Harvest at Perennial Vintners
It’s a motley crew but worth the 35 minute trip from Seattle.
My list of scary Halloween wine.
Transylvania, Dracula, vampires of Europe and rave inspired wine.
Charles Smith Wines Washington’s own Columbia Valley Wahluke Slope tasting notes
Water Witch – Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend
Mark Ryan Winery One of the wild warehouse district wineries.
What’s on your list??
Western Washington is now hitting the radar screen as a plausible place to grow wine grapes. See recent Seattle Times article on Western Washington’s emerging wine grapes The first Puget Sound grape crops appeared around 1825 at Fort Vancouver. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Seattle realtor Charles Somers and his son C. W. “Bill” Somers started St. Charles Winery on Stretch Island.
Since the summer I’ve been immersed in learning how to grow Puget Sound AVA wine grapes. I took on 50 Pinot Gris vines planted by Mike Lempriere and Beth Schoenberg, owners, winemaker and grape growers for Perennial Vintners on Bainbridge Island. My job was to baby sit these vines, thin the leafs, watch for powdery mildew, spray at night by flashlight, talk to the grapes when needed, test for sugars and acidity and generally guide the grapes to their fate of harvest and crushia! The grapes have been harvested, crushed and they are now fermenting their way to great 2009 Puget Sound AVA Pinot Gris Wine!
This event brings back very fond memories. My friends and I have gathered for years at this event to kick the Christmas season off right. We go to Woodinville, tast wines and buy only special wines for our Holiday gift giving and house warmings and OK our own personal antitodes to the Season. This is a very fun event and great opportunity to taste Woodinville wines!
December 5th and 6th, 2009
11:00am to 4:00pm
I saw this article and thought it explained the short sale process very well. The banks are still trying to figure out how to navigate short sales and foreclosures. It’s a mess… and a conversation I am having regularly with clients wanting to jump into the short sale game.
What is selling in Real Estate seems to be the question of the moment. In NWMLS “speak” area 705 is the top, numero uno, number one in pending sales in Seattle/King Co. for the month of August.
Area 705 includes Ballard, Greenwood and of course my favorite PhinneyWood.
For list of the top ten selling areas click here.
Sure to become a destination NW wine event Bainbridge Island successfully hosted it’s very first Wine Weekend.
The weekend, August 28-30, presented with sunny, beautiful, excellent NW weather for a series of wine centric functions. Friday the 28th kicked the event off with island restaurants pairing local wine with special menu items. Saturday evening a spectacular sold out wine maker dinner was hosted by Island Wood. And Sunday in the center of downtown just right outside of City Hall the community braced themselves for yet more #WAM..Wine, Art and Music. A great event on an amazing late Summer weekend. Make your plans now for next years event!
Beth Schoenberg of Perennial Vintners, Betsy of Bainbridge Island Vineyards and intern showing off their grapes and wine between pours at Bainbridge Island’s first Wine Weekend.
This weekend Bainbridge Island is hosting it’s first “Wine Weekend”. The event kicks off Friday August 28th and runs through Sunday the 30th.
Wine Weekend offers a great opportunity to increase your learning curve on the merits of Puget Sound AVA wines and taste local small boutique, garagiste’ artisan crafted wines. Two of the wineries pouring wines at the event specialize solely in the unique wine grape varietals grown on the West side of the Cascade mountains. Strange sounding grapes with names like Muller Thurgau, Siegerrebe and Madeleine Angevine will be available for tasting.
Here is a list of the wineries that will be open for touring and pourings!
Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery
Offering 100% Bainbridge Island estate-grown European-style wines including Muller-Thurgau, Siegerrebe, Medaliene Angevine, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris.
A tiny, family owned & operated vineyard and winery featuring local varietal Muller-Thurgau & Madeleine Angevine. If lucky winemaker Mike may be pouring the first local commercially bottled Melon de Bourgeon and don’t miss the Ichigo a strawberry port-style dessert wine made from strawberries grown on the Island.
Eagle Harbor Wine Company
Artisan crafted small production wines including a spectacular Chardonnay/Voignier blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Bordeaux style blends.
A boutique winery that has recently opened a tasting room downtown Bainbridge. Eleven features an expanding list of specially crafted wines including La Primavera (dry rose’) Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Malbec and I think the Islands only Petit Verdot.
Specializes in producing quality, rich and full bodied red wines. Their Battle Point Red – will be Fletcher Bay’s first licensed release February 2010!
A small, artisan, winery situated just north of Agate Pass Bridge in Kitsap County, Washington. Founder, Dave Prigmore, spent 12 years as one of the top Sommeliers at Seattle’s Metropolitan Grill. He studied the art of winemaking under Mike Januik & Jerry Bookwalter. The winery currently produces 1000 cases a year. Current production features Merlot and Syrah.
Winemaker Alphonse deKlerk got his start helping a vineyard in the Loire Valley in France harvesting wine grapes. Now he produces award winning wines on Bainbridge Island. Boutique, small scale productions of around 500 cases a year include blends of Chardonnay/Pinot Gris and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend.
A passion for wine inspired this artisan winemaker. Small scale quality crafted wines include a 2007 Pinot Noir, 2007 Semillon and a 2007 Sangiovese. Charlie Merrill owner and winemaker has also recently opened up an inviting tasting room downtown Winslow.
The ferry ride will be well worth the trip. These wineries are rarely open at the same time and most are by appointment only.
The wineries will be open all three days from 1-4pm. On Sunday, In addition to the wine tent tasting downtown Winslow shuttles between the wineries will be available and running every 1/2 hour.
This will be a great weekend to get out and taste some local wine!
