Tune in this week…

I’ve decided that I’m going to pitch a show to the Travel Channel.

I’m sure no one else has had this idea, other than my counterpart who plans on co-hosting our brilliant concept. Actually, in all honesty, it probably was his plan. I just have a crappy enough memory to give him the credit… Dang it.

WHO: Myself and ol’ what’s his name.
WHAT/WHERE: Traveling the globe, embarking on each national and cultural beverage and food tradition and any associated beliefs, folklore and history.
HOW: Travel checks, obviously.
WHY: To emphasis the importance of food and drink, how they are connected and how they help each other, help me, help you.

Title ideas? I’m not that creative.

The bond between booze and grub is relevant to all!

Note to my nonalcohol consuming friends: Remember that cream sauce you loved or what you’re dipping your uncooked foods into at the Melting Pot? There’s alcohol in that. There’s booze in food and food in booze. It’s the circle of life. It’s what makes the world go ’round.

Booze n’grub make the world go ’round. Think about it.

WINO Magazine Interviews Jason Lett of Eyrie Vineyards

Events Calendar (Shiny and New!)

The WINO Events Calendar has evolved yet again thanks to some clever engineering and technical tomfoolery by the crack team in the back room. Now, you can see a calendar that looks like a calendar, with the dates of events highlighted in a stunning shade of red. Mouse-over the dates, and you’ll see a list of gigs occurring on that day. Click the date to see expanded descriptions of all those events. For reals. It’s awesome.

Of course, you can still search events by geographical location by clicking the Upcoming Events link in the toolbar at the top. Choose the region you’re interested in, and see all the haps in the area.

Want your event listed on the super-cool new calendar?  Send your event details to events@winomagazine.com, and we or one of our trained monkeys will make sure it gets up there. This service is absolutely free, because hey, we love the Washington Wine Industry; and hell, we want to know about these events so we can attend as many as possible.

Washington’s First Carbon-Neutral Winery to Give All Profits to Charity

Eleven’s Matt Albee turns passion for green winemaking into force for the greater good

Bainbridge Island, Wash., March, 26, 2009 – Matt Albee has been making good “green wine” at Bainbridge Island’s Eleven Winery for six years, and for six years his wines have been “making good” via in-kind donations to local charities and, more recently, through the winery’s annual monetary contribution to World Bicycle Relief. But a new business model, designed to coincide with the winery’s impending profitability in late 2009 or early 2010, may soon increase Eleven’s “do gooding” exponentially. Under the new plan, Albee will donate 100 percent of the winery’s after-tax profits to charitable organizations that focus on ending the cycle of poverty in the U.S. and abroad.

“Winemaking is my calling,” says Albee. “I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else, but I’m also passionate about making a difference in the world. Donating all of the winery’s after-tax profits to charity will enable me to marry my two passions in a sustainable way.”

The Wrong Kind of Wino

We at WINO have a predelection toward the irreligious, tongue-in-cheek approach to wine. You may have noticed. But, in the November/December issue, we defined a bit for you what it means to be a wino. It’s about getting involved with wine, learning about them, visiting the wineries and, of course, drinking the juice.

A great example of what a wino most definitely is not comes from sheboyganpress.com yesterday when it reported that a Washington woman was arrested three times in three days for driving under the influence while visiting Wisconsin.

Mark Ryan Winery 2006 Water Witch

*Bottle #57: Mark Ryan Winery 2006 Klipsun Vineyard Water Witch
*Price Tag: $32 (discounted), normally $45
*Running Tab: $742

From the viewpoint of an employee for a competing winery in the Woodinville area, you can’t help but be a little jealous of Mark McNeilly, owner/winemaker of Mark Ryan Winery. In the Puget Sound region, no one has a bigger cult following than this guy. Wine enthusiasts, critics and fans alike flock to his releases and random weekend appearances in the booming Woodinville warehouse wine district, named “Hoodinville” for its no-frills atmosphere.

Efeste 2005 Big Papa Cabernet Sauvignon

*Bottle #56: Efeste 2005 Columbia Valley Big Papa Cabernet Sauvignon
*Price Tag: $40
*Running Tab: $710

One of my favorite winos in Woodinville, WA wine country is Efeste’s Brennon Leighton. Winemaker for the label, Brennon looks to be more likely on a Harley than in a cellar. Painted in tats, massive in size compared to, say, Lou Facelli in his 5’6″ frame and usually caught guzzling some sort of alcoholic beverage (I’ve witnessed a chocolate martini to Limoncello to stout transition), Brennon and his equally large business partner, Patrick Smith are the faces of this equally large Northwest winery.

Drinks Matcher Widget by Natalie MacLean

Right now, hanging out on my wine rack, I have a bottle of 2007 Syncline Mourvedre from the Coyote Canyon Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, and it’s just begging to be opened. I loved last year’s vintage, so I can’t wait to get at the newest. At the recommendation of Peter Moore from Poco Wine Room, though, it’s going to get even better if I give it a month to open up a bit (it’s still just a baby), so I’ve been sitting on it for about three weeks, going crazy all the while.

I take pictures.

Barrister Winery NV Rough Justice

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