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« November 2008 | Main | January 2009 »

December 31, 2008

2008 - Reflections on the Past Year

2008 marks the first full year I have spent blogging about Oregon and Washington wine. During the last 12 months, over 130 posts were published, covering a variety of topics that include visits to winery tasting rooms, attending wine events, dining at restaurants and wine bars, and reviewing wines served at our dinner table. Along the way, I have shared various perspectives on what it means to experience wine in a way that goes beyond the bottle. As a result of these commentaries, a number of wine enthusiasts and industry professionals have reached out to share their thoughts, introducing...

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Posted by Thad W. at 03:33 PM |

December 29, 2008

Syncline 2007 Subduction Red

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) A few weeks back, I grilled up some beef tenderloin steaks while Kari prepared a couple of twice-baked potatoes and a fresh zucchini gratin in the oven. The tenderloin was absolutely amazing, seasoned with course salt and fresh ground pepper, then grilled to medium rare perfection. To go with our dinner, I selected a bottle of Syncline 2007 Subduction Red (14.1%), which I purchased at retail for $18. Last Fall, I covered the 2006 vintage of this same wine, finding it a bit hot and astringent on the finish. Even still, I was so...

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Posted by Thad W. at 04:53 PM |

December 28, 2008

Watermill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) With a fondness for Walla Walla cabernet and an appreciation for Richard Funk's winemaking skills, I was excited to try his Watermill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley, a bottle I purchased at retail for $24. You may recall me going nuts over Funk's 2005 Malbec back in October, which he produced under the Saviah label, a winery he founded in 2000. Through that experience, I learned that Funk holds down a second job as winemaker at Watermill Winery, which is located in Milton Freewater, Oregon, a town 10 miles south of Walla...

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Posted by Thad W. at 05:01 PM | | Comments (1)

Christmas Dinner 2008

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For many years, Kari and I have served a beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner, which is easy to prepare, cook, and carve, especially for a large gathering. This year, we decided to depart from tradition and serve beef bourguignon, for the weather outside had been cold and snowy for so long that this hearty dish seemed appropriate for our dinner celebration. To craft this single pot dish, Kari adapted a recipe from Ina Garden, which by all accounts follows a classic method of preparation. This meal has become a huge hit with friends...

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Posted by Thad W. at 01:20 PM |

December 20, 2008

Seven Hills 2005 Syrah Walla Walla Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) During consecutive nights recently, we enjoyed two terrific Washington syrahs with our dinner. The first night's wine was a Columbia Valley syrah, which you can read more about in my previous post. On the second night, we opened a Seven Hills 2005 Syrah comprised of fruit from the Walla Walla Valley, a bottle I purchased for $28 during a visit to their tasting room last summer. Seven Hills describes this wine as "truly a valley-wide blend, with grapes from cobble, hillside and terrace microclimates: Seven Hills, Morrison, Dwelley and Double River Ranch vineyards."...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:32 PM |

December 18, 2008

L' Ecole No. 41 2005 Syrah Columbia Valley

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) At this time of year, the food we serve at our table becomes hearty fare, and so do the wines that go with it. With winter arriving, there is nothing I like more than to reach for a bottle of Washington cabernet or syrah, especially wines from Walla Walla. And one of my favorite winter meals is a dish Kari crafts by sautéing onions, adding Italian sausage and then her homemade tomato sauce. While this combines in the pan on the stove stop, she starts a pot of soft polenta alongside it. As...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:50 PM |

December 08, 2008

Cooper Mountain 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) After enjoying a bottle of Cooper Mountain's 2003 Reserve Pinot Noir (13.5%) last March, I was excited to get my hands on another bottle, this time the 2006 vintage, which I purchased at retail for $23. We paired this Oregon pinot noir with a combination pizza comprised of ham, mushrooms, tomatoes on one half, and prosciutto, goat cheese, tomatoes, basil, mushrooms on the other. It ended up being a great combination of food and wine, with the flavors of the pizza being brought to life by the Cooper Mountain pinot. As I mentioned...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:02 PM |

December 01, 2008

Torii Mor 2007 Pinot Blanc

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) The other night, Kari crafted one of her signature Asian dishes, a ginger chicken and mushroom stir fry with steamed rice. The fresh ginger, chicken thigh meat, and fresh mushrooms get mixed together in a food processor and are then cooked up in a large wok. Best of all is the sauce she concocts from scratch. It includes fresh shredded ginger, sesame oil, chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Sriracha sauce. This stuff brings all of the flavors together, offering a decent amount of heat that slowly builds over time, but never...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:48 PM | | Comments (1)


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