Vin du Lac 2007 Red Café Syrah

Saturday I was at the local Costco, shopping for last minute 4^th of July goodies. Naturally, I gravitated towards the wine section in the back of the store. I was happy to discover a display for Vin du Lac winery. Vin du Lac is one of my favorite Lake Chelan wineries. Even better, Dreux Dillingham, Assistant Winemaker was there in person.

I first discovered Lake Chelan had wineries in 2006 while on vacation. My first exposure to Vin du Lac wines was in 2008 at Taste Washington Seattle.

Since this is Washington State, Dreux was not allowed to pour me a sample of wine at Costco (boo hoo). He had a Riesling, Red Cuvee and a Syrah. Not being familiar with the Vin du Lac Red wines, I asked Dreux to recommend a wine that would go with the steaks I was buying for dinner. Dreux recommended the 2007 Red Café Syrah. It was an unexpected pleasure to meet Mr. Dillingham and I enjoyed our conversation.

Once I had the wine home, I pulled the cork almost immediately. Synthetic closure, no big, plastic corks ensure the wine is protected and remains tasty. This Syrah is immediately expressive; I found it smoky, dark, almost earthy and quite meaty. The tannins are medium and braced with good acidity. There's a lot of life in this wine, which allowed me to enjoy it another day. On day two, notes of violets emerged, along with a touch of leather. This is the style of Syrah I like these days. Quite good, fair price (about $13) and complimented my grilled steak.

Thanks for the recommendation Dreux, I hope to have an opportunity to visit your winery in lovely Lake Chelan.

Cheers!

Three Albariños and Several Food Pairings | Taste Rías Baixas

As promised, more reviews of Albariño wines from Rías Baixas. My previous post ( My Favorite White Wines this Summer are from DO Rias Baixas ), I emphasized more traditional food pairings, grilled shrimp, Ceviche, and watermelon. This time, I wanted to try some different pairings to see how well Albariño wines would match. I love seafood, but I was curious about the flexibility of this variety. My test pairings began with a series of mini quiche I made at home, spinach, hamburger, tomato, dill and steak. Following are my tastings notes on the wines and the food pairing results. Results were mixed. Map of DO Rías Baixas and sub-zones. While twelve grape varieties are permitted in DO Rías Baixas, the white Albariño grape represents 96% of all plantings. Albariño refreshes as a drinking wine and appeals to diverse cuisine. Albariño from Galicia delivers for me on many levels. Bright acidity, refreshing citrus flavors and that compelling salinity which in...

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...

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 ...

William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

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