William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

What's in the pretty blue bottle? You don't have to take a class to understand what's in this pretty blue bottle. It's a lovely, fresh, unoaked, NSA, Certified USDA Organic Washington Chardonnay. However, let's clear up a couple of terms before delving into the tasting notes.

  My friend Ben Simons was pouring for Alexandria Nicole Cellars today at the Kennewick Mid Columbia Wine and Spirits store (thank you social media). My thinking, "Why not stop by for a visit and a tasting?" He poured for me the just released 2012 Pinot Gris, 2010 Viognier, 2010 Jet Black Syrah and the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Pinot Gris is tasting a bit young and fresh, the Viognier was quite lovely, the Jet Black Syrah was showing off and begging for grilled lamb (a masculine wine with a cool label), while the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was my favorite tonight with gobs of cherry goodness. A steady flow of wine enthusiasts at the tasting bar embraced the Alexandria Nicole wines tonight. Ben did a great job sharing the story of Alexandria Nicole Cellars . There were a lot of smiles. I learned today that Mid Columbia Wine and Spirits holds free wine tastings every Friday and sometimes Saturday, at both their Kennewick and Richland stores...

Organic and NSA Goodness in a Pretty Blue Bottle Now that I am back in town, I made a point of visiting the Badger Mountain Certified Organic Vineyard & Powers Columbia Valley Winery. The winery is located on top of Badger Mountain, in the Rancho Reata area of Kennewick. Lucky me, they are only 15 minutes from my home. While I am focusing on the Organic NSA Chardonnay, I did enjoy tasting many of their wines at the winery. I was honestly impressed by the quality and value of every one, white and red. When I have time, I’ll review some of their other tasty wines. Back to the Chardonnay, I like the bright blue bottle this wine is in. It protects and presents well and tells everyone that there is something special waiting inside. The enticing aroma is the first thing you’ll notice when you screw the cap off the bottle. This is a smooth, easy to appreciate Chardonnay. You’ll find it easy to impress your friends with this wine. At first you might mistake this for a “sweet” wine, because...