William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Good Wine, Happy Camper Fall is settling on us quite rapidly. Today, our sunny afternoon was framed by ominous dark clouds lurking on the horizon north of us. It‘s unsettling how quickly the cool weather descends on SE Washington. That touch of autumn sunshine put me in the mood for grilling steaks tonight. I‘ll embrace the sun when I can. But, what good is steak without wine? On my way home, I grabbed a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. On a whim, I bought a wine I would not usually purchase; it was priced on sale for less that $15. My expectations were not high for the wine, I was just hoping for something palatable. Chateau St. Michelle Chateau St. Michelle, is a Washington winery - an Eastern and Western Washington winery. The St. Michelle winery and tasting room is located in Woodinville, Washington, just across lake Washington from Seattle. However, this wine is made in Patterson, Washington, from Columbia Valley grapes (Indian Wells series) at the...

Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Happiness My wife gifted me with this bottle last week - just because I’ve been a good husband - a trend I hope to continue. I don’t know where she bought it, or how much she paid (it is a gift). I enjoyed every bit of this wine. Earthy aromas hit you after you pull the cork - wait, let it breathe. This wine has a gorgeous color, to me it looked smoky-ruby in the glass. I’m reviewing this wine on day two, and I’m very pleased with how the wine has changed from day one (day one was mostly fresh Bing cherry and tartness). There's ripe cherry, vanilla, leather, spice with a hint of toasted coconut underneath the nose. Dry Bing cherry, vanilla in the mouth, very smooth, and a bit of plum tartness - good mouth feel, medium body. This is a sunset wine or sipping wine. It does not have the aggressiveness needed for food, it’s just too dainty - and a bit sophisticated. I really like this Kiona wine, and it puts me in the mood for more Cabernet Sauvignon. Th...

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...

Kiona 2006 Zinfandel This time of year, our SE Washington days are pleasantly warm with enchanting cool evenings. This makes for the perfect time of year to enjoy our Washington wines. If you are in the area, take in a desert sunset with friends and Washington wine - a real treat. Lucky me, I was gifted with a bottle of Kiona 2006 Zinfandel. I've been a fan of their Lemberger for two decades, so I was intrigued by this Zin. Of note on the back of the bottle: the fruit is harvested from their vineyards on top of Red Moutain! Certainly news to me. Kiona is one of the oldest wineries on Red Mountain. Tasting notes: Bright garnet color, very clear and clean. Nose: Ripe blackberry, with subtle pepper a hint of violets - and a whiff of cellery (subtle). Taste: In the mouth good feel, cooked fruit, tar, bright. Finish: With 13.5% alcohol it does not have the heat of other Washington reds - so you can savor the flavor. Good acidity is moderated with the perfect amount of medium tanin, and...

Catching Up with July It was my good fortune last month to sample many excellent Washington wines. I'm including a few pics of some of the wines I enjoyed. This list is certainly not complete, but I don't snap photos of every bottle I drink. Some of the bottles you don't see here, that must be mentioned, include: Fidelitas and Kestrel. My palette must be shifting around, as I really enjoyed both Kestrel and Fidelitas wines - several bottles mind you - just to be sure. Fidelitas: http://www.fidelitaswines.com/ Kestrel: http://www.kestrelwines.com/ Here are some photos in no particular order. Hightower Cellars - located on Red Mountain, I enjoyed their 2006 Pepper Bridge, Walla Walla red wine with friends - it was fricking awesome - go find some and enjoy. Check out their tasting room if you are in the area. Tim and Kelly Hightower are a blast to visit with. Hightower Cellars: http://hightowercellars.com/ Goose Ridge, g3 2006 Red Wine, a tasty red with a good dose of Syrah. ...

Yes, I'm in Washington. Yes, I'm tasting Washington wines. No, no reviews yet. I have Bronchitis - and my palette is dulled and unreliable. I hope to be back in wine shape sometime next week. I have a good selection of Washington red and white wines to taste and review. Visiting some regional wineries is on the agenda for the month too. Friends and family have lined up to take me tasting, health permitting. Cheers!

Taste Washington! Spokane Sunday, June 21st • 5 - 8:30pmThe Davenport Hotel Wish I was in town to attend - this is one of the best wine events of the year - don't miss it. Tickets now on sale through Brown Paper Tickets . You can also buy tickets at the following retailers: www.arborcrest.com www.latahcreek.com www.vinowine.com www.williamsseafoodmarketandwines.com More than 100 wineries will be on hand, pouring up to three of their wines. Try new releases of old favorites, or new varietals from some of Washington’s many brilliant new wineries. From small to large wineries, whites, reds, rosés and dessert wines, Taste Washington has it all. Taste Washington Spokane is part of the Washington Wine Commissions efforts to raise awareness of Washington wines regionally, nationally and internationally. This is one of the premier wine and food events of the year right in our own backyard! If you’re new to wine, or an old hand at swirling and spitting, Taste Washington Spokane is the idea...