While on a trip to the Oregon coast eight years ago, Kari and I spent a day visiting wineries in the northern Willamette Valley. It was our first trip to Oregon pinot noir country and to be honest I came away unimpressed with the wines. Looking back, I know why this was the case, for it was in that year, 2000, that I was fully immersed in full-bodied, high octane wines such as California zinfandels, Australian shiraz and Washington syrah, just to name a few. On that fateful trip, I purchased a bottle of Argyle 1997 Nuthouse Pinot Noir...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) I love duck. It's one of my favorite dishes, whether dining out or eating in. My wife, Kari, prepares a superb duck, searing it on the stove top to crisp the skin, finishing in the oven to a medium rare consistency, and then crafting a sauce that brings it all together. The other night Kari surprised me with a waterfowl dinner, which put me on a hunt in the cellar for an Oregon pinot noir. I was starting to come down with a cold, therefore wasn't sure if I should go big time...

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Posted by Thad W. at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With all the frustrations of air travel today, it is good to know some folks are trying to make one's experience inside the airport more enjoyable. Over the last few years, Sea-Tac Airport has gone thru extensive renovation, with a new terminal marketplace created to provide travelers a great spot to cool their jets before boarding their flight. Last Friday, with my flight delayed, I discovered a new wine bar called Vino Volo while strolling thru the terminal marketplace. Vino Volo is not only a wine bar, but also a retail shop where you can purchase a bottle of wine...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)