About


Wine Recos


Winery Recos


Categories

Washington Wine Blogs

Amy Rootvik - Walla Walla
Grape Expectations
Justin Vajgert
Northwest Wine Insider
Seattle Wine Blog
The Walla Walla Wine Charlatan
The Wine Commentator
The Wine Knows
The Wine Offensive
The Wine Wall
Through The Walla Walla Grapevine
Washington Wine Report
Wine Foot
Write for Wine

Oregon Wine Blogs

Élevage
The Inspired Imbiber 2.0
The Oregon Wine Blog
The Pinotguy's Wine Blog
The Wine Commentator
West Hills Wine Blog
Willamette Valley Guide
The Wine Camp Blog
Wine & Food Experiences

State Organizations

Oregon Wine Site
Oregon Grape Growers
Washington Wine Site
Washington Grape Growers

Regional Associations

Columbia Cascade Wineries
Columbia Gorge Winegrowers
Columbia Valley Wineries
North Sound Wineries
Puget Sound Winegrowers
Rattlesnake Hills Wine Trail
South Seattle Artisan Wineries
Southern Oregon Wineries
Spokane Wineries
Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance
Willamette Valley Wineries
Wine Yakima Valley
Woodinville Wine Country

Other Wine Blogs

Dr. Vino
Fermentation
Good Grape
Jamie Goode's Wine Blog
oenoLogic
The Pour
Vinography
Vivi's Wine Journal
Wine Cast

Main

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...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad 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...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad 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...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad 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...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad 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...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad 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 fortuitous 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...

Continue reading »


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

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...

Continue reading »


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

June 27, 2008

July 25 - 29: Oregon Pinot or Washington Riesling?

In late July, Oregon and Washington will play host to distinct international wine events, showcasing each state's signature wines: pinot noir and riesling. Folks from around the world will be descending on our region to celebrate these two varietals in both New and Old World forms. For anyone wanting an immersion in Oregon pinot and Washington riesling, the dates Friday, July 25 thru Tuesday, July 29, are an extended weekend to mark on the calendar. First up is the 22nd annual International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), which will be held from Friday, July 25 thru Sunday, July 27 in...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 09:16 PM | | Comments (0)

May 29, 2008

Vintage Walla Walla: June 6 and 7

Although we regularly visit Walla Walla every few months, our timing is always off relative to the seasonal wine events held there. We make the annual trek for Thanksgiving, which is the week before Holiday Barrel Tasting, and then for Easter, which is several weeks in advance of Spring Release Weekend. Fourth of July is our regular summer trip, which comes after Vintage Walla Walla. It's time to start planning more trips to Walla Walla that are scheduled around key wine events, for I am starting to feel left out of all that is going on in this special part...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 08:12 PM | | Comments (0)

May 02, 2008

Walla Walla Spring Release Weekend

It's the first Saturday in May and that means Spring Release Weekend in Walla Walla. Over sixty wineries will be opening their doors to the public, some for the only time during the year, to celebrate the release of new wines. Although we can't make it this year, I am looking forward to hearing from Catie of Through the Walla Walla Grapevine and Amy of amyrootvik.com about their experiences at the weekend event. Catie and Amy are must read bloggers covering the local wine scene in the Walla Walla Valley. If you happen to attend, then please share your experiences...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 08:14 PM | | Comments (0)

April 20, 2008

Access Has Its Privileges

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend various events at Taste Washington as a member of the wine media. This was the first year I had gone to Taste Washington as a wine blogger, which made the experience truly extraordinary. Why? In years past, I had been to the event as either a wine consumer or winery volunteer. While both roles offered enjoyable experiences, they pale in comparison to the treatment I received as a wine blogger covering the weekend's events. Winemakers or winery staff who might have just poured me a glass were now...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 01:28 PM | | Comments (0)

April 07, 2008

The Taste Washington Experience

After several seminars on Saturday and an afternoon of tasting on Sunday, I definitely feel more connected to the who, what and where of Washington wine. Overall, Taste Washington exceeded expectations in terms of the people met, the stories shared, and the wine enjoyed. In previous years, I had only attended the Sunday tasting event, never realizing how much I was missing by not going to the Saturday seminars. Seminars are one of the best ways to taste wine and learn more about the people and places behind each glass in front of you. Each session included a diverse...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 07:08 PM | | Comments (5)

April 05, 2008

Taste WA Seminars Go Beyond the Bottle

I'm posting after attending a couple of fantastic seminars here at the Taste Washington event. This morning I attended a great panel discussion and multi-flight taste celebrating the wines of David Lake. It was an hour that went well beyond the bottle in terms of connecting folks to the person behind various Columbia Winery wines as well as the vineyards in our state. And I just finished a wonderful lunch seminar featuring wine and food pairings with real time commentary from the guest chef, Ilan Hall, and guest sommelier, Evan Goldstein. This was not only a well executed event, but...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 12:07 PM | | Comments (0)

April 04, 2008

Taste Washington starts tomorrow

For those of you in Seattle, it is time to get your taste buds on and join hundreds of other wine enthusiasts at Taste Washington this weekend. On Saturday, there are a variety of seminars to learn more about our state's wine, combined with some interesting flights of wine. Sunday is the big event with over 200 wineries pouring current releases and dozens of restaurants offering a variety of food. Many wineries will be represented by their winemakers, providing an excellent opportunity to meet and get to know the people behind various Washington wines. Regardless of who might be pouring...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 06:20 AM | | Comments (0)

March 08, 2008

Taste Washington is April 5 & 6

Last Thursday evening, the Washington Wine Commission (WWC) held a media reception to promote the upcoming Taste Washington on April 5 and 6. The event was attended by various media folks including those covering wine in the traditional press as well as a few bloggers. It was hosted by Robin Pollard, Executive Director, and Shayn Bjornholm, MS, Education Director, both of the WWC. Robin, Shayn and other members of the WWC were very hospitable, making their way around the room introducing themselves and offering their support toward media coverage for Taste Washington. As a blogger, it was interesting to...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 02:36 PM | | Comments (6)

November 29, 2007

Local Guidance for Holiday Barrel Tasting

If you're headed to Walla Walla this weekend for the annual Holiday Barrrel Tasting, I encourage you to visit Catie's blog, Through the Walla Walla Grapevine, and Amy's blog, amyrootvik.com. Both bloggers not only live in Walla Walla, but have been involved in the valley's wine industry for some years now. Catie has been writing about Walla Walla wine for over two years now, while Amy began blogging last December. Their blogs offer some useful guidance on how to get the most out of this weekend's event as well as providing insightful background on both established and new wineries in...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 10:46 AM | | Comments (0)

November 26, 2007

Walla Walla and Woodinville Wine Weekend Events

This weekend there will be two significant wine events in Washington state. In Walla Walla, the 12th annual Holiday Barrel Tasting will be held with over 50 wineries offering barrel tastes of upcoming releases on Saturday and Sunday. In Woodinville, the St. Nicholas Day Open House will be held with more than 30 wineries opening their doors to visitors on both days as well. For those planning to attend either event, I wanted to highlight the wineries I have visited in the last six months that provided experiences that went beyond the bottle to connect me to the who, what...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 03:56 PM | | Comments (0)

October 10, 2007

How Every Winery Should Blog About Crush

As you may recall from a previous post on Craig Camp, I am a big fan of The Wine Camp Blog. Besides being one of the few, if only, bloggers in Oregon, Craig also happens to be president of Anne Amie Vineyards. Since joining Anne Amie in 2004, he has been working to transform this estate winery into a leading producer of Oregon pinot noir. Along the way, it's clear Craig is going to change the way wineries connect to their customers online. Over the past month or so, I have been following Craig's posts on crush at Anne Amie...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 06:06 PM | | Comments (4)

September 19, 2007

Experiencing the crush of harvest season

The cooler temps and shortening days here in the Pacific Northwest signal the harvest season is upon us and with it comes crush. While reading the updates on this year's harvest, I am reminded of Brian Doyle's excellent book, "The Grail: A Year Ambling & Shambling Through an Oregon Vinyard in Pursuit of the Best Pinot Noir Wine in the Whole Wild World". If you have ever been curious about what it's like to work in a vineyard and/or winery during crush, then this is the book to read. In this wonderful account, Doyle shares the year he spent...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 09:21 AM | | Comments (0)

July 30, 2007

International Pinot Noir Celebration

The International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) was held this past weekend in McMinnville, Oregon. The IPNC is marketed as "three days of seminars, tastings, tours and one-of-a-kind meals with sixty international Pinot noir winemakers, all within the beautiful backdrop of Oregon wine country." Although I wasn't able to attend this year's event, it was almost like being there after reading Alder's daily posts on Vinography.com. Alder has clearly set the benchmark for covering a wine event. His focus on the people encountered and stories shared makes for some great reading and wonderful insights. Alder's reporting style makes you feel like...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 09:59 AM | | Comments (0)

May 24, 2007

Washington Wine Highway Event

The 2nd annual Washington Wine Highway event is being held this weekend in Woodinville. This event is a great way to go beyond the bottle and connect with dozens of wineries and winemakers from around the state. I attended last year's gathering and found it to be one of the more enjoyable tasting events held in the Seattle area. The venue on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville is a much better setting for a tasting event than being inside some cavernous exhibition hall. In fact, nothing beats being outside on a nice spring day tasting a broad...

Continue reading »


Posted by Thad at 12:55 PM | | Comments (0)

Search


 Subscribe in a reader

Recent Posts



Archives

Alltop, all the top stories
Powered by
Movable Type 3.2ysb5-20051201
Creative Commons License
This weblog is licensed under a Creative Commons License.