It Must Be Summer!
It must be summer, as Memorial Day…or Decoration Day as I knew it growing up…is over. The many cars creeping through Leavenworth toward points east and north made me wonder if gas somehow costs less on the Other Side.
This summer, many usual vacationers will be taking “stay-cations”, a newly coined word popular with TV advertisers. As we here in NCW already live in vacation heaven, this shouldn’t be too hard on us. We have mountains for hiking, rivers for rafting, trails for walking or biking….or, if that is too active…we have porches and decks for sitting and enjoying the scenic views which surround us. Tired of your own view? Visit friends in the area and sit on their deck. Invite that person you’ve been wanting to see again, share some food, wine and conversation and get to know one another better.
Another near-to-home attraction we have in abundance these days is wineries. Many have an outdoor table or two where visitors can picnic, sip wine, and enjoy just ‘being’. Others serve delicious lunches in scenic settings while others offer evening events, dinners, and a variety of live entertainment. The point, in this time of economic slow-down, is to take advantage of what we have; shop locally and “stay-cation”. Help keep the local economy alive by spending vacation dollars here at home and discovering - or rediscovering - all that our area has to offer.
One thing I recently discovered is another - yes, another - winery: Kyra Winery in Moses Lake. Andy Perdue of Wine Press NW says it has the best Pinot Noir in the state. As soon as I get back to Wenatchee to the Wine Bin or Food Pavilion, I’ll look for it.
Tastings at the recent weekend barrel event proved more than satisfactory. We didn’t get past the Wenatchee area, but had some great barrel wines there. St. Laurent, Number One for scenery and ambiance, was sampling Syrah from their celebrated Wahluke Slope vineyards. Horan Estates offered a unique tasting with their Southern Rhone blend of Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvedre, plus an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and an exquisite, intensely rich Merlot. It was truly an Experience. Stemilt Creek’s outstanding Syrah was a spicy, fruity pleasure, as were the Cabernet Franc and Merlot. And of course tasting the Faire le Pont Elerding Cabernet Sauvignon was a must. Their futures offerings are a good way to buy some of their wines at a nice discount.
A wine unique among others tasted, and very popular among visitors to Wedge Mountain Winery, was the Lemberger. Also in the barrel was another of Charlie McKee’s Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignons. Here, too, people took advantage of futures offerings and are anticipating returning next spring to taste and to pick up their wines. And last, as an excellent end to an enjoyable day, we pulled into our driveway and stopped at Eagle Creek Winery for some of the fruity new Bacchus vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. I’m looking forward to enjoying these wines after they have been bottled and released.
While it was not possible in the time we had to go everywhere and taste every wine, I think those wines we did taste are a good indication of the growth - both in quantity and in quality - of the local wine industry. When asked, “Where is your favorite place to taste wine? I have to reply, “Wherever I am, that’s my favorite.” It’s impossible to choose one when each winery has something special about it. Location, scenery, friendliness, a favorite wine: all these help make each place special. So answering that question is almost like trying to answer, “Which is your favorite child?” We love them all.
A quick look at Grocery Outlet yesterday found some Washington Hills Rainier White at $2.99 ($8.99 for a 3 liter box). Also on the shelf were Pavin & Riley Shiraz and Riesling, and Struktur, a Riesling from the Mosel -Saar-Ruhr in Germany…all at $4.99 each. Avery Lane is back with a Red Blend at $2.99.
Having recently tasted NW Totem Wineries ‘Low Man Red’, I am really looking forward to the Northwest Totem Lake event, with wine sales, at the Museum June 19. I hope to see you there, too.
Joanne Saliby