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« June 2008 | Main | August 2008 »

July 30, 2008

IPNC 2008: Connections, Context, and Community

For me, the measure of a good wine experience is how often and to what degree you reflect on it afterward. Since returning from IPNC 2008, I have been thinking a lot about what I gained from attending this event. If I were to distill it down to just a few themes, then IPNC for me was all about connections, context, and community. Connecting to People and Places I heard it said many times during the weekend, that it is the wine that brings folks to IPNC, but it is the people that make it special. That was clearly validated...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:00 PM | | Comments (0)

July 27, 2008

IPNC: Day Two, Part Two

IPNC Northwest Salmon Bake Dinner The second half of Day Two at IPNC followed a similar sequence to Day One, with several seminars, special pourings, alfresco tastings, and dinner. Mid-afternoon, I dropped by a book signing featuring Tyler Colman, Ph.D., a.k.a. Dr. Vino, and several other authors. Tyler, whom I met earlier in the day, publishes a popular wine blog and has recently released a new book entitled, Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink. I am looking forward to reading Tyler's book, which combines two of my favorite topics. Along with the book...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:07 PM | | Comments (2)

July 26, 2008

IPNC: Day Two, Part One

IPNC Sustainability Without Sacrifice Seminar Today is the second and last full day at IPNC. It began with two wine seminars indoors and was followed by lunch outside on the lawn. In keeping with the theme of this year's IPNC, the two seminars focused on sustainability in the vineyard and winery. Both sessions were moderated by Andrea Robinson with a panel of special guests commenting on the various wine flights in front of us. The first session featured Jasper Morris, wine expert and writer, and Dominique Lafon, of the Burgundy estate, Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Dominique spoke about his...

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Posted by Thad W. at 02:05 PM | | Comments (0)

July 25, 2008

IPNC: Day One, Part Two

IPNC Grand Dinner What an amazing evening the first night of IPNC has been... It started with the al fresco tasting event, featuring dozens of producers from around the world pouring recent and past releases of pinot noir. As much as these types of tasting events offer a useful cross-section of wines, I find it challenging to really enjoy wine in this setting without food. The cocktail wines always show well, while the food friendly wines struggle. Following the tasting reception, we all came together for "The Grand Dinner", with a variety of wines and vintages being poured throughout...

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Posted by Thad W. at 10:38 PM | | Comments (0)

IPNC: Day One, Part One

IPNC Vineyard Tour and Winery Lunch What a terrific first day at IPNC. I got started at 8 am joining Craig Camp of the Wine Camp Blog for breakfast. Craig is clearly the man when it comes to blogging about the Oregon wine scene. It was a lot of fun meeting him, chatting about wine and the Web, as well as being introduced to some folks he knows. After breakfast, several hundred attendees gathered on Linfield's commencement green for the opening ceremonies. After a welcome from the president of Linfield College and comments from special guests, each of the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 04:11 PM | | Comments (0)

July 24, 2008

Pre-IPNC Dinner at Lemelson Vineyards

On the eve of IPNC kicking off tomorrow, more than a dozen wineries in the McMinnville area are hosting dinners tonight. I had the good fortune of selecting the pre-IPNC dinner event at Lemelson Vineyards winery, which ended up being an incredible evening of amazing food, delicious wine, and best of all, good company. Before getting into too much detail, I want to share something special that happened earlier today on my journey from Seattle to the Willamette Valley. While driving south, I was listening to the radio when Garrison Keillor came on with The Writer's Almanac, his daily feature...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:57 PM | | Comments (3)

July 22, 2008

Review: Seven Hills Winery

When it comes to running a tasting room, there are wineries that get what it means to provide a truly connected experience. And then there are those that clearly don't. The folks at Seven Hills Winery get it, for their tasting room is one that provides strong connections to the people and places behind their wines. Seven Hills Winery is located in the historic Whitehouse-Crawford building in downtown Walla Walla. Their spacious tasting room offers a wide bar with views into the winery's barrel room. The restored wood plank floors, high ceilings, exposed beams, and brick walls provide a...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:19 PM | | Comments (0)

July 19, 2008

Hatcher 2004 Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For me, a good wine is measured not only by what is experienced inside the bottle, but also on the outside through labeling. Inside, the wine should delight the eyes, the nose, and the palate. Outside, the bottle's labeling should in some way connect me to the people and places behind the wine. Granted, it's not always that I expect a wine to fulfill expectations in both areas. There are many inexpensive wines that do well on the inside, but don't always have to deliver on the outside. However, my bar is set...

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Posted by Thad W. at 05:52 AM | | Comments (0)

July 15, 2008

Syncline 2006 Celilo Vineyard Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) To their credit, Syncline describes their 2006 Celilo Vineyard Pinot Noir (13.8%) accurately on the back label, with the emphasis on "flavors of pie cherry". This wine does taste like one of those Dolly Madison cherry fruit pies. This is not my style in pinot noir, but I am excited to see a Washington producer taking a stab at this varietal with Columbia Gorge fruit. "Situated on a bluff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, Celilo Vineyard's deep volcanic soils are the origin of this provocative Pinot Noir. Intense perfume of black cherry and...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:39 PM | | Comments (0)

July 13, 2008

Review: Trust Cellars

While in Walla Walla over the Fourth of July, my father-in-law, Bob, a.k.a. Pappa Rosso, suggested I check out Trust Cellars. Then Catie, the Walla Walla Wine Woman, urged me to stop by as well. As a result, it quickly moved to the top of my list of wineries to see during that weekend. The Trust Cellars winery and tasting room is just a short drive south from downtown Walla Walla. It is located in a small building situated on the outskirts of a sizable vineyard. Trust shares its tasting room with Chateau Rollat, another start up winery, which...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:31 PM | | Comments (0)

July 11, 2008

On the Walla Walla wine trail

I love visiting the Walla Walla Valley in the summer. The long, hot days combined with being outside amongst acres of farmland rekindles memories of my childhood in Oklahoma. It's hard not to feel a bit at home in this part of Washington state, especially at this time of year. Walla Walla is a much prettier place as evidenced by the panorama above, which I shot at my brother-in-law's place a few miles southeast of downtown. With each visit to this valley comes new places to see, new people to meet, and new discoveries to be made along the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:49 PM | | Comments (2)

July 09, 2008

Review: aMaurice Cellars Winery

àMaurice Cellars is located east of downtown Walla Walla on Mill Creek Road. It is next door to Walla Walla Vintners and just down the road from K Vintners and the Abeja Inn. Along the lane leading to the winery, rows of lavender greet you, which were in full bloom on the Saturday afternoon I visited. The winery is housed in a temporary structure (there are plans to build a larger complex) next to the 13 acre estate vineyard planted in 2006. àMaurice, is a family-owned and operated winery, named after Maurice Shafer, the father of founder Tom Shafer,...

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Posted by Thad W. at 05:44 AM | | Comments (0)

July 08, 2008

Review: Eva Restaurant

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to dine at Eva Restaurant & Wine Bar, which is located in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle. I was joined by my sister, Kara, and brother-in-law, Kris, who had just returned home after being in London for several years. Having dined at Eva many times, this restaurant has become known for providing good service, delicious food, a solid wine list, and a pleasant atmosphere. Plus, it offers a very convenient option for us, for it is only a ten minute walk from our home. It was an ideal choice to celebrate the homecoming...

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Posted by Thad W. at 06:56 PM | | Comments (1)

July 03, 2008

4th of July in Walla Walla

Tomorrow, I make the five hour journey east from Seattle to Walla Walla for our annual Fourth of July gathering with family and friends. Kari and the girls flew out on Tuesday, therefore I am looking forward to seeing them again as well as spending time with my extended family. To celebrate our nation's birthday, we gather at my brother-in-law's place southeast of downtown Walla Walla, in the heart of wheat country. After an afternoon of the kids swimming and adults playing bocce ball, we come together around a long table outside to celebrate local food and wine. I...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:32 PM | | Comments (0)

July 02, 2008

L'Ecole No 41 "Walla Voila" 2007 Chenin Blanc

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Whenever I stumble upon a bottle of Washington or Oregon wine that is made from a varietal that is off the beaten path, I will always buy it. No matter what the chance it might be poured down the drain, these wines are worth a try. Why? You just never know when one of these easily overlooked varietals might become a newly discovered favorite. Such is the case with the L'Ecole No 41 "Walla Voila" 2007 Chenin Blanc ($12.99), which was described on the back label in the following manner: A trademark of...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:25 PM | | Comments (1)

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