Skip to main content

Napa Valley Meets Columbia Valley

Growers conference in February introduced many to the Columbia Valley.

I finally have some time to post to this blog, so lets catch up. Last month the annual Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Meeting was held in Kennewick, Washington. Growers and winemakers from the U.S. and Canada attended. And local growers and winemakers presented. I personally had some time to visit with four growers from the NAPA Valley. They appeard a bit dazed and overwhelmed when I met with them after the conference. They had questions about the Columbia Valley, climate, soil and appellations. They did not believe everything I told them and they seemed doubtful about the whole Washington state wine phenomena.

But, as they say, the truth is in the tasting. They were politely interested in white wines, but unimpressed. They were very interested in red wines and were blown away by a 2004 Barnard Griffin Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I swear their eyes popped open at the same time - looks were exchanged, heads nodded at each other, oohs and ahhs left their lips as reality set in.

Is the Columbia Valley one of the best locations in the world to grow grapes? Are some of the best winemakers in the world in Washington state? And are some of the best wines in the world being made in Washington state? Yes, yes, and yes! Go taste for yourself if you don't believe.

These four Napa Valley growers took a case of Washington reds home with them for further evaluation - it was a very heated discussion which wines they would take - yes they each took some of the B.G. Reserve Cab Sav. Will this affect how they grow their own grapes? Or will there be four growers and their families discussing a move to Washington state?

FYI: The 2004 Barnard Griffin Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, won Gold at the 2006 L.A. County Fair Wines of the World Competition, Gold at the 2006 West Coast Wine Competition and Double Gold and Best of Class at the 2006 Tri-Cities Wine Festival (held in November and worth attending). This is truly a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon.
FYI: The Columbia Valley is blessed with a semi-arid desert climate, sandy/silty soil, basalt and clay deposits, we receive 1-2 hours additional sunlight in the summer than California, and because we are in the northwest and desert, our summer temperatures during the day range from 80 - 100 degrees farenheit, but drop at night by 30 to 40 degrees which helps the grapes cool and preserve/develop their acidity. This is also a windy location and a lot of sand and dust is blown around at times, which I've been told is useful for reducing vine pests and toughening the grape skins (skins = flavor). Soil, dry climate, wind, hot days and cool nights, skilled growers and talented winemakers, what a great combination for world-class wine.

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

My Current State of Wine

"Do I still work in the wine industry?" Like many of you, the Covid pandemic altered my life trajectory. Today, I am going to re-cap where I am in the wine industry. My story will bounce back and forth for context. Remember, I like to connect the dots. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, Washington. First, everyone asks me, what happened to the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center (Clore Center)? Good question. The Clore Center, located in Prosser, Washington, birthplace of Washington wine, opened in 2014 as a not for profit. The primary mission of the Clore Center was to promote " Washington state wine ." I began working at the Clore Center in October 2015. My last title was, Wine Education Coordinator . We finally, sadly, closed our doors in November 2020.  It was my sincerest pleasure to work at the Clore Center for five years. I made many friends in the industry and in the community. I met many people from around the country and from around th

A Special Oregon Pinot Noir with Eastern North Carolina Inspired Ribs #OTBN #winePW 10

Open That Bottle Night - A great excuse for a Wine Pairing Weekend.  February 28th was Open That Bottle Night - I selected a bottle of wine I helped blend using barrel samples of Pinot Noir from R. Stuart winery in McMinville, Oregon. I was saving this bottle for a special occasion and knew it was likely time to open and drink. I hoped it had improved. "Blending wine is no task for mere mortals."   - William Pollard Jr.  Our Wine Pairing Weekend group decided Open That Bottle Night would be an appropriate occasion to pair our selected bottle of wine with something special as well. After some consideration, I decided North Carolina ribs would likely pair well with my special bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. For this post I'll review the wine first, then provide the recipe, and wrap up with the results of this wine + food pairing. *Note: What is Open That Bottle Night? Wife and Husband columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher invented Open That Bottle