…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