William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Red-Mountain-Merlot.  Three words with deep meaning for those of us who know. Last month I was in Portland, Oregon for the fifth annual Wine Bloggers Conference . There's a lot of wine poured and consumed at these events. A lot. So, why did I bring along a bottle of Fidelitas Red Mountain Merlot? It was my hope to find an opportunity to share this wonderful wine. A few quiet moments, and  a couple of fellow wine compatriots was all I needed to open this lovely bottle of Washington wine. Photo: Empty bottle of Fidelitas 2009 Red Mountain Merlot. Winemaker Charlie Hoppes has spent the past 20 + years as a leading winemaker for several noted Washington wineries. He was Assistant Winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, then Head Red Winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle's facility at Paterson, where he helped create the premium label for Col Solare's first two vintages. In 1999 Charlie worked to help start Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla. He created his own ...

Five wonderful days in Oregon Wine Country.  Photo: Phelps Creek Vineyards view. There's a treasure trove of wine across the Columbia River. While I've preoccupied myself with my Washington wine pursuits, I've ignored a wealth of wine next door. I'm referring to Oregon Wine. This month I spent five enlightening days in Oregon, sampling the best of Oregon wine. The fifth annual Wine Bloggers Conference was hosted in Portland, Oregon. I was fortunate to attend. There are not enough words for me to express how affected I was by my experience in Oregon. Oregon winemakers are creating and expressing true wine passion. You can tell by the exquisite wines they are making. Oregon is an environment where sharing and inspiring each other is the norm. Environmentally aware, Sustainable, Organic and Bio-Dynamic are natural topics of conversation in Oregon wineries. Northern Oregon wine country is minutes from the vibrant city scene of Portland. I visited wineries a...

A Family and Friend Forward Washington Winery. This week I had the pleasure of meeting Vickie Kitzke, Paul Kitzke and some of Kitzke Cellars closest friends. Vickie invited me to her home to sample all of Kitzke Cellars 2006 – 2008 delicious red wines. The 2008 vintages are not officially released. Vickie Kitzke (right) and friend. If you are not familiar with Kitzke Cellars, that’s because they are a local, boutique, family-owned winery. They have been farming in the area since the 1970s, and have gradually transformed their orchards into vineyards. With fewer than 1,000 cases produced annually, Kitzke Cellars is by definition a boutique winery. Kitzke Cellars is located on Candy Mountain, off of Dallas road and a stone’s throw from West Richland, Washington. They are about a five minute drive from my home, that’s local friends. The family is working to finish construction of the tasting room; Vickie expects to open to the public sometime in April 2011. When they open, you will...