With this hot summer all the Rose’ wines being produced have been fun to try.  I had the honor and privilege to judge at the recent Rose' Revival in Seattle and found Kaella Winery from Woodenville as one that really stood out with its well balanced fruit, textured structure, while being full in the mouth and remaining completely fresh.  This is a great summer wine to try.

Enjoy..Cheers!

Denise


http://www.kaellawinery.com

Rose'

The sun was heating up the day so start pouring some Rosé. The Rosé gets a bad rap from its past, comparing it to the sickening sweet “Blush” wines of long ago.  The Rose’ coming out now, you don’t need to be ashamed to admit you like. 

The Rosé wine producers continue to improve the quality and array of flavors and outstanding versions are coming out now; some of the best are dry, crisp and refreshing.  The Rosé color comes from the short amount of time that the skins of the grape stay in contact with the juices…only a few hours.  Since they are fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve the freshness, you will find the Rosé has little tannins.

While the sun is shining, Rosé has proved to be a refreshing option to pour.  Such as the Rosé of Cabernet Franc from Columbia Valley by Masquerade Wine Company in Bellingham; this has a soft, dry fruit flavor.  Cougar Crest Winery from Walla Walla has a Grenache Rosé, which is crisp and refreshing with just a touch of delicate sweetness. 

I have a favorite Rosé that I was only able to find at my local restaurant.  However, with the new Washington State liquor laws, I can now purchase it at my local super market. It is the Gris de Nabor, a French Rosé by Chateau St Nabor which is made using Tempranillo, Grenache and Cinsault.  This Rosé is dry and smooth and I have enjoyed this served with southern fried chicken as well as a summer seafood salad.

When summer ends don’t give up your favorite Rosé, it can be used like sparkling wine.  Try pairing them with fish or any kind of salty meat. A wide variety can be found from most wine growers and regions so go out and pick up a Rosé and get reacquainted.  

Cheers...D

A RE-VISIT TO DUMAS STATION WINERY   

Dumas Station, Dayton, Washington

A recent visit to Dayton, Washington meant only one thing…….I was heading to Dumas Station Winery to taste the launch of their new white wine, Cow Catcher White and re-visit some of my all time favorites.

For those who have not read some of our older blogs, Dumas Station is definitely a favorite.  They are located on Highway 12 just outside of Dayton in a historical 1908 apple packing shed that was built by James Dumas. 

Jay, Doug, Debbie and Ali are the people behind this great winery and for the past six years have introduced me to their amazing wines.  They have crafted a lot of heart and soul into each vintage and not one season has disappointed me.

I’m not going to get all descriptive and detailed on each wine.  You can go to www.dumasstation.com if you want the specifications on each wine.  Here is my personal view about Dumas Station.

Cab Franc pairs well with chocolate!

Everyone knows I’m not a huge fan of Merlot but after trying the Dumas Merlot I was hooked.  No other Merlot compares in my book.  The 2012 vintage is rich, luscious and complex.  I have never experience a harsh tannin finish from any of their vintages and this one was no different.  Once you have this Merlot you will be hard pressed to drink any other Merlot.

The 2012 Syrah is fantastic!  I love the peppery notes and it goes so well with dark chocolate and any other great food.  This 100% Syrah is smooth on the finish and I think that is what surprises me most.

Cow Catcher Red has been one of my favorite blends since first discovering Dumas Station but I was really excited when I heard they were launching Cow Catcher White.  It does not disappoint.  Crisp but not sweet.  This is meant for those summer evenings when you’re sitting on the deck. 

Good Friends at Dumas Station Winery

My two favorite wines at Dumas Station are the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc.  If for no other reason you visit Dumas Station, visit for these two wines.  To me they are the best of the best from Washington.   Jay’s unbelievable talents as a wine maker really come through in the balance and complexity.  I promise you will not be disappointed.

It was great to re-visit Dumas Station, drink my favorite wines and visit with old friends.  I’m looking forward to my next visit, when the exterior front of the winery will be completed.  More pictures will be posted for sure…..Cheers!! LD 

Tribute

After attending this year's Washington Wine and Food Experience there were so many new wines that stuck out and I wanted to share one of them. I am sure there were a whole lot more we didn't get to try however it's not possible to sample all the amazing winery's at this event or all the great food...we tried however did not succeed.

Tribute a Red Blend by Browne Family Vineyards, I fell in love with from the start, a very fine nose than a powerful yet subtle balance of ripe flavors that showed many layers, with a memorable long lasting berry finish.

Brown Family Vineyards has a tasting room in Walla Walla however if you don't have plans to go to Walla Walla (first you need to put a trip on the calander right now) you can also purchase at QFC and Costco.

Cheers!
 Denise

Listen up Wine Lovin Women readers,  here is a wine maker to watch and make sure to try...Elsom Cellars. What a joy it was to experience these well made wines with depth of flavor, complexity and character. A wine maker who studied here than spent time in Italy, shows her talent in her wine.

2009 Logan Red Wine Blend

70% Malbec, 21 % Syrah

If the color doesn't tell the full story the nose will, its impeccably rounded with an amazing aroma and background.  The feel is a lush and rich as they come, a master of blending with detail and finishing  highlights.

2009 Isabella Red Wine Blend

33% Double Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Artz Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Gilber Malbec, 11% Double Canyon Petit Verdot

Show stopping harmonious layers, it hardly gets more delicious than this.  So soft and velvety you can't resist taking another sip.  Good balance for what amounts to a great wine, this impressively powerful blend.

Jody Elsom is a master at making superb wine with polish, elegance and seriously impressive.  Elsom Cellars is moving to a new tasting room and event space in the fall.  Be sure to watch for and check out, you will be happy you did.

Cheers! 

Denise

The Fourth Annual Gig Harbor Wine and Food Festival

After a year absence from the wine tasting scene, the Gig Harbor Wine and Food Festival made its return this past weekend.  Some of the best local Washington wineries, breweries and restaurants were present to share in the return of this special annual event.

Vendors from both sides of the state were well represented and I was pleasantly surprised by the local representation of wineries right here in my own back yard.

As before, the complimentary shuttle service was and still is one of the best ways to get to the festival.  Timely shuttles pick up and drop off at several designated spots throughout Gig Harbor so you don’t have to fight for parking at the event site.  They pick you up and drop you off right in front of the event so not much walking is required.

I liked the new entry into the event this year.  I thought it was well planned out and organized.  In 2012 there seem to be a bottle neck getting into the event but this year it went seamless and in no time we were processed through and inside enjoying ourselves.

The tasting tents were more centralized this year.  It was easy to transition from one tasting tent to another and every tasting class seemed to be just a few steps away.

The food to wine ratio was a better balance then previously. The seafood was fantastic and I look forward to visiting some of the restaurants for dinner. (Maxwell’s and Heritage Restaurant)

I do have a few wineries that I want to give special mention to.  These seem to stand out for me and I hope you will give them a try next time you are picking out a Washington wine.

Long Road Winery in Belfair, Washington

Tranche – Walla Walla, Washington – must try the 2009 Slice of Pape

Rotie Cellars – Walla Walla, Washington

Elegante Cellars – Walla Walla, Washington

Russell Creek Winery – Walla Walla, Washington

Palencia Winery – Walla Walla, Washington

Swiftwater Cellars - Cle Elum, Washington.  I will be visiting them very soon. J

I know that I tend to lean toward the Walla Walla wineries but I just can’t seem to resist the bold lush wines this area produces.

I do recommend this festival to anyone who is new to wine tasting and wants to expand their knowledge of wine and how it pairs with food.  There are many wine tasting classes you can either sign up for online a head of the festival or wait till you get to the event and join as a walk in. (space can be limited based on the popularity of the class)

Four hours doesn’t seem like enough time to enjoy everything that this festival has to offer but I felt like I did get my money’s worth and I met a lot of wonderful people while sipping some of the best wine our state has to offer.  I hope you will mark your calendars for this event next year. (July 25, 2015)

Cheers!! LaDonna

Throw a wine tasting party...here is how

Throw a wine tasting party…here is how

A wine tasting party is great for socializing, discovering new wines and gaining some new favorites thru fun experimentation. This type of party is one of the easiest theme party’s to hold since its focus is on the wine.  Throwing a wine tasting party isn’t drudgery like hosting can sometimes turn out to be, while you are working hard you miss out on your own party, this is pretty much a guarantee good time for everyone.

A successful party of any kind comes from the preparation ahead of time so you will first need to decide on a theme. Here are some ideas:

Blind taste testing; cover the bottle with brown bag, wine bags, wrapping paper or colored 
tissue. 

Vertical tasting; you taste the same variety of wine from same producer

 but different years

Theme tasting; wines can all be white or all red, the same grape such as a Pinot, same region or by price point 

Region tasting; you can have wine from same region which you have trivia question and answer game testing everyone’s knowledge of that region and have prize for winner or no prizes just for good laughs

Horizontal tasting; you select a year and the wine variety from different producers

Variety tasting; wines can be all the same variety but from different regions, this is fun to do blind so that your pallet can determine the growing region,

Bring a bottle and pairing, each brings a bottle that has a price within a determined price point each bring a bottle of wine and appetizer that pairs with it.  Epicurious website is great help to find recipes, they have wine suggests with most of their recipes. 

Guests are designated to bring a bottle of wine to go with a dinner course. Start with a sparkling end with dessert or ice wine

Wine exchange; you can make some guidelines like all red, all whites, dollar limit or have it open. Each guest brings two bottles of the same wine, set aside one, open the other for tasting.  Write everyone’s name on a slip of paper and put in a bowl, host selects a name that person selects a bottle they want and the same with the second person or they can steal from the prior person.

Keep the guest list for your party to max 10 people which will allow for good interaction. You should provide note cards with the wine information if you are supplying the wine, then your guest can make notes which they can keep for future reference. When picking the progression you always want to taste dry to-sweet with white wines and light to full body for reds. When buying the wine for your party makes sure you buy enough for the tasting, usually you will pour about 1 ounce for the initial tasting and then have more wine to follow. 

Hosting a Wine tasting party is a fun way to get together with other wine lovers and it can also be great time for someone new to wine. 

For the more wine tips that you should review go to the WLW tips tab at top of our main web page. 

Get one started now…they are so much fun. Cheers..Denise