Washington State Beer and Wine

Tell us about your favorite wine blend to win!

Bean — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:07:03 +0000

Win tickets to BLEND, a wine event on September 12, featuring wines from 40 different wineries in Washington, Sonoma County and Portugal. BLEND is an opportunity to taste a wide assortment of wine blends from classic Rhone and Bordeaux blends like DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc to distinctive proprietorial blends like Otis Kenyon Matchless Red. BLEND is a blend of sensory delights for your pleasure. Sample tasty bites from the Columbia Hospitality group like Salish Sea Salmon Bake prepared by Executive Chef Jay Bartleson, Bell Harbor, and Arrosto Di Maiale (Wild fennel scented pork tenderloin with garlic whipped potatoes and poached figs) prepared by Executive Chef Andrea DiLoreto, Kenwood Inn and Spa. Enjoy the views from the Bell Harbor International Conference Center as you mingle and sip. Feel your heart speed up as they announce the winners to the weekend get-a-ways and the five night stay at The Oitavos hotel in Cascais, Portugal!

Tickets for BLEND are $59 and are available online.

Enter to win tickets to BLEND

I love wine blends. The winemaker that can skillfully blend wines is part artist and part scientist, but wine blends are often mistaken as lower quality wines. BLEND is going to shatter that myth and you can help.

Simply tell us about your favorite wine blend here in the comments before midnight Friday, September 3rd. We will use handy random number generator to select one of the comments as the winner. The winner receives TWO free tickets to BLEND at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center on September 12th!

Tweet the news to attend a blending seminar!

Tweet to Win!

Immediately before the big event, there are two hands-on blending seminars from 2:30-4pm. You can learn about the art of wine blending while creating and judging wine blends. We will be giving away one free seminar ticket. You choose which of the two sessions you want to attend:

Blending with Chateau Ste. Michelle
Participate in the hands-on red wine blending process of small wine lots with the different wine tiers of Chateau Ste. Michelle
Seminar 2: Blend – Inspiration, Experience, Intuition with Columbia Winery
Participate in a hands-on blending session using the five Bordeaux grapes varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Malbec).

Enter this contest by spreading the word about the contest via Twitter. Just be sure to include the hashtag #WinBlend to make sure your tweets are included in the drawing. One tweet will be randomly selected on Friday at midnight.

Raise a pint at a Washington Oktoberfest 2010

Bean — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:44:50 +0000

The official Oktoberfest is a 16-18 day* celebration in Munich, held in late September and early October. What started out as a wedding reception is now celebrated around the world, honoring beer, food and music. With Yakima Valley being one of the largest producers of hops in the world, Washington state has no shortage of Oktoberfest celebrations from Enumclaw to Spokane. Each of the Oktoberfest’s have their own style from party central to community gathering to Washington beer geek meet up.

Check back often as we update the list of local brewfests.

Enumclaw Oktoberfest

October 1-2, 2010

Alpenfolk perform

The second annual Enumclaw Oktoberfest is a true community celebration. Held at the Enumclaw Expo Center (formerly the King County Fair grounds), this event is for people that want to celebrate all that Oktoberfest represents, not just the beer. Local, national and international breweries will be on tap to pour their brews in the beer garden while the other side of the building will feature vendors and food with a Bavarian and/or harvest related theme. $8 advance tickets go on sale September 1 at

Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce
Firehouse Pub – Buckley, WA
Enumclaw Parks Department

Early Bird Special on Friday from 2:00PM-4:00PM is 2 for 1 admission. On site ticket sales are $10.

Fremont Oktoberfest

September 24-26, 2010

Miss Buxom contestants

Fremont is known for weird, wacky and fun. The Fremont Oktoberfest is all three plus beer! One of the most popular Oktoberfest celebrations in the state. It is also one of the few that really has activities for all ages. In addition to all of the great beer there is the Brew Ha-Ha 5k race, Street Scramble, Dogtoberfest, Texas Chainsaw pumpkin carving contest, Miss Buxom contest and kid’s activity area.

Even with all of the other fun activities, beer is the main destination for most participants. This is especially true in the evening hours when Fremont Oktoberfest turns into one of the hottest parties around.The beer list is impressive with a large assortment of local and German beers. This year, they have a west German brewery and east German brewery tent. Tickets and more information available online.

Leavenworth Oktoberfest

October 1-2, October 8-9, October 15-16

It is no surprise that Bavarian themed Leavenworth celebrates Oktoberfest, nor that it adjusts the festival schedule to meet the needs of tourists. The Leavenworth Oktoberfest is held on the first three consequential weekends in October.

Silver City Oktoberfest

September 9-11, 2010

Silver City Brewing is celebrating Oktoberfest with a three-day event featuring the Silver City’s award-winning Oktoberfest and Bavarian Hefeweizen beers, Uli’s Famous Bratwurst, Bavarian music, costumes, and much more. All proceeds benefit the Kitsap County Fire Fighters Local 2819 Benevolent Fund, and local firefighters will be on-hand collecting donations and selling commemorative pint glasses for $10 each.

Silver City Brewing will host an exclusive Oktoberfest kickoff party for members of their VIP Brewmaster Club on Thurs., Sept. 9, from 4 – 7 PM. The VIP party will feature live Bavarian music from 5 – 6:30 PM, a bratwurst eating contest at 6 PM, and a Bavarian costume contest open to Silver City crew and VIP members alike. Complimentary food will be served, including Uli’s Famous Bratwurst and Bavarian pizza, and $2 Oktoberfest and Bavarian Hefeweizen beers will be available until 7 PM (event is cash only, please plan accordingly). For additional event information, or to join Silver City’s VIP Brewmaster Club, ask any crew member or visit Silver City’s website at: www.silvercitybrewery.com.

Spokane Oktoberfest

September 24-26, 2010

The Washington Beer Commission has a history of moving their Oktoberfest around town, this year they moved it across state to Spokane! The Spokane Oktoberfest is the first officially sanctioned Washington Beer Commission event east of the mountains. This Oktoberfest will be held at the beautiful Riverfront park. Unique in that only Washington breweries will be on tap, this Oktoberfest features beer, entertainment, and of course German food. Single day and three day pass tickets are available online. 21 and over only.

*The length of the festival varies according to the day of the week on which German Unity day, October 3rd, falls.

BLEND: Celebrating wine as a work of art

Bean — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:48:55 +0000

Wine blends are often misunderstood. Many assume that wine blends are just the left over dregs of wine combined to fill the bottle. It is true that happens some times, but more often blends are so much more than the sum of its parts. Enjoy beautiful wine blends from 40 wineries at BLEND: The World’s Best Wine, Food & Places takes place on September 12, 4-7:30pm at the Bell Harbor Conference Center. Note: this post incorrectly quoted the ticket price earlier. The correct ticket price is $59 for this event.

The great blends are a conversation between the fruit and the wine maker. Think of a conductor of a world class orchestra. All of the players are exquisite in their own right, but it is the conductor that brings those talents together into creating a performance with more depth and nuance than is possible in most solos. The wine maker evaluates the wines for tannin, acid, aromatics, color, and fruit; then creates a blend for beautiful balance from the different wines available in the cellar.

Simple wine

Wine blend as tapestry

I often think of wine blends as tapestries. Tapestries are woven works of art created with thread. The intricate weaving can add incredible complexity to the image. The wine maker can create that same type of complexity with using different wines and barrels. In wine blending, the wine maker can create a simple, yet elegant wine or they can create something big, bold and exciting. It is all about what the fruit presents and how the wine maker chooses to highlight it. In his recent Wine 102 class, Yashar Shayan showed participants how as little as 5% of Syrah can add a surprising amount of color and body to a wine.

Wine blends may combine different varietals, different vineyards or even different vintages. Sometimes the grapes are blended together and co-fermented or the wines can be blended as they start to mature in the barrel or tank. At BLEND, you will not only have the opportunity to taste the wine blends but you can sign up for a hands-on seminar to create wine blends.

BLEND is all about wine, food and places:

Taste wine from 40 wineries from Washington, Sonoma and Portugal.
Sample delicious food from Columbia Hospitality chefs.
Participate in raffle for chance to win a two night get away at these places.

Friday Harbor House
The Inn at Langley
Kenwood Inn and Spa
Lakedale Resort
The Oitavos

Salish Lodge & Spa
Bell Harbor Conference Center
Kitsap Conference Center
Talaris Conference Center
World Trade Center Seattle

Tickets for BLEND are only $59. The blending seminars run before the big tasting event, 2:30-4:00 and are $15 Purchase tickets online for BLEND

Alfresco Dining in Broadmoor- Auction of Washington Wines 2010

Yashar — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:12:36 +0000

I had the privilege to work as a “guest Sommelier” of sorts for one of thirteen Auction of Washington Wine Winemaker Dinners, benefitting Uncompensated Care at Seattle Children’s Hospital, on Friday August 20th. The dinner which I worked featured Rick Small of Woodward Canyon Winery and Norm McKibben of Pepper Bridge Winery and of course, their wines. Fittingly paired with two of Washington’s most highly regarded wineries were two of Seattle’s James Beard award winning Chefs: Tamara Murphy of Elliot Bay Cafe & Terra Plata (formerly of Brasa) and Christine Keff of Flying Fish & On The Fly.

Norm McKibben talking during AWW Wine Maker Dinner

A more fantastic venue could not have been imagined than the lovely Broadmoor home of Brad and Michele Smith, co-chairs of this year’s Auction of Washington Wines, out on the grass overlooking a lush green golf course. Complete with an enticing and even sexy lounge area, their yard accommodated guests late into the night as they enjoyed the best of what Washington has to offer, all while supporting Children’s Hospital. During dinner, Rick and Norm even auctioned off a pair of signed magnums of their wine, both going for approximately $500 each, again to benefit Uncompensated Care at Children’s Hospital.

Chefs in the kitchen

The menu

Hors d’œuvre
- Steak Tartar, Watermelon & Pork Belly, Ahi Tuna Poke Cones (by Chris Keff)
2nd Course
- Tomatoes, Burrata, Boquerones, Olive Tapenade (by Tamara Murphy)
- Poached Turkey Egg, Reggiano Parmagiano, Truffled Beets (by Tamara Murphy)
  - Woodward Canyon 2009 Estate Sauvignon Blanc
  - Amavi 2009 Semillon
3rd Course
- Columbia River Sturgeon, Potatoes from Rick Small’s Garden, Grilled Sweet Onions (by Chris Keff)
  - Pepper Bridge 2007 “Seven Hills Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon
  - Woodward Canyon 2009 Estate Reserve Chardonnay
4th Course
- Squab, Marrow Bone, Sweet Corn Grits, Fig Marmelatta (Tamara Murphy)
  - Woodward Canyon 2006 Walla Walla Estate Red Wine
  - Pepper Bridge 2007 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon
Dessert
- Berry Pavlova, Saffron Meringue, Cardamom Ice Cream

Magnums

Follow them on twitter

@WoodwardCanyon
@PepperBridge
@Tamara_Murphy
@thefishseattle (Flying Fish Restaurant)

Müller-Thurgau: Another Sparkling Wine from Icicle Ridge

Bean — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 09:10:00 +0000

Sparkling wines are a great way to celebrate. In the last month, I have had the pleasure of celebrating two birthdays with Icicle Ridge Winery Sparkling Müller-Thurgau.

Don Wood celebrating birthday with concert guests and sparkling Muller Thurgau

I first tasted this Washington sparkling wine at a Jonathan Kingham concert at Icicle Ridge. The concert was the night before winemaker Don Wood’s birthday so a toast and some bubbly was called for. The winery staff served glasses of the Sparkling Müller-Thurgau and chocolate treats to celebrate!

Under the Tucson Dinner is an annual summer revelry at Icicle Ridge Winery. If I have been a very good girl, Ed gifts me this dinner for my birthday. This year, we were seated with a group of ladies that were also celebrating several birthdays. During the intermezzo, Ed bought our table a bottle of the Sparkling Müller-Thurgau to toast the birthdays. It was a treat, a fun and delicious way to celebrate birthdays.

The Sparkling Müller-Thurgau has a very light mousse, with tight bubbles. This Washington sparkling wine is semi-dry with a pop of fruit upfront on the tip of your tongue. Crisp and tart green apple and delicate pear flavors entice with a pleasing combination of fruit and acid. A hint of sweeter stone fruit teases, but this sparkling wine possesses a refreshing dryness makes you eagerly anticipate your next sip.

Created in the traditional Méthode Champenoise, this sparkling wine has a slightly creaminess on the tongue from its time on the lees. It is a light and refreshing wine with some depth of character. This is not a bargain bottle of bubbles. It is a small lot production crafted with care, time, patience and attention. At $50 per bottle, this is definitely a special occasion wine. Open a bottle when you want to celebrate with loved ones.

Black Raven Brewery Hochzeitsbier Pilsner

Bean — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:02:33 +0000

Black Raven Brewing Company‘s very first pilsener was crafted last month in honor of Bar Manager Karen’s upcoming wedding. The Hochzeitsbier Pilsner AKA: Karen’s Wedding Beer is not only the first pilsener brewed at Black Raven Brewery but it is their first lager.

Black Raven Pilsner

On a hot and sunny Wednesday, I headed over to Black Raven Brewing to check out the Scotchster they had on for cask night. The Scotchster is a big, dark, opague brew but when I looked around about 75% of the crowd was enjoying a crystal clear pilsner instead. I enjoy my beers like I like my men: tall, dark and handsome, but when the temperature goes over 80 degrees in Seattle I can appreciate the appeal of something light and crisp. After hearing the rave reviews for the Hochzeitsbier Pilsner at the bar and around my table, I had to try some for myself.

This Washington beer is bright golden colored and you can see it is crystal clear, even with a lousy phone camera. It is so clear you can even see the fence slats through it! It has a dense but thin white head and intricate lacing. Aromas of fresh cut hay and wildflowers, and a bit of black pepper greet you on this light to medium bodied lager. Clean and crisp flavors with subtle sweetness held in check by a clean European hop profile. Nice lingering finish with just enough bitter to wet your appetite for your next sip. With an ABV of 5.7%, this is a smooth drinking summer session beer.

In response to the popularity of this Pilsener, Black Raven brewed a second batch that is now available on tap. Get it before the beer and summer are gone!

Auction of Washington Wine Barrel Picnic 2010

Bean — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:11:33 +0000

Auction of Washington Wine is a three day celebration and fundraiser that kicks off with the Barrel Auction and Picnic with Wine Makers.

Barrel Auction Emcee, Shayne Bjornholm

This year, 20 wineries donated a barrel of their wine to the auction. Since each barrel is five cases of wine, there isn’t just one winner but five winners. The top 5 bidders for each barrel receive a case of that wine once it is bottled. The highest bidder receives a barrel top marked with the winery name and signed by the wine maker.

Barrel Auction

The stage area of Chateau Ste Michelle is devoted to the Barrel Auction. Picnic patrons can taste barrel samples and learn about the wines from the wine makers. It is a great opportunity to interact with the wine makers, which is one of the highlights of this fun event. Last year, many of the barrel samples were gone by the time I made my way down to the stage, so I started with barrel tasting first. I still didn’t make it to all of them before they were gone, but that was because I spent as much or more time talking about wine than I did drinking it!

Here are some of the barrel tastings that captured my attention:

Adams Bench 2009 Red Willow Cabernet:
Erica Blue, Adams Bench

Erica and Tim Blue were pouring the elegant, complex and smooth 2007 vintage. It was a great way to start the event.
Cadaretta 2008 Springboard: Red Bordeaux blend with bold and sturdy tannins that don’t hold your tongue hostage. The fruit persists throughout the lengthy finish but this isn’t a fruit bomb. It is resplendent with notes of leather, earth and subtle wood.
Des Voigne Cellars 2009 “Untitled” Red Wine: An intriguing red wine blend of 45% Syrah, 35% Cab Franc and 20% Petit Verdot. This is a big inky wine with bright fruit flavors and smooth tannins. It was a steal with the highest bid of only $650!
Grand Rêve Collaboration VI: This newest collaboration utilizes the considerable talents of James Mantone in creating this Rhone style blend of 52% Mourvedre, 25% Syrah, 23% Grenache. Scheduled for 2011 release, this wine will benefit from that time to mature but even so, it was one of those wines that I will continue to think about and eagerly anticipate its release.
Hedges Family Estate 2009 Syrah Limited: When I first sipped this Syrah it was really tight, to the point it was almost difficult to gauge its full potential. But then I got into a conversation with Pete Hedges about our blog and told me how he used to be a brewer. By the time Dick Boushay joined us to talk about the Big Time Trombipulator, the Hedges Syrah had really started to open up and began to entice me with its spicy characteristics. Pete suggests that your patience will be rewarded if you open a bottle of Hedges wine the night before you wish to drink it to allow it to open up to its true potential.

Ann Anderson, Walter Dacon Wines

Walter Dacon Wines 2009 C’est Magnifique Syrah:The 2007 vintage was just awarded 93 points by Wine Spectator and the 2009 vintage is looking to be stellar as well.

Two other barrel tastings were getting rave reviews but they were all gone before I worked my way over to that corner: Sleight of Hand Cellars 2008 The Illusionist Cabernet Sauvignon and the Woodward Canyon 2009 “Old Vines” Cabernet Sauvignon.

Beyond the Barrels

Apolo Ohno autographed Eroica Ice Wine

There was a lot more wine to enjoy than just the barrel samples. Over 65 wineries had wines available for tasting at large tents. In addition, many of those wine makers were roaming the grounds pouring their wines for patrons to enjoy at their picnic.

In addition, there were lots of wines available in the silent auction. Gift boxes of wine, verticals, private tastings, magnums and wines signed by celebrities like Apolo Ohno were just some of the items available to bid upon to benefit the uncompensated program at Children’s Hospital and the Washington Wine Education Foundation.

Fun and Games

The Auction of Washington Wines Barrel Auction and Picnic puts the fun into fundraising.

Nicole takes a spin to win!

Restaurant Balloon Pop – $50 gave you the opportunity to pick and pop a balloon from a pretty volunteer. Inside the balloon, a gift certificate to a local restaurant for $50. A win-win option to support Seattle Childrens AND get a great meal!
Wine Bottle Ring Toss – $25 gives you three ring tosses and guaranteed bottle of wine. I had a great time watching the volunteer “help” back that guarantee by standing just a couple of feet from the tosser for the third toss.
Wine Wheel – $10 gave you a spin on the wheel for your chance for a prize. Prizes ranged from wine coolers to wine bottles to wine books and tickets to the very popular Lamb Jam!

Food

Tulalip Lamb

What is a picnic without food?

Proscuitto Wrapped Pecan Crusted Chicken

Tulalip Resort and Casino provided a pleasing assortment of foods. I always appreciate Tulalip cuisine at wine events because they are skilled at crafting tasty tidbits that enhance versus compete with the wines. The dish that was getting the biggest buzz was the Star Anise braised lamb with macademia nut cherry jasmine rice, Thai curry sauce, crispy taro green papaya salad. Boldly flavored but not to the point where it overwhelmed the wines, this dish was amazing paired, especially with the Merlots and Syrahs.

Wait there is more…

The Barrel Auction and Winemaker Picnic starts off a grand weekend of wine and fundraising. Tonight’s AWW Wine Makers dinners have sold out but there are two more events this weekend.

Hard Row to Hoe: Re-branding Success Story

Bean — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 07:09:52 +0000

Once upon a time there was a Lake Chelan Winery name Basalmroot Winery. They made some mighty fine Washington wine, had a pleasant tasting room and got good reviews but that wasn’t enough to bring in sales. They needed a better story to attract their customers and the history of Lake Chelan provided them with one. They renamed themselves Hard Row to Hoe™ Vineyards in celebration of the enterprising rowboat taxi man who rowed miners across the lake to partake in services at the brothel at Point Lovely.

Don Phelps pouring in the Hard Row to Hoe Tasting room

With a twinkle in their eye, Judy and Don Phelps, will tell you all about the story behind their Hard Row to Hoe and the enterprises flourishing in the 1920-30s around Lake Chelan. Their tasting room is now delightfully and decadently decorated in fine brothel style.

Where in the Wine Beer World is Ebony?

Anyone who has visited the Hard Row to Hoe tasting room recognized the Kama Sutra inspired wallpaper in our last Where in the Wine and Beer World is Ebony. Congratulations to Sarah whose correct guess was randomly selected to win! She can pick up her sexy Shameless Hussy boy shorts at the Hard Row to Hoe tasting room. There is even more lascivious wall paper in the rest room, complete with a red light over the door.

It isn’t just about wall paper, the bawdy humor is reflected in the names of many of their wines as well. They actually have two labels with Hard Row to Hoe as their premium label and boasts of wines like Iron Bed Red in reference to when the brothel burnt down only the iron beds remained. The Miss de Miner is another juicy red blend with plenty of character. The Nauti Buoy is their first estate wine, a delightful field blend Washington white wine. The Double Dip will be premiering in the tasting room August 21-22.

Shameless Hussy is their second label. Judy described this label as:

Wines that might promise more than they deliver!

Shameless Hussy - Morning After

That may make them sound like they are all second rate wines but that isn’t necessarily the case. One of my favorite wines at our last visit was the Shameless Hussy Dry Sangiovese Rosé. Originally the Sangiovese block was designated to be a fine red wine. Mother Nature had another plan when cold temperatures last October stopped the fruit from ripening to satisfactory sweetness. The fruit had excellent acidity and Judy took her “lemons” and crafted an exquisite rosé. Food friendly acidity, fresh strawberry from the nose through the finish and pretty in pink, this is a high class picnic wine. Refreshing enough to be a patio sipper for someone like me that abhors sweet wines, it also has the depth to flirt with a variety of foods. Think high class call girl when you think of this wine!

It is more then just some innuendos that make Hard Row to Hoe stand out. They really strive to make their wines an experience, with the tasting room being a highlight of your trip to Lake Chelan. Visitors are encouraged to borrow the boa and have their photo taken as Ebony did and share their photos on Facebook. Besides the inside tasting room there is a lovely covered deck with cooling mist where you can enjoy your wines and a cheese plate or bring your own picnic. Wander the beautifully landscaped grounds before you head into the tasting room to sample wines from their extensive line up.

As Ben of Vintology Wine Blog pointed out:

The great thing about this story is not just in it’s salacious details. This story is humorous and fun, but it also is tied to the history of the area where the winery is located. In a really interesting way, this story is tied to the winery’s place, making it almost a visual display of terroir.

We never visited the winery when it was still called Balsamroot Winery but I can tell you that Hard Row to Hoe was busy at our visit this summer. From the minute they opened, there were people tasting and buying Hard Row to Hoe wines! It seems like re-branding with a great story, paired with savvy social media, has helped wine lovers discover these wines.

Taste Coyote Canyon Wines

Nancy — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:19:17 +0000

Mike Andrews of Coyote Canyon Winery and Vineyard

Want to meet one of the people behind our featured winery for August? Mike Andrews, co-owner and vineyard manager of Coyote Canyon Vineyard’s 1,100 plus acres of premium wine grapes is visiting Seattle this weekend. If you live in or near Seattle, stop by to see him at the Fremont Wine Warehouse on Saturday, August 14th from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m and taste five of Coyote Canyon’s wines. The Viognier will be among the wines being poured, and will available for purchase at $15 a bottle. Mike will also be tempting the crowd with Coyote Canyon’s Primitivo that won double gold at the Seattle Wine Awards. I purchased a couple of bottles of this food friendly red while visiting the winery. It will be available at the tasting for $17 a bottle. Other wines being featured include Coyote Canyon’s Downtown White blend, Syrah, and Tres Cruces Rhone style red blend. Prices range from $10-17. As if the wine isn’t a good enough value already, there is a 10% discount offered at the tasting for purchases of 4 bottles, and a 15% discount for purchases of 6 bottles. Don’t miss this great opportunity to taste these wonderful wines and meet Mike Andrews in person!

God, Family, Farm, Wine: Coyote Canyon Featured Winery for August 2010

Bean — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:36:20 +0000

We talk a lot about the passion for wine and the stories behind the wine makers. Mike Andrews shares not only his passion for wine but the essential ingredients that create that wine: farming, family and God. On the way back from the Wine Bloggers Conference of North America, (WBC10), we had the pleasure of spending the entire day with Mike Andrews as he offered us a tour of his winery and vineyards and shared the stories behind them both.

Mike Andrews, Coyote Canyon

Wine

Via Coyote Canyon Winery, two labels are produced the Coyote Canyon and the Horse Heaven Estates Reserve. The most well known of their wines are the award winning Albariño. This stunning white wine has won Gold at the Seattle Wine Awards for the last two years. This Washington Albariño is a bit sweeter than the typical Spanish Albariño but not overly sweet. I think it has just enough sweetness to make it a stellar wine for pairing with spicy dishes. It was a big hit when poured last night for food and wine students at the Northwest Wine Academy.

Coyote Canyon line offers wines that are budget and food friendly like their Downtown White and Red wines that retail for only $12 to the more sophisticated Mouvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon that sell for only $22. The 2004 Sangiovese is only $14. This Washington Sangiovese was named an Oustanding Best Buy by Wine Press Northwest .

Big John

Horse Heaven Estates Reserve is the premium wine label. These wines are bigger, bolder and full of character. The 2007 Big John Cabernet is as big as the bull it was named after and is a good wine choice when pairing with a big and robust dish for your table.

Watch for Ed’s upcoming post on the extensive barrel tasting that day. We will also be posting additional write ups about some of the other Coyote Canyon wines and links to some of our food pairings.

You can purchase wines at the winery or check their listing of retail locations.

Mourvedere allocated for Syncline Winery

Farming

Relatively new to the wine making industry, the first vintage was 2004, Mike Andrews is no stranger to the wine grape growing industry. As partner and Vineyard Manager for Coyote Canyon Vineyards, oversees the viticulture of grapes for about 30 different Northwest wineries. On 1135 acres of land in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, they grow 26 different grape varietals for some of the best wineries in Washington, in addition to the grapes reserved for their own labels. Some of their more unique grape varietals include:

Cinsault
Counoise
Graciano
Juan Garcia
Malbec
Marsanne
Mourvedre
Nebbiolo
Primitivo
Tempranillo

Horse Heaven Estate Reserve labels

Growing grapes for award winning wines since 1994, this land has a rich prior agricultural history. Before grapes, cattle was Mike’s passion. His abiding love for cattle is evident not only in the decor of the tasting room but on the Horse Heaven Estate Reserve labels which feature pictures of family as ranchers or one of their prize steer.

This farmland was dry and desert like before they drilled their first well in 1953. That was what enabled them to grow wheat and other irrigated crops through out the years. Slowly wine grapes replaced the other crops starting in 1994 with Cabernet Sauvignon. The last of the asparagus was pulled out in 2002 and now Mike exclusively grows wine grapes on the land he partners with his father.

Family

Family is essential to these vineyards and wines. In 1941, George Smith purchased the land with a dream of working the land. The military had a different idea and commandeered the land to practice bombing runs during World War II. Mike took us out to the home that his grandfather owned, where the family watched the practice flights over their land.

Dad, Bob Andrews

George’s son in law, Bob Andrews helped George dig that first well. An award winning cattleman, Bob instilled a life long love of the land into his children. Mike’s siblings also farm the land. It was his brother, Rob Andrews that first started growing grapes in 1980 on the land which has evolved into the 2000 acres McKinley Springs vineyard. Mike’s brother in law Doug Rowell is the wine maker at McKinley Springs and his sister Sandy works there as well. We had the pleasure of meeting Sandy when Mike took us over to their winery. How many wine makers will drive you to another winery?

Late Harvest Viognier named for Louise Andrews

Mike’s love of cattle kept him out of grapes initially but impressed and intrigued by his sibling’s success he started growing wine grapes with his father in 1994. His son, Jeff Andrews has been working part time with his father and will be moving into the Coyote Canyon wine maker position shortly.

Family owned vineyards are rapidly disappearing in Washington state. The Andrews and Rowells are working hard to retain the land for their future generations amidst concerns about estate and property taxes, the economy, wine fads and the whims of Mother Nature.

God

Coyote Canyon Crosses

All farmers are aware of the power and intrigue of nature. For Mike Andrews, that beauty and potential is attributed to God. He is as passionate about his faith as he is the land and it is important to him and his family to acknowledge their gratitude. Towering over the vineyards, visible for miles, are three crosses.

Grapes and religion have a long and integrated history. The crosses might be a determent to some, but maintaining faith and integrity are more important than a few missed sales to the Andrews family. They do not force their faith, we had to ask about the crosses, but neither do they hide it. The three crosses also appear on the Albariño label.

To the Andrews, their faith is as basic as the sun setting in the west. It is part of their respect for the seasons, the weather and the cycle of life. The symbol of their faith, the three crosses, also represents the importance of family and how elements work together to create a whole that more than the sum of its parts. It is the family that works the land to grow the grapes and craft the wine. That wine may be enjoyed at a simple dinner or be part of one of life’s celebrations. It is not a beverage, it is a way of life for the Andrews.