularly chose roasted wing of bat, but will accent the wing with eye of Newt Gingrich and a mossy lichen salad."

"Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!"

"POOF!" A bottle of Five Star Cellars Walla Walla Valley Merlot - 2006 appeared! A quality merlot produced with quality fruit from the valley.

"Sisters, now we are finally at the end of our menu - our sixth and last course. It is a grand course. A course that is not only worthy of one fine wine in all of Walla Walla, but two wines! We are serving the curls of Dorothy and her little dog, ToTo, too! The curls will be served in ruby red slippers used by female impersonators from San Francisco," Grand Cru-ella chirped with such enthusiasm.

"Sisters, this is a course so fine, we are not relying on magic. Sister Claretta and I have relied on our fine palates for the choice of these two wines!" Grand Cru-ella hauntily said. "We are announcing that our sixth and last course will be paired with a Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - 2006 and a Cayuse Vineyards Armada Syrah - 2005!"

"Oooooo!" the wicked Walla Walla Witches awed.

"Sisters, you remember Bob Parker, don't you?" said Claretta. "Remember when he sold us his soul in exchange to grow him a new tongue after our Sister Alice in California removed it in her brave effort to save the world from him? Well, Bob gave both of these fine wines excellent ratings in the past. He has given Leonetti Cabernet Reserve 97 points for past 2003, 2004, 2005 vintages and for Cayuse Armada Syrah 98 points for the 2004 vintage and 99 points for the 2003!

Finally Mog spoke up. "But Sister Claretta, I was just down in the wine cellar foraging for a breakfast of spiders and I didn't see one bottle of Leonetti or Cayuse in the cellar."

"Oh don't be silly Mog. We have magic," interrupted Uvaggio as she quit chugging the Chardonnay from the bottle she had hidden under the table and sneered down at Mog. "I can get us any wine anytime we want. I have connections. I know people. Now gather 'round sisters so we can cast this spell. It's Witch Wine O'Clock and there's a glass of Chardonnay waiting for me at the Walla Walla Warlock Club."

"Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!" the witches chanted!

"POOF! BOING!" All of a sudden the bottles turned into shadowy forms! And just as Grand Cru-ella tried to grab for the shadows of the Leonetti and Cayuse bottles, the bottles slowly faded and then, "POOF!" Disappeared!

Once again the witches cast their spell, "Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang Walla Walla, bing bang!"

"BOING! BOING! BOING!" Nothing! The spell didn't work. There were no bottles of Leonetti or Cayuse wine.

Claretta shrieked to Grand Cru-ella, "Sister Cru-ella! What are we going to do? Why can't we keep the spell on those bottles of wine? Our All Hallows Eve Soiree will be ruined! What will our guests think? How will we ever keep up with Lord and Lady MacBeth?"

All of a sudden the room shook and the lit candles dimmed. The wind began to switch - the house to pitch - and suddenly the hinges started to - unhitch! Then a huge booming terrifying voice from the ground groaned and bellowed! It was the most terrifying and most ghastliest sound one could ever imagine! GASP!

"The waiting lists of Cayuse Vineyards and Leonetti Cellars are currently full. If you would like to placed on the "Waiting Lists" for their waiting lists, please contact us by snail mail because even if you send us an email or fax to speed things up, your current wait will still be 5-8 years. Thank you for your patience and have a nice day!"

The End.

WBC-or-Bust: Road to Walla Walla

2009-10-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with the third annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC), WineCHATr.com will provide 12 citizen wine writers the opportunity to catch a ride across Washington wine country. WineCHATr.com is an online community for the growing wine industry, where both popular wine bloggers and businesses come together to connect and share information on wine.

In eight months, hundreds of wine bloggers will converge on Walla Walla for the WBC to sip, sample and see what the Washington wine industry has to offer—while sharing their experiences online. The three-day event—taking place June 25-27, 2010—will attract over 250 wine bloggers as well as industry professionals from all over the country.

For many of the WBC attendees, this will be their first opportunity to visit Walla Walla, or even Washington State. As a way to provide a complete Washington wine experience, WineCHATr.com created the WBC-or-BUST: Road to Walla Walla campaign, which provides 12 lucky wine bloggers all-expenses paid travel between Seattle and Walla Walla.

“Washington is a premier wine region and a road trip just sounded like a fun way to get visiting bloggers where they needed to go, while sharing a broader Washington experience including it’s wine, food, and landscape,” says Marcus Pape, founder WineCHATr.com.

Starting in Seattle and traveling by way of several key wine regions, bloggers will be wined, dined, and educated for three days and two nights as they make their way to the conference. Along for the ride will be a video crew, a few key wine media professionals, and several local industry icons providing some quality Q&A and regional flavor sharing. All provided to these visiting bloggers at no cost for simply doing what they do best – blogging.

“The WBC-or-BUST campaign is a terrific primer for next year’s conference,” said Ryan Pennington, Senior Communications Manager Washington Wine Commission. “Winning bloggers will experience the true breadth and diversity of our industry first hand, arriving in Walla Walla with a truly unique understanding of what Washington wine is all about.”

For more information on the WBC-or-Bust: Road to Walla Walla campaign and how to qualify or get involved, contact WBC-or-BUST! If I didn't already live here or was an WBC Event Sponsor, I would sign up to catch a ride. This is going to be a very cool experience!

A Myriad of Merlots

2009-10-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

I do love them and held true to them even when they were knocked “sideways” by Miles Raymond, the moody self-sabotaging wine aficionado character from the movie Sideways. I stayed faithful and never wavered when a group of writing peers from northern California skewered and flamed me for drinking a wine they felt was merely worthy of blending. Was it my fault they couldn’t get past their own wimpy California Merlots and not realizing that all Merlots were not created equal? Should I have felt guilty for having world class Merlots from the State of Washington all around me and so easily accessible?

Lately, I’ve been keeping an eye out for quality Merlots from Walla Walla that also come with an affordable price tag, so the lover of this little Bordeaux-influenced grape can get the most Bordeaux-Walla-Walla-Bing-Bang for their buck.

Basel Cellars Estate Merlot - 2006: If you want a bold Merlot that you can sink your teeth into along with that big piece of beef on your plate, then this is the Merlot. This Estate grown Merlot was aged 18 months in 37% new American and French oak. An aromatic nose of a cigar humidor and notes of vanilla. Lots of supple dark fruit in the glass that is completed with a dark cocoa finish. This wine could definitely be cellared for about five years. A Gold Medal winner of the 2009 Denver International Wine Competition. Retail Price: $28/bottle

Skylite Cellars Estate Merlot - 2005: I first tasted this wine at Taste Washington in Spokane with Cheryl Hodges co-owner of Skylite Cellars. It was their first vintage using 1oo% of their own fruit from their Skylite Estate Vineyard. Aged two years in new American oak. The nose was lightly smoky reminiscent of the autumn air and the palate reminded me of milk chocolate cherry cordials I really enjoyed this Merlot and thought it showed the fruit of Walla Walla quite well. Another Merlot that could be cellared, if you wish. Price: $26/bottle.

Nelms Road Merlot - 2007: Nelm's Road is the second label for Woodward Canyon. What I enjoy about the Nelms Road label is I always know I'm getting a quality wine made with quality fruit. A nose of leather and vanilla leads your palate to big bold flavors of black fruit and cherry. These wines are earthy and with the right elements, they can be cellared for about five years, but equally drinkable as a young wine. I say the price is right to enjoy now and often. Price: $21/bottle.

Revelry Vintners Columbia Valley Merlot - 2006: Revelry Vintners is a new winery at the Walla Walla Airport district. This Merlot was an easy sipper and would pair quite well with the basics such as hamburgers or upscale it a bit with salmon, of course saving extra for a Merlot redux sauce. Big berry and cherry flavors with just a slight touch of oak and a little spice to let you know you are sipping a Merlot. Definitely a young drinkable wine and very easy on the pocketbook. Price: $15/bottle.

In the movie, Miles Raymond got his tighty-whiteys in a bunch yelling outside the restaurant, "If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!"

And to everyone who shares the same sentiments, don't let the door hit you in the bung hole on your way out.

Locati Cellars Oregon Pinot Grigio - 2007

2009-10-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

In the 80's the trendy white wine was Chardonnay. In 2000, it appears to be the little gray grape with the split personality - Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, depending if you are in France or Italy. I typically don't drink a lot of whites even though I’ve been on my soapbox barking that those of us who favor the red grape, need to give whites a chance. So, although I am not perfect, I try to heed my own words - - once in awhile.

After the Labor Day weekend, I remembered a chilled bottle of Locati Cellars Oregon Pinot Grigio - 2007 a guest left in my refrigerator. He had mentioned how much he enjoyed the wine and was anxious to get my opinion on it. Locati Cellars is located on the Stateline Road at Milton-Freewater, OR which is still located in the Walla Walla AVA. Something told me with the Locati name it had to be good because of their reputation for fine local produce in the valley and they've been been making wine for their family for over 100 years.

Since my experience with Pinot Gris or Grigios has been minimum (a glass here. a glass there) and it's been a few years since I tasted an Alsatian Pinot Gris, I became rather hooked on this refreshing white wine from Locati Cellars. It displayed a light mineral quality up front, a mid palate of honeydew melon and lemons and ended with just the right amount of acids to make it crisp and left the palate very clean and wanting more. It was an easy sipper and definitely a wine I would recommend for seafood that's been accented well with butter.

A few days after tasting the wine, I packed up my little dog, Chloe and off we ventured to the Oregon Coast to unwind in front of the ocean, ponder life and gather new energy from the waves. I kept thinking about the Locati Cellars Pinot Grigio and how well it would pair with fish and seafood. One evening at the beach I took advantage of the one burner in the room's kitchenette and threw together linquine with clam sauce. Not the creamy, starchy, thick clam sauce, but a fresh lemony, buttery and clam nectar sauce with simple ingredients. Of course, I needed a good wine to go with, so I bought an popular Willamette Valley label Pinot Grigio. Hey, when in Rome...

But you know, the Willamette Valley Pinot Grigio was okay - - just okay when compared to the Locati Cellars Pinot Grigio from the other side of Oregon - - the NE side of Oregon. The popular Willamette Valley wine just didn’t have the crisp and spritzy acids that the Locati Cellars Pinot Grigio produced and frankly I think there was a skoosh of residual sugar hanging around in the Willamette Pinot Grigio - a bit cloying for my taste. The linguine with clam sauce really needed the Locati Cellars Pinot Grigio. It's really more of a sophisticated and food friendlier wine.

After enjoying the Locati Cellars Pinot Grigio, I am really anxious to try the other Locati Cellars wines from owners Michael and Penne Locati. For the time being you can taste their wines at Cugini Italian Foods at Wallula Avenue and Penne tells me that their new tasting room will be opening soon at the old Train Depot on North Second in Walla Walla. Penne also told me about a dry Orange Muscat they have produced, which I am looking forward to trying, besides their Italian red varietals. Salute'!

Crying Over the Last Drop: Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon - Klipsun Vineyard

2009-10-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a bottle of wine that you almost cried over when you squeezed the very last drop into your glass? (and nooo - - I didn’t put the bottle to my lips) Well, Seven Hills Winery Cabernet Sauvignon - 2006, from the Klipsun Vineyard at Red Mountain, made my “Crying Over the Last Drop" wine list.

Opening a bottle of wine can be like opening a scrapbook filled of memories. As I read the Seven Hills label and noticed the fruit was sourced from the Klipsun Vineyard, it brought back a memory from a couple of years ago. I was sitting on top of the Klipsun Vineyard in a gazebo visiting with Klipsun owner, Patricia Gelles; Gilles Nicault, managing winemaker for Long Shadows Vintners; and Steven Bjerklie, wine writer for Mid-Columbian Magazine.

The sun was warm and the brisk wind raged about the vineyard. The view of the Yakima Valley from the steep slope was peaceful and the cheetgrass that turns a red wine color, giving the landscape of Red Mountain its name, was faded by the warm sun.

Understanding this bottle of wine would cellar very well, I still couldn’t wait to pull the cork. The deep red color filled my glass leaving a spicy nose and sweet smells of dried plums, cranberries and vanilla. If I had sipped this wine in a blind tasting, I would have sworn it was Walla Walla fruit because of the rich earthy smell. It was well balanced and the concentrated dark berry flavors of raspberries and blackberries reminded me of Marie Callender’s “Razzleberry” pie (note: this is a good thing). There were a few tannins hanging around, but for my tannin-loving palate, just enough to let you know they were present. Again, it was very well balanced and had all of the components in a Cabernet Sauvignon that makes me swoon.

If I were giving out ratings, (which I don’t because - - hellooooo, I live in this town and have to face y’all at the grocery store) with “5" being the highest of the swoon worthy, I would definitely give Walla Walla's Seven Hills Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Klipsun Vineyard - 2006 - -

5 Swoons

Get me off of the crazy train, I need to stop and smell the roses!

2009-10-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

Ozzy Osbourne sang it
“…I’m going off the rails on a crazy train."

Dear Readers,

Forgive me and my schmaltzy projections. This isn’t all that wine related, but only about the author of the blog. The “author” of this blog lives on adrenalin, but it is a mighty adrenalin and it is about the wine. It’s about the wine, the people who love it and the people who make it. It’s about terroir and it is about a town. There are times she wishes she didn’t have to work a “real” job to pay the mortgage and wishes she didn’t have to sleep. There are days she wishes she could do nothing but walk around the valley and visit with every wine tourist and every wine employee. There are days she wishes she could pack up her little dog and sit in front of the great Pacific Ocean on the Oregon side and watch the waves roll in and out all day. Oh she wishes…

It’s been one hell of a year. It’s been about triumph and loss. It’s been about change and most of all – the last few weeks it’s been about slowing down. My triumph was flying to the North American Wine Bloggers Conference in Napa/Sonoma so I could hear them officially announce the Third Annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference would be held in Walla Walla. My loss was the break-up of an eight-year relationship with a companion who was my best friend and fellow "wine geek" journalist. My recent relationships have been with doctors, but I have little tolerance when they tell me I am sick. Except I do kind of dig my primary physician who reminds me that a glass of red wine every day is good for me and then later reminds himself he is “preaching to the choir.” I am not a good patient. I hate going to the doctor and to the hospital – it’s full of sick people.

In the mean time, my little online wine store is growing. Almost more than one person can handle, but not enough to hire out for help (unless they want to “intern.”). Hell, there are days I need someone to answer all the emails and requests! But then again, the down side is - - meet Ms. Micromanager. Me.

And there is so much on my brain I want to write about that I can’t sleep at night, but too tired to sit up and too tired to put my fingers to the keyboard. There are several great wines I have recently tasted and need to blog about. There’s an interesting story about a local I recently met whose project is to taste a wine from every winery in Walla Walla before the end of the year. I have a soap box rant about the recent FTC ruling this week. Effective December 1, blogs will have to write disclaimers whether or not they purchased or was given the wines they are blogging about. Bloggers who work for little or nothing must do this, but traditional media will not have to. Say what?

So - - Yes Virginia, there is a Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman. She just needs to slow down a bit - - for at least a while. Instead of an average of seven blogs a month, there may be only four - - at least for now. Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year, so perhaps my timing is appropriate. The days are getting shorter and the trees know it is time to rest. I need to rest - - at least for awhile. And I need to stop and smell what roses are left before the cold takes them away. In the mean time if you see me walking about the town with no direction and perhaps a camera in hand - - I’m just taking the time to stop - - and smell and take in whatever sight and sound that is around me.

I’m still here.

A New Look for the Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman Blog!

2009-10-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

The Internet is ever-changing in an ever-evolving world and with the world of wine blogging growing and becoming more dominant, I thought it was time to freshen up the look. Don't get me wrong - I thought the site looked "pretty in pink" and bordello - - I mean Bordeaux red. But now days the importance of branding and consistency cannot be stressed enough in the marketing world.

Change is hard, but I hope I am never too old to know when it is time.

Tertulia Cellars: A Sense of Place

2009-10-02T12:30:00.000-07:00

If you check out Wikipedia, it will tell you the Spanish name, "Tertulia" means a social gathering with literary or artistic overtones. It will also tell you that a typical tertulia in recent centuries has been a regularly scheduled event in a public place such as a bar or even a living room. It's a place where people share their recent creations, such as poetry, short stories and even artwork or songs.

Tertulia Cellars, located near the foothills of the Walla Walla Valley, certainly lives up to its name. As you come up the drive you are met with a colorful building with sections painted dark coral, bright sunflower yellow, and a warm aubergine. It's like the building sits on it's own little oasis with surrounding vineyards nearby.

Once inside the door, you understand Tertulia Cellars takes their name seriously as the room is prepared for an ongoing social gathering with a large and welcoming circular bar, waist high cocktail tables and an intimate area with couches surrounding a fireplace.

I was thrilled to meet and tour the winery and vineyards with Stevie Johnson, the new Director of Sales & Marketing (and a very gracious host), as well as meeting and visiting with Quentin Mylet, the new winemaker who had also worked with former Tertulia winemaker, Ryan Raber. It was a pleasure to taste again the wines of Tertulia Cellars and be reminded of legacy of well balanced and quality wines that Ryan Raber left behind. I am excited to see future vintages from Quentin.

What impressed me the most about the line-up of wines I tasted, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Viognier, was the diversity of varietals that Tertulia produces, such as Tempranillo, Carmenere and Malbec. Each one capturing the character, yet emphasizing the uniqueness of each.

I swooned over the Tertulia Cellars Tempranillo - 2007, a blueish-blackish wine in color with fruit sourced from Les Collines located at the Walla Walla foothills. The nose was spicy and nutty leaving the palate with flavors of dark juicy black fruits, like dark cherries and currants with hints of chocolate and coffee.

If you have never been a fan of Carmenère, then you should consider Tertulia Cellars Phinny Hill Vineyard - 2007. I think the addition of 15% Merlot, really helped to soften this wine, while still leaving the peppery characteristics that is traditionally found in Carmenère. It just isn't so "in- your-face" with pepper, making it a more food friendlier wine, while still showing off flavors of plum and dark berries.

Call me "Silly" (Hellooo Silly!), but here is my deal when I judge what makes a good Malbec: it must taste like grape jelly on graham crackers. Okay, bear with me here - it goes back to the instructions of Dr. Ann Noble, the Guru of Wine Sensory Evaluation. Dr. Noble said when trying to describe notes and flavors of wine, reach back into your memory bank of smells and tastes that may have to do with special events.

As a kid, I loved going to my grandparents house to ride the pony, feed the chickens, run the length of the horse pasture, exploring the barn and walking through their magnificent vegetable and flower gardens. Snack times after all that activity meant fresh baked cookies, but if grandma was behind in her baking, we would have graham or soda crackers with an assortment of her jellies, jams and fruit butters. For me, the taste of a good Malbec must smell and taste like grape jelly on graham crackers, like what I remember from Grandma's house.

All I need to say about the Tertulia Cellars Malbec - 2006 is, "Hellooo Grandma!"

After my visit at Tertulia Cellars, I started thinking about their name. It occurred to me after tasting their wines in their light and friendly tasting room, visiting with the staff and touring the cellar and their vineyards, that for Tertulia Cellars it means more than a social gathering of friends. Tertulia Cellars have their own sense of place in the valley. Tertulia Cellars definitely has their own terroir.

PALATE PRESS: The Online Wine Magazine

2009-09-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

The official launch of PALATE PRESS: The Online Wine Magazine has arrived! PALATE PRESS seeks out and publishes the very best wine writers and writings on the internet.

PALATE PRESS is the collaboration of David Honig and W.R. "Tish" Tisherman. Honig is publisher, blogger, attorney, self-educated oenephile and the man behind the 89 Project. Known as "Tish' in the wine trade, he has been writing and speaking about wine and food for more than two decades, including former editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine from 1988 to 1998.

Last week was the official launch of the online magazine. There is a wide range of wine topics by a wide range of talented wine writers. A sampling: Randall Grahm profile, Nutritional Facts on Wine, Brettanomyces in White Wine (who knew?) Alsace Gastronomy, Spotlight on Zin and last but not least. For those of you who love Walla Walla and love the wines - - a few words about the town so nice they named it twice by - - yours truly. Check it out!

Deep Deep Roots: Walla Walla Wine Their once claim to fame was when cartoon star Bugs Bunny announced himself in one of the Looney Tunes episodes as the “Wishie-Washie-White-Washing Machine Salesman from Walla Walla Washington.” ...

Wine Blogging Wednesday #61: The Serendipitous SuLei Cellars Rousanne

2009-09-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the 61st Wine Blogging Wednesday. And today we go back to the beginning of this project as it's being hosted by Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours who is the founder of WBW. This month Lenn has challenged us to write about a wine based on a tasting done at a winery. And “extra points” are given if we do the tasting with the winemaker. I am claiming my extra points. What do I win, Lenn?

When you live in a small wine oriented community like Walla Walla, there is bound to be serendipitous events that will lead you to a great wine.

It all started when I received an email from Tanya and Elaine, owners of a new winery, SuLei (Soo-Lay) Cellars in Walla Walla. I had just returned from the Wine Bloggers Conference in California and was playing catch-up with my emails and deadlines. The evening I had planned to tackle this project, I had also made plans to attend a wine industry event. While at the event and visiting about, I was chatting with friend Kate Bray Morrison, who commented there were a couple of people at the event she thought I should meet. Well, to make a long story short, it was Tanya and Elaine of SuLei Cellars!

Six days later, I dined at the ‘Burg Cottage (Waitsburg) of Paul and Karen Stanton-Gregutt. If you are a fan of Washington wines and live in Washington State and do not know who Paul Gregutt is, then you must be drinking your wine under a rock. Paul writes Sunday’s "Wine Adviser" column in the Seattle Times Pacific magazine and a monthly wine column in Spokane Spokesman-Review, as well as the author of the critically acclaimed book – “Washington Wines & Wineries – The Essential Guide.” The focus of the meal was Karen’s “Herbal Chicken Platter” - grilled slices of tender chicken breasts. Each piece of chicken had its own savory mixture of fresh herbs that Karen had picked from her beautiful, and very fragrant, herb and antique rose garden minutes before.

Paul brought to the table a bottle of white wine to pair with the meal. And with the label concealed by the wine chiller, he asked us to figure out what type of white grape it was. After a few wrong guesses - - it was the 2008 Roussanne from SuLei Cellars. I exclaimed that I had an appointment to visit SuLei for a private tasting! Two days later, I once again had the opportunity to taste the SuLei Cellars Roussanne, but this time with owners, Tanya Woodley, winemaker and Elaine Jomwe, Operations Manager.

SuLei Cellars Roussanne 2008 is a very friendly white wine that was far too easy for me to consume. Typically, my palate doesn’t lend itself to Roussanne, like it does to Viognier, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, but when Tanya offered me a second glass I didn’t turn it down (nor did I turn down a second glass of the SuLei Roussanne at the Gregutt Cottage).

This Roussanne is produced as single vineyard wine from the Jon Cockburn Ranch Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA. I definitely thought the wine carried an influence from the old apple orchards in the area many moons ago. The nose showed floral notes of orange blossom and honey suckle. My palate found flavors of ripe peaches and also found the wine to be dominant with notes of crisp apples. Old and new barrels were used leaving just enough oak to round out the acids, while still leaving enough acidity to enhance food pairings.

I would recommend this wine to be paired, of course with a plate of imported cheeses. Also a complimentary pairing with a buttery seasoned seafood entree or a seafood salad with a variety of crisp lettuce or even a fruit salad. And of course - - Karen Stanton-Gregutt’s "Herbal Chicken Platter."

Robison Ranch Cellars: Real Cowboys Drink Rosé

2009-09-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Cowboy - Yeah, I'm talkin' to you. Rosés are probably one of the most food friendly wines around. And Robison Ranch Cellars aint' afraid to make this pretty pink wine their first release.

Winemaker, Brad Riordan and Jim Robison have teamed together to form Robison Ranch Cellars. Robison Ranch is a third-generation family-owned ranch located in Walla Walla County.

In the Valley, Robison Ranch has been synonymous with hard work and unremitting quality since 1918, so it's no surprise that the next step for them would be to open a winery.

This 2008 blend of Walla Walla grown Syrah, Sangiovese, Merlot and Viognier is crisp, bright, fruit-forward and we discovered it was a great food pairing with curry and Asian-influenced meals. I served it for guests and family during our Labor Day BBQ and even the most critical wine fans and professional foodies raved!

We picked up notes of strawberry, cranberry and vanilla in the finish. I'm tellin' ya, I would recommend this rosé for the Thankgiving bird - - well, if the wine lasts that long. You see, there were only 25 cases made - - and it's going fast! Check it out at the W5.

Food & Wine Magazine: Winemaker of the Year 2009!

2009-09-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

HOT OFF THE PRESS!

Recognize this rock star winemaker from Walla Walla?

Sometimes one picture says it all.

Congratulations Charles!

Back to School: WSET in Walla Walla

2009-08-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

The WSET program is coming to town and going back to school doesn't get much better than this, when it means sitting in the class room with glasses of wine to sample.

The Wine & Spirits Educational Trust is the world's prestigious and most recognized leader in wines and spirits education and this will be the first time for this London-based program to reach Eastern Washington.

The WSET courses are ideal for anyone in the wine industry, whether working in food service, wine retail and tasting rooms, or in the fields of journalism, marketing, and education. And you don't have to be a professional to take these courses. They are perfect for the wine consumer who has a little or a lot of knowledge about wine.

WSET courses for Eastern Washington will be held at the Marcus Whitman Hotel and Conference Center in Walla Walla. Wine writer, Paul Gregutt will be teaching the comprehensive one-day Foundation Course (Level 1) Saturday, September 12 and a three-day Intermediate Course (Level 2), the weekends of October 10 and 18th. A WSET Advanced Course (Level 3) is also available, but will be scheduled for a later time.

WSET Instructor Paul Gregutt is recognized as the leading wine writer in Washington State. He appears every Sunday in the Seattle Times Pacific Magazine, the last Wednesday of each month in Spokane's Spokesman-Review, and is the Northwest editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine. Gregutt's best-selling book "Washington Wine & Wineries: The Essential Guide" is considered to be the best review of the state's wineries.

And Paul is no stranger to Eastern Washington as he and his wife, Karen Stanton-Gregutt, have taken up a second residence in Walla Walla County. Local rumor is Paul can be found sitting on the front porch of their cottage in Waitsburg playing the guitar and singing tunes about 90 point wines.

For more information contact Paul Gregutt or see: Eastern Washington WSET

Revisiting Old Favorites: Canoe Ridge

2009-08-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Writing about the wines of Walla Walla is not a full time gig for me. I often get so busy with - - well - - every day life. So, it is such a pleasure when local wineries contact me to say, "Hello Catie! We're here! We haven't seen you in a while." And that's exactly what Cynthia Souder from Canoe Ridge Vineyard did! It was great to see Cindy again and happy to hear she followed her sister and brother-in-law, Jennifer and David Marshall (David is with Long Shadows Vintners), to Walla Walla. The last time I saw her, she was wearing a tiara and stepping out of a limosine. Well - - after all - - it was her birthday.

Canoe Ridge, located in the historic railway engine house, was one of the first wineries in the Walla Walla Valley and John Abbott, now of Abeja Winery, was the winemaker in the early days of Canoe Ridge. The wines were always consistently solid and it was always so much fun to read John's tasting notes, as he always paired his wine with music. Dire Strait’s "Expresso Love" paired with Merlot, anyone?

After Abbott left to start up Abeja Winery, it seemed to me there was a year where the wines of Canoe Ridge weren't near as solid without Abbott, until Christophe Paubert, a native of Bordeaux and a previous winemaker for the premier Chateau d'Yquem, came to join Canoe Ridge as their winemaker. Once again, the wines of Canoe Ridge are at their finest.

It was such a treat to taste though the wines of Canoe Ridge once again. Not only have their reds received accolades, but their white wines, as well. Paubert has the right touch on Chardonnay. The focus is on the fruit and not on the oak - a wine reminiscent of old world Burgundy. The Gewürztraminer of Canoe Ridge is a classic example of this spicy white with the heady floral nose.

Available for the summer days and definitely a Turkey-Day pleaser is their Cabernet Sauvignon rosé. It was dry and crisp showing off an assortment of summer berries. The 2006 Red Table wine is certainly worth a mention. It is not only affordable at $17, but the quality is there. This 60% Merlot blend was velvetty on the palate with rich notes of cherry and chocolate. The soft tannins made it, not only an easy "sipper," so versatile with hearty foods. The Cabernets and Merlots of Canoe Ridge really show off the varietal character with a nice balance of fruit and oak. They are classic wines.

Christophe Paubert certainly brought his skills with him from Chateau d'Yquem (known for their dessert Sauternes) when it came to excuting the off-dry wines with the 2004 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, 2006 Late Harvest Chardonnay/Riesling blend and the Port Cabernet Sauvignon. I've been hearing so many good things about this particular red dessert wine, so I was excited to give this rare Walla Walla produced Port-style wine a taste. It is an elegant dark red liquid that paired well with a bite of a rich chocolate brownie. And I was surprised how it made my palate so happy when paired with a soft and buttery Camazola blue cheese.

It is worth the time to revisit this winery and if you have never visited, I recommend a stop to take advantage of their moderately priced and fine produced wines. Cindy and Jerry, tasting room staff were welcoming and friendly. The tasting room is rather cozy, but when I was there even the guests were friendly and fun to visit with!

Unfortunately, it was announced this last weekend that Paubert will be leaving Washington State and will be moving to California where he will be joining the winery of Stags' Leap in Napa. We will hold our breath with anticipation to see who will step into these big shoes of great winemakers before.

Barbera Release: CAVU Cellars

2009-08-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

I cannot explain it, but Italian varietals are intriguing to me. Of course, I never refuse an opportunity to taste a glass and Barbera is one of those Italian grapes.

The history of Barbera has long roots (pardon the pun) and is the second most widely planted red variety in Italy, after Sangiovese. The beginnings of this acidic and low tannin grape was believed to have originated in the hills of central Piedmont (Italian: Piemonte), Italy. And to make a long story short - it has eventually found its way to Washington State and this weekend, it is the Barbera Release Weekend at CAVU Cellars!

Back in May, during Spring Release weekend, I had the opportunity to barrel sample the same 2008 Barbera that will be officially released tomorrow. And again, just last week I sampled the same, but this time out of the bottle. The CAVU Cellars Barbera, with the very fresh fruit notes, pulled my nose deeper into the glass. This fruit forward wine showed notes of cherries and blueberries. It finished with just a hint of spice, but still rather "bright" with the perfect amount of acids and a touch of oak to round it all out. There's a reason why Italians let the wines pour freely with their meals, as the CAVU Cellars Barbera is definitely a wine that will enhance a cheese plate and a meal of pasta.

I was really happy to be able to visit with Joel Waite, winemaker of CAVU, while enjoying his new release. CAVU is an acronym for the aviation term: Ceiling And Visibility Unlimted. Joel's father, James is a former pilot and the aviation reference is very appropriate when you consider their winery location at the Port of Walla Walla Incubator Wineries is located at the Walla Walla Airport.

Joel is taking the opportunity to turn this new release into a party! Tomorrow, Friday, August 21 from 11 am - 11 pm there will be, not only wine, but food and music! Also, the celebration will continue Saturday (11-6) and Sunday (11-5). And I heard a rumor that there will be some major tunes, a "Backyard Bash", being played at the Walla Walla Wine Incubators on Friday (Contact CAVU for further info: 509-540-6352).

While you're sipping on the Barbera, don't forget to visit the other wineries at the Walla Walla Wine Incubators: Adamant, Kontos Cellars, Lodmell Cellars, and Trio Vintners.

Downtown Walla Walla: Music to my ears and wine in my glass.

2009-08-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

The combination of the two are the perfect pairing and downtown Walla Walla is alive with the sound of music (no apologies to Julie Andrews or Maria Von Trapp)!

Sapolil Cellars, located downtown Walla Walla, is a small winery cranking out big tunes. The piano, which started out as their tasting room bar, soon found its ivory being tickled by the local musicians. And Friday and Saturday nights on that block have never been the same, as they feature a line-up of the best musicians in the area. Some cover charges may apply and Sapolil’s wine is always available by the bottle or glass.

The word on the street is that particular block will soon give new meaning to “block party” as come this September, Merchants LTD Deli will keep their doors open Friday evenings featuring pourings by local winemakers. Merchants, with the best outdoor seating on the block, is just a few doors doors up from Sapolil.

But why wait until Friday to start the weekend? Every Thursday night join Walla Walla Village Winery, from 7-10 for “Open Mic Night.” Walla Walla Village Winery feels that training your nose to smell different aromas in wine is like training your ears to appreciate music. Like the difference between a Cabernet and a Chardonnay, music doesn’t matter if it’s rock, classical, or jazz…the analogy is the same. The more you concentrate on the music and the wine, the more you can pick out the different notes. So train your ears while you train your palate at Walla Walla Village Winery. The event is free and of course, wine is available for purchase.

Oh hell. Why even wait for Thursday to start the weekend? Start it on Wednesday! That’s right - - Wednesday! Let your ears guide the way to Walla Walla Wine Works (formerly the Waterbrook Tasting Room) for “Music Wednesdays.” It’s exactly what my ears did. They guided the way the other night to the music as I was coming back from a fabulous meal at T. Maccarones. Walla Walla Wine Works has a lovely outdoor setting in the heart of Walla Walla at the downtown plaza area on Main Street. The tasting room features a wide selection of wines for purchase and the event is free.

Who says there is nothing to do in Walla Walla? And if it’s being said, someone needs their whiny pee pants booted. Party on, Garth.

WBW #60: I Have Zinned

2009-08-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

First of all, many thanks to my Wine Blogging Conference '09 roomie, Megan Riley Kenney of Wannabe Wino Wine Blog for hosting the 60th edition and the 5th Birthday of Wine Blogging Wednesday! This is a milestone! And last but not least, many thanks to Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours for proposing the idea of this monthly virtual wine tasting tradition back in the summer of 2004.

This month Megan would like the world of wine bloggers to grab our favorite Zinfandel and pair it with BBQ and/or grilled foods in honor of the grilling season. Hey, I can do that! In fact, I can even give you a recipe for one of my favorite grilled foods.

If you are familiar with the wines of Walla Walla, you will know there is not a lot of Zinfandel grown or produced in the valley, let alone in Washington State. However, Forgeron Cellars has been producing the real thing (not the "white" stuff) since 2001. I refer to it as the "Original Walla Walla Zin." Forgeron Cellars Zinfandel has been an easy sell-out for the winery and I have owned every vintage. They age very well and so smooth and juicy on the palate. In fact, just Sunday evening I opened up a 2002 I had been hoarding and got a little weepy last night when I reached the end of the bottle. It was that good.

Marie-Eve Gilla, Forgeron Cellars winemaker says: "The 2005 vintage is a combination of three distinct vineyard sites, each chosen for the unique flavors and aromas they bring to the wine. Alder Ridge Vineyard is in the Horse Heaven Hills along the Columbia River and brings rich cherry jam characteristics to the wine. Clifton Vineyard is on the Wahluke Slope near Mattawa. A warmer site chosen for the white pepper and spice qualities in the fruit and the third vineyard is Les Collines in the Walla Walla Valley, which adds bold flavors and perfume to the blend."

The nose reminds me of a cherry cobbler. It is a juicy wine on the palate and leaves just a hint of spice that doesn't overtake the food pairing. I can't think of a better wine to pair with one of my favorite grilled recipes - Bulgogi.

Korean 101: "Bul" is the Korean word for "fire", and "gogi" is "meat" = "Fire Meat." Bulgogi is one of Korea's most popular beef dishes and I love using this somewhat traditional marinade for flank steak. I use the term "somewhat traditional" as by accident one day I found I didn't have any mirrin (sweet sake) and used red wine instead. I have been happy with the recipe ever since! Bulgogi is traditionally grilled, but broiling or pan-cooking is common as well. Spring onions, chopped green peppers and other vegetables can also be marinated and grilled at the same time.

• 1 pound thinly sliced steak or sometimes will use one whole flank steak that has been tenderized (by hand) well and marinated whole. Then it is sliced after grilling. Also, think beef short ribs for this marinade. It's that versatile!

• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp red wine (or more) - use the red wine you are drinking or plan on pairing with meal. And don't forget to pour a glass or two for yourself!
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• 1 cup green onions (sliced lenghwise) and/or other vegetables for grilling (optional).

Mix all ingredients except vegetables. Add meat to marinade and marinate in refrigerator over night or at least 2 hours. Add optional vegetables to the marinade at any time. Grill over medium high heat until meat is just short of desired completion. Serve with rice or sometimes I like to make a traditional (and simple) "Hawaiian Lunch Truck Macaroni Salad" (elbow mac, shredded raw carrot and mayo) to serve on the side.

Thanks again Megan. This was a fun!

The Wine Century Club

2009-08-10T22:36:00.000-07:00

Finally! The certification I had been waiting for since I applied back in April and started my Wine Century Club venture back four years ago, arrived in the mail today!

The Wine Century Club was created in 2005 for all areas of the wine community, including wine educators, wine writers and just plain wine lovers. The majority of the 590 some members not only hail from the United States, but from all over the globe.

If you've tasted at least 100 different grape varieties, you're qualified to become a member. It's not as easy as one thinks either. I started keeping track of the grape varieties I tasted for the last four years. At first it seemed to go rather slow until I was a judge at a Northwest wine show and tasted varieties I hadn't tasted before, let alone could spell them such as Kerner, Ehrenfelser, Madeleine Angevine and Siegerrebe. Along the way I was able to taste the wines of Georgia and I'm not talking wines from Atlanta, either. Native wine grapes from the Republic of Georgia included more varieties I couldn't spell, but enjoyed tasting them such Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Rachuli-Tetra and Alexandreuli. Before I knew it, I was on a quest to taste more unusual and obscure grapes and finally earlier in the year I had recounted my list and discovered I had tasted over a 100 grapes!

I can't think of a tastier way to receive a certificate!

Sex in a Bottle: TL Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

2009-08-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

It’s bold. It's lush. Troy told me to open the heavy dark bottle ahead of time and let it breath for a couple of hours before serving. He was wrong. I should have decanted it earlier in the day! It was so bold and holding so much character, I knew I had a stunning wine in my glass especially when out of the three guests I served it to the "non-red" wine drinker said, “ I am surprised. I really like this. It doesn’t make my mouth pucker. It’s s-o-o-o sm-o-o-o-th.”

We were holding in our wine glasses, TL Cellars "Release Two" Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 produced with the very distinctive grapes from Les Collines Vineyard. As the dark liquid poured from the bottle into the glass, it reminded me of black ink until I saw the red hue in the glass. My nose didn't decieve me either, as I knew this grape came from Walla Walla soil. I could smell the wonderful "wheatiness" and essence de pétrole that is often so dominant in the soil that surrounds the foothills of the Blue Mountains - the soil that is such a reminder of Walla Walla's rich farming history.

The longer I held this glass of wine in my hand, I kept picking up other aromas that were so familiar to me such as smoke from slow burning apple wood, hints of a cigar humidor, oven warm blackberry cobbler and the king of extracts - Mexican vanilla. My "non-drinking" red wine friend was right about this wine as once the wine fell on the tongue it indeed was smooth. Yet, it still danced around a bit on the palate showing off its many flavors. We picked up flavors of dark ripe cherries, hints of fresh black licorice, and blackberries. With one of the sips, a flashback from days past came to me as it reminded me of toasted whole wheat bread slathered with currant jelly made from the currants we use to pick with my grandmother.

The finish was lingering and juicy leaving the palate wanting for more. This is a wine that will no doubt just keep getting better and always showing something new. It's been quoted by the winemaker this wine is "sex in a bottle." If "sex in a bottle" means being satiated and content, but greedily wanting more? Then it is - - sex in a bottle.

I would be lying if I said the character of the wine surprised me, but my instincts told me it was going to be an elegant, yet bold wine. I mean - how could it not be? Troy Ledwick, owner and winemaker of TL Cellars attended the Walla Walla Institute for Enology and Viticulture and it was there he had the good fortune to be mentored by the late and very great Stan Clarke. Stan assisted Troy with finding jobs during the seasonal "crush." And while working at some of the finest wineries in the valley such as Forgeron Cellars, Basel Cellars, and Long Shadows, Troy was often presented with opportunities to learn some of the winemaking styles from these winemakers.

There were only 792 bottles produced of the TL Cellars Second Release Cabernet Sauvignon and rightly so. This is truly such a special wine that there shouldn't be that much "sex in a bottle" being taken for granted.

Wine Bloggers Conference 2009: One picture is worth a thousand words

2009-07-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

And my last blog on the WBC 2009 - -

Take one Beer Wench Blogger by the name of Ashley “Wenchie” Routson.

And one serious Pinot Blogger from the Russian River Valley, CA by the name of Josh Hermsmeyer.

Toss in one rubber chicken by the name of "Don Quixote" compliments of Twisted Oak Winery

Walla Walla get ready for the Wine Blogger's Conference 2010!

17 Things I Learned at the WBC 2009!

2009-07-28T22:33:00.000-07:00

1. I learned when people tell me how difficult it is to fly into Walla Walla to stand up and tell those naysayers to "buck up!"

If Lewis & Clark didn't have any problems finding the place on foot, neither should they have a problem finding Walla Walla via planes, trains or automobiles.
After listening to criticism after criticism of why Walla Walla wouldn't make the best place to have a Wine Bloggers Convention in regards to our small airport, extra miles, etc., to all of those critics, I wanted to cast a spell that all of the wines in their cellar turn to boxed white zin!

You can almost place six Sonoma County/Santa Rosa Airports (aka Charles M. Schultz Airport - you know, Snoopy's Dad?) into one Walla Walla Regional Airport. Then there is the $40 cab ride to destination Flamingo Hotel, Santa Rosa - WBC 09! Umm...the Marcus Whitman Hotel will complimentary shuttle your butt to their hotel, destination WBC 2010.

2. Once I finally arrived at destination WBC 2009, I learned that the Flamingo Resort Hotel has a lot of history. It was very glamorous and well appointed with the 1950's Hollywood/Las Vegas style. I kept wondering when Luci and Ricky Ricardo would check in.

3. Friday morning I discovered that I will never become an Ambassador for the Secret Sherry Society. Even the expensive stuff tastes like the cheap stuff, with the exception of the Fino style - the driest and palest of all Sherry varieties. I enjoyed the Fino very much and can see myself purchasing a few bottles.

4. Friday afternoon I learned I really liked "Live Wine Blogging" (aka "Speed Dating"). After lunch every table is "romanced" by several winemakers as they pour you a glass of their wines. You taste and then blog or twitter about it on your laptop or phone to get the message to your readers about the experience. However, even though I loved this, I failed miserably as I was too busy chatting with my lunch companions.

5. I learned I should have gotten my liver in better shape before I headed to California!

On Friday, somewhere between registration check-in and visiting the sponsors who welcomed us with glasses of wine, along with "Speed Dating," the "Grand Tasting of Sonoma" located at the pool patio before dinner, including wine tasting during dinner, that by the time I made it to the "After Hours Party" hosted by the Russian River Valley Wine Growers, my palate was fatigued! So I sat by the pool for awhile under the stars waiting for the ghost of Jayne Mansfield, who use to frequent the Flamingo Hotel pool. She didn't show.

6. Saturday morning I was delighted to learn that the former Christian Brother's Brandy Distillery was now the home of the CIA - Greystone.

The Culinary Institute of America was our host for the morning, complete with a continental breakfast. The last time I drove by the former distillery in St Helena, the distillery had moved out and the old building was not what she could be. The buildings and the gardens are now gorgeous!

Our key note speakers at the CIA were guests were Barry Schuler - former CEO of AOL and Jim Gordon, Executive Director of the Symposium of Professional Wine Writers and Current Editor of Wines & Vines magazine.

7. I learned from Barry Schuler that he and Al Gore created the internet while smoking pot one evening and their creation of the internet was with us wine bloggers in mind.

8. I learned from Jim Gordon how important it is to spell correctly when blogging. He reminded me of my junior high writing instructor as he told us, not once, but several times the importance of spelling or at least using some kind of spell check. Yeesss Mr. Gordon.

But more than that, Gordon also touched on an important issue brought on by last year's California wildfires. With wildfires, there is the potential the smoke can effect the actual grape's physiology, as the smoke can effect not just on the skin surface, but the smoke can permeate the pulp, as well. With that said, there certainly is the potential for serious smoke taint in Washington State since we have been known to have our share of wildfires, especially in the North and through the greater Columbia Valley AVA.

9. I learned that sitting in the back of a bus for two hours on twisty Napa Valley roads and digesting bus exhaust makes me nauseous. Even too nauseous to taste wine.

10. I learned a new road trip song. Sung to the tune of Do-Re-Mi (from Sound of Music). "Do is what I buy my wine with. Re is who I buy my wine from! Mi is who I buy my wine for. Fa - lalalalala..."

11. I learned the importance of "Green" in the Napa Valley.

It's difficult to fit 277 wine bloggers and their tools into one bus, so we were split up into seven buses and taken to different wineries in the valley. Our bus (#4) was sent to Cuvaison Estate Winery, where we met with Jay Schuppert, President. We were treated to a beautiful lunch prepared with local produce, while Jay informed us of their remarkable green program - from solar panels to staff carpooling. Not only was Jay informative, but he and his staff were hospitable and extremely generous.

Later on the bus someone raised the question if we thought Napa Valley was really that into "green" as they professed. Questions were raised if perhaps "green" was really only a trend or maybe a marketing ploy. My contribution to the question is I totally believe that overall, Napa and Sonoma actually live "green." I base that on several trips to Northern California visiting friends and peers and they really do "walk the walk." Remember, we are talking an area where the original "hippy" movement evolved.

12. I learned that even I can share my blogging knowledge with long standing wineries from California.

Our bus visited Staglin Family Vineyards/Winery and was met by Shari Staglin (remember Shari and Garen from the movie, "Mondovino"?) Joining Shari and Garen Staglin were representatives from other wineries, including Russell Weis, General Manager of Silverado Vineyards. We all gathered around the table for a panel discussion of "Does Size Matter?" No we didn't talk about an article from a Cosmopolitan magazine - - we talked about the sizes of wineries and why a owners, winemakers choose them. Eventually, the discussion came back to us - - the wine bloggers.

I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to ask Shari and Russell if they blogged. Neither one did and of course, I had to ask why? Shari said she didn't know what to say and Russell said he was scared. Well, I said, "Do it! Don't procrastinate! Do it now or you never will!" Then I got off of my soap box and ran to the bathroom.

13. I learned at the Grand Tasting of Napa Wines held at Quintessa Winery, that I was really home sick for wines from Walla Walla!

Though I will say the Cabernet from Cakebread made friends with my palate. But the high point for me at the tasting was the 1996 and 2006 Cornerstone Winery Cabernet Sauvignon that friend, fellow wine blogger and General Manager, Craig Camp poured for us! Beautiful Craig!

14. I learned that one of the best times of the day in the Napa area is at Conn Creek Winery just as the sun is setting. Bus #4 was taken there for dinner. As the sun set around their beautiful gardens we were treated to a delicious, fresh and colorful dinner! The Napa-style is all about loca-vore and loca-pour.

The other treat at Conn Creek Winery is their AVA Room Barrel Blending Experience where our dinner was held. Conn Creek was very generous and gave us the opportunity to blend our own wines from the various barrels representing the terroir from their unique AVA's.

15. Sunday morning I learned how to use social media, monetization and crazy videos on my blog.

16. I learned that I can no longer party like it's 1999.

17. I learned that all of favorite winebloggers are not the size of 80 x 80 pixels after all!

And if I never learned a thing at the WBC 2009, it was still worth the trip and the time to finally meet, break bread, drink wine, hug, laugh, discuss "blogging politics" with all of my wine blogging colleagues who I have been emailing, Twittering and linking with now for the last five years.

Live! KUJ (1420 AM) Wine Bloggers - Destination Walla Walla!

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When Jim Bock, News Director of KUJ Radio located in Walla Walla, asked me if I would consider a live interview and suggested that if I was shy, he would make it easy...

Shy? Are you kidding? Where's the mic?

Turn the dial to Jim Bock on radio KUJ (1420 AM) at 7:30 this Thursday morning (July 30)! Jim will interview me about the upcoming Wine Bloggers Conference scheduled for June of 2010 in Walla Walla, WA!

The Faces of 2009 Wine Bloggers Convention

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These are just some of the 277 faces that gathered this year in Napa/Sonoma for the Wine Bloggers Convention 2009. In June of 2010 we will see these wonderful faces once again, but this time in Walla Walla, WA. I can hardley wait! These are my wine blogging homies - my online wine peeps and they will get to see what I have been blogging about now for over five years.

Wine bloggers are a curious bunch - wherever one goes, several follow. We migrate to other wine bloggers like ourselves, those who are ever faithful and have dedicated themselves to their craft.