William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Treveri sparklers were captivating - that's a sparkling Syrah in my glass. Yesterday, I attended day one of Taste Washington in Seattle, Washington. With 200 Washington wineries present and pouring, I made a list this year of who to visit. This is my third time attending Taste Washington, so I'm applying my lessons learned: How to Taste at Taste (revised 20 April 2012 - see #5) 1. Have a list of wineries to visit. My "must not miss" list. ( I have posted this list of wineries and included my favorite wines of Taste Washington 2012 ) 2. Dark shirt to avoid any visible drips or spills. 3. Spit, spit, spit, so I can appreciate all of the wonderful wines and still walk and talk. 4. Eat and hydrate. An easy task if you pace yourself. I take a break every hour. #5. I forgot this step - What to do in Seattle After Taste Washington!   Winemaker Anna Schafer of aMaurice Cellars, Walla Walla. She is making spectacular wines, do not miss visiting. I consider...

Some overdue shout-outs and mentions. Last month I was at Taste Washington in Seattle, and it was a 7 hour rush. That is, I was rushing around on my “breaks” from greeting 3,000+ attendees. My breaks only allowed for a bit of time here and there to visit and taste. Today I’d like to say thank you to those I did not mention last month. Shout-Outs! Kitzke Cellars Before the event started, I did manage to visit briefly with Vickie Kitzke and her friends Linda and Bill. This was their first time at Taste Washington. I reviewed Kitzke Cellars here . Their tasting room in West Richland is open by appointment. Check them out at Taste Washington Portland on May 1st if you missed them in Seattle. Gordon Brothers Winery I had hoped to visit with Katie Nelson of Gordon Brothers Winery, but she was engaged with a crowd of tasters when I stopped by. My last visit to Gordon Brothers is reviewed here . They too will be at Taste Washington Portland on May 1st. Hedges Family Estate Winery...

Next Year I May Buy a Ticket I’m back from Taste Washington Seattle 2011. It will take the next week for me to gather my thoughts and write about the wines I enjoyed this weekend. Even though I was one of the greeters at Taste Washington, there were opportunities to sample wine, food and to bend some ears. This year I made an effort to visit with winemakers I did not know. A venue like Taste Washington, involving a couple hundred wineries, and a thousand+ different wines available to sample, along with 3,500 attendees, could be a daunting event to attend, let alone organize. But once again, my impression of this event is positive. Next year I may even buy a ticket, I need more time to visit with winemakers. A special hello to the friendly group I met outside after the event (I’ll have a list of all those wines I enjoyed for you soon). And to the couple from Arizona who walked with me in the rain, thanks for the company and conversation, we’ll have to share that drink another ti...

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...

April 5th and 6th is Taste Washington Seattle This two day event is described as the "Ultimate" wine experience. There will be far too much going on for me to describe here, follow the link to learn more and buy tickets. Stop by the Washington Wine Ambassador booth on Sunday and say hello - I'll be working the booth on and off all day. When I have time, I'll post my comments on the event afterwards. Of course I'll find some time to do a little tasting too. But how to choose from all 200+ wineries? Learn more about this event here: http://www.tastewashington.org/ Cheers!