Taste Washington 2012 Day One

Treveri sparklers were captivating - that's a sparkling Syrah in my glass.

Yesterday, I attended day one of Taste Washington in Seattle, Washington. With 200 Washington wineries present and pouring, I made a list this year of who to visit. This is my third time attending Taste Washington, so I'm applying my lessons learned:

How to Taste at Taste (revised 20 April 2012 - see #5)

1. Have a list of wineries to visit. My "must not miss" list.
(I have posted this list of wineries and included my favorite wines of Taste Washington 2012)
2. Dark shirt to avoid any visible drips or spills.
3. Spit, spit, spit, so I can appreciate all of the wonderful wines and still walk and talk.
4. Eat and hydrate. An easy task if you pace yourself. I take a break every hour.
#5. I forgot this step - What to do in Seattle After Taste Washington!

Winemaker Anna Schafer of aMaurice Cellars, Walla Walla.
She is making spectacular wines, do not miss visiting.

I consider yesterday a success. I was able to visit with 16 wineries/winemakers, and sample a total of 53 wonderful wines. With written notes too and photos.

So many wonderful Washington wines were poured yesterday.

My strongest impression of yesterday? Quality, quality, passion. I liked every wine I sampled yesterday, some I even adored. I don't have time this morning, before day two of Taste Washington, to delve in detail about the wines I liked and which ones I really, really liked. That's for later. Today I have 13 more wineries on my must visit list. I will try to get to the oysters today too.

Don't drive after Taste Washington. Many forms of transportation are available.

This year, Taste Washington expanded wine tasting to two days. The event, as usual, was well organized, well attended, and a great deal of fun.

Related Post: Taste Washington! How I will Review 29 Wineries and 103 Wines

Cheers!

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle must

Spirit Review: Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine White Lightnin' @OleSmoky

Today I have crossed the line from wine to spirits. At 100 proof the Ole Smokey Tennessee Moonshine is definitely turning up the volume (ABV 50%). "Moonshine, white lightning, mountain dew, hooch, and Tennessee white whiskey are terms used to describe high-proof distilled spirits, generally produced illicitly...The word "moonshine" is believed to derive from the term "moonrakers" used for early English smugglers and the clandestine (i.e., by the light of the moon) nature of the operations of illegal Appalachian distillers who produced and distributed whiskey." Source Wikipedia My family is no stranger to Moonshine. That is, my great-grandfather and grandfather were not strangers. Evidently the family occasionally produced their own spirits on their Oregon ranch. My grandfather told me about his younger brother getting into his dads stash with predictable results. Grandmother also told me stories about midnight runs and secretive deliveries d

Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon. The style has changed.

“There is something special going on at Col Solare." In mid-June 2022, I began working for Col Solare winery on the Red Mountain AVA in Washington state. The Red Mountain AVA and Col Solare are famous for stunning Cabernet Sauvignon. That I knew going in. We are not here to make more wine... We are here to showcase place. At the end of June 2022, Col Solare winemaker Darel Allwine retired. Darel had been winemaker since 2013. Prior, he had been Col Solare assistant winemaker for Marcus Notaro. Marcus had been Col Solare winemaker when the Red Mountain facility opened and was winemaker before we had our Red Mountain facility. On July 1, 2022, Col Solare assistant winemaker, Stephanie Cohen, was promoted to Col Solare winemaker. I was present for this change. It was the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. Col Solare is the third winery I have worked for. I chose well. Often, I am asked by Col Solare guests, as I was last week, “Tell me about Col Solare. Who are you

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Search This Blog