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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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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 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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July 09, 2008

Review: àMaurice 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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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 at 09:32 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...

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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...

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

April 09, 2008

Isenhower Cellars: Team Terroir

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 at 07:38 PM | | Comments (2)

April 03, 2008

Tertulia Cellars: A Social Approach

A few miles south of downtown Walla Walla amongst acres of wheat fields, a new colorful winery has arisen. Tertulia Cellars is a place that stands out amongst its peers in terms of architecture and design. From the outside, one is immediately struck by the bold multi-colored building as a place that might be taking a different approach to the winery experience. Walking inside only confirms what these folks have brought to the Walla Walla Valley: a place designed to be a social gathering around wine. The approach Tertulia Cellars is taking with their tasting room is in keeping...

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Posted by Thad at 09:13 PM | | Comments (0)

April 02, 2008

Weekend in Walla Walla

Yesterday I returned from a few days in Walla Walla visiting family. Weather wise, it was a bizarre weekend for late March, with snow showers throughout the day on Sunday. I did get a chance to visit a couple of wineries and eat at a few restaurants, which I will be writing about in the coming week. I was really jazzed about the wine experiences that were a result of this short trip. After going thru pages of notes that have yet to be crafted into worthwhile reading, I am feeling way behind on sharing my experiences with Washington and...

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Posted by Thad at 08:21 PM | | Comments (0)

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...

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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...

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

WIDWD: Walla Walla Thanksgiving Weekend

What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD) For the last five years, my wife's parents have hosted Thanksgiving dinner in Walla Walla. It has become an annual tradition to bring both sides of our family together to celebrate and give thanks, making this holiday a truly unique occasion. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and friends from both clans have come from near and far each year for this special gathering. As a result, an extraordinary bond has been established over the years between our respective parents and siblings. This year's Thanksgiving was yet another fun celebration, although it went by far too...

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Posted by Thad at 10:04 AM | | Comments (0)

November 19, 2007

The Fruits of Paul Gregutt's Labors

Fall is always a busy time for wineries, with harvest bringing in the new vintage and the previous years' bottlings being released. It seems Paul Gregutt, wine columnist for The Seattle Times, has been just as busy crafting some enjoyable and insightful pieces on the Pacific Northwest wine scene. Terroir Is Not A Small Dog! - an excerpt from Paul's new book, "Washington Wines & Wineries", which should be a good read considering the witty approach he takes with this piece about Washington state vineyards. Acquiring A Taste - a recent cover story for the Pacific Northwest magazine's annual wine...

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Posted by Thad at 01:43 PM | | Comments (1)

November 05, 2007

A Toast to Pappa Rosso

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 at 12:22 PM | | Comments (4)

September 25, 2007

Washington wineries going beyond the bottle

With the official arrival of fall, Washington wine country will see more folks visiting to taste new releases and experience the harvest season. I thought it might be useful to list the state's wineries that went beyond the bottle to connect me to the who, what and where of their wines. Of the twenty wineries and tasting rooms visited these last few months, the following places (in alphabetical order) received either a four (highly recommended) or five (exceptional) cork rating: Amavi Cellars (Walla Walla) Basel Cellars (Walla Walla) Brian Carter Cellars (Woodinville) Covington Cellars (Woodinville) Dama Wines (Walla Walla) Fort...

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August 30, 2007

Profile: Isenhower Cellars

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 at 02:21 PM | | Comments (1)

July 21, 2007

Review: Ash Hollow Tasting Room

Located in downtown Walla Walla on 2nd Ave near Main, the Ash Hollow tasting room offered 10 different wines to sample for a $5 fee. I was given the opportunity to try a rose, 4 whites (a sauv blanc, pinot gris, somanna blend, gewurz), and 5 reds (merlot, syrah, a couple of bordeaux blends, and a cab sauv). Having enjoyed Ash Hollow wines in the past, I was excited to taste some of their new releases and connect to their winery in a way that went beyond the bottle. My host at the bar was a woman who was just...

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Posted by Thad at 12:29 PM | | Comments (0)

July 20, 2007

Review: DaMa Wines Tasting Room

DaMa Wines was a pleasant surprise amongst the many tasting rooms in downtown Walla Walla. On the day I visited, Mary Derby, the “Ma” in DaMa, was working the tasting room bar in their well designed, modernist space located on Main Street. She and her business partner, Dawn Kammer, the “Da” in DaMa, have clearly created something novel with this new wine venture. DaMa Wines was offering complimentary tastes of 4 wines (a riesling, viognier, syrah, and cab sauv), all from various appellations within the state. Although DaMa’s wines are targeted primarily to female drinkers, they would be suitable at...

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Posted by Thad at 11:03 AM | | Comments (1)

July 18, 2007

Review: Fort Walla Walla Cellars Tasting Room

Fort Walla Walla Cellars maintains a tasting room in downtown Walla Walla, while the actual winery is located outside of town. The tasting room is housed in what was once a corner gas station, although you wouldn’t know it from either the outside or inside. I learned this from Terry, their tasting room manager, who also informed me that Fort Walla Walla Cellars’ name was chosen due to the two founders, Cliff Kontos and Jim Moyer, being history buffs. I enjoyed meeting Terry and hearing his stories about the winery's founders, why they got into the business, and how they...

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Posted by Thad at 02:55 PM | | Comments (0)

Review: Whitman Cellars Winery

Whitman Cellars winery is located a few blocks west of downtown Walla Walla. It's in the same industrial area where Amavi Cellars and Canoe Ridge wineries are located, but is situated on a corner underneath some trees giving it a sense of being "in the country". Their tasting room is spacious and offers one of the most unique ways to go beyond the bottle while sampling their wines. As soon as you enter the front door, there is a glass wall that allows you to see right into the barrel room. What a great design idea to help showcase what...

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Posted by Thad at 01:50 PM | | Comments (0)

Review: Amavi Cellars Winery

Wow, what an amazing beyond the bottle experience I had visiting the Amavi Cellars winery, which is located in an industrialized area west of downtown Walla Walla. The name, Amavi, is derived from the Latin words, amor (love), vita (life), and vinum (wine). Their mission is “to capture the best of love and life in every bottle” of wine. It’s clear this mission extends to the winery experience. Whatever the Amavi Cellars winery lacks in terms of its setting, they more than make up for it in providing a great experience inside their tasting room. In fact, they lived up...

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Posted by Thad at 12:41 PM | | Comments (0)

May 30, 2007

Review: Basel Cellars Estate Winery

Driving up to the Basel Cellars mansion-turned-winery, I expected to be received with pretension and high-brow attitudes. Instead, I was treated with good old Southern hospitality from their winemaker, Trey Busch, a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Trey just happened to be in the tasting room on the day I visited, which made my experience at Basel Cellars really fun. If it weren't for my chance meeting with Trey, I wouldn't have left Basel Cellars feeling connected to their wine in a way that went beyond the bottle. With each sip I took of the 1 white and 6 red wines...

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Posted by Thad at 02:51 PM | | Comments (0)

May 08, 2007

Review: Pepper Bridge Winery

A few months back, I was grilling steaks for dinner and decided to open a bottle of Pepper Bridge 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. I had not tasted a Pepper Bridge wine before, therefore was excited when someone gave me a bottle to try. A very generous gift considering this bottle retails for $50. From the first sip before dinner, throughout our meal, and then afterward, my wife and I were really taken with this wine. We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't your usual high alcohol fruit bomb, like many Washington cabernets made from Columbia Valley fruit. The fact that this...

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Posted by Thad at 04:41 PM | | Comments (0)

May 03, 2007

Winery Reviews and Ratings

Whenever I visit a winery, the one thing I look for more than anything else is a connection to the wine beyond the bottle. What makes this connection happen? Stories. Stories about the people and places behind the wine I am sampling. The more unique and understandable the stories being shared, the better the winery experience for me. This connection is what ultimately determines whether or not I would recommend a winery to family, friends or you. It also influences what I buy. In fact, I would much rather visit a winery that serves mediocre wines but offers a deep...

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Posted by Thad at 04:49 PM | | Comments (0)

Review: Three Rivers Winery

The Three Rivers Winery is a large outfit (by local standards) that was built to accomodate sizable groups, including busloads of folks. Three Rivers clearly goes beyond the tasting room experience by offering a reception area for meetings/conferences, a 3 hole golf course and summer concerts. Unfortunately, Three Rivers reminds me too much of the stereotypical large, impersonal winery experience: a big tasting room with an overflowing gift shop featuring clothing, glassware, books, cds and packaged food. It just seems over the top in terms of trying to sell anything and everything associated with their wine, brand and related accessories....

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Posted by Thad at 11:20 AM | | Comments (0)

Review: Woodward Canyon Winery

About 12 miles west of Walla Walla on the main highway into town, you’ll find Woodward Canyon Winery. The tasting room is located in an old farm house, which provides an appropriate setting for one of the state’s earliest wineries. Opening the door to the farmhouse, I was immediately greeted with a friendly welcome by Sarah, the person behind the bar. The tasting room takes up most of the first floor of the house, with plenty of space to walk around and enjoy your wine. This is a shop focused on selling wine, with few, if any, of the traditional...

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Posted by Thad at 11:14 AM | | Comments (0)

Review: Reininger Winery

Reininger Winery is located about 6 miles west of Walla Walla on Highway 12. This winery is housed in two former potato sheds, which were renovated into a nice facility with a comfortable tasting room. On the Monday I visited in early April, the new tasting room was nearly finished, providing a much larger expanse with beautiful pine flooring reclaimed from the old potatoe sheds. This new addition, which will offer a view of acres of wheat fields, will serve as a nice spot to try Reininger wines, including those under their other label, Helix. The tasting room features some...

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Posted by Thad at 11:06 AM | | Comments (0)

Review: L' Ecole No 41 Winery

On Highway 12 going to Walla Walla, you'll find L'Ecole No 41 winery just outside the town of Lowden. Like the other wineries on Highway 12 coming east into town, L'Ecole is a frequent stop for folks traveling to Walla Walla. And this Monday visit was no exception, with about a half dozen cars in the parking lot. L'Ecole No 41 is named after the school house in which it is located. It is a beautifully restored building that was originally constructed in 1915. L'Ecole produces about 30,000 cases each year, making it one of the larger wineries in the...

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Posted by Thad at 11:02 AM | | Comments (0)