What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Whenever I discover a standout wine with a meal, it's hard not to remember what I had to eat and what the evening was like for days, if not weeks afterward. However, the exact opposite occurs when the wine just doesn't meet the bar. It's almost as if the disappointment with the wine is what prompts me to forget the entire experience. Such was the case with the 2005 Natalie's Estate Winery Elton Vineyards Pinot Noir (14% alcohol) we popped last week. I put off writing about this wine for almost a week,...

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Posted by Thad at 08:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) I am ready to proclaim January as Washington state syrah month at our dinner table. With the short cold days and even colder evenings, this month encourages heavy meals and hearty wines. After a few bone chilling nights celebrating a warm dinner, I am re-discovering the virtues of drinking Washington syrah during this time of year. Such was the case a few cold, clear nights ago when we opened another bottle of syrah from our home state to go with a grilled flank steak dinner. The choice to pair with the steak? A...

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Posted by Thad at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Over the last year, I have read a variety of columns, articles and posts regarding the high levels of alcohol in wine. While I welcome more focus on this important issue, it seems most reviewers approach this topic speaking in general terms, as they most often do whenever imparting criticism. There is a tendency to call out states (e.g., California) or regions (e.g., Amadour County), but rarely specific wines or wineries. Reviewers are all too eager to lament high alcohol, but none seem willing to take the step toward disclosing alcohol levels in the wines they review. A few cases...

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Posted by Thad at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The adage, "good things come to those who wait", is useful when it comes to wine. It speaks to the merits of being patient and discovering the rewards that come in due course. Far too often, the desire for instant gratification with wine trumps any willingness to wait for the good things that might come later. The merits of being patient were evident the other evening when I opened a 2001 Isenhower Cellars Wild Alfalfa Syrah. It was a clear, cold winter night on New Year's Eve, when Kari and I started dinner. Our...

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Posted by Thad at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)