WBC or BUST Day One: Making More Great Memories in Washington State

This week, I am doing something a bit different than my usual posting. I will be posting two back to back. How come? Because the first day of our WBCorBust adventure was so incredible that the afternoon and evening segments needed their own posts to give them justice. I love it when I get these bursts of creative energy and I need to act upon them! I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I enjoyed being a part of them.



After a wonderful morning of touring and tasting in Woodinville, we made our way into The Barking Frog restaurant for lunch. This was no ordinary lunch but a dazzling three-course menu by Chef Bobby Moore and accompanied by three wines poured by DeLille Cellars’ owner/partner Jay Soloff.



DeLille Cellars, housed in a gorgeous French Chateau-style winery, was founded in 1992. They produce exceptional and highly rated wines with an emphasis on Bordeaux and Rhone varietals. Jay was one of the most genuine and approachable people I met that week and his passion for teaching us all about his wines and where they came from really stood out. His excitement about being a part of our event was infectious and I couldn't wait to sample the wines and get to know more about them! Check out this video below, filmed by my friend, Bill Eyer of Cuvee Corner Blog at our Woodinville producers tasting earlier that day...





Our first course was the restaurant’s signature appetizer--Grand Marnier Prawns with mixed organic greens and a lemongrass vinaigrette. Jay poured his 2009 Doyenne Rose’ Yakima Valley--a tasty and refreshing Rhone-blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault.$24.



For the second course, we were given a choice of chicken or seafood and I, of course, chose the seafood. Washington has some of the best seafood in the world so it was a natural choice for me. The entrée of seared sea scallops was accompanied by asparagus risotto, baby spinach, pancetta, Cipollini onion and a carrot reduction. It was magnificent! The wine, 2008 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley was a white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. $34. A very classy pairing. (We would sample this wine again during the “White Wine Speed Blogging” session in Walla Walla later in the week!)



The dessert course was amazing! A dark chocolate coffee ganache with a milk chocolate cremieux and salted caramel. It was so beautiful resembling a work of art! I could’ve seriously run away with that dessert! It was paired up with the 2007 Doyenne Signature Syrah. $37. The plum and raspberry -pepper flavors melded with the chocolate and made for a sinfully rich experience!



I could have used a nap after lunch but our chariot awaited to take us back to Seattle for a tour of the Pike Brewing Company. The Pike Brewing Company, located in the heart of Seattle, was a busy brew pub with whimsical decor. I don’t usually drink a lot of beer. However, I was game because every so often, I crave one so I used the hour or so we were there to sample a few of the beers and relax in the moment. The tour was a lot of fun but since I am not swell-schooled on beers, so I will let you imagine what it was like visiting through photos. "I Like Pike" is their motto and I think we all felt that way when we exited...









My thanks to friends Bill Eyer of Cuvee Corner Blog and Tom Plant of Wineormous for use of some of their photos and video. You guys are the BEST!

For more information on DeLille Cellars, The Barking Frog Restaurant and Pike Brewery, please visit their websites:

www.delillecellars.com
www.willowslodge.com
www.pikebrewing.com

Following the tour, we made our way back to the Renaissance Hotel to check in and relax for a very short time because what awaited us was a magical, wonderful evening on Pier 70. Stay tuned for part two!!

A Chat With Winemaker Kent Rasmussen...

Interviewing people, especially people I admire such as winemakers and grape growers, has always been a difficult thing for me. As I forge ahead in the blogosphere, I am going to be interviewing people more and more. As frightened as I am at the prospect, the thing I love the most about it is what comes after I've listened to a winemaker talk about their labor of love. It's such an awe-inspiring feeling!! And it makes me wonder why I was ever frightened in the first place! Recently, I was given the opportunity to interview Napa Valley winemaker, Kent Rasmussen of Kent Rasmussen Winery--a little goldmine of a winery that sits on the Silverado Trail. I was nervous, but excited because giving the small family winemakers all the exposure I can is what it is all about! He was great to speak with and made me feel completely at ease!

My chat with Kent lasted around 50 minutes and during this time, he painted a beautiful and realistic picture of what life as a Napa Valley winemaker can be like. I've recently found that there are so many interesting reasons why people get into winemaking and I'd like to put them all together in a book--one of my many future projects! Winemakers come from all walks of life and when I first approached the subject, Kent hesitated, stating that his story was not glamorous by any means. No matter! I still wanted to hear it and what he mentioned was really interesting.

Kent Rasmussen didn’t come from a winemaking family like some did and he wasn’t a wealthy venture capitalist who decided to get into winemaking. Kent had been working as a librarian at UC Berkeley and was somewhat of a home winemaking hobbyist. I recently met an old aquaintance of his, Washington state winemaker, Katy Perry of Tildio Winery. When I spoke of the winemakers I had talked to, she mentioned she had worked with Kent in the early days and he had specialized in African Studies, not the usual tale you'd expect to hear. One day Kent looked out the window and decided he just couldn’t spend his life working indoors anymore. The idea of making wine appealed to him, having had a bit of the home winemaking experience. He decided to go back to school for some viticulture and enology education . What followed was work at Robert Mondavi Winery but Kent was interested in venturing out on his own.



This was still in the late 70s when the price of land was still reasonable. Kent and his wife Celia (pictured above) decided to forge ahead and slowly but surely they began making their own wine. In the beginning, they planted a few acres of Pinot Noir in Carneros, the southern end of Napa Valley--where the cool climate is ideal for this grape. They also purchased Chardonnay grapes from others. Kent's work ethic was a prime example of how working slow but steady leads to success. Their wines became well-received over the years and what they have now are award winning wines and a piece of Napa Valley history.




I have to say, I have been very impressed with Kent’s wines. The sample package I received contained the 2007 Carneros Chardonnay, 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir and the 2007 Esoterica Petite Sirah. The Chardonnay was sampled for a live event I participated in a few months back on Twitter. One of the most interesting Chardonnays I’ve ever encountered, the 2007 Carneros Chardonnay was multi-layered… Each layer would meld into something surprisingly new. It was vibrant and exciting with full-bodied richness. Tropical fruits, vanilla, spice and a long, lingering finish. But not buttery-oaky or over the top. It was about as great as a Chardonnay could be! Borderline grand! A truly unique experience. (I could go on and on...) Kent said the formula for this Chardonnay happened by accident. One year he had barrel sampled the wine too soon, then forgot about it for a bit longer than normal. Sounds like a winning formula to me! I’m sold. I am pretty sure you will be too! $29.



Now, mind you, I am just getting into Pinot Noir and having sampled so many different ones, it's tough for me to choose one style I love over another. The Carneros region of Napa Valley is known for it's cool climate and the perfect place to grow Pinot Noir grapes. The 2007 Carneros Pinot Noir is enjoyable with subtle raspberry and cranberries that flow into dark chocolate mocha and cinnamon spice flavors. One sip and you recognize where it comes from. It has a dry, spicy finish and is the perfect food wine. Kent has been making Pinot Noir for over 25 years so I would guess this has to be his flagship. It is truly "Purely Poetic Pinot Noir" as they would put it! $40.



The third wine I sampled, the 2007 Esoterica Chavez-Leeds Vineyard Petite Sirah is classic!It recently won a huge accolade from Wine Enthusiast Magazine---94 points! The Esoterica label is Kent’s side project--his “fun” label-the “thrill of discovery” as he puts it. Every year he releases something fun and different using the label. This Petite Sirah is fabulous! It’s dark, tannic, and bold! Yet it is also well-balanced so it can stand up to some heavy duty dishes and still pair well with a simple grilled meat! This wine has been dubbed "The Petite Sirah for Cabernet Lovers". Rightfully so as it is majestic and magnificent! Don't miss out on this fabulous find! $40.

In addition to the Kent Rasmussen and Esoterica labels, Kent has a companion label named after his wife, Celia Ramsay. You may recognize the wines with the Ramsay label as they are distributed nationwide. They are food -friendly, easy drinking wines and can be found in many restaurants and wine shops.

I am planning a little jaunt over to Napa Valley this coming October and I am planning on a stop at Kent Rasmussen Winery. You will find they are truly a gem not to be missed. The winery is located at 1001 Silverado Trail S. in St. Helena, CA. Open daily from 11 AM to 4 PM. I’m excited to visit! If you can't make it out to visit them, here is some important information on how to get some of these great wines: Some of the wines are distributed in certain states, but the best way to get them is to contact the winery directly. Please contact Michelle Hunt at (707) 963-5667 or e-mail her directly at michelle@kentrasmussenwinery.com.



I’d like to thank Michelle for arranging this opportunity and turning me on to such a great story! It was a pleasure speaking with Kent and I know he will continue to keep making a name for the winery for many years to come. My thanks to Kent for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with me! Hope to see you all in October!!

Passaggio Wines Does It Again!

A few months ago, I introduced you all to a good friend of mine, Cynthia Cosco--winemaker and lab assistant at Crushpad, San Francisco's famous custom crush facility. Well, a lot has happened since then! Crushpad is now a reality in Napa Valley, having moved their crush facility to a location on the Silverado Trail--complete with a vineyard. And as for Cindy, she's still with them and still making her own wine and yes, folks, she has done it again! Cindy is on a roll, having just released not one but two excellent wines I feel everyone should know about! There's a big buzz out there about her wines and I have a feeling the buzz is about to get bigger!



I recently received samples of the new releases. The first release is the 2009 Passaggio Wines New Generation Unoaked Chardonnay. Last year, I went on and on about how refreshing the 2008 release was and how I'd learned to embrace unoaked Chardonnay because of Cindy! Well, I am here to say that the 2009 was such a lovely surprise and the flavors this time are even bigger! So tropical and absolutely wonderful. Bursting with pineapple and guava goodness. She really has her finger on top of a formula I hope keeps evolving because it is truly wonderful! This wine is $16 a bottle. Worth every penny!



This year, she decided to surprise us with a new wine as well. The 2009 Passaggio Wines New Generation Pinot Grigio is a breath of fresh air! I'm not a big fan of Pinot Grigio. I tend to find them boring and uninspiring. This one is completely different. I enjoyed it from the first sip. Lemons, pears, crisp, refreshing! Way more flavorful than the traditional Pinot Grigios coming out of Italy. Just superb! $14.

With wines this nice and flavorful, Cindy's star is definitely on the rise! I hope to see many more wines being created in the coming years. Perhaps a Rosé or how about a Riesling? Maybe she'll even venture into making red wines! The possibilities would be endless! Let's hope so! So, where can you get these great wines? They are available through her website at passaggiowines.com. She also has them available at Crushpad if you were to pop in and visit. I know I'm a bit late in saying this but she does have a "Summertime Special" going on for the month of July! Save 20% when you purchase six or more bottles of Passaggio Wines. Now that's a deal!

Cellarmistress Does Woodinville Part Two: The Grand Tasting

Upon leaving Chateau Ste. Michelle, our group of bloggers was whisked away across the road to the Willows Lodge, home of the famous restaurant, The Barking Frog. As we walked through the building, I spotted a sign reading “Private Event Wa. Wine Bloggers. Thank You For Joining Us!” At that moment, I felt pretty special! In the courtyard stood many eagerly awaiting winemakers and winery representatives from wineries right there in Woodinville! This tasting would take awhile and in the interest of time, I’m going to discuss a few of the producers. You all know how long-winded I am! I’d be writing a novel if I mentioned every single detail! Anyway, I was like a kid in a candy store! What do I try first? Who do I meet first? Everyone began disbursing to the different tables and guess what?



I spotted vintner Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery. I approached with caution because I didn’t want to seem too eager but who was I kidding? I knew that Bob had a huge history in the Washington wine industry--that he’d worked for Ste. Michelle back when it was Stimson Lane, that his wines were worshipped by many faithful followers, that he had a MW (Master Of Wine) as a title and that his winery’s mailing list had been closed for quite some time. If my trip had ended right there, I’d have had no regrets, after all Bob Betz was legendary! Who would regret sampling two of his finest wines---one of them yet to be released to the general public??? Not I! So I sauntered over and introduced myself! He was as charming and pleasant as could be as his daughter, Carmen, poured me a sample of 2008 Syrah La Côte Patriarche (Est. retail $55, 215 cases, to be released October 2010). I remember thinking, “Wow!” this is going to be the benchmark for everything else I try this week! Sourced from Yakima Valley’s Red Willow Vineyard (the oldest Syrah planting in the state), this wine was velvety with bursts of dark fruit and a very long, lingering finish! And yet to be released! How fortunate could I get? The next wine I sampled was the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Père de Familie. ($60 retail, 815 cases-sourced mostly from Ciel Du Cheval, Klipsun and Kiona Vineyard on Red Mountain). Very big, dense fruit with mineral qualities, a bit tight but would open up nicely with decanting or aging, Now that was an experience and I still had several more tables to visit!



The next person I met was Darren DesVoigne of DesVoigne Cellars. I had never heard of them before but the labels on their bottles caught my eye. They had beautiful artwork of jazz musicians on them. I went back to white wines and started off with his 2009 Menina Flor Columbia Valley Viognier/Roussanne. That’s an interesting varietal combination I’d never run across before! I wanted to run away with the bottle! It was unbelievably creamy with a melange of citrus! And for only $20 and 136 cases produced, I’m sure it would sell out quickly!



Next up was owner/winemaker Steve Snyder of Hollywood Hill Vineyards. The sun was beating down on me so I asked to sample a white. One thing you need to know about me is I am crazy about Roussanne. It’s just not a wine I can find a lot of and coming to Washington was the best thing because it opened my eyes to some of the best Roussannes out there! Hollywood Hill makes a fine one, 2009 Horse Heaven Hills Roussanne. ($24, 70 cases produced). Guess I was lucky to sample it because production is so small! Full-bodied and lush with ripe pineapple flavor. Just scrumptious!



At the recommendation of my friend, wine blogger Bill Eyer, I ventured over to the Baer Winery table where I met Lisa Baer, representing her family. Her table featured two reds, 2007 Ursa and 2007 Arctos. Washington has a lot of best kept secrets. Here’s one of them! These two Bordeaux blends are amazing! My first thought was that the price points would be very high and I almost hesitated to ask. I was stunned to find out the 2007 Ursa ($35, 997 cases produced) and the 2007 Arctos ($41, 267 cases produced) were so moderately priced. Good Lord! Beautiful wines at an incredible price! Highly recommended!



distefano and Sparkman Cellars shared a table. Though I will talk about Sparkman Cellars in a later post, I did want to mention that distefano was named 2008 Winery Of The Year by Wine Press Northwest and 2009 Best Winery by people’s choice 425 Magazine. The 2005 Sogno (which means dream, in Italian) was my favorite at this table. Yet another great value , this wine was 98% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was very spicy, with cloves, mint, eucalyptus and blue fruit. Another jaw dropping moment occurred when I saw the price point, $32 (550 cases produced).



Finally, we move on to dessert. Dessert wine, that is. My friends, Mike and Kate Sharadin of Northwest Totem Cellars made a fine fine dessert wine, the 2007 Elerding Vineyard Late Harvest Viognier! ($27) Slightly sweet, with honeysuckle notes and so smooth. I was loving this wine and Mike came up behind me and handed me a bottle to take back to Iowa! I want to thank him for doing this because it’s a beautiful wine and I can’t wait to share it with my family and friends!



Alas, the tasting had to come to an end and we were directed into the Barking Frog restaurant where DeLille Cellars owner/partner Jay Soloff was waiting to pour us some more of his wines with lunch. Stay tuned for my next post featuring Jay and his wonderful wines and the awesome cuisine of Chef Bobby Moore! If you are interested in getting to know these wineries better, all of them have tasting rooms in Woodinville, Washington, which is a suburb of Seattle.


You may access more information on their respective websites below:

betzfamilywinery.com
desvoignecellars.com
hollywoodhillvineyards.com
baerwinery.com
distefanowinery.com
sparkmancellars.com
nwtotemcellars.com
willowslodge.com

My thanks to Bill Eyer for providing the photo of Darren DesVoigne and the distefano and Hollywood Hill Vineyards wines! I also wanted to thank Marcus Pape for all the hard work he put into bringing this all together! And--I want to say how excited I was that I finally got to meet three of my good Twitter friends: Margot (@writeforwine), Shona (@shona425) and Bean (@winebeerwa)!!!

Cellarmistress Does Woodinville Part One: Chateau Ste. Michelle

Well, I'm back from Washington state! Most of you have probably figured this out from my never ending tweets--screaming how thrilled I was to be there! So, how was it anyway? Well, it all started on the evening of June 22nd, when I departed my humble abode for the thrill of the Pacific Northwest. A flight that was late, a run through the airport (again), a second flight that was a rollercoaster ride (sat next to some people from W. Virginia-their first flight-thought they were going to scream bloody murder!) and a long wait at the airport for my hotel shuttle...But, I finally made it, sleepy-eyed and dead to the world at 1 AM (which was really 3 AM my time!). Four hours later, my wake-up call rudely awakened me and I stumbled into the bathroom to make coffee, only I forgot to put the actual coffee pot under the coffee maker and made a complete mess all over the floor! Could it get any worse? I made it downstairs, woke up, ate breakfast and soon I was off my airport shuttle and in the lobby at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Seattle, waiting to begin my big journey-- for WBCorBust to begin! I sure hoped so!

After a few formal introductions, myself and my fellow WBCorBust winners, climbed aboard our bus and took off for Woodinville!!! First stop--a tour and private food and wine pairing at Chateau Ste. Michelle!

Most people are familiar with this winery in some way or another. (If not, I am not sure where you've been hiding all these years!) I have to be up front and say that I was not sure what to expect with this visit. I knew they were famous for their Riesling. (I did a post about this awhile back) But that's all I knew. This was a large-production winery and its parent company, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, owned many wineries including Snoqualmie, Columbia Crest, Spring Valley Vineyard, Northstar Winery and Col Solare (along with a few others in Oregon and California) The winery also owned 3500 acres of land in the Columbia Valley and made many, many wines. What was I in for? I'd never visited a winery this large before.

My mind was put completely at ease when we were joined by Lynda Eller, Director of Communications for the winery and winemaker Wendy Stuckey, who oversees the production of white wine. Both were very personable and informative as they led us on a tour of the production facility. As they walked us through the facility, I noticed large billboard displays showing their vineyards, wines and special joint projects lining the walls. Down below and through safety glass, one could watch wine being bottled. The moment I was there, they were bottling Chardonnay. We walked downstairs to the stainless steel tanks and I witnessed cold fermentation, with frost on the outside of the tanks! I had never seen this before. The barrel room was absolutely huge, with row after endless row of oak barrels. The smell of those barrels was just intoxicating! I loved it!


We went outside for a moment, then back inside into another room where they had set up the private tasting for our group. The room was intimate and there were tables lined with white linens and many tasting glasses set-up on each table. Each person had their own little private menu printed on paper and each glass was set on on a labeled tasting chart, so you'd be able to tell the wines apart. We all took our seats and Wendy introduced us to the winery's culinary director, John Sarich. This winery knows how to pull all the stops! What commenced was an amazing marriage of beautiful food paired with elegant wines and made for a memorable morning!

We began with our first plate, which had Indian Spiced Prawns with Tomato Chutney, Sesame Seared Halibut with an Orange-basil Thai Curry, Coconut Rice and Citrus Salad, and some Currywurst. The three appetizers were paired very nicely with three Rieslings: the 2008 Eroica Riesling from Columbia Valley (a project between the winery and famed German winemaker, Dr. Ernst Loosen-$24), 2009 Dry Riesling from Columbia Valley ($9) and 2009 Cold Creek Vineyard Riesling from Columbia Valley ($15). I have to say Riesling is one of those wines I've always overlooked and don't drink much of. However, this tasting has saved me! These plates, paired up with these wines, have succeeded in making me a Riesling fan for good! Wendy talked about the wines while John explained the pairings and the thought behind them. (later on at the Wine Bloggers Conference, we all received a copy of John's book, "Chef In The Vineyard"--a gorgeous book with many recipes and photos! I'm excited to start cooking!) Before moving on to the next plate, we were given the opportunity to barrel taste a sample of the 2009 Eroica, which still had a ways to go but showed promise. I will attempt to pair up all my spicy dishes with Riesling going forward and see how they fare! All three of the above Rieslings are available through the winery and in most U.S. markets.

Next up, we all received a second plate which featured Roast Duck with Cherry Merlot Sauce, a Sweet Potato Cake and Manchego Cheese. This plate would pair up with Merlot. There's nothing to fear about the Merlot from Chateau Ste. Michelle! The flavors are huge-lots of dark chocolate, spicy cherries! We had 2007 Canoe Ridge Estate Merlot from Horse Heaven Hills ($22), 2006 Cold Creek Vineyard Merlot ($28) and a very special wine, their 2006 Artist Series Meritage (which contained Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot-$50).

After much swooning, I embraced what was next, dessert! Basque cookies with Rasberries were paired up with the 2005 Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling from Horse Heaven Hills ($35) It was liquid heaven! So rich and sweet-tasted almost like honey!

I have to say, in retrospect, it couldn't have been anymore perfect! I came home from Washington with a whole new respect for this brand and its wines and people! I am really looking forward to getting to know them better! After a perfect morning, we were whisked off to another tasting in Woodinville but got to enjoy some of the Ste. Michelle wine portfolio again later in the week at the Wine Bloggers' Conference in Walla Walla. There's a lot more to this adventure so please stay tuned in the coming weeks for a lot more excitement! I'd like to thank my two WBCorBust co-horts in crime, Bill Eyer (who took the wine photo) and Tom Plant (who took the food photos) for allowing me to use their photos which were better than mine! Cheers to everyone!

WBC10 and WBCorBust Here I Come!!!

It's finally here! The 2010 North American Wine Bloggers Conference will be taking place later this week in Walla Walla, Washington. I recently read an article stating that the state of Washington would love more wine lovers to visit and that they could use a boost for their wine industry. Well, I'm here to say that Walla Walla and the state of Washington had better watch out! They're not going to know what hit them! Talk about a boost! Three hundred wine lovers, writers, winemakers, media consultants etcetera will be descending upon this small town in southeastern Washington. They will be writing, blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, and broadcasting everything wine! After this week, everyone will know where Walla Walla, Washington is and that there are so many excellent wines coming from there and other parts of the state! It's going to be amazing and one of the biggest things to happen for the wine industry there! I am so happy and proud to be a part of this event!

On New Year's Eve, I made a conscious decision to be one of the three hundred. Attending last year's conference was an amazing and priceless experience. The people I met, the friendships I made and the things I got to see...I never could have done this on my own. Now the time is finally here, six months of waiting finally over! And I get to do this again as a newbie. I've never been to Washington and I can't wait to go.



During the interim, I entered a contest called WBCorBust. The contest, sponsored by WineChatr and the Washington Wine Commission (along with a multitude of other great sponsors), began as a way for non-Washington bloggers to showcase the industry there and create excitement. I chose to do it because I wanted to learn more about the area and its wines. I had some great help from Washington winemakers Chris Camarda of Andrew Will, Charles Smith of Charles Smith Wines and K Vintners, Don Phelps of Hard Row To Hoe and Dave Merfield of Northstar Winery. They made some amazing wines and I am grateful to them for sharing their passion with me! At the beginning of May, I found out I actually won! I was so stoked! This was icing on the cake for what was already going to be an amazing journey! Along with eleven other winners, I get to ride across the state of Washington in style! Below are some of the highlights and events we will be partaking in:

WBCorBust:


Food and wine pairing and tour at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville

Woodinville Grand Tasting at Willows Lodge

Lunch at the Barking Frog

Palate Refresher & Brewery tour at Pike Brewing Company

Seattle Winemakers Dinner at Waterfront Seafood Grill

Brunch & Wine Tasting at the Cave B Inn in Quincy

Vineyard visit & farm-sponsored vineyard lunch among the vines
at DuBrul Vineyard in Sunnyside

Yakima Valley Grand Tasting at Prosser's Vintners Village

Walla Walla Vintners Pizza Social (wood-fired pizza!!!)

Walla Walla B&B Experience

WBC10:

Wine Tasting and Meet The Sponsors

Taco Truck Tasting Lunch with famed Walla Walla Taco Trucks

Keynote speech by Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Wine Blog Awards Presentation

Breakout Sessions (great stuff--all three days)

Live Wine Blogging (this is so much fun--like speed blogging)

Pre-dinner reception and dinner with Ste. Michelle Estates

After hours Walla Walla walkabout (visiting the Walla Walla tasting rooms!)

Visits and lunch at local wineries and vineyards

More Live Wine Blogging

Pre-dinner reception and dinner with the Washington Wine Commission

Keynote speech with Writer Lettie Teague

After hours reception with Wines Of Spain

Food and Wine Pairing and lunch with Food Network Chef Jeffrey Saad

Post conference excursion to Red Mountain AVA

Visits to Col Solare, Hedges, Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard and Terra Blanca

Red Mountain AVA Grand Tasting

Outdoor dinner at Sunset at Terra Blanca

Phew! This will be some week! And let me tell you, my liver will be hating me and my eyes will be thanking me. But best of all, a piece of my heart will undoubtedly remain in Washington forever. To all my friends (old, new and friends to be), I raise my glass--a toast to what will be one of the best weeks of our lives! I'm ready! Bring it on!

Cellarmistress Tastes Live From The Livermore Valley!

Over the past six months, I've had the rare opportunity to sample many wines from a winery I consider a great California staple. Wente Vineyards. When most people think of California wines, they think of Napa or Sonoma or the Central Coast. Wente Vineyards calls the Livermore Valley their home. I asked around and a lot of people were dumbfounded when I mentioned the area so I am here to shed some light on this mystery...

The Livermore Valley is located 30 miles east of San Francisco, inland but off the bay. This area is ideal for grape growing because it gets the morning fog and cool air from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in warm days and cool nights. This climate coupled with the gravelly soils of the area were exactly what C.H. Wente had in mind when he started the winery 125 years ago. Five generations of family winemakers have been consistently making award-winning wines ever since.


I have had the opportunity to taste from all the different tiers of wines the Wente family has to offer. From the most simple to the most complex, these wines offer something for everyone. After participating in two of their TasteLive events on Twitter in recent months in addition to receiving sample kits from the winery, I found it very difficult to narrow down my favorites as they were all exceptionally good wines. The TasteLive events helped me learn more about the current and fifth generation winemaker, Karl Wente. He is a master at blending his wines. This makes for complex and interesting wines. There is always a surprise element--perhaps a varietal you didn't expect in the blend. He kept me guessing and on my toes with his blends! I believe he truly enjoys crafting his wines this way!

The first Wente Vineyards wine I ever had was in 2004 at a little seafood restaurant in Newport Beach, California. It was a Chardonnay and I drank it out of a plastic cup! It was good even out of plastic! That said a lot. I knew it was special. Wente Vineyards makes many Chardonnays. I was fortunate enough to sample two of them and at under $20 for either one, they are exceptional.


The first of the two Chardonnays is the 2008 Morning Fog Chardonnay. Karl sources most of the grapes for this one in the Livermore area but also adds grapes sourced from the Arroyo Seco area near Monterey. (The family owns vineyards there as well.) This one is very clean with just a simple touch of oak and nice stone fruit flavors, and cinnamon spice with a kiss of vanilla. What did Karl blend with this one? Gewürztraminer? For real. I always complain when winemakers do that because when done frivolously, it takes away from the true flavor of the Chardonnay grape. Karl does it in such a subtle way, you wouldn't even know it! Now that's the true mark of a master! $12.95 a bottle! (Yes, really!)


The 2008 Riva Ranch Arroyo Seco Chardonnay. I just can't get enough! Honestly, if you love butterscotch, caramel, vanilla and tropical flavors in your Chardonnay, this one is definitely for you (and me, obviously!). This one comes from the "Heritage Block" tier of their wines with most of the grapes sourced from their Monterey-area vineyard. Barrel aged and medium bodied with huge flavors. So--what did Karl blend with this one? Well, he added a very tiny fraction of Gewürztraminer but also about 4% Pinot Blanc. What does that do? It adds brightness to this wine! It is just lovely. $19.95 (yes, very nice and very affordable!)

Who loves Cabernet Sauvignon? The Wente family proves that great Cabs do not necessarily have to come from Napa Valley. Here are a couple that really surprised me!


Because sometimes you just want to be able to open a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and pour yourself a glass without having to decant, Karl has made the 2007 Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon. Blended with tiny amounts of Petite Sirah, Merlot, Barbera and Petit Verdot, it is simple yet offers some great flavors such as dark berries and vanilla. Completely approachable with soft tannins. And at an affordable price of $14.95, it should be sitting in everyone's wine rack for everyday drinking!


The 2007 Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon is a Cabernet-lover's dream come true. Especially if you like a bold, spicy, fruit-forward Cabernet. This one is redolent with juicy, jammy blackberry and dark cherry flavors, lots of spice and vanilla oak. Blended with Petit Sirah and Petit Verdot. A complete steal for $24.95! Stands up to the best prime steak and will rival some of those Napa Cabernets out there!

And finally we come to something very rare. They call me Syrah-challenged. This one broke me!


I was given the opportunity to sample a wine club only exclusive. I'm unsure of the price point on this one but I would venture to guess it is somewhere in the vicinity of $45.00 a bottle. The 2007 Nth Degree Syrah. This is very much done in a Rhone style. Meaty, full-bodied and funky! Lots of dark berries, chocolate and savory spice. Funky in a good way though. Not one to be sampled alone, it must be accompanied by a good meal. If you are ever able to sample this wine, you will find it very complex and enjoyable. Blended along with Petit Sirah, Mourvedre and Cabernet Franc, it is a bold, "in your face" wine that could definitely be cellared for awhile!


Does all of this sound great to you? It does to me, which is why I want to visit them some day! The property is beautiful and they make so many different and interesting wines. Please visit them sometime if you get the chance. They are located in Livermore at 5050 Arroyo Rd. They are open daily and to the public, available for private events and there is even a restaurant on the premises.
Wines can be purchased at the winery, on their website at wentevineyards.com or some of the wines are distributed nationwide.

I would like to thank the folks at Wente Vineyards for allowing me to experience their wines and I'll hopefully be seeing them sometime soon!