In the glass, the Argyle 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley was a clear, ruby red, almost the color of cherry Kool-Aid, which offers a useful description for the bright, ripe fruit flavors experienced with this wine. This Oregon pinot noir skewed toward scents and flavors of candied cherries, all of which was followed by some heat on the finish due to the 14% alcohol. At $28, I found the '07 Argyle to be a wine that I would pass on repurchasing, as its ripeness and higher alcohol were not my style. Related Links Brian on Wine's Review The Grape...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:04 PM | Permalink

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For many years, Kari and I have served a beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner, which is easy to prepare, cook, and carve, especially for a large gathering. This year, we decided to depart from tradition and serve beef bourguignon, for the weather outside had been cold and snowy for so long that this hearty dish seemed appropriate for our dinner celebration. To craft this single pot dish, Kari adapted a recipe from Ina Garden, which by all accounts follows a classic method of preparation. This meal has become a huge hit with friends...

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Posted by Thad W. at 01:20 PM | Permalink

While on a trip to the Oregon coast eight years ago, Kari and I spent a day visiting wineries in the northern Willamette Valley. It was our first trip to Oregon pinot noir country and to be honest I came away unimpressed with the wines. Looking back, I know why this was the case, for it was in that year, 2000, that I was fully immersed in full-bodied, high octane wines such as California zinfandels, Australian shiraz and Washington syrah, just to name a few. On that fateful trip, I purchased a bottle of Argyle 1997 Nuthouse Pinot Noir...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:48 PM | Permalink

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) I love duck. It's one of my favorite dishes, whether dining out or eating in. My wife, Kari, prepares a superb duck, searing it on the stove top to crisp the skin, finishing in the oven to a medium rare consistency, and then crafting a sauce that brings it all together. The other night Kari surprised me with a waterfowl dinner, which put me on a hunt in the cellar for an Oregon pinot noir. I was starting to come down with a cold, therefore wasn't sure if I should go big time...

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Posted by Thad W. at 11:03 AM | Permalink

With all the frustrations of air travel today, it is good to know some folks are trying to make one's experience inside the airport more enjoyable. Over the last few years, Sea-Tac Airport has gone thru extensive renovation, with a new terminal marketplace created to provide travelers a great spot to cool their jets before boarding their flight. Last Friday, with my flight delayed, I discovered a new wine bar called Vino Volo while strolling thru the terminal marketplace. Vino Volo is not only a wine bar, but also a retail shop where you can purchase a bottle of wine...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)