Skip to main content

First Notes from Taste Washington 2011


A wicked wind is blowing in the Tri-Cities. Two days of breathing gunk from the desert is affecting my allergies. Joy. Although the back of my head is throbbing, I am sifting through my notes from Sunday's Taste Washington Seattle 2011. It should be no surprise that my bias, once again, is to the red wines. Looking at my notes, what surprised me is that many of my favorite wines were from Walla Walla and "Other".

Here is the breakdown by region: 
Walla Walla – 8 wineries (12 favorite wines posted).
Woodinville – 3 wineries (6 favorite wines posted).
Other – 4 wineries (11 favorite wines posted).

So, out of all the wines I tasted at Taste Washington Seattle 2011, I was able to identify 29 wines I truly enjoyed. These are wines I would personally purchase for myself or for gifts. Over the next several days I will reveal these wines and any relevant comments. As soon as the wind dies down, my allergies should go away, then I’ll be able to enjoy wine again.

Cheers!
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

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...
Read more

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...
Read more

Wine 101 - Tasting Room Etiquette

Be nice to your wine hostess and ask her questions about the wine and winery. Part of an ongoing series on visiting Washington wine country. Are you going wine tasting?  Here's what you need to know when visiting a winery tasting room. 1. Wine Tasting is not Drinking Going wine tasting it is about tasting wine, not drinking. Some people you bump into at the wineries are going for volume - bad form. 2. Tasting Fee Many wineries do have a tasting room fee of about $5. Be prepared to pay to taste - be thankful if the winery you visit has no tasting fee (some wineries discount the tasting fee from your purchase - bonus). A modest tasting fee does help defray the cost of pouring wine - it also helps to discourage those out just for a buzz. Ask questions and enjoy. 3. Ask Questions If you are going to the effort of visiting wine country, then ask questions while you are at the winery. Who made the wine? What is in the bottle? How old is the winery?  Etc. This is ...
Read more