Washington wine

Pairing Merlot while the kitchen is out of service (#winePW)

Have you ever expected house guests in the middle of a kitchen remodeling project? This was the situation I faced last week when two bottles of Merlot were due to arrive. Both wines are from highly respected producers that I’ve gotten to know. So, in a sense, I regard them as old friends rather than […]

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Two wines from French grapes rooted in WA soil (#Winophiles)

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah – “international varieties” like these are so widely grown we may not think about them as native grapes. Yet, they had to start somewhere, and that place is France. Of the many locations where these native French grapes have put down roots, Washington State seems especially welcoming. Strange, because the

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Celebrating WA wine month with family, friends and Syrah

August is Washington wine month! Actually, it’s one of two Washington wine months. March is the other. When you’ve got this delicious a product, why not celebrate twice a year? What makes Washington wine so yummy? Oh, just the usual suspects: Climate – Long, warm summer days and cool nights lead to ripe fruity flavors

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Washington Pinot Gris for chilling on a lazy summer afternoon (#winePW)

In Washington wine circles, huge Chateau Ste. Michelle is more than a winery. It’s a presence. Ste Michelle wines are everywhere – Total Wine, Whole Foods, Walgreens – along with most small grocers and pharmacies around here. Not surprising when you consider that Ste. Michelle is the largest winery in the Pacific Northwest and third-largest

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Spotlight on Syncline – Showcase for the Gorge

Two days – that’s all we allotted ourselves in the Columbia Gorge this time around. Plenty of outdoorsy folks and wine enthusiasts would argue two days is too little time to appreciate the scenery, bike or hike, and sample all the Gorge has to offer. True. But like it or not, that’s what we had.

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