Summer is a time for memories, for remembering past summers and for making new memories on which to reflect in future summers. A cool glass of wine on a hot summer evening encourages reminiscing.

Recently PBS featured the Kingston Trio, perhaps the most important folk music group from 1957-1967. Listening and watching them, it brought back such memories that I wanted to cry. In June of 1967 I was at the Hungry I in San Francisco at their final public performance, and I did cry then. Our wines at the time were Bali Hi and Hearty Burgundy. Now today, that makes me want to cry!

A few years later, while we were away house hunting because of a job transfer, friends of our son decided to party at our home. They drank the case of 1972 Robert Mondavi Cab, given to us as a going away gift, and they mixed it WITH SEVEN-UP! I don’t know which made me angrier, the partying or the mixing of the Cab with the Seven-Up. It was a real occasion for tears, as our wine tastes had improved by then.

The Sangria years followed. Almost any red or white jug wine, when judiciously augmented with citrus and soda or 7-UP, made up a splendid pseudo-Spanish drink which graced many a summer party. Sangria seems to be making a come-back; now, where are the Kingston Trio, Gordon Lightfoot, and Joan Baez?

After a day of heat and work, what better than to relax in the cool of the evening with a glass of cool, refreshing wine. I just tried a German Riesling, Struktur, from Grocery Outlet. At $4.99 it’s a great buy; deliciously fruity and acidic, it paired well with a salad of finely shredded cabbage and carrot, with cilantro, mint, and scallions in a lime juice dressing. Topped with a sliced teriyaki chicken breast, it was all we needed after a 100+’ day. I found another good white, Kamiak from Gordon Bros,in a G.O. on the Other Side, and at even better prices. And our own TOP Foods has had several Chateau Ste. Michelle whites at under $7. Last week I picked up six bottles of Dry Riesling for $5.39 each . The State Stores have it at $5.97, with a 10% discount for a case purchase. In general, you can’t beat the State Store prices.

In temperatures such as these, when a white wine just won’t do, cool that red. Even a red wine seems better slightly chilled….not refrigerator cold, but around 55” to 60’. And when a wine isn’t as good as you had hoped, drop in an ice cube. You may be amazed at how it helps the wine. Try it and see.

Summer isn’t a time for sniffing and swirling, for examining and evaluating. Is it good? Do you like it? Is it satisfying? That’s all that is necessary. Enjoy it while recalling other summers, other warm evenings, and good times.

When did you begin to “look for something” in a wine, other than as a way to a happy evening? At what point did you find yourself a part of the wine culture which requires a detailed analysis of a wine before enjoying it? Too often we find ourselves “looking for something” in each wine we drink. Must we look for anything each and every time? If you like it, it’s good. That’s enough.

For a summer time – or anytime – red, Tres Picos Borsao Garnacha/Grenache is an excellent choice. Very food friendly, it goes with barbecue, Basque Lamb (a recent dinner), tomato based dishes, snapper Vera Cruz and lots else. At Pete’s in Bellevue, it’s around $10.right now. Argentina’s Santa Julia Malbec, under $10 at Esquin, is also great with grilled foods.

We have many wonderful wines right here in our own area; unfortunately, many aren’t budget friendly, and not always affordable for everyday consumption. While I believe in shopping locally to support our local economy, it isn’t always practical in today’s world, where families are often struggling with rising food costs, gas prices and mortgage difficulties.

Joanne Saliby

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

At last, around the edges of my gardens and on the north-facing slope, my daffodils are released from their prison of ice and snow. As Wordsworth wrote over two hundred years ago, “And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.”

There’s no time left for winter blahs; with garden to tend, garage to clean, and wine events filling the calendar, who has time to remember the dark days of winter? My first “dance” was a trip to the second weekend of Chelan Nouveau, where the wineries were offering their new whites and rose’s for our delectation. Sunshine, bright tulips and daffodils, friendly winemakers and great wine: how could it get any better? With food, of course! Wapato Point Cellars and Vin du Lac offer lunches and snacks in idyllic settings; May 1, Lake Chelan Winery will begun serving lunch, while its evening barbecues are already well-known and popular.

Tunnel Hill, adjacent to the Sunshine Farm Market, has built an attractive new facility with a pleasant, comfortable tasting room and very friendly pouring staff. If things develop as planned, a major complex to rival Sun River and Whistler will be built between Tunnel Hill and Tsillan Cellars winery, and in the hills above.

In downtown Chelan a bit of sad news awaited us. The CR Sandidge tasting room and Bistro ceased operation April 30. CR Sandidge wines will be available online, through the Wine Club, and in various restaurants and stores. As always, the Tri*Umph was superb, as were the new Whistle Punk, the Klingele 2004 Syrah and Stonetree.

Scott Benson’s new Pinot Gris is a delight to the senses, as is the Viognier. He was also barrel tasting his new Cabernet Franc. I put in an order at once, as the 2005 sold out in a few weeks, before I even knew it. He recently released his 2006 Sangiovese and Pinot Noir, both good representatives of the grapes, and pleasantly food-friendly.

On up the road, Milum Perry of Tildio welcomed us with the new Sauvignon Blanc. Now I like grapefruit and am very fond of gooseberries, but not in my Sauvignon Blanc. Tildio’s was delightfully crisp and fresh, with hints of citrus and melon and a very faint whiff of gooseberry. The 2005 Robusto, an elegant blend of Merlot, Cab and Petit Verdot, topped off a fine morning; however, it was time for food, so we headed down to Wapato Point and tried their new lunch service, complete with rousing music, excellent service, and sun in a scenic outdoor setting. We tasted a new wine, also, and one which could become a standard for this annual event. Named “Chelan Nouveau” after the two-weekend celebration, the wine is styled on the order of the French Beaujolais Nouveau. It is light, fruity and red, and compatible with a variety of foods. Best served slightly chilled, it is refreshing and enjoyable.

At Lake Chelan Winery we tasted the new Maximum Meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and think it is destined to be very popular. Apparently the Wine Spectator agrees, as they recently gave it a 90 rating.

Balsam Root Winery was a lively place Saturday, with family entertainment to accompany its excellent wines. The Cab Franc and the very lightly oaked Chardonnay are not to be missed.

The Pinot Gris “Grisant” at Vin du Lac is always a crisp, delightful accompaniment to their delicious food offering, and; their outdoor tasting room is one of the most pleasant places in the area to lunch and sip

One can only taste so much wine before one’s good sense says, “Enough. It’s a long drive home.” With the advent of more new wineries, tasting will take an extra day next year in order to cover them all. Meanwhile, area Barrel Tasting-May 16, 17, 18-is next. I hope to see you there..

Joanne Saliby

As our old friend Willie used to sing, we’re “on the road again”. The snow just isn’t melting quickly enough and I am beginning to see the reason for so many domestic disturbances:.cabin fever. Hopefully a quick trip through California wine country will be the cure.

We visited the Paso Robles area and meandered out Adelaida Rd. to Tablas Creek, where winemaker Neil Collins, along with the Haas and Perrin families, are making Rhone style wines from clones of French grapes. For a very interesting read, visit the Tablas Creek website and read the wineblog for details of their grape-to-wine processes.

Traveling down the Salinas Valley on Hwy 101, we counted ten solid miles of grape fields, all at least a mile wide. And that was just one spot. I do sometimes think of the food that could be grown there.

Locally, we tasted some very good wines during the Valentine’s weekends. Martin-Scott was teeming with visitors, many of whom tried the combination of Schocolat’s fine chocolates paired with several of the wineries popular and delicious wines. While in East Wenatchee we also rekindled our love affair with Horan Estates 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.

In Peshastin I had to stop at Wedge Mountain and have a truffle with the Roses and Rubies. It’s the only wine I care for with chocolate, and it was good!

At home in Leavenworth, at Ed Rutledge’s new tasting room, the family was very busy pouring some of Ed and Nat’s excellent wines. The Riesling is outstanding and the Raspberry Riesling was making friends very quickly, while those preferring reds were very happy with the Merlot, the Montage (my favorite), the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Sauv Reserve. The beautiful mural and other artwork and wood working completed the ambiance of the new tasting room.

I just read a recent blog by Food and Wine’s Senior Wine Editor Ray Isle on Amarone and appreciated his comments on what food can do to help – or hurt – wine. “The older vintages (of Amarone) were all from Campolongo di Torbe, in honor of its fiftieth anniversary. I found the ‘97 Campolongo a bit overly ripe and raisiny—”gormless” was the word I used in my notes, which means brainless; mostly I meant it was a bit hulking. However, it came to life paired with White’s delicious short-ribs. Context, y’know; it’s a pretty crucial consideration.

Right now we are in Pasadena CA for a few days, and you’d have to pay me a whole lot to live here. Everyone rushes and pushes, and no one strikes up a conversation in the checkout line. It does make us appreciate home. I do wish, however, that our local Grocery Outlet could get some of the wines we have found down here. Maybe it would help if you who shop there would talk to Bob and ask for more and better wines such as are found in other Grocery Outlets. And while I am a strong supporter of our local wines and wineries, I make no apology for seeking out more affordable wines for everyday consumption.

The March dinner is coming up, and will undoubtedly be a gourmet feast. Then, before we know it, spring barrel tasting will be underway. Those of us so inclined will be digging and planting, and plotting new ways to defeat the ever-present gophers. At upcoming events we’ll be tasting new wines from near and not-so-near wineries, and enjoying the pleasures of spring.

I can hardly wait!

Joanne Saliby

…I can feel it in the air, and in the way the slant of light is changing. This is a yellow jacket summer, making it hard to eat outdoors. We tried a few nights ago, with a salmon and vegetable dinner. First, though, I prepared a small plate with a bite of fish and some juice and placed it several yards from where we were eating. That seemed to satisfy most of them, except for the four (now deceased) who wanted our food. So far they haven’t tried to drink our wine, in which case it will become an all-out war.

I hope this reaches you in time for you to plan a visit to the Chelan Co. Fair September 6-9. Once again, after a hiatus of ???years, there will be an Amateur Wine Making Division. Because Alex and I were interested in seeing this in the fair, we were asked to be the Superintendents of it, but….now here is the sneaky part….no one said it was going to be WORK. I even got tired of e-mailing…can you imagine? But between us, with a lot of discussion and only a few disagreements, we got it organized, and Aug.19 held the judging of thirty-three wines from twelve winemakers. Katy Perry of Tildio, Craig Mitrakul of Saint Laurent and Ryan Patrick, and Barb Robertson from the Wine Bin did the judging. If you come to the Fair you will see the results. The entrants are looking forward to the judges’ critiques, that they might learn how to improve their wines. It has been an enjoyable time for us, during which we have learned a lot. Next year we hope this division will be even bigger and better.

I hope you took advantage of the recent Washington Wine Month specials. We still have some of the best wine values around. While we appreciate the wines from local wineries, they cannot compete in price with such wineries as Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest and other giants. Most of us cannot afford to drink wines daily in the price range of the smaller wineries, so we are thankful for the very good wines we drink regularly and save the others for special occasions.

I have long been a fan of the South African Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc, but seldom drink it as it is around $18. A friend recently brought me a Mulderbosch 2006 Rose’ of Cabernet which I learned is $10-13 a bottle, and it was very good. It has a pleasing touch of more citrus than most Rose’ wines, and is quite dry, with clean, berry flavors. If you love Rose’, call Barb at the Wine Bin 663-3007 and she can probably get it. Try it with the beet and arugula salad, although you may have to go to Trader Joe’s for the arugula. I’ve heard the Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc is outstanding, too, so I’ll look for it next time I go over.

If you go to Esquin on 4th Ave. S. in Seattle, or get their e-letter, you will see that they have some excellent wine buys. Spanish wines, as well as Argentine and Chilean, are good buys and in general, very good. I am especially fond of Grenache blends, as they pair well with a variety of foods. While Pete’s Fine Wines of Bellevue offers some excellent buys, they do not have a website. Go to www.yelp.com and see some reviews. Pete’s is very helpful when you’re looking for something in particular, and will special-order for you.

I thought I’d mention an event taking place Sept. 15 at the Harbor Club in Seattle, as it is a benefit for rhe Benaroya Research Institute and involves Dick and Judi Rising, former members of the Eno society. It is going to be an excellent dinner with wines from the Chelan/Manson area, ending with some “Schocolat” and a fine Merlot. It is Seattle-priced at $175.per person, but auto-immune research is an important cause to support. If interested, call or email me.

By this time, Labor Day weekend is over…and so is summer, more or less. I hope you are making the most of locally grown fruits and vegetables before the season ends and we descend into the cold dark days of winter…with a decent interlude for fall, of course. Come taste the older cellar wines September 20, and don’t miss the October 27 dinner with St. Supery, steak, and CEO Michaela Rodeno. Then Dawn and John Clark, with Dave and Karen Whitmore, will entertain you with the bubbly at the always-popular Champagne Gala December 1. All of a sudden it’s New Year’s Eve. How the time does go by! Meanwhile…see you at the Chelan Co. Fair.

Joanne Saliby