William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Showcase the wines of this winery at your next celebration. "They are producing some kick-ass wines at this winery." William Pollard, Wild 4 Washington Wine It's starting to get a little hectic and stressful. I blame my stress on the holidays and everything I want to do to show my appreciation and affection for family and friends. While I was preparing for the Thanksgiving podcast on Minstrel and Muse radio  " Thanksgiving Traditions ", I started to think that it would be fun to showcase one winery and only their wines as the solution for holiday entertaining. One winery shopping if you will. And a way to make selecting the perfect wine a little bit easier. Choose them all!

photo: A kick ass Chardonnay. This Washington Chardonnay delivers the goods. Today it's raining and the wind is threatening the Columbia Valley. That's okay with me, I know that sunny skies and warmer weather are just days away. Which means it's almost grilling season. Today I'm dreaming of grilling up some brawts and enjoying another bottle of Two Mountain Chardonnay. Yes, this white wine is for grilling. Two Mountain Winery is located in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA, one of many wineries in the area. My last visit to Two Mountain Winery was in 2007, when I attended  Two Mountain Vineyards “Vineyard Management” class taught by Matt Rawn. They are producing some kick-ass wines. I must get back and visit again.

Sexy, Groovy, Washington Syrah. photo: Two Mountain 2009 Syrah. Syrah is one of my favorite varietals. I am continually impressed by the quality and depth of character expressed by Syrah from Washington State. Two Mountain Winery in Zillah, Washington has delivered an outstanding wine with their 2009 Syrah. Highly recommended. Tasting Notes: This Syrah had a sexy deep color. On the nose was pepper and plum; almost gamy with violets. It was bright at first, with bacon fat, dark fruit, and a medium finish. After 10 minutes it started to open up; flavors of tasty blueberry, with smoky elements and tarragon, yum. After 40 minutes there was ginger bread on the nose and palate, yielding to savory chocolate. This wine was "lush": as in "growing luxuriantly". The word "groovy" also came to mind. The brothers Rawn have done an excellent job with the Two Mountain 2009 Syrah. This is another wine to put on your must experience list. Highly recommended....

Taste Washington Seattle, April 6, 2008 Grand Tasting Today is Wednesday, but Sunday still resonates with me. Sunday was Taste Washington Seattle , “the ultimate wine experience” which showcased an amazing assemblage of Washington’s best Wineries and Restaurants. The Washington Wine Commission is the Host for Taste Washington. Although this was a two day event, I attended only on Sunday for the Grand Tasting. I have to say that this was absolutely the best wine event I have ever had the honor to participate in as a Washington Wine Ambassador . I was a volunteer at the Washington Wine Ambassador booth. Washington Wine Ambassador Program The Washington Wine Commission established the Washington Wine Ambassador program for Washington wine enthusiasts like yours truly. I became a Washington Wine Ambassador in 2006. As a wine ambassador you have many opportunities to educate others about Washington wine, volunteer and support the Washington wine industry, pour at event...

H3 - Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon This wine was a big surprise for me. My wife is continually buying wine I would never think of bringing home. I so enjoyed the wine, I left some for the next day. My notes are from day two. Tasting notes: What an interesting nose - spicy vegetal which leans towards baked bell pepper, cigar box, leather, empty pepper mill. Medium bodied wine, good fruit, pencil shavings, flower petals, hint of bubble gum, good mouth feel. I like it. Has a pleasant finish, not huge, not too dry. This is a buy me drink me wine, perfect for a grilled steak and prawns. This wine is locally priced in the $15 range (less if on sale). I’ve included some winemaker notes below.. www.columbia-crest.com Cheers! Winemaker notes: The H3 label is named for the American Viticultural Area in which Columbia Crest is located (Horse Heaven Hills AVA) and where it planted its estate vineyards more than two decades ago. All the grapes will come from those vineya...

Are sulfites responsible for red wine allergies? Last year, when I started this blog, my intent was to share my impressions of the best wines Washington wineries had to offer. However, the more involved I become with the Washington wine industry, the more I learn how big the world of wine is. It’s bigger than I realized. Sometimes I learn by experience, reading (my library is growing) and other times I learn out of social embarrassment. Have you ever paid much attention to the “Contains Sulfites ” on the label of a bottle of wine? Neither had I and I ha ve bought, sold and poured many, many bottles. Occasionally, someone passing through the Columbia valley would remark to me, "I only drink white wine, because I'm allergic to sulfites in red wine." My typical response was to smile and nod my head, I did no t know any better to correct them, and I did no t care. This year I began to care. It was the month of May and I was having a great time championing Washington ...

Just a quick note that I'm still here. Several posts to create when time permits. Veraison - Vineyard Club Seminars Véraison is a French term, but has been adopted into English. The official definition of véraison is "change of color of the grape berries." Véraison signifies the change from berry growth to berry ripening in grapevines. Last month was "veraison" at Two Mountain Winery in Zillah. We did cluster thinning of "our" row of vines. We each have a section of Syrah and Riesling to manage. Afterwards we enjoyed some lovely wines back at the winery as well as some delicious spring rolls. Lucky us, Matt even shared some unreleased, pulled from the barrel 2005 Syrah... Absolutely delicious. I'm looking forward to the 2005 release - put it on your list. I have some topics to share after I wrap up a couple of other projects. Cheers!

Summer Thinning Two Mountain Winery in Zillah, Washington, http://www.twomountainwinery.com/ is once again offering seminars on growing and managing grape vines. This Saturday I spent almost two hours thinning Riesling and Syrah vines with about 20 other students. Matt Rawn was our instructor. He discussed the importance of controlling vine vigor by thinning vines and leaves. Air flow is necessary to reduce the chance of mold/mildew, and excess vines and leaves need to be removed to focus the energy into the grapes. The vineyard we “worked” in is planted on rocky soil in Zillah, Washington, part of the Rattlesnake Hills appellation. The vineyard is in a scenic location, mountains are visible above the vineyards, birds sing in the background, and this weekend we were lucky to have a pleasant, slightly overcast morning to work in – we missed the 100 degree heat of the previous week, and the few rain drops which fell Saturday did not bother us. Matt seemed to like the work I did th...