Nellie's Garden Dry Rose

Chateau Ste. Michelle

2006 Nellie's Garden Dry Rosé

Warmer weather has come to represent Rosé Wine season. Gone are the pale, sickly sweet pink American wines of the past. The modern Washington Rosé is dry and succulent, pairing oh so well with summer foods and friends hanging out on the patio next to the grill.

It may be difficult to find, but Chateau Ste. Michelle does bottle a wonderful dry Rosé. It has been a few years since I last found a bottle without going to their Patterson winery/tasting room, but I recently found a bottle locally. Note that this is a 2006 vintage, while a 2007 vintage would be more appropriate, the 2006 did not disappoint.

The first thing you notice about this wine is the color. While not quite blood red, it is a wonderful clear and bright red color, or deep pink rose. This is a DRY wine, quite tart, very clean finish, with a distinct cranberry flavor. I enjoyed the wine with a pineapple, lettuce salad, dusted with freshly grated Parmesan with grilled pork chops. It was a hot and sunny Saturday the day I enjoyed this wine. But, I should caution you that this wine is 13.8 percent alcohol. So don't let it surprise you with its kick.

I encourage you to seek out Washington Rosé wines. You'll find them wonderful companions for summer picnics, grilling with friends and those amazing SE Washington sunsets.

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

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

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

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

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