Idiot’s Grace Vineyard Walk
Last week (May 15), I had the opportunity to take a walk in the Idiot’s Grace Vineyard in Mosier, OR. Memaloose Wines has two properties: Mistral Ranch and Idiot’s Grace. All their wines come from one of these two estate vineyards, both located in the tiny Columbia Gorge AVA. I love the opportunity to see … Continue reading
Meatless Monday Chili & FoodBeerClick?
True Confession Honesty is the best policy: drink beer with your chili. When I set out on this Meatless Monday, I knew I wanted to try a chili. I modified the recipe to use wine for the liquid instead of beer. I kept the spices on the tame side. I tried a lean red low … Continue reading
Tweet Your Recipe
Tweet Your Recipe Imagine squeezing a recipe with local ingredients into a single 140 character tweet. Recently, Rick Bakas challenged his readers to tweet food pairing submissions in a competition featuring a different Washington State wine every day. Sponsored by @2DaysinSeattle, the wine assignment for Wednesday was Andrew Will Sorella 2004, a bordeaux style blend … Continue reading
Stuffed Squash & Rulo Wines
A confirmed meat and potatoes guy, I have been working to deepen my appreciation for vegetables in general and vegetarian meals in particular. Meatless Monday is an opportunity to give a new vegetarian meal a try, always with an eye to what wine will match the meal. As a member of “Fortify!” a group of Minnesota … Continue reading
“Our Grand Meander” Walla Walla – Rulo Winery
We met Kurt and Vicki Schlicker last year on our trip to Walla Walla and were intrigued by their journey into winemaking as well as their incredible wines. Typically a white wine drinker, Julie has become a fan of these restrained, old-world reds thanks to RULO wines! Kurt got a microbiology degree from Stanford and worked … Continue reading
“Our Grand Meander” Walla Walla – Gramercy Cellars
This was our second visit to Gramercy Cellars and they hold a special place in our heart. Last year, when our son turned twenty-one in Walla Walla, we called Gramercy and had their L’idiot du Village (modeled after a Cotes du Rhone) delivered to Peter. Funny…he hasn’t had it yet as he’s saving it for … Continue reading
“Our Grand Meander” Walla Walla – Mannina Cellars
Mannina Cellars is a new winery for us. A Minneapolis friend (thanks, B.J.!) who knows our interest in food-friendly wines highly recommended we visit them while in Walla Walla. As a wine touring destination, Walla Walla still has that “diamond in the rough” quality. You won’t see signs like “Tour Bus Parking.” The area still … Continue reading
“Our Grand Meander” Walla Walla – Rotie Cellars
One of our first stops in Walla Walla was at the Rotie Cellars tasting room. We met owner and winemaker Sean Boyd last year and joined the wine club (the “Rotiesians.”) This year, we visited in the midst of the hectic fall harvest/crush. We weren’t able to catch Sean, but Alicia, the tasting room manager … Continue reading
“Our Grand Meander” Columbia Gorge AVA – Domaine Pouillon
Lyle, WA has a group of four interesting wineries. One we hadn’t yet explored was Domaine Pouillon. Even though the fall harvest and crush season is busy, Alexis and Juliet Pouillon graciously hosted us for a very nice visit. The winery consists of a small shed attached to a larger barn. Juliet explained the small … Continue reading
“Our Grand Meander” Columbia Gorge AVA – Memaloose
Hood River and the Columbia River Gorge have a soft spot in my heart. The Columbia Gorge is a world class venue for windsurfing and kiteboarding; I’ve been here many times windsurfing with a group of friends. This time, however, Hood River was our stopover for a couple days to learn more about Memaloose and … Continue reading
foodwineclick 