Wine 101

Cheers!

The Essentials and more

1. Wine 101 - Tasting Room Etiquette.
   What you need to  know.
2. Wine 101 - Visit Washington Wineries a Beginners Guide.
   aka: The best day to go wine tasting.
3. Wine 101 - Instructions not Included.
   What could be simpler than drinking wine?
4. Wine 101 - Sulfites in Wine. Do You Care?
   Are sulfites responsible for red wine allergies?
5. Wine 101 - The Importance of Shape to Wine Appreciation.
   The shape of the glass does affect the aroma and taste of wine.
6. Sensory Experience with Riedel, Seminar and Trade Tasting. This was an enlightening sensory experience. One which I highly recommend to everyone. And for those interested, the Walter Clore Center where I work in Prosser, will be hosting an upcoming Riedel seminar for consumers.
7. How to Taste Wine - Minstrel and Muse. "Wine is a personal experience. So is greatness." William Pollard Jr. responding to the question, "Can a $15 bottle of wine be great?" 
8. Sensory Training with Enologist Hillary Sjolund.
   Taking my nose in for an alignment at Fidelitas.
   
   TASTE WASHINGTON SEATTLE
9. Taste Washington 2016 Prepare to be Dazzled.
   Do your research before you walk through the doors and you will be rewarded with some truly remarkable wine experiences and an expanded palate for describing Washington wine. 
10. How do you Describe Washington Wine? Reflections on Taste Washington.
    Reflections on my experiences at Taste Washington 2015 Seattle. Now in its 18th year, Taste Washington is the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event and the premier showcase of Washington State wines and culinary experiences.
11. What to do in Seattle After Taste Washington!
    You planned for Taste Washington! Did you plan for after?
    
    WINE AND FOOD PAIRING
12. Recipe: Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb.
    You could vary this recipe with different root vegetables and spices; turnips, rosemary, thyme, etc. All and all a very successful recipe.
13. Los Vascos 2013 Sauvignon Blanc with Rack of Lamb.
    What? Lamb with white wine? Yes, yes, yes! Discover the wonderful aspect of pairing lamb with a crisp white wine. Savor how the wine slices through the flavors of the lamb - enjoy lamb, enjoy wine, repeat.
14. Shepherds Pie Casserole with Barnard Griffin Syrah Port #WinePW6.
    A soul satisfying casserole perfect for Thanksgiving potlucks and family dinners paired with a not too sweet dessert wine. Yum!
15. Butterflied Spicy Prawns and Treveri Sparkling Wine #WinePW7. 
    December is holiday festive party time! A wonderful wild shrimp and sparkling wine appetizer pairing. Recipe included.
16. A Resolution For Greek Wine, A Recipe For Avgolemeno #WinePW8.
    My reasons are personal and are related to the passing of my step-grandfather who was from the island of Crete. Consider this post an homage to his memory.
17. Recipe for Refueling Romance, Salmon Frittata and Michelle Brut Rose' #WinePW9. 
    My take on this months romance theme is more of a post romance recipe for revitalization. After the passion you need to fuel up for round two, or three.
18. A Special Oregon Pinot Noir with Eastern North Carolina Inspired Ribs #OTBN #WinePW10.
    After some consideration, I decided North Carolina ribs would likely pair well with my special bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. There were no leftovers. Success!
    
    WINE INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY
19. Wine Tourism Conference 2012 Sonoma County.
    All about improving wine tourism traffic, making lasting connections with customers, educating consumers and creating a culture of wine.
20. Alternative Wine Closure - Nomacorc Oxygen Management System.
    Nomacorc is one of the leading producers of synthetic cork. The company name and their product are both referred to as Nomacorc.
21. How to Ruin the Wine Experience - Expectations Not Met.
    Finding fault with a glass cork
22. Seeking Closure.
    Which wine closure system do you think will dominate the wine industry?  
23. Product Review, VinoMax Triple Aeration Handheld Aerator and Pourer Aerator.
    When you aerate wine, you are adding oxygen to the wine. The intent is to help express the aromas and flavors of the wine.
    
    RED MOUNTAIN WINE COUNTRY
    
24. Taste the Romance of Red Mountain at Hedges Family Estate
    A testament to the vision and conviction of this winemaking family.
25. Hightower Cellars - Red Mountain Bottling Line.
    A View from the Tasting Room Floor Up. First bottling line experience.
    
    WOODINVILLE WINE COUNTRY
26. Woodinville Wine Country - Part 1
    INTRODUCTION Woodinville a First Weekend "No Longer Strangers"  
27. Woodinville Wine Country - Part 2
    RESERVE and North of 95
28.  Woodinville Wine Country - Part 3
    Willows Lodge and Spa + Wine Director Interview
29. Woodinville Wine Country - Part 4
    Saturday Wine Tour Hollywood District
30. Woodinville Wine Country - Part 5
    Sunday Wine Tour Warehouse District
    
    PROSSER WINE COUNTRY
31. Visit Prosser, Washington, Where The Story of Washington Wine Began.
    Time to discover the birthplace of Washington wine
    
    OREGON WINE 
32. Oregon Wine Country Discovery Tour. There's a treasure trove of wine across the Columbia River. While I've preoccupied myself with my Washington wine pursuits, I've ignored a wealth of wine next door. I'm referring to Oregon Wine.
33. Out of the Park! Knudsen Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir Estate Reserve | Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. Oh mama...fantastic wine. My Pinot Noir drinkers often ask for recommendations of Oregon wines. Well, now added to my Strongly Recommended list is this Knudsen Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir Estate Reserve, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon. It rocked!
34. Delightfully Drinkable | Black Magnolia 2015 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon | By Real Nice Winemakers. My Pinot Noir drinkers will instantly appreciate this wine. And speaking to you non-Pinot Noir drinkers, this wine is the perfect excuse to try again. It is well crafted and priced reasonably. You can afford to give it a taste. I think you will be as pleased as I was.
35. Deeply Delicious Shallow Seas 2017 Rosé Wine | Willamette Valley, Oregon. "Patio thinker into a sunset sharing wine." Today I am pleased to share my sentiments on the second vintage of Shallow Seas Rosé, by winemaker Anthony Van Nice, of Real Nice Winemakers.
36. New World Pinot Noir Featuring Lenné Estate @lennewine. We invited Steve to the show to talk about his wines and to discuss the topic of "What makes Oregon Pinot Noir so special?" He shared a tremendous amount of information about the terroir of his vineyards and his philosophy towards wine making. 
37. Wines of Soléna Estate Dundee, Oregon @SolenaEstate. Winemaker Bruno Corneaux was in attendance. The tasting included the Soléna Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, Soléna Grande Cuvee Pinot Noir, Soléna Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir, and the Soléna Domaine Danielle Laurent.
38. Taste the Reason - Archery Summit 2013 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. I distinctly remember my Pinot Noir "ah ha!" moment in April 2012. That particular wine epiphany led to a new appreciation and understanding of the Pinot Noir variety. Washington grape growers cultivate many, many premium grape varieties - Pinot Noir is not one of them.
39. Wine of the Week! Silvan Ridge 2011 Malbec Rogue Valley, Oregon, Single Vineyard @SilvanRidgeWine. This Oregon Malbec impressed. I encourage you find this wine and enjoy it with your best friends. Add Silvan Ridge Winery to my list, and yours, of must visit Oregon wineries. Well done. Definitely a Wine of the Week! Need to find more of this wine.
40. Review: R.Stuart & Co. 2010 Big Fire Oregon Pinot Noir. This Oregon Pinot Noir is a real lady, demure and inviting. Made by a committed, passionate winemaker who has expressed a sense of place.
    
    LODI WINE COUNTRY
41. Lodi, California, Re-Discover Wine Country - Introduction. There is another California wine country destination worth discovering. It is not over-priced, it is not crowded and it is full of local charm and flavors. This is your opportunity to experience small town California wine country before everyone else.
42. Wines of Lodi, California, Re-discovered Wine Country. The Lodi wine region grows over 100 different grape varieties. While I expected Zinfandel, I hoped for more, I was not disappointed. Indeed, there was delicate, fragrant Viognier, re-freshing Pinot Grigio, vibrant Albarino, zesty Kerner, and even Garnacha Blanca (White Grenache). And many wonderful reds. I was struck by the diversity and quality of Lodi wines.
     
    CATALUNYA WINE COUNTRY
43. Introduction: Catalunya a Return Home.
    Everything surrounding Catalan wine and Catalunya was compiled of a series of unplanned, synchronous events. The two sample wines sent to me for review, the two books sent to me by my sister-in-law, the fact that my sister-in-law lives just outside of Barcelona, the unexpected email inviting me to enter a submission for the contest. How did this happen?
44. Outline: Catalunya a Return Home.
    In order to properly share what I learned and experienced in Catalunya, I need to cover a lot of territory. Consequently, I have created this outline to guide me and you my reader. It may change over time as I create the content and try to tell a cohesive story. 
45. Part1 - History of Catalunya: A Return Home.
    You can hear, smell, taste and see the impact of history on Catalunya. Throughout the last two thousand years of history, Catalans have remained distinct and proud. Catalunya has its own language, Català/Catalan, its own traditional foods and some of the best wine in the world. 
46. Part 2 - Language of Catalunya: A Return Home.
    His deep gravelly voice was a pleasure. Català spoken as if from the rocky ground itself. His quiet, reserved demeanor hid great depths of knowledge and passion. My affection grew throughout the day." 
47. Part 3 - Culture of Catalunya: A Return Home.
    Catalans do not consider themselves Spanish. Some who live in Catalunya will tell you they do, but they are not Spanish. If you read Part 1 History of Catalunya, you should understand why. It took me three days to understand this and to become sensitive to that fact. This is reflected many times over in the culture.
48. Part 4 - Cuisine of Catalunya: A Return Home.
    The delicious cuina/cuisine of Catalunya which embraces and showcases the food of the sea and land. I found many dishes recognizable, while others were new creations inspired by centuries of multi-cultural interactions and humble living. I ate very well. And I want more.
49. Part 5a - Mas LLunes 2013 Rhodes from DO Emporda, Catalunya: A Return Home. The drive to the Mas LLunes winery was full of narrow, shoulder-less, twisty back roads. Through some very beautiful country. Once the Pyrenees mountain range became visible, it served as the backdrop for our drive through wine country. Manel shared a lot of detail about the area and its history while driving. Making a great deal of eye contact and constantly expressing himself with his hands. I had a firm grip on the door handle for most of the drive.
50. Irrevocably, Irredeemably, Incontrovertibly, Forever Changed by Catalunya and Vi Català. Today, I am sharing my sentiments toward Catalunya, vi Català (Catalan wine), my desire to return and a bit about what I have learned and wish to experience. “Wine brought me to Catalunya, wine will likely bring me back.”
    
    PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT WINE, FRIENDS AND FAMILY
51. Decoding My Spanish Wine Fixation.
    Spanish wines shall always have a special meaning for me.
52. Conversations with Friends, "My Favorite Wine" on the Wine Muse Podcast #winemuse plus a review of a'Maurice Cellars Syrah/Grenache.
    Companion Post for The Wine Muse February Podcast
53. 10 Year Milestone, Ruminations on Writing About Wine. 
    There was a time when I thought I would stop writing about wine. A time, between 2009 and 2010, when I thought my fascination with wine was at an end. Obviously, something happened to cause that thinking, and something happened to put me back on track. 

Jane Pearson, Tapteil Vineyards.

Thank you for reading.

I enjoy sharing my stories of wine. My focus has expanded beyond Washington state to encompass the world of wine. No easy task. But, I find myself driven to learn more and to share what I learn. So, thank you for stopping by and taking some time to read what I have written.

In August 2008 I shared with Jane Pearson of Tapteil Vineyards, a question asked of me by a visitor from China, "What is wine?"

Her response was immediate, “Wine is food, wine is life.” Those are words I can live by.

Go visit wine country and create your own  wine experiences.

Cheers!