Wineries

Cabernet is King - Washington Winery Outperforms Napa Valley Cabernets

Cabernet is King By Neil Matias GateHouse News Service The Cabernet grape is an easy one to grow and harvest because it adapts to many different climates and environments. It has a very small berry or pip, which contains the juice, with a very thick skin that contributes the tannins to make a very big and well-structured wine. Typically, a Cabernet will be a rich, complex wine that occasionally needs some aging in order to soften up the tannins. Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells, $19.99, from Washington State is a product of a warm climate resulting in a New World style of Cabernet that ...
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WA to WA - Winemaker Exchange

WALLA WALLA, Wash., and PERTH, Australia, March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wine Industry Association of Western Australia and the Washington Wine Commission announced today the first ever region-to-region winemaker exchange program. The Washington (WA) Wine Industry and the Wine Industry of Western Australia (WA) share more than the same acronym. Both are cool-climate regions dominated by boutique producers making ultra-premium wines. Both regions account for less than four percent of their nation's wine production. Washington State and the state of Western Australia also produce generally higher ...
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Wine Order Scams

Mary Baker, owner of Dover Canyon Winery in Paso Robles, California has been tracking a "client" who place a big order that didn't pass the smell test. Her [a href='http://dovercanyon.typepad.com/dover_canyon/' target='_blank']blog on wine scams[/a] is informational and fun reading. As an author and publisher, I've had this same kind of scammer approach me over the internet, promising a big purchase if I just followed some simple steps (it smelled a bit funny, so I didn't fall for it.) The scammers are staying awake at night trying to figure out how to bilk you. Take a few moments to ...
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Washington Wine Grape Harvest 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington State Reaps Record-Breaking Wine Grape Harvest Seasonal Weather, Mature Vines Deliver Outstanding 2005 Vintage SEATTLE - December 1, 2005 - Washington state's 2005 grape harvest boasts not only record-breaking numbers, but bold flavors as Washington state grape growers and wine producers wrap up one of the most outstanding crushes in the industry's history. With crush estimated at 116,760 tons according to the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers (WAWGG), the 2005 harvest surpasses the industry's previous record of 115,000 tons crushed in 2002. Th ...
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Walla Walla Wines, soft, pretty or powerful

You'd think one Walla would be sufficient. "Walla," as I have been made to understand, is the Nez Perce word for water. And Walla Walla then means essentially, a "lot of water." Now, if you've been to Walla Walla, you may be wondering about the lot-of-water part, unless you came from Yakima or the Tri-Cities, where there's virtually no water. The Walla Walla Valley, tucked up against the Blue Mountains, is a verdant oasis compared to the parched, dusty hills further up the Columbia Valley. Today, Walla Walla is known for its sweet onions, maximum-security prison, and of course, overpr ...
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A Vineyard Prodigy Too Young to Drink

Mr. Palencia says his age puts him in awkward positions in a valley with a wine industry that is still small enough that people share tips with one another. "I try to trust my nose," he said. For now, the nose will have to do. The fate of this year's vintage, picked when the clusters of syrah were tight and purpled like a bruise, and the future of an entire winery may hang on the olfactory sensibilities of an underage snout. For Mr. Palencia, who oversees all aspects of winemaking at Willow Crest Winery, is 20 years old - too young to drink, legally, the wine he makes, too young to tr ...
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Wine now more popular than beer

Wine surpasses beer in popularity poll "For the first time since Gallup began measuring Americans' drinking preferences in 1992, wine has passed beer as the alcoholic beverage adult drinkers consume most often. In Gallup's 2005 Consumption Habits poll, 39 percent of American drinkers said they consume wine most often, while 36 percent said they usually drink beer. Overall, 63 percent of Americans say they drink alcohol. Results were based on telephone interviews with 1,006 randomly selected adults." resource: Wine Poll - sfgate.com by Cyril Penn Wine becoming more popular is go ...
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Straightforward Wines

[b]Straightforward wines[/b] Amid rows of bottles bearing elaborate labels with fancy script fonts and names associated with animals, mountains and creeks, a plain Jane stands out. The black block lettering on a stark white background, embellished only with a simple fork and spoon silhouette, leaves no question as to what's inside: Red Table Wine. Charles Smith, who produces the wine that is sold exclusively through Costco, says the straightforward label is about honesty. He owns K Vintners and Magnificent Wine in Walla Walla. "A winemaker who makes it difficult for customers to re ...
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Sunset Magazine - Reviews Walla Walla

"[b]Walla Walla Spring[/b] Washington's southeast corner has become a top food-and-wine destination." That is the above story title and caption that I found on the [a href='http://www.sunset.com/sunset/general/article/1,20633,845015,00.html' target='_blank']Sunset[/a] website for the Current March 2005 issue. I have not read the article yet, but had two people mention the article to me today so I thought I should pass the information on so others may look for it also. [a href='http://www.sunset.com/sunset/food/article/0,20633,1033560,00.html' target='_blank']Walla Walla Spring A fresh menu celebrates the Washington town's rise as a food-and-wine destination[/a]

A great wine getaway - Walla Walla

by Bruce Schoenfeld (travelandleisure.com) In the sleepy southeastern corner of Washington State, a quiet revolution is under way. Bruce Schoenfeld meets some of the passionate (even obsessed) vintners, chefs, and farmers who are making Walla Walla this country's next great wine destination. I won't soon forget the first meal I ate in Walla Walla. It was six years ago, just as the local wine industry was beginning to boom. One of the area's leading viticulturists, a man of some sophistication, took me to what he pointedly called "the best restaurant in town." His quote marks hung in the ...
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