Skip to main content

A Season of Change - September Update

photo
Kiona Lemberger on the Vine 2015.

A Bountiful Harvest

The mornings in SE Washington have cooled, and the evenings are spectacular this time of year. Think glorious sunsets and star filled sky. The word from the Washington grape growers I have spoken with is an early and bountiful harvest.

photo
De-stemming Syrah at Gordon Estate.


This month I had had the opportunity to meet Tyler Tennyson of Gordon Estate Winery. Tyler has been with Gordon Estate 13 months and is energizing their winemaking program. We sampled from barrel the 2015 Chardonnay, Wild Yeast Chardonnay, Malbec Rose' and Syrah. Yum and yum. I believe 2015 will be a vintage to remember. I'll have a review of his 2014 Chardonnay soon. 


graphic


Podcast Goodbye

On the home front, I'm sad to announce that the Wine Muse Podcast I have co-hosted for two years is ending. It's been a fun time. Linda who hosts Blog Talk Radio is changing directions and decided to stop podcasting for the foreseeable future. It was a pleasure and honor to speak with those in the winemaking industry around the world. We recorded the final two episodes last week: "Alpha Montes - Wines of Chile" and "The Most Northern Winery in the World - Norway."


photo


Many thanks to Linda Rez for inviting me to share my passion for wine on The Wine Muse. As the Wine Muse show evolved, not only did we taste and discuss wine, we added conversations with winemakers and special wine industry guests. We expanded our knowledge and awareness of wine. It was a lot of fun and worthwhile. My mental image of wine continues to evolve. It is possible the #Winemuse will return in another guise. If it does you will be the first to know.


photo
Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center Prosser, Washington.

Now Pouring and Talking Wine

Last year I visited Prosser Wine Country on a special media visit. This month I began working in Prosser at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center. Yes, I am pouring Washington wine again.

The Walter Clore Center is the culmination of a ten year effort to build a facility for telling the stories of Washington wine. This is a place where you are invited to experience a diversity of Washington wine and food products. A dynamic environment with an ever changing wine list. 

photo
A few of the wines poured in September.

Working part-time at the Walter Clore Center in Prosser, fine tuning my Washington palate is taking me in new directions. I am working with a great group of people and love, love talking to visitors about Washington Wine Country! Almost lost my voice the first day from all the great discussions. Stop by on a weekend and say hello if I'm there.

One door closed and another opened. It is truly an exciting time to live and work in Washington Wine Country. I encourage you to visit and taste Washington wine. You can thank me later.

Cheers!

Popular posts from this blog

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