William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

What could be simpler than drinking wine? Today, I'm sharing my thoughts about one of the conversations I recently had with visitors to the Clore Center . When I pour wine for visitors, I will mention if I feel a wine is ready to drink now ( Drink Me ), should taste better if decanted or would benefit from more time in the bottle ( Hold Me ). Of course, last week one of my customers asked, " How do you know? There are no instructions included. " "Most wine is consumed almost immediately after purchase." Most wine is consumed almost immediately after purchase. People buy and drink their wine. No problem with that. I too drink most of the wine I purchase. Though, I do favor decanting or aerating certain bottles of red wine. And yes, some bottles I don't drink. I do have special wines which I will hold to "maybe" open years after purchase. How do I know? And do you care? Wine Changes Over Time If you read this blog, then you know that I rev...

Two Mountain Winery is a fun place to visit in Zillah, Washington. a.k.a. The Best Day to go Wine Tasting Today I want to share some information with those new to visiting Washington wineries and tasting rooms. Consider it a Wine 101 FAQ. My original intent was to focus on the best day to go wine tasting. As I began to write, I realized I needed to expand on the topic. As I continued to write, the more I wanted to share. It is difficult for me to write short posts lacking depth. Wine bar at Walter Clore Center, Prosser, Washington. This is part of an evolving series on visiting Washington wine country. Now that I am pouring wine again on a semi-regular basis at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center , I am enjoying the many customer conversations about Washington wine and wine in general. The list of wines I pour from at the Clore Center changes monthly. And each day I pour, the wines I pour will change throughout the day. I relish working in a dynamic environment t...

Be nice to your wine hostess and ask her questions about the wine and winery. Part of an ongoing series on visiting Washington wine country. Are you going wine tasting?  Here's what you need to know when visiting a winery tasting room. 1. Wine Tasting is not Drinking Going wine tasting it is about tasting wine, not drinking. Some people you bump into at the wineries are going for volume - bad form. 2. Tasting Fee Many wineries do have a tasting room fee of about $5. Be prepared to pay to taste - be thankful if the winery you visit has no tasting fee (some wineries discount the tasting fee from your purchase - bonus). A modest tasting fee does help defray the cost of pouring wine - it also helps to discourage those out just for a buzz. Ask questions and enjoy. 3. Ask Questions If you are going to the effort of visiting wine country, then ask questions while you are at the winery. Who made the wine? What is in the bottle? How old is the winery?  Etc. This is ...