While in Walla Walla weekend before last, I had the opportunity to stop by Isenhower Cellars to visit with my father-in-law, Bob, who works in their tasting room. For full disclosure, I have no financial or business interest in this winery, just a connection through family. It was an opportune visit, in that they had recently started pouring some of their new releases. At the same time, it was a very inspiring visit, for Isenhower Cellars has clearly set a new benchmark when it comes to focusing on terroir. While tasting through their new wines, I noticed how the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

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 W. at 09:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You may recognize Bob, aka Pappa Rosso, from a Washington wine event or the tasting room at Isenhower Cellars in Walla Walla. I wanted to write about Bob for several reasons, all of which focus on how he celebrates wine in a way that clearly distinguishes him from others. First, I believe Bob is the benchmark when it comes to tasting room managers. He is truly unique when it comes to connecting folks to the wine he pours. Second, Bob's been a terrific teacher and mentor to me. Over the last decade, my knowledge and appreciation for wine has...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) Yesterday's forecast called for heavy rain and gusty winds all day here in Seattle, therefore my wife and I planned for a hearty meal and a full-bodied wine for Sunday dinner. Although there was some rain and a few gusts of wind, the predicted storm never materialized. No matter, for we were still glad to have been influenced by the forecast to prepare a slow-cooked lamb stew paired with a fantastic bottle of Isenhower Cellars syrah. The Isenhower Cellars 2002 River Beauty Syrah is a delicious expression of Columbia Valley syrah, marrying two...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It is interesting when chance meetings turn into something larger and lasting. Such is the case with how I came to know Denise and Brett Isenhower of Isenhower Cellars. About seven years ago, my wife and I were having breakfast at the Mill Creek Inn (now the Inn at Abeja) in Walla Walla when we found ourselves sitting next to Denise Isenhower. Denise and her husband Brett were in their second year with Isenhower Cellars making wine onsite at the Mill Creek Inn. Their winery is now located south of downtown Walla Walla on Pranger Road. On the Saturday...

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Posted by Thad W. at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)