By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.lecadeauvineyard.com Fewer things in life can be more frustrating than falling in love with a wine, only to have it ripped out from under you – such a tease. This 2009 Le Cadeau Red Label Pinot Noir is such a wine – it’s as if these wineries like messing with [...]
2010 Tinto Negro Malbec Uco Valley Reserve – Review
By Duane Pemberton Uco Valley, in the Mendoza region of Argentina, have really high elevation with super-thin layers of top-soil. This helps create Malbec of exceptional quality with great acidity – the particular fruit in this wine was sourced from vines that ranged in age from 20-25 years. Technical Data: Terroir: Uco valley, located at [...]
Host Studios in-bottle, variable aerator – Review
By Sarah Bagdon Company website: http://hoststudios.com/ Price: $25 So many wine products out there making pretty bold claims – that we here at WineFoot tend to curb on the cautious side when it comes to those kinds of products. Host Studios, located in Seattle WA, have a new in-bottle aerator on the market and to [...]
Napa Cellars Reserve – 3-way Review
By Duane Pemberton Winery website: http://www.napacellars.com/ Napa Cellars’ reserve program has released three new releases that are all 100% varietal, made in small lots and designed to really showcase the terroir of the specific region the grapes were sourced from. \ 2010 Mount Veeder Chardonnay – W.E.P. Rating: 90% Technical Data: Appellation: Mount Veeder Composition: 100% Chardonnay [...]
2012 Volkswagon Passat TDI SE – Impressions
By Duane Pemberton Stinky and noisy – two words that all too many have in their heads when discussing diesel but those are words of yesteryear and the 2012 Passat TDI is here to help abolish these adjectives about diesel. Rated at 40+ MPG on the freeway, it has no problems passing hundreds of miles [...]
We will begin taking nominations for the 6th Annual Wine Blog Awards on Friday May 18th. The process begins by taking nominations in nine categories. Then, a panel of judges will determine finalists in each category. Finally, the public and judges will together vote on the finalists in each category giving us the winners to be announced at the 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference slated for Portland in August.
A new category has been added this year: Best Blog Post of the Year. More about this new category in subsequent posts here.
As always the goals of the Wine Blog Awards is to recognize the best in wine blogging, draw attention to the wine blogging genre and motivate wine bloggers to continually up their game. Over the years, winners have noted a significant increase in readership at their blogs following their award. This speaks to another goal of the Wine Blog awards: bring attention to some of the best wine writers around who just happen to be publishing using the blogging platform.
Tell you wine blogging friends that the 2012 Awards are on their way and stay tuned for the official announcement that nominations are underway.
Tulalip, Washington — “Now let it work! Mischief, thou art afoot, take thou what course thou wilt,” said William Shakespeare. On Saturday, May 26th from 4 to 8pm at Tulalip Resort, “Mischief” will be doing just that. The Fremont small batch distillery will bewitch guests at four different action stations featuring gin, whiskey, aged whiskey and vodka cocktails as part of the Mpulse Lounge summer launch patio party. The shindig will also feature live music and giveaways. Executive Chef Perry Mascitti and Chef Gerry Schultz are up to their usual food shenanigans and have designed a mischievous menu of edibles, some laced with spirits.
Mischief creates handcrafted liquor using organic and heirloom grains sourced from community growers, Ebey Road Farms. This Northwest premium craft distillery, located at 132 N. Canal Street in Seattle, is known for meticulous attention and care for the smallest details. They produce four products: John Jacob Rye Whiskey, Fremont Mischief Rye Whiskey, Fremont Mischief Gin, and Fremont Mischief Wheat Vodka.
Merrymakers need to be on the look-out for head Mischief maker/founder Michael Sherlock, who will be there to answer questions.
Tulalip Resort Casino can be found at 10200 Quil Ceda Boulevard in Tulalip, Washington. The Mpulse patio launch party is priced at $30 per person exclusive of tax and gratuity. Food is gratis. Attendance is limited to 125 guests. For more information or to make reservations, go to www.tulalipresort.com
SEATTLE (May 17, 2012) – The Sheraton Seattle Hotel announces the launch of Sheraton Social Hour, a first-of-its-kind, premium wine program to be offered in the hotel. The new program, developed in partnership with Wine Spectator’s premier wine experts and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, offers guests a specially curated menu of premium wines and weekly tasting events.
The program will feature eight wines rated 85 and above by Wine Spectator, served exclusively in Riedel stemware to ensure that each varietal is presented in stemware that enhances the wine’s flavor and aroma. Tasting events will be held Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Lobby Lounge and will feature two-ounce tastings for $5.
“Sheraton Social Hour offers our hotel guests and neighbors a chance to relax, socialize and sample some excellent wines from the comfort and convenience of our Lobby Lounge,” said Matt Van Der Peet, general manager of the Sheraton Seattle Hotel. “We’re pleased to offer guests an elevated wine tasting experience featuring some of the most highly rated wines in the world.”
Sheraton Social Hour features a specially curated menu of premium wine including Sheraton Selects, an upgraded premium wine menu comprised of a rotation of eight or more wines by the glass, all rated by Wine Spectator. All Sheraton Selects wines are rated 85 points or above and at least four offerings will be rated 90+.
“For more than 30 years, Wine Spectator has been committed to educating wine lovers and make fine wines accessible,” said Marvin Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator. “We are pleased to partner with Sheraton Social Hour, bringing together wine lovers and renowned wineries from around the world.”
To kick off the program, the Sheraton Seattle Hotel will hold a launch party on Thursday, May 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Lobby Lounge. The launch party will feature special five ounce tastings for $5 from the Sheraton Selects menu, hors d’ oeuvres from Beecher’s Cheese and a presentation by winemaker Chateau Ste. Michelle with all proceeds benefiting Food Lifeline.
SEATTLE, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – In a move that solidifies its presence as a significant wine producer in Idaho, Seattle-based Precept Wine announced today it has purchased Ste. Chapelle Winery from Healdsburg, Calif.-based Ascentia Wine Estates. Already the parent company of Sawtooth Estate…
Few wineries in the Walla Walla AVA capture more brand-name recognition than Pepper Bridge and that’s most likely because of its famous vineyards which many wineries source fruit from. Its know-how with Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon is extremely prevelant in this wine and its one that you should seriously seek out – it’s worth every penny.
The combination of fruit from the Seven Hills Vineyard on the Oregon side of the AVA brings with it some very killer acids and the luscious fruit from the Pepper Bridge vineyard add a ton of flavor.
Harvest Date: September 16 through October 9, 2008
Brix at Harvest: 25.8
Total Acidity: 0.56 g/ml
pH: 3.82
Finished Alcohol: 14.1% by volume
Total Production: 2,266 (9L) cases & 60 cases of magnums
Bottling Date: June 16 & 17, 2010
Release Date: May 5, 2011
Suggested Retail Price: $55.00
Nose: A nearly perfect combination of red and black fruits going on here with a bit of dirt thrown into the mix and I’m loving it. I get black cherries, raspberries, licorice, baseball mit, tobacco, dark chocolate and spice.
Taste: The fruit up front is amazingly fresh yet reserved and doesn’t overpower – this cab screams elegance all the way. The mid palate presents still youthfull tannins which are well complimented by stellar acids and fruit. The finish is about as spot-on as any Washington Cab I’ve ever had can be- it’s long, refreshing and pairs exceptionally well with beef, lamb, game or buffalo.
By Duane Pemberton
Winery website: https://damawines.com
DaMa Wines, located in Walla Walla Washington, combines the efforts of Dawn Kammer and Mary Derby who have done a great job of turning this relatively new winery into quite the buzz. This chardonnay, sourced from the Columbia Valley is a solid one that’ll do proud many lighter-fare dishes.
Taste: Good mix of orange and apricot notes that also incorporate flavors of honeydew melon and fresh flowers. Good fruit and acids on the mid palate help keep the wine from feeling flabby, however I would like to see the wine feel a bit more “rounded” as it transitions from the mid palate to the finish. Overall a good effort that’d make a great table wine for a lot of dishes.
L’Ecole Nº 41 is one of the most recognizable wine brands from Walla Walla and all of Washington – it has a long history and its founder, Marty Clubb, has been one of the most instrumental people in Washington to help put Walla Walla on the map when it comes to great wines.
Technical Data:
Vineyard sources: Willard Farms, Rattlesnake Hills near Prosser, WA planted in 1979
and Phil Church, Yakima Valley near Sunnyside, WA planted in 1979
Average Brix 23.5°
Average pH 3.02
Average Acidity 11 g/L
Composition 100% Chenin Blanc
pH 3.22
Total Acidity 9.3 g/L
Residual Sugar 1.5%
Alcohol 13.5%
Case Production 2,160 Cases
Price: $14
Nose: Apricots, pears, baking spices, a hint of jasmine tea, cinnamon and clove.
Taste: I get some nice notes of green pear, apricot, kiwi, limestone and chalkdust. Very nice combination of acids and sweetness – the mid palate simply begs for seafood and the finish hangs out longer than that annoying neighbor who doesn’t “get it” when it’s time to go – and in this case, that’s a good thing.
The Who’s Who…Andrew Will (made by our 2011 Honorary Vintner, Chris Camarda), J. Bookwalter Winery (a winery started by our 2011 Honorary Grower, Jerry Bookwalter), Col Solare, Cooper Wine Company, Corvus, DeLille, Fidelitas, Gamache, Goedhart, Grand Reve, Hedges (pioneers on Red Mountain), Hightower Cellars, Kiona, Mark Ryan, Obelisco, Portrait, Quilceda Creek, Seven Hills, Tapteil and Terra Blanca.
The $20k price range continues to be a sweet-spot for those looking to save a lot on a new car such as college students and young families as well as teens and this Mazda 3 really does a good job of footing the bill.
Specs:
2.0L 4-cyl. engine
Automatic transmission
Up to 28 cty/39 hwy mpg
Navigation System
Bluetooth
MP3 Player
Side/Curtain Airbags
Stability Control
Traction Control
This five-door model features enough cargo room to hold a few golf bags and still gets great fuel economy which helps keeps its estimated annual operating expense quite low. Mazda rates this care at 38mpg on the freeway – while I didn’t quite get that number (heavy foot), I would imagine that with the stock tires (our test model had the Blizzak tires from BFGoodrich) and driving lots of freeway time, I may have gotten closer to 38. Even so, I can’t really complain about the 34-35-range I saw in my driving.
Mazda uses a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder motor which pumps out 155hp and 148lb-ft of torque – it’s mated to your choice of either a 6-speed manual transmission (my preference) or a 6-speed automatic. It Skydrive technology aims to help the drive feel more connected to the feel of the car – from everything to the accelerator pedal to its ability to keep the engine engaged with the transmission (automatic only) more of the time.
I really do like the overall styling of this car – if Mazda could chill with the smiley face on the front just a bit, it’d even look more unique. Its look is sporty, practical and a bit utilitarian thanks to it being a small station wagon.
I think Mazda has done a really good job with the overall styling of this compact wagon – it has good body lines, nice transitions between the front-end and rear-end. The result is a more of a sport-wagon kind of car than anything else.
Cargo space is actually quite a bit more than I had anticipated, given the 3′s relatively small footprint – there’s easily enough room back there for several cases of wine or a few sets of golf clubs.
Its interior fit & finish is on-point – it has good color contrasts but does make rather extensive use of hard plastics throughout the cabin, however, it still doesn’t seem cheesy at all and that’s a good thing.
Leg room for the front passengers is very ample but the same can’t really be said for the rear passengers if you have taller folks up front- in addition, the rear middle seat (as with most all compacts) is really not going to be to comfortable for anyone older than say 8-yrs old.
Its audio system supports a nice variety of music sources, including CD-audio/CD-mp3/CD-wma/AM/FM/SAT and bluetooth audio as well. The biggest issue with its audio performance is the fact that it relies on sub-standard speakers – once again, the curse of Bose strikes and that’s unfortunate. I’d really like to see them work with a different speaker vendor and have a system that puts the kind of kick folks in the demographic for a car like this would enjoy.
Creature comforts do abound in this car such as power locks, windows, cruise control, tilt-wheel and A/C. Mazda also tosses in some swanky blue LED lights that have a cool-looking illuminating effect on the floorboards.
At the end of the day, what appealed to me the most about this car is its “fun-factor” in that it handled extremely well (given the fact that it was using Blizzak and not its stock tires), corners well, brakes well and simply feels a lot more sporty than it is perhaps. Nonetheless, if it was fun Mazda was set out to create then it has succeeded quite well with the 3.
Price at just over the $20k mark, this 5-door 3 is without question one that I’d be setting up a test-drive on as I believe it to be very competitive to the Civic, Matrix and Versa.
If this car were a bottle of wine, I’d liken it to a bottle of Prosecco – it’s bubbly, festive, full of life and affordable.
Tulalip, Washington — “Buy early; get in,” says Tulalip Resort Casino President/CEO Ken Kettler. He is referring to the line of disappointed Taste of Tulalip wannabes who were unable to enjoy the award-winning November weekend of wine, food and tradition, as the 2011 event sold out. This year’s tickets for all of the TOT 2012 events will go on pre-sale at 9:00 a.m. PDT on May 11th through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com for both Friday and Saturday, November 9th and 10th.
The weekend kicks-off with Friday night’s multi-course Celebration Dinner, paired with premium wines from around the globe. Seating is limited to 400 guests. Saturday is filled with a plethora of wine and food demos, chef challenges, “Wine Jeopardy”, a VIP Magnum party and is capped with the Grand Taste – featuring over 120 wineries from Washington, Oregon, California, France and Italy, along with a craft beer “pool garden”. Attendance is limited to 1,800.
2012’s culinary guest star is award-winning chef, cookbook author, and food activist Marcus Samuelsson, who will be featured at events throughout the weekend. The Honorary Winemaker is Woodinville, Washington’s Chris Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars. “Thirsty Girl” Leslie Sbrocco returns for a second year as guest emcee.
Tickets are priced at:
Celebration Dinner $150
All Access Saturday Pass $225
Grand Taste $85
A special “Platinum Package” will also be available, priced at $1,300 single or $2,200 a couple. Included is:
Admission to a special 5:00pm Celebration Dinner pre –reception
Reserved Celebration Dinner table seating with a guest winemaker
Taste of Tulalip 2012 etched magnum and glass set
Special piece created by featured artist James Madison
Overnight stay in a King room on Friday and Saturday nights at the Tulalip Resort Casino Hotel
Continental breakfast delivered to your room Saturday morning
Special “All Access” pass with reserved seating at the cooking demonstration by guest chef Marcus Samuelsson and Leslie Sbrocco’s “Wine Jeopardy”
Early Admission to the Magnum Party featuring rare and library wines
Early admission to the Grand Taste
Hotel rooms and spa appointments will become near and dear during this two-day extravaganza. Kettler also suggests that guests reserve their getaway room early at the AAA Four Diamond resort by going towww.tulalipresort.com or phoning 1-866-716-7162.
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