Metropolitan Grill Buty Winery Dinner

The Met is very excited to welcome Caleb Foster and Buty Winery for the second Wine Dinner in their 2012 Wine Dinner series.

This is a rare opportunity to sample Buty library wines released just for this special event, paired with an exquisitely prepared menu from Executive Chef Eric Hellner to compliment each wine.

Tickets are on sale now. For reservations, please contact Allison Carter at acarter@conrests.com or 206 957 3216 The cost is $150 per person.

The Metropolitan Grill
820 2nd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

Live @ Sapolil – Gary Winston and The Real Deal ~ Groovy Blues/R&B/Soul

The legendary Blues man Gary Winston leads this powerhouse group featuring vocals by Erica Ingersol and Bass by Marcel. Throw in the killer percussion and now we’ve got a party started! Be prepared to dance and groove.

9 – Midnight   Cover $5

Sapolil Cellars
15 E Main Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362

Rhone Rangers Unite!

Not quite the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers brought to you by the folks at the Saban TV franchise, but these are the much more feasible, golden state Rhone Rangers. The Francophile influenced organization brought their wine trade show to Seattle for their annual tasting of California Rhone-cloned wines.

As the domestic leader of non-profit dedication to promoting American Rhone varietal wines, The Rhone Rangers’ mission is to “educate the public on Rhone varietal wine grapes grown in America and to promote the production and enjoyment of these wines, with emphasis on integration into our daily lives.”

Several Washington producers can attest to that statement and did so by jumping on the band wagon for the event including Chateau Ste. Michelle, Mercer Estates and Maison Bleue, all to size up their Rhone wines to those of the original Rhone Rangers two states down.

To qualify as a Rhone Ranger, the winery must be a member of the organization and 75% of the wine’s content must include one or more of the 22 traditional Rhone grape varieties approved by the French government in Cotes du Rhone.

Now, down to business. Although the winery line up was shorter this year with a few Idaho and Oregon producers thrown in for good measure, the wines showed true to their varietals and the organization’s core mantra.

Kestrel Vintners Leavenworth presents Olivia De La Cruz

Musician Olivia De La Cruz is back to entertain our guests with her soulful voice and beautiful guitar. Wine and cheese plates will be available.

Kestrel Vintners Leavenworth
843 B Front Street
Leavenworth, WA 98826

One Wine Weekend: Vintage Walla Walla & Entwine

Greater Than the Sum of its Parts

In 1928, Harry Burnett Reese, a foreman for Milton S. Hershey and a dairy farmer, got inspired by Hershey’s candies and headed down to the basement of his house, emerging again with his newly invented Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Combining peanut butter with Hershey’s chocolate, it was the beginning of a new candy empire, the H.B. Reese Candy Co., later obtained by The Hershey Company. Finding two great things that are even better together, Reese stumbled upon the maxim, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

In much the same way, the folks at the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance (WWVWA) took a good look at two great wine events in Walla², and combined them through a process of logistical alchemy, formulating the new One Wine Weekend. Like chocolate and peanut butter, the combination of the Vintage Walla Walla and Entwine events results in one colossal, delicious wine gig that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

Before I get into the details of the event, let me just say that when we toured Walla Walla last, we spent three gorgeous days zipping from winery to winery as fast as we could, trying to see as many as possible before time ran out like we were going for the grand prize of Supermarket Sweep with nothing but wine in our baskets. And, while you can’t throw a cork in Walla Walla without hitting a winemaker, it still would have been great (logistically speaking) to round ‘em all up, talk to them and sip their wines without running around like our pants were on fire.

I thought it was like somewhere someone had been listening when Taste Walla Walla came to Seattle. It was a great chance to try a whole lot of Walla² wine poured by a whole lot of Walla² winemakers in one room, and it was a fantastic event. Turns out, though, that I missed the context of Walla Walla. I missed drinking wine in the historic downtown, and in tasting rooms scattered around the Airport District and South Walla. It’s not hard to see how you can get more of a sense of place when you’re smack-dab in the middle of that place.

And, that’s why I’m so thrilled about the upcoming One Wine Weekend.

Walla Faces Sunday Jazz Cafe’ Performing Live Bluzette

Walla Faces Sunday Jazz Café Performing Live Bluzette, retro and current jazz favorites. Wine by the glass or bottle available for purchase. No cover charge.

Walla Faces Tasting Salon
216 East Main Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362

Performing Live at Walla Faces – Bluestone

Performing Live at Walla Faces – Bluestone, groves for dancing and listening. Wine by the glass or bottle available for purchase. No cover.

Walla Faces Tasting Salon
216 East Main Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362

French Wine Scholar™ Program, taught by global wine expert, Joel Butler MW (Master of Wine)

WineKnow LLC, Seattle’s newest wine appreciation and education company, is the sole provider of the excellent and nationally praised French Scholar Program, a nine week intensive course (including exam) for those who really want to get at the heart of the most highly acclaimed wine country in the world for the last 2 centuries!

Classes include Course Manual, visual presentations, Wine tasting and Final “exam”. When you pass the exam (optional but strongly recommended), you will have the right to the wine-industry recognized post-nominal: French Wine Scholar (FWS) AND on line support. Go to Registration section on mywineknow.com website for class details/dates

WineKnow LLC is: Joel Butler MW (Master of Wine), one of the first two Americans to hold this distinguished Certification, the highest in the wine business (1990), and one of only two MW’s in Washington,and former Director of Education for Ste Michelle Wine Estates, and a global wine judge and writer. He also instructs Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) courses (Look for WSET courses offered by WineKnow starting soon!), the most widely recognized global wine education program.

Karen Graf is: currently Director of Retail operations for DeLille Winery in Woodinville, holds the Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, and has worked in the Washington wine industry for over a decade.

Urban Enoteca
4130 1st Ave. South (south of West Seattle Bridge overpass about 2 blocks)
Seattle, WA 98115
ph. 425-765-4080

ONGOING December 7 2010 – Feb. 22, 2011

Gård Fall Release Party (Ellensburg)

Join us for November’s First Friday Art Walk to celebrate the photography of Royal City Native, Annie P. Warren. Gård will release five new wines, including our new vintage of our Don Isidro Red Blend and our new Riesling Ice Wine. Admission is FREE! 5-9 PM. 509-925-1095

Gård Ellensburg Tasting Room
311 N. Pearl Street
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Merlot Gone Mad

Event: Merlot Gone Mad
Date: May 2, 2010
Time: 3:00-6:00pm
Location: Tulalip Resort Casino
Tickets: $45

Washington State merlot is among the finest in the world and there is a movement locally that reinforces that now is the time for merlot to reclaim its rightful seat at the table…the wine table, that is. Washington State merlots have over-delivered in quality for many years, yet merlot has still received a bad rap. Merlot Gone Mad is here to change that, and on May 2, 2010 at Tulalip Resort Casino more than fifty Washington State wineries will showcase their finest merlots and educate attendees as to why this varietal that flourishes in our state is actually a secret weapon. Merlot Gone Mad is a benefit for the Washington Wine Industry 501c3 Foundation.

Seattle Times columnist Paul Gregutt recently wrote that “recent data reported that merlot actually turns out to be the most-purchased wine variety – red or white – in the country. “ Paul goes on to say that in Washington State many vintners actually blend merlot into their Cabernets to improve the wine. In a state where Merlot can stand on its own and improve quality, texture and flavor in other blends; its time to let the secret out and bring everyone else to the party. On March 25^th, the first Twitter Washington merlot tasting had folks across the globe tasting Washington merlot and sharing their views via social media. Truly new ground for connecting merlot lovers and offering wineries the opportunity to gain followers, raise awareness and get their wines moving. This superstar grape was also recently touted in a Costco Connections article by Annette Alvarez-Peters where she stated “Washington merlots are fruit forward, well balanced, structured and delicious. The vineyards of eastern Washington are ideal for producing high-quality merlot grapes. Long, warm to hot days and cool, dry nights allow for optimum acidity levels and stunning flavor development.”

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