July 22, 2008

Review: Seven Hills Winery

When it comes to running a tasting room, there are wineries that get what it means to provide a truly connected experience. And then there are those that clearly don't. The folks at Seven Hills Winery get it, for their tasting room is one that provides strong connections to the people and places behind their wines. Seven Hills Winery is located in the historic Whitehouse-Crawford building in downtown Walla Walla. Their spacious tasting room offers a wide bar with views into the winery's barrel room. The restored wood plank floors, high ceilings, exposed beams, and brick walls provide a...

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July 19, 2008

Hatcher 2004 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For me, a good wine is measured not only by what is experienced inside the bottle, but also on the outside through labeling. Inside, the wine should delight the eyes, the nose, and the palate. Outside, the bottle's labeling should in some way connect me to the people and places behind the wine. Granted, it's not always that I expect a wine to fulfill expectations in both areas. There are many inexpensive wines that do well on the inside, but don't always have to deliver on the outside. However, my bar is set...

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July 15, 2008

Syncline 2006 Celilo Vineyard Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) To their credit, Syncline describes their 2006 Celilo Vineyard Pinot Noir (13.8%) accurately on the back label, with the emphasis on "flavors of pie cherry". This wine does taste like one of those Dolly Madison cherry fruit pies. This is not my style in pinot noir, but I am excited to see a Washington producer taking a stab at this varietal with Columbia Gorge fruit. "Situated on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, Celilo Vineyard's deep volcanic soils are the origin of this provocative Pinot Noir. Intense perfume of black cherry and...

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July 13, 2008

Review: Trust Cellars

While in Walla Walla over the Fourth of July, my father-in-law, Bob, a.k.a. Pappa Rosso, suggested I check out Trust Cellars. Then Catie, the Walla Walla Wine Woman, urged me to stop by as well. As a result, it quickly moved to the top of my list of wineries to see during that weekend. The Trust Cellars winery and tasting room is just a short drive south from downtown Walla Walla. It is located in a small building situated on the outskirts of a sizable vineyard. Trust shares its tasting room with Chateau Rollat, another start up winery, which...

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July 11, 2008

On the Walla Walla wine trail

I love visiting the Walla Walla Valley in the summer. The long, hot days combined with being outside amongst acres of farmland rekindles memories of my childhood in Oklahoma. It's hard not to feel a bit at home in this part of Washington state, especially at this time of year. Walla Walla is a much prettier place as evidenced by the panorama above, which I shot at my brother-in-law's place a few miles southeast of downtown. With each visit to this valley comes new places to see, new people to meet, and new discoveries to be made along the...

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July 09, 2008

Review: àMaurice Cellars Winery

àMaurice Cellars is located east of downtown Walla Walla on Mill Creek Road. It is next door to Walla Walla Vintners and just down the road from K Vintners and the Abeja Inn. Along the lane leading to the winery, rows of lavender greet you, which were in full bloom on the Saturday afternoon I visited. The winery is housed in a temporary structure (there are plans to build a larger complex) next to the 13 acre estate vineyard planted in 2006. àMaurice, is a family-owned and operated winery, named after Maurice Shafer, the father of founder Tom Shafer,...

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July 08, 2008

Review: Eva Restaurant

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to dine at Eva Restaurant & Wine Bar, which is located in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle. I was joined by my sister, Kara, and brother-in-law, Kris, who had just returned home after being in London for several years. Having dined at Eva many times, this restaurant has become known for providing good service, delicious food, a solid wine list, and a pleasant atmosphere. Plus, it offers a very convenient option for us, for it is only a ten minute walk from our home. It was an ideal choice to celebrate the homecoming...

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July 03, 2008

4th of July in Walla Walla

Tomorrow, I make the five hour journey east from Seattle to Walla Walla for our annual Fourth of July gathering with family and friends. Kari and the girls flew out on Tuesday, therefore I am looking forward to seeing them again as well as spending time with my extended family. To celebrate our nation's birthday, we gather at my brother-in-law's place southeast of downtown Walla Walla, in the heart of wheat country. After an afternoon of the kids swimming and adults playing bocce ball, we come together around a long table outside to celebrate local food and wine. I...

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Posted by Thad at 09:32 PM | | Comments (0)

July 02, 2008

L'Ecole No 41 "Walla Voila" 2007 Chenin Blanc

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Whenever I stumble upon a bottle of Washington or Oregon wine that is made from a varietal that is off the beaten path, I will always buy it. No matter what the chance it might be poured down the drain, these wines are worth a try. Why? You just never know when one of these easily overlooked varietals might become a newly discovered favorite. Such is the case with the L'Ecole No 41 "Walla Voila" 2007 Chenin Blanc ($12.99), which was described on the back label in the following manner: A trademark of L'Ecole...

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Posted by Thad at 07:25 PM | | Comments (1)

June 29, 2008

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl 2007 Riesling

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) After wondering if summer would ever get here, it came on strong this weekend in Seattle with temperatures yesterday in the high eighties and today hitting ninety degrees. For me, there is nothing better on a hot evening than enjoying spicy food washed down with a cold, crisp wine. Whenever dining on Asian fare, it is a Washington riesling that usually accompanies it. Tonight it was going to be Korean barbecue with a bottle of Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl 2007 Riesling ($12.99). Kari had a tri-tip steak marinating since Friday, which I...

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Posted by Thad at 07:49 PM | | Comments (1)

June 28, 2008

Cottonwood 2004 Marina Piper Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The other night, Kari cooked up a batch of pappardelle pasta with beef ragu, which was made from a chuck roast slow cooked in a broth with wine and tomatoes. A fresh, red leaf lettuce salad tossed with sliced pink lady apples provided a colorful complement to the main dish. I was tempted to pull an Italian nebbiollo or sangiovese, but decided to try a bottle of the Cottonwood 2004 Marina Piper Pinot Noir ($26.99) from the Dundee Hills of Oregon. This was one of several '04 pinots from Oregon that had recently...

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June 27, 2008

July 25 - 29: Oregon Pinot or Washington Riesling?

In late July, Oregon and Washington will play host to distinct international wine events, showcasing each state's signature wines: pinot noir and riesling. Folks from around the world will be descending on our region to celebrate these two varietals in both New and Old World forms. For anyone wanting an immersion in Oregon pinot and Washington riesling, the dates Friday, July 25 thru Tuesday, July 29, are an extended weekend to mark on the calendar. First up is the 22nd annual International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), which will be held from Friday, July 25 thru Sunday, July 27 in...

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June 23, 2008

Vitis Vinifera: The Beauty Inside

Can you see the beauty inside of me? What happened to the beauty I had inside of me? Bono wasn't thinking of wine when he wrote these lyrics for the song, City of Blinding Lights. But they immediately came to mind when recently sampling a number of over-ripe, over-oaked, over-alcohol, over-everything wines from our region. While swirling, sniffing, and tasting these wines, it was as if the grapes were sadly asking, "Can you see the beauty inside of me?", in hopes that something might be left to express their true nature. Alas, it was not to be, for it...

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June 22, 2008

Review: Tashtego Cafe at Seabrook

Last summer, we discovered a wonderful new place on the Washington coast, the Seabrook beach community. Just two and a half hours south of Seattle, this seaside village offers nice vacation homes in a setting designed according to new urbanism principles. As a result, we no longer have to trek five or more hours to the Oregon coast for a beach vacation, for we now have a comparable experience in our own backyard. For Memorial Day weekend, we ventured back with friends and were excited to see that the village restaurant, Tashtego Café, had opened. According to a recent newspaper...

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June 21, 2008

Tertulia Cellars 2006 Viognier

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With pork chops and onions grilling, a pot of Spanish rice cooking, and fresh avocados ready to be sliced, I pulled from the refrigerator a bottle of Tertulia Cellars 2006 Viognier. This wine immediately reminded me of the visit I enjoyed at the Tertulia Cellars winery in Walla Walla last spring, which was where I purchased this bottle for $18. The Tertulia '06 Viognier (14%) is comprised of 76% viognier and 24% roussanne. Some of the viognier and all of the roussanne was sourced from the Lonesome Spring Ranch in the Yakima Valley...

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