Sexy Syrah at Salty's Now on Sale

An event sponsored as a fundraiser for Farestart, a food services job training and placement program for homeless and disadvantaged individuals, called Sexy Syrah at Salty's on Alki is scheduled for April 10th. Seattle and Northwest Sommeliers David LeClaire & Tim O’Brien bring together 35 NW wineries making Syrah and Syrah blends   Syrahs have made its mark on Washington wineries in the past decade and it continues to garner attention and accolades worldwide. While it has lost some of its luster due to the emergence of other varietals-Malbec in particular, syrahs still have a great following. The fundraiser helps out with the non-profit Farestart and at the same time provides a great chance to sample wines that you can't find in one spot. And the cost is only $45. You need to register with Seattle Uncorked and do it early, it does sell out quickly. Salty's in located in West Seattle on Alki Beach. A  five minute drive from downtown Seattle if you're looking at a hotel. It's a great seafood restaurant with a world class rating. A few weeks after the Taste of Washington, which is the biggest wine event in the state, this event was one that was on my bucket list of wine things to do. And comparing the cost-$175 for the VIP tickets-a decision was made to pass Taste for Sexy Syrah.   Here is the list of wineries and the food that night  :

Ambassador Vineyard
Animale
The Bunnell Family Cellar
Dubindil Winery
EFESTĒ Wine Cellars
Forgeron Cellars
Hand of God Wines
Hedges Cellars at Red Mountain
Jones of WA
Kana Winery
Kerloo Cellars
NHV -Naches Heights Vineyard
Nota Bene Cellars
Patterson Cellars

Piccola Cellars
Pondera Winery
Purple Star & Native Sun
Queen Anne Winery
Redmond Ridge Winery
Robert Ramsay Cellars
Ross Andrew Winery
Skylite Cellars
Smasne Cellars
Stottle Winery
Two Mountain Winery
Van Camp Cellars
Vin du Lac
Whidbey Island Vineyards & Winery

The wine will be accompanied by an array of tantalizing tastes by Salty’s own Executive Chef Jeremy McLachlan.  The food menu :

Blackened Cod Fajitas Brushetta
Double R Ranch Beef Satays

Mini-Chinese Pork Buns
Mini Flatbreads with Greek Lamb
Celeriac Bisque

Baby Arugula and Local Beet Salad
Forest Mushroom Risotto
Alaskan Halibut Cakes
Beef Brisket Sliders

Truffles by Salty's Executive Pastry Chef George Foley

A FANTASTIC Day At Airfield Estates

The "Dan The Man's Fight Against ALS" last Sunday at Airfield Estates was a huge success.  Dan Sauve unfortunately is suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease. The fundraiser at the Prosser winery was a complete and utter win.  Over 150 people attended over the 4 hours, there were over 35 gift baskets, 30 gift certificates, and over 40 items up for silent auction.  Monies raised help Dan and his wife, Marylynn, combat the cost of medical supplies, medicine, motorized wheelchairs, a motorized lift, and so many other expenses.
Estimates are early, but it looks like almost $9000 was raised that day.  A huge part of this day goes to the Miller family, particularly Airfield's winemaker, Marcus Miller.  Use of the beautiful facility, at no cost, made this a win win for everyone attending. Not only helping a cause, but enjoying wonderful wines, paired with foods, it was wonderful. Airfield Estates also donated 50% of any wines bought that day to the benefit.
Thank you to Marcus and Airfield. Also thank you to Barb Wessley and her culinary masterpieces served that day.  Her "Elegant Dinners By Design" company put out food all day and every bit of it was delicious.
A great benefit at a great place.  Thank you to everyone involved and please keep Dan in your prayers and thoughts.

Please Come and Help Out!

This is a fund raiser for Dan Sauve, a friend to many.  He has been struck down with ALS and could use some help. There is a fund raiser being held at Airfield Winery in Prosser.  To help out, buy a ticket and come and enjoy wine and food. Silent auctions and gifts are to be raffled off to assist the family with the huge costs for wheelchairs, medical and other needed items. Sunday Jan 27 from noon to 5pm.  He has a facebook page "Dan The Man's Fight Against ALS"   Go and look at it,  and come and do something good!

Post Christmas Cheer

Went over to good friends home for a bit of wine and food last night. We had the pleasure of enjoying a 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Merlot.  This is the same year as the 2005 Cab from CC that was chosen the Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator in 2009.  It was excellent.  The 90 point wine was dark with hints of  pepper and spice. Soft on the palate, with blackberry and cocoa flavors.  The long  finish was not too long, just right.  The next bottle was a 2006 Cayuse Syrah En Cerise.  It was described as "wonderfully deep and rich".  The nose was meaty and dark fruit.  Garnering 97 points, it provided an "Intense, balanced, and totally succulent, it boasts a finish that just won’t quit" from others.  A good night to visit and drink good wine.  On to the New Year!

Wine Spectator Top list for free

Wine Spectator will release their 2012 list of the Top 100 wines.  And you can get it free by going to the website at Winespectator.com.   Starting November 14 we can see the number 10 thru 6 wines.  Then the next few days yo can see the # 5 down to #2 with the unveiling of the number 1.  Speculation among wine people are all over the map for the crowning of the Wine Spectator top wine.  Last year it was the California winery from Kosta Browne with the  2009 Pinot Noir Sonoma that garnered the honor.  2010 was Saxum with a Paso Robles Rhone-style blend.  2009 is the year that '05 Reserve Cab from Columbia Crest got Washington State wines recognized as the top quality it has.  From looking at many different wine sites, it seems Wine Spectator has a criteria.  A certain limited release- not small but not mega million cases.  Points, points, points.   Not every 100 point wine is the top wine.  Most are 93 to 99.  Affordability.  They don't want to put a three figure wine out there that the average Joe/Joanne can't get to.  Now after it crashes the best wine list , expect the price to climb and disappear from the winery and any store.  So some speculation can reap you a nice conversation piece.  Wine Spectator is a world wide entity and the list will reflect that.  France, Italy, Spain, Australia, South America, and every other wine that they deem rate able is potentially number one.  Add Washington, California, Oregon, and every other wine producing state, and the choices are pretty daunting. Since there hasn't been a European wine in the past 3 years, my bet is it is a French or Spanish wine.  A Washington wine will hopefully make the top ten.  Who?  Your guess is as mine.  Some better.  One of the names I saw flying around was Long Shadows Pedestal '08 Merlot. The numbers were all aligning for that wine, but if I had to throw out a name,  I would give the name of  Abeja in Walla Walla.  It is schmedium (small-medium)  winery with enough production and points to get into the top ten. The Cab is well received and it could be the one from Washingon to make the top ten.  And with Walla Walla getting more of a destination name, it makes sense to see a a winery from there.  I know there is Cayuse, Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, and many more cult wines, but they rarely get picked. Just to make the Top 100 is a marketing managers dream.  I am excited to see the lists.

A Winery To Visit

Sinclair Estate Vineyards





Visiting Walla Walla This past weekend led us to a gem of a winery. Sinclair Estates vineyard winery is located on the corridor of of Main Street.this past weekend led us to a gem of a winery in Sinclair Estates Vineyard in the downtown corridor on Main Street.  Winemaker Amy Alvarez-Wampfler -who is the cover story for the latest Wine Press Northwest-has taken  Sinclair Estates into the stratosphere of really great wines from Washington. After of a decade in the wine industry, from working at Chateau Ste. Michelle to her time at Sinclair Estates, Alvarez-Wampfler has produced several wines that have received acclaim.  The 2007 and 2009 Chardonnay have been well represented in wine rating magazines as well as the Cabs, Merlots and their Pentatonic red wine blend. We sampled the lineup for the night, which included the 2009 Pentatonic Red blend. Stone fruit with a light after note of cigarbox greet the nose. The tongue got dark fruit and a bit of cabinet spice. Wonderful to taste.  The 2009 Syrah comes at you with a bold nose and doesn't disappoint with its dark flavor of blackberry, chocolate and finishes with black tea and toasted caramel.  Being sold out of their 2008 Vixen, we had to settle for their newest release, the 2009 Vixen.  A Red blend from the Walla Walla Valley with only 18 barrels produced, this Rhone style blend is a keeper. The predominance of the Syrah, Mouvedre and Greneche comes through with an initial black currant with a finish of cola and dark chocolate.  The wines are great. The people there are even better than the wine. Take a minute and get to Sinclair Estates. 

Walla Walla Fall Release

Walla Walla Fall Release

Walla Walla wineries are expecting to see crowds this weekend when they have their 2012 Fall releases.
With more than 100 wineries in the WW Valley, you can taste plenty of wines with very distinctive styles.
With the Walla Walla Valley AVA some say is being touted as the Wine Region of the Year by Wine Spectator, the legacy of the area is sure to become more popular.  Here are some wineries you should mark on your map for the weekend.

Corliss Estates is a place that is only open twice a year and both times is well worth the wait. They are releasing their 2007 Red Wine and the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Red wine has been described as  "dark plum, pomegranate and wild currants on the nose with underlying spice notes of chai, cedar, sagebrush, black tea and tobacco leaf".  The Cab has "wild fig, rhubarb, fresh licorice and plum on the nose with underlying aromas of bay leaf, roasted coffee, bitter dark chocolate, and crème brulee" New and used French oak barrels are then utilized for 33 months and then bottled for another 2 1/2 years before release.
Corliss takes pride in the amount of time it holds its wines for aging and the results are exceptional. Having tasted the '07 in barrel last year, I can attest that they will be well received.  Mannina Cellars on C Street in Walla Walla has caught my attention after a trip to the Oregon coast this past summer. Their wines are real fruit forward and easily drank. Getting fruit from the Walla Walla Valley has the Mannina wines giving the earthy and terroir reflecting the Valley. Dark raspberry and plum with some mouthy feel has the 2010 Merlot tasting excellent right now. The 2010 Sangiovese and Cabs seem a bit young, but another year in bottle makes them better. Skylite Cellars on the Old Vintage highway is worth the stop. Winemaker Greg Matiko has taken the winemaking reins from Robert Smasne and his youth belies his talent. Ashley Bruton runs their tasting room and she welcomes you with some great wines. The 2007 Syrah is a winner for the year. The 07 Reserve Cabernet makes one think more of Leonetti or Abeja. Deep dark and full of fruit layering throughout, it can be kept or drank today. Corvus at the Walla Walla Airport has taken a new turn with their new facilities in 2010.  With having a WW Valley address, but procuring fruit from their Red Mountain vineyard, they combine the best of two worlds. Rumors are that Red Mountain guru, Charlie Hoppes is involved with their wine.  An exceptional wine is their 100% Petit Verdot. One of the most inky black wines I have seen, it is leather and fruit ,a big explosion in the finish. At $35, its a steal. A definite stop to make if you go to the airport.   aMaurice
is right next to Walla Walla Vintners and shares the same ground as Leonetti.  The 09 Malbec is another purple staining wine......seems to be a pattern here...that I find to be enjoyable.  When your tongue is layered with purple wine and you like it, that is a combo that is hard to beat.  The Malbec is Wahluke slope grape is full and deep.  Oak accents the finish and makes the Malbec a great wine for dinner over a big piece of beef.