William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Columbia Valley, Washington We are enjoying perfect end of summer weather in the Columbia Valley. Freaking gorgeous days and cool nights, perfect for ripening grapes. This kind of weather is also perfect grilling weather. Tonight I made grilled avocado, bacon, cheese-burgers and paired those tasty burgers with Subplot No 26.  Photo: 2010 Subplot No 26 red wine with burger. Subplot No 26 is made by a local winery, Bookwalter Winery. Bookwalter is just minutes from my home. I've been drinking their wine since 1986. And their 2010 Bookwalter Subplot No 26 Red Wine delivered the goods. Ah, grilled burgers, I gently brushed the buns with olive oil and toasted them until they were just golden, added a bit of mayo, a squirt of ketchup, sliced onion, cheddar cheese, a slice of tomato, two pieces of bacon, lettuce and some avocado to complete my burger. Yeah baby. Wine tasting notes: Color: garnet red Nose: coffee, herbal, dark fruit, blueberry, earthiness, pencil shaving...

A lighter, friendly shade of red. "Clonk de Plonk" first words spoken by Walker Roth. This wine brought back memories of my Aunt Marjorie and Uncle Harry. My aunt and uncle had a reasonable sized garden behind their West Richland home. Their property backed up against the dike along the Yakima River. As kids, my brother and I spent a lot of time with Aunt Marjorie and Uncle Harry. Our outdoor playground included a dog, a couple of cows, rows of corn, lettuce, carrots and several fruit trees. In the summer, the trees my brother and I were drawn to were the cherry trees. Even with the reprimand of, “Don't eat those cherries, they are for pies!” We seldom listened. Of course we could only reach the lowest, least ripe, tart cherries. That's what this wine reminds me of, those barely reachable cherries of my childhood. Even so, this wine is far better than those cherries. A better view of the color. The Color of Clonk De Plonk is a clear, bright, cherry red, with...

I wrote my first snooth.com article about wine tasting in Richland, Washington. It's a full day itinerary packed with wine, food and outdoor recreation. Here's the link if you have not seen it . All my best! William Pollard

Time in a Bottle. This weekend my wife and I made the most of the beautiful summer weather. Saturday began with an early trip to the Pasco Farmers Market. We purchased fresh produce from local farmers; onions, celery, garlic, cabbage, Bing cherries and strawberries. We took the fruit and vegetables home and headed off to a picnic in Kennewick at Columbia Park. We enjoyed classic picnic fare next to the Columbia River; potato salad, baked beans, chicken, beef brisket and fruit salad. After an afternoon siesta, we wrapped up our day in Richland, with live music and wine at Thomas O’Neil Cellars . Romagossa Blu playing at Thomas O'Neil Cellars (phone photo).

A Venue for Wine, Music and Celebrations. Tom and Tricia O'Neil. Last month I stopped by for the grand opening of Thomas O’Neil Cellars. They are the first production winery with a tasting room in North Richland. Arriving around 3 pm, on a cold and wet afternoon, I was warmly greeted by Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil and friends. Tom O'Neil took time to show me his facility and to take me through his entire lineup of Rhone style wines*. Mr. O’Neil has been making wine for about 25 years. Originally from Michigan, he now resides in Richland, Washington with his lovely wife Tricia. Tom interned with Chateau Ste. Michelle and then became an assistant winemaker at Milbrandt Vineyards. He just opened his Richland winery on April 15, 2011.  I found all of the Thomas O'Neil wines enjoyable and priced reasonably. Expect a detailed tasting review soon. A Fahrenheit 100 Please. One of the other interesting aspects of Thomas O’Neil Cellars is their outdoor...