credit Oregon Wine Press

2017 Bells Up Winery Prelude Estate Vineyard Rosé of Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain $22

From beginning to end this rose screams cherry – tart, fresh mouth puckering pie cherry like you just picked one off the tree.  Color, nose and palate agree – cherry is the way to be.  Perfectly refreshingly dry and balanced.  Great food rose that reminds of a Spanish style – try with paella.

2017 Wy’East Vineyards Estate Grown Rosé of Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge $24

Ballet slipper pink in the glass with aromas of sour cherry bread, light rose notes, and strawberry.  Very dry and light on the palate with tart lime and a mellow golden delicious apple peel that grows on the finish.

2017 Duck Pond Fries Family Cellars Hyde Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir Willamette Valley $20

Pale ballerina pink with aromas just as pretty.  Peach and apricot stone fruits, slightly sweet green herbal notes, and the welcoming smell of dough rising.  A citrusy palate with flavors of key lime and lemon and a salty sweet citrus ending.

2017 Sokol Blosser Estate Cuvee Rosé of Pinot Noir Dundee Hills $25

A wisp of pink with an allusive nose to match. Peach with a hint of vanilla and something that reminds of a new book. Or maybe it seems just the pairing for a summer read. Round and smooth on the palate with tart pink grapefruit, early season strawberry, hay, and almond appearing on the finish.

2017 Lumos Chiquita Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir Oregon $25

A shade of salmon with lots of orange toned aromas and flavors.  Juicy strawberry, floral notes, and orange spiced tea entice on the nose.  Dry with savory spice and a combination of fresh orange flesh and spiced orange peel on a bright, but dry, long, sophisticated finish.

2017 Mt. Hood Winery Estate Bottled Rosé of Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge $22

The elegant hue of a “pink” champagne. If you sip it quickly there is some fleeting effervescence.  Bing cherry and the light crisp green aromas of spring lettuce on the nose. A dangerous little bit of sweetness quickly balanced with fresh acidity. The finish is tangerine flavored and pleasantly textured.

2017 Torii Mor Rosé of Pinot Noir Willamette Valley $18

Blush pink with definite notes of watermelon, added complexity of minerality, and a floral line  of tea rose. Bright and juicy with tart lemon, lime, ruby red grapefruit citrus, deeper flavors of orange peel and peach, and a dry crisp clean finish.

2017 Rex Hill Rosé of Pinot Noir Willamette Valley $28

Peach fuzz pink with subdued aromas of straw, mineral, yeasty dough rising, and barely ripe peach.  The shyness ends on the first sip. Bright and zingy acidity, dry with mandarin and stone fruit, and an exclamation point of a finish.

2017 Pebblestone Cellars Rosé of Grenache Rogue Valley $22

Sweet piglet pink with a nose just as fun.  Aromas of honeydew, strawberry, lilac, and apricot on the cusp of ripeness.  Fruity and juicy from start to finish with flavors of zesty mandarin adding complexity and white pepper coming through on a long finish.  Good rose for dinner pairing.

2017 Maryhill Rosé of Sangiovese Columbia Valley $16

Bright carnation pink with fruit forward aromas – cherry and strawberry – mingled with the fresh grass and wildflower smells of a sun warmed meadow.  A very cheery cherry palate with bright bing cherry throughout and a rounder marzipan finish.

2016 Whitetail Ridge Vineyard Rosé Umpqua Valley $17

Raspberry beret – the kind you find in a fine wine store.   Truly raspberry in color and aroma mixed with freshly cut hay, warm fuzzy peach, and mixed Willamette Valley berry pie.  Pie berry flavors continue on the palate and are joined with lemon sun brewed black tea, a hint of vanilla, salted caramel, and a grassy note on the finish.

2017 Viento Rosé of Tempranillo/Riesling Columbia Gorge $20

Ballet pink with a hint of effervescence and a nose of yeasty bread, cherry, almond, peach and hazelnut.  This is a wine of subtle elegance without a bit shyness. The palate is cherry marzipan, tart cranberry, and little peach flavored lift at the end.

A version of this article first appeared in Oregon Wine Press.

The post Oregon Rosé Round Up appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

photo credit Oregon Wine Press

2014 Ponzi Vineyards Old Vine Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

Not your typical Pinot Gris but if you like a little barrel influence you might just fall for this wine. Caramelized apple and bananas foster on the nose with pear, apricot, and vanilla custard.  Texture and structure take the starring roles on the palate. Pleasantly mouth coating with terrific acid and perfect balance. Flavors are mineral driven with a dry, tart grapefruit that leads to the good kind of bitterness across a long finish. $38

2015 Maryhill Winery Tudor Hills Vineyards Pinot Gris Columbia Valley

A fruity inviting nose of lemon chess pie, dried orange blossom, white tea spice, banana and sweet hay.  A very citrusy palate with ripe tangerine and grapefruit tempered with dried flowers, dried apricot, and a little pear.  The long juicy mouthwatering finish just makes you want another sip. $16

2016 Foris Pinot Gris Rogue Valley

A tropical citrus nose with fresh green notes of kaffir lime and lemon bay leaves.  Spicy sweet floral notes of jasmine and lilac are joined with raw almonds. The palate is a citrus salad of lemon, lime, grapefruit, and nectarine.  Honeysuckle and minerality add complexity and the whole package is accentuated with bright acid. $14

2016 Antiquum Farm Daisy Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

Mellow and fruity with beeswax, lemon, lime, orange, pear, minerality and nuttiness.  The palate is light, bright and orchestrated by a lemon lime combo. Notes of nuts and hay keep it grounded and lend interest.  A long mineral driven finish seals the experience.

2016 Spindrift Cellars Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

The nose and palate remind you of a lemon bar – the curd and the nut flour crust. Apricot and peach join those inviting aromas.  The palate is marked with lively acidity and an exciting shift from tart to fruity sweet flavors. $16

2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

Stone fruit floral perfume with peach and apricot highlights.  These aromas repeat on the palate in all of their densely ripe glory.  Marzipan lends some nuttiness along with a subtle juicy pear note. Perfumed flavors are balanced with integrated acid and a bittersweet orange and grapefruit zest on the finish. $17

2016 Panther Creek Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

High fresh green scents of lime, and grass meet sweet clementine, ginger spice, vanilla, and jasmine.  The palate develops across the tasting experience beginning with juicy tart green apple and subtly transitioning to a riper mellow apple flavor with vanilla shortbread on the finish.

2017 Puffin Brand Pinot Gris Oregon

An easy drinking wine for early spring with a peach dominated nose and palate. Honeydew, slate, and a bit of nuttiness round out the flavors.  Lots of body and a balanced acidity that gets the job done without aggression. The finish is long and clean with notes of minerality and salinity. $21

This list previously appeared in the Oregon Wine Press.

The post Oregon Pinot Gris Picks appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

2014 Bryn Mawr Tempranillo Eola-Amity Hills

A pretty and inviting nose of flowers and fresh red fruit. Bright acidity and an undertone of fine tannic structure hold down the fort while strawberry and cherry glide across your palate like a wave of flavor spreading out over a long finish. 

2014 Castillo de Feliciana Tempranillo The Rocks District of Milton Freewater

The savory, masculine, steak and mushroom wine you would expect when Tempranillo hits those hot rocks. Notes of leather, umami, and salami.

2015 Oak Knoll Reserve Tempranillo Columbia Valley/Wahluke Slope

Savory leather aromas blend with fresh strawberry, tart cranberry, warm spice, and green pine notes.  Leather meets red tea and blueberry jam presented with mouthwatering acidity.  Sweet smoky tobacco comes through on the finish.

2013 Domaine Trouvere Tempranillo Umpqua Valley

This soft spoken Tempranillo offers plenty to enjoy in a balanced and quiet experience.  A little white pepper, red tea, red fruit, blueberry and spice on the nose.  The red tea component repeats on the palate  and is made richer with vanilla bean, cola, dried plums, and spiced fruit on the finish. 

2012 Melrose Estate Grown Tempranillo Umpqua Valley

Nose = chocolate cherry ganache = mic drop.  What you want more? Soft, powdery, velvety textured milk chocolate with licorice, red currant, and warm spice. 

2014 Abacela Barrel Select Tempranillo Umpqua Valley

A rich inviting nose of Italian plum, blackberry, rich cola, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean.  The palate bursts with juicy ripe blackberry and blueberry with a hint of sweet smoke and mocha on the midpalate.  Defined tannins. 

2014 Dominio !V Sketches of Spain Three Sleeps Vineyard Tempranillo I think Columbia Gorge

Dark, rich aromas with cinnamon vanilla mocha notes and baked blackberries,  The palate has an unexpected brightness with flashy acidity, bursting juicy fresh fruity red and blackberry flavors, toast, and fine textured tannins.

2015 Raptor Ridge Oregon Reserva Tempranillo Rogue Valley

Red currant on the nose with a little sweet herb like candied basil or sweet mint and a touch of tobacco. On the palate, bright refreshing super ripe raspberry just grows and grows and somehow gives one more little burst of acid before slowly fading into tannin tinged memory. 

2015 Eola Hills Wine Cellars Everyday Extraordinary Tempranillo Oregon

Black cherry mingles with savory leather and peppercorn on the nose. Nicely balanced palate with refreshing acids and grounding tannins allows the red fruit flavors to ripen and climax midpalate developing into darker richer vanilla sweetened black fruit through the finish. 

2014 Spangler Vineyards Tempranillo Oregon

White pepper, strawberries, red currant, savory, vanilla, and tobacco spice aromas entice. This Tempranillo presents in a BIG way in the palate.  A circle of tannin with a fruity juicy acidic center and a long finish.  Give it some time to soften and this wine just might have some secrets to reveal. 

The post Oregon Tempranillo Tasting appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

photo credit Oregon Wine Press

2015 R Stuart & Co. Autograph Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

A soft, fruit forward Pinot Noir with lots of acid.  Enjoy now or see where it goes.  Expect sweet cherry, candied raspberry, cinnamon, a bit of blueberry and dried strawberry.  Long refreshing finish $60

2015 Erath Estate Selection Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

A fruit forward Pinot Noir with blueberry and raspberry aromas sweetened with cinnamon and floral notes and grounded with dusty minerality.  The fruit becomes plum, strawberry, and red delicious apple on the palate where it is met with a citrusy acidity and a bitter little bite of black pepper on the finish.  Well rounded and well structured. $34

2015 Arbor Brook Vineyards Estate 777 Block Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains

Quote of the tasting, “It’s a little weird but I dig it.”  A complex layering of inviting fruit, spicy pepper, and something herbaceous.  Warm cherry pie filling and candy apple meets white pepper and dried oregano on the nose.  The savory notes take center stage on the palate with a long peppery finish and a grippy, yet fine textured tannin. $55

2015 Durant Vineyards at Red Ridge Lark Pinot Noir Dundee Hills

Light, elegant, and feminine.  The nose is raspberry, red currant, floral, mineral, and woodsy spicy lavender.  Floral notes show strongest on the palate where they are deepened with the flavors of cherry vanilla cola.  A juicy acidity appears mid palate to add some lift and spreads across the long spicy finish.  Store it or pour it.  Lovely either way. $30

2015 Kramer Vineyards Rebecca’s Reserve Pinot Noir Yamhill – Carlton

Spice and earth define this Pinot Noir.  Aromas of tangerine zest, cherry, dried mint, and orange scented tea leaves get a hint of fall with warm mulling spice like cinnamon. Black pepper and green cardamon make an appearance on the palate as well as fresh cool forest flavors and sassafras.  Sturdy structure and a long, earthy finish. $48

2015 Longplay Jory Bench Reserve Lia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains

The tastes of autumn.  Dried orange peel, cinnamon, cloves, red fruit compote and brown sugar entice the nose.  The palate does not disappoint as these aromas are joined with a little strawberry lift and a minty sweetness that lingers on the finish.  Ready to drink in its youth. $38

2015 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Seductive, elegant, understated, and stately.  Light fresh bing cherry, toasted oats, and a dried woody herb – maybe tarragon with that fun little whiff of licorice.  The flavors meld and concentrate on the palate with a dash of white pepper, a floral essence, and a springy acidity. Approachable even in its youth. $32

2015 Bradley Vineyards Reserve Pinot Noir Elkton

There should be a glass of this wine waiting by the leather chair in your library.  Masculine aromas of tobacco, dusty minerality, smoked meat, toasted wood, and thyme.  The palate speaks to you in a deep voice and promises cocoa, stewed blackberries, orange zest, and just a hint of cherry.  $32

2015 Torii Mor Reserve Deux Verres Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

A sultry wine with a depth and maturity beyond its age.  Leather, plum sauce, dried fruit, and smoke meld on an already well integrated palate.  A bright cranberry flavored acidity keeps it fresh.  Sweetened notes of strawberry, toast, cola, vanilla, and marzipan on the nose. $38

2015 Knudsen Vineyards Estate Reserve Pinot Noir Dundee Hills

Rich, saturated, and ready to tuck in and enjoy this winter.  A nose of dusty minerality, earth, bark, roasted coffee, walnut skin, leather, and dried flowers.  Concentrated cherry and plum swirl with cola, milk chocolate, smoke, and coconut on a substantial structure with a zingy acidity.  $70

2015 William Rose Pinot Noir Oregon

Wild and fresh with blueberry, mint, green peppercorn, oolong tea leaves and rainforest on the nose.  The palate begins with sour cherry that ripens midway and becomes jammier and darkens to blueberry through the finish.  The green peppercorn makes a spicy encore and a fresh acidity keeps everything lively. $28

2015 Whitetail Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir Umpqua Valley

Big, dark, and brooding in appearance, structure, and flavor. A complex nose of cherry and blackberry, marzipan, coconut, toast, leather, coffee, and tobacco.  Mixed berry essence and sweet pipe tobacco are carried on substantial, yet balanced tannin and acid. $23

A version of this article appeared in Oregon Wine Press.

The post Drinking in the NW: 2015 Oregon Pinot Noir appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Blend of 50% Grecanico, 30% Chardonnay, 10% Fiano, and 10% Viognier

A floral tropical nose that smells like vacation. Baked pineapple, stone fruit, lime blossom, perfume, on the nose. A creamy, buttery, viscous palate with a squeeze of mandarin orange, touch of vanilla, and slight nuttiness.

We tasted this tropical white blend  from Sicily as part of an International Whites dinner party and tasting exercise.  We also reviewed it for International Wine Report and scored it 89 points. For one of our pairing recipes see Stuffed Fish: Spanikopita Filled Dover Sole.  For notes on some of the other whites we reviewed that night see Vivanco 2016 White Rioja  and Cusumano Shamaris Grillo 2015 Sicily 

There were a couple of grapes that were unfamiliar so here is the rundown.

Grecanico – Do what now?  We spelled it wrong like 3 times. But it is the same thing as Garganega, the white grape of Soave, with which we are more familiar.  We typically find wines from this grape to be clean, crisp, and lemon citrusy and if we are lucky we taste some pear or very light stone fruit flavors.  We imagine the warmer region of Sicily, vs Veneto where the Soave appellation lives, gives the grape riper fruitier notes.

Chardonnay  – This one we know.  Wide range of flavors depending on climate and winemaking.

Fiano – Yes we just typed Fiona and thought how great there is a grape named that.  Um, no.  FiAno  According to Jancis Robinson, in its youth Fiano is often intensely flavored and aromatic with honey notes that over time develop more spicy and nutty notes. According to Oz Clarke well made examples of Fiano from favorable vintages should have a fair amount of weight on the palate with a floral aroma and notes of honey and spice with the potential to continue improving with bottle age.

Viognier – This one we know too.  Stands alone in Northern Rhone or is cofermented in small amounts with Syrah.  Blended with Marsanne and Rousanne in Southern Rhone.  Also shows up in New World wine regions.  Very very aromatic and fat with lots of perfumed flowers, ripe tropical and stone fruits, body body body, and sometimes a little less acid than is desired.

The post Planeta La Segreta Bianco 2016 Sicily appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

The bright, crisp, minerality of a Champagne and the acidity, slight tropical notes, and fresh green aromas of a Sauvignon Blanc.  A nose of starfruit, lightly ripe pineapple, lime, grass, a hint of yeasty bread, and a waft of salty ocean air.  The palate is very fresh with  zippy acidity throughout, a pleasurably slick texture, more green apple, mineral notes across a long finish

We tasted this grillo from Sicily as part of an International Whites dinner party and tasting exercise.  We also reviewed it for International Wine Report and scored it 90 points. For one of our pairing recipes see Stuffed Fish: Spanikopita Filled Dover Sole.  For notes on some of the other whites we reviewed that night see and Planeta la Segreta Bianco 2016 Sicily    Vivanco 2016 White Rioja To learn more about this grape see an excerpt from Wines of Sicily below. Well after the pretty picture of our food.

GRILLO—Pronunciation: gree-lo

Description: Grillo is a traditional Sicilian grape whose modern potential has been recognized by the island’s young generation of winemakers, who are bottling it in styles ranging from bright and savory to structured and mature. Grillo is one of the best-known Sicilian grapes.

Alone or blended with Chardonnay or the local Catarratto grape, elegant, aromatic Grillo wines make lovely aperitifs and also refresh the palate with a variety of cuisines. The dishes and ingredients of the healthful and delicious Mediterranean diet—influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Spanish and French—are especially suited for the lighter meals of the summer season, and Grillo is specially suited to grilled foods, enjoyed al fresco.

When Grillo grapes are gently pressed and the juice is fermented at cold temperatures, the finished wines smell like fresh-cut grass and grapefruit, and they have a streak of acidity that makes them the perfect aperitivo. When served well-chilled on a warm summer day, alone or with grilled shrimp, salmon sashimi or a fresh cucumber-fennel salad, Grillo is the ideal starter.

Winemakers who vinify Grillo using lees contact create deeper, fuller-bodied expressions of the grape, with aromas and flavors that resemble ripe citrus and spice. This style of Grillo holds up to seafood pastas, roasted fowl and even baked casseroles.

The hallmark dish most often paired with Grillo is grilled swordfish. When complemented with a glass of Grillo, swordfish—grilled to medium and served with a simple, briny, herbal relish of capers, olives, almonds, herbs, peppers and olive oil—effortlessly transports your dining experience to the island of Sicily.

You’ll see Grillo popping up on wine lists, retail shelves and picnic tables everywhere this summer as Americans discover this versatile white. Chill a bottle or two and pair with this easy-to-prepare recipe to catch the Grillo wave.

The post Cusumano Shamaris Grillo 2015 Sicily appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

Here are our notes from the 5 Albarino we liked the best. Cheers.

Condes de Albarei #Albarino 2015 A tropical vacation with ripe pineapple, raw coconut, sweet herb, and white peach.  Decadently floral on the palate. It just makes my mouth taste pretty. $15

Vionta #Albarino 15 Crisp & green -spicy pepper juice, lime zest, grass, and faint citrus. The palate is  lush yet linear, with a long tart finish. $16

Paso de San Mauro #Albarino 2015 Bruised white flower petals, shortbread, fresh tilled field on the nose.  A palate of pineapple, floral bitters, and white spice. $17

Señorío de Rubiós Robaliño #Albarino 2016 Youthful, bright, tart underripe quince, pear, apple blossom. Keeps dancing after the music ends. $18

Valminar#Albarino 2015 Smells almost like a German dessert wine – ripe cantaloup, honey, candied meyer lemon zest and tangy sweet rose. Fruity sweetness but finishes just off dry. $19

The post Five Albarino Under $20 To Open Tonight appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

About 90% of Lebanese wine comes from the Bekaa Valley. This is a sunny region with a Mediterranean climate – most of the rain comes in the winter.  Nearby mountains create a rain shadow and the 240 days of annual sunshine mean ripe grapes.  High altitude plantings (3000 feet) and the slope of the valley mean cool nights that help those ripe grapes keep their acidity.  While there isn’t much rain during ripening, there is a water supply from snowmelt of the nearby Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges.  A mix of low nutrient stony soils, creates a well drained medium for vines to root and struggle just enough to throw plant energy into the grapes.  All of this adds up to a pretty sweet place for growing fine wine grapes

2013 Chateau Ksara Reserve du Couvent – Tasting Note

This bottle was hard to open.  The cork was so dense I could not get the corkscrew in.  Mark had to help.  Needless to say I don’t know how any oxygen made it past that cork and we soon realized the wine needed a bit of oxygen.  It was purple and inky and smelled of concord grapes, vanilla, and  dusty velvety pipe tobacco.  It was dark and inviting but decidedly young.  The palate was pretty tight and tannic.  We decided to put a cork in it (a different cork the original one was not budging) and leave it on the counter overnight.

The next night we found the nose to be young but less inky.  Before, the aroma was all primary grape, now  it smelled of blackberry jam.  The tannins softened and it got much brighter and the flavors were becoming more nuanced.  Juicy and succulent, it was like a bowl full of blueberries and blackberries.

I think this 2013 Chateau Ksara Reserve du Couvent could age a long time and become very interesting.  We did not have the willpower to give it another night of oxygen exposure.  We happily polished it off.

My recommendation if you are opening it young is to definitely decant.  I would get a few and open them over the course of 10 -15 years to see where they go.

We paired this wine with Lamb Stew.  It was good but not a match made in heaven.  The stew wanted something earthy and Old Word.  This red blend from Chateau Ksara may get there one day but for  now the blend of  40% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon is dominated by a warm climate Syrah profile and reminds us of wines from Washington State.  Perfectly lovely, just pair and handle properly to maximize enjoyment.  If opening young I recommend Korean BBQ.

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Peruse our tasting notes to party vicariously or find some new NW Sparkling Wines faves for a party of your own.

Ready for a Sparkling Good Time

The Menu

mushroom strudels, quiche lorraine, carrot soup with buttered pecans

smoked salmon, cheese and meat charcuterie  

homemade meringues and an apple tart provided by our friend Jim Gullo

The Sparkling Wines

Click links for stories and tasting notes

Treveri Cellars Blanc De Blancs Brut Columbia Valley  “The Welcome Wine” ~ $15

14 Hands Winery Brut and 14 Hands Winery Brut Rose Columbia Valley “The Party Wines”  ~$15

Argyle Winery “The Art of Sparkling” Willamette Valley  The Party Fave” ~ 3 wine gift set $100

Duck Pond Fries Family Cellars XX Blanc de Noir Bruit 1996 Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley  “The Dark Horse” – $58 – limit of 3

Roco Winery RMS  Rollin Michael Soles 2013 Willamette Valley Brut Sparkling Wine “The Classic With Some Spice” – $65

Drinking in the NW: Sparkling!

All wines are Methode Champenoise.

Some samples were provided.  Wines were reviewed in an unbiased professional blind tasting format.

The post 6 NW Sparkling Wines For Your Holiday Wish List appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.

We reviewed samples for our blind industry tasting of Northwest Sparkling Wines but could not deny our guests the joy of at least one wine from our personal cellar.  For that standing around, waiting to get started part of the evening, I can’t think of anything better than Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs.  It is a “go to” for me when entertaining.  Everyone likes it and the price is not only right it is absurdly low for the quality.

I first discovered Treveri when I tasted their rose.  It is hard to go wrong with a bottle of pink bubbles, but they did it oh so right. After three years of getting a taste here and there I FINALLY made it to their tasting room in Yakima, Washington to taste the full line up of sparkling wines.  They deliver on all all of the classic styles plus pull off some fun wines with real panache – Muller Thurgau, Riesling, Syrah.

Seated by a fireplace with a bubbling glass in one hand and the most perfect, warm gougere I have ever tasted – I was in sparkling heaven.  Our very sweet and diligent host was busy making sure our media group was comfortable and well informed.  “I’m going to need a moment of silence,” I explained. “This wine deserves it.”  I was already sold.  My question was not whether to buy, but how much could I fit into the trunk of a convertible bug.  They followed me to my car with a dolly.

That ain’t junk in my trunk

In addition to being the “house sparkling” at chez Tasting Pour, Treveri wine has been served at White House State Department receptions and the James Beard Foundation in New York.  The story of how this happened is precious.

Jürgen Grieb, Head Winemaker and Owner, was working late one night when a gentleman knocked on the door wishing to taste.  It isn’t in Grieb’s nature to turn anyone away.  There is something about German’s.  I experienced more hospitality from strangers in Germany than any place I have travelled.  Anyway, Grieb through opened his doors and his bottles.  Upon leaving the visitor handed him a  business card indicating he was a representation from the White House State Department.  A connection was made that helped Grieb realize his goal of putting Washington State Sparkling Wine on the map,

We did not take a formal tasting note and people were disappointed because they wanted to talk about the inviting peach aromas and the overall beauty of this Treveri Blanc de Blancs. Frankly we did not care what the group thought. We loved it.  We knew they would love it too. Some things should just be enjoyed.

If you have not been to the tasting room at Treveri Cellars it is a must stop for any visit to Yakima, WA.

Things I Love and Why You Should Go to Treveri Cellars

1. In Wine country NOT an Urban winery.  In Wapato  just outside Yakima
2. Free Tastings.  Seriously
3. Flatbread and other nibbles.  You could spend the day.
4. Cozy fireplace nooks.
5. And wait for it, SPARKLING COCKTAILS.

For more info see 6 NW Sparkling Wines for your Holiday Wish List.

Drinking in the NW: Sparkling!

We will share more notes as we make our way through our Treveri stash.

The post Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling Wine appeared first on Tasting Pour by Jade Helm.