William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Dr. Stephanie Bolton Lodi Winegrape Commission with Borra Vineyards Winemaker Markus Niggli.  There is another California wine country destination worth discovering. It is not over-priced, it is not crowded and it is full of local charm and flavors. This is your opportunity to experience small town California wine country before everyone else. Markus Bokisch, Bokisch Vineyards. With a long history of winemaking, Lodi, California is changing. Lodi has decided to return to its roots and to embrace a new future. Yes, you will find honest, local wines reflecting terroir and hard labor. Additionally, you will discover true gems and inspirational winemaking. There is a push towards sustainability and “natural wine making.” Change is afoot in Lodi. And I'm talking about more than just Zinfandel! “My favorite Lodi wines were Cinsault, Albarino, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Viognier, Kerner, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Tempranillo, Barbera, Sangiovese and some of those Old Vine Zin...

"You have not experienced Washington wine or cuisine, until you have enjoyed the Chaleur Blanc with Pacific Northwest seafood." Ah, October in wine country, the leaves are turning colors of fire and sunset. Yes, it is noticeably cooler, I needed a blanket last night to sleep and I find myself wearing a hat indoors. Friends and readers know that this is the time of year I begin to crave Chardonnay. It is my wine of the season. And yet, I find myself drawn this year not to Chardonnay, but to a Sauvignon Blanc dominant white wine. A wine which was difficult to resist drinking in one sitting. A wine made in the Pacific Northwest for Northwest fare. The 2015 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Blanc is styled as a classic Bordeaux blend, with 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Semillon. After more than 20 vintages, the Chaleur Blanc has become a signature wine. I was impressed. Strongly Recommended! A true Pacific Northwest pairing! Tasting Notes Color : Dark Straw. Aroma : Yeas...

Wonderful spirits for sipping straight or mixed in cocktails. Today I'm shifting gears and sharing my thoughts on a new small-batch vodka and gin by Azzurre Spirits . Azzurre Spirits was founded in 2014 . Unlike many vodkas and gins, Azzurre vodka and gin are distilled not from corn or grains, but from apples, grapes and sugar cane. Both the Azzurre Gin and Vodka are gluten free and contain no added sugar. Azzurre Spirits has a partnership with Victoria Distillers, located in Sidney, B.C. Victoria Distillers is one of Canada's oldest craft, small-batch spirit companies. They use the highest quality pure Canadian water. Owner Danny Pettit, named Azzurre in homage to the deep, rich colors of the Mediterranean Sea ('azzurro' translate to 'blue' in Italian). Their bold, standout iris logo indicates that Azzurre has a difference that you can "see/sea." Danny partnered with his daughter Angela, to launch the brand in Las Vegas in 2014. Both the Vo...

Cork Art for the Community! Michigan Artist Scott Gundersen has been in town creating a cork mural of Dr. Charles (Chas) Nagel. Last month, Dr. Nagel was posthumously inducted into the Washington Wine Hall of Fame at the Legends of Washington Wine gala held at the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center . It makes my heart sing to see art being encouraged and funded in my home town. Especially wine art! Today, at the Richland Farmers Market , I spoke briefly with Scott while he was nearing completion of his 100 hours work of art. There is a lot of preparation for this type of art, especially those many nails hammered into the back of his wood "canvas." When I saw him this morning, he had about 10 hours of labor left to complete the portrait of Dr. Nagel. Detail assembling cork mosaic. You can see Scott working on this project tonight and tomorrow. He will be at the Southridge Sports & Events Complex in Kennewick, Washington 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Scott works ...

Cesari Amarone from Verona, Italy. Celebrating 80 years of premium Valpolicella wine making. You will find I am always open to learning more about wine. Often when I am hand-selling wine, I will describe the wine by referring to its style, characteristics and the grape varieties country of origin. I firmly believe it is important to know wine in context. There is a world of wine waiting to be discovered, experienced, tasted and paired with food. It has been my sincere pleasure to learn about Amarone from the Valpolicella region of Verona, Italy. Amarone wines are made in a style different than any other wine in the world. They are truly special in their expression of flavor. The Cesari estate produces three versions of Amarone. The Amarone Classico is Cesari’s most affordable and approachable Amarone. Mario Menozzi Phone Conversation Today I had the pleasure of speaking with  Mario Menozzi of Gerardo Cesari S.P.A. (Cesari) Cavaion Veronese, Italy. We discussed foo...

Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center, view from Heritage Garden. August was a busy and full month of wine. Wine sales, service and events. But not wine writing. If you have visited Prosser, Washington, or plan on a visit to the real Washington wine country, then the must stop destination is the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center (Clore Center). Which is where you can often find me pouring Washington wine and telling stories of Washington wine country. August was an especially busy month at the Clore Center. Wonderfully busy! One of my Instragram posts. To keep current on my “live” wine adventures, you can follow my wild4wawine instagram account . This summer I began to embrace instagram in preparation for my trip to Catalunya. It is now my go to application for sharing photos of my wine experiences. While I'm still tweeting, instagram is the best place to find out which wines I'm tasting and pouring. Pretty pictures too. DO Emporda, Catalunya. Cat...