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.

Workshop Slated on Hard Cider Making and Orcharding

From colonial times until well into the 20th century hard cider was overwhelmingly the predominate beverage in the United States, consumed more than whiskey, wine, and beer put together. In fact, the U.S. apple crop was so devoted to the manufacture of hard cider that during prohibition many farmers cut down huge orchards of mature apple trees, because they were unable to come up with another profitable use for the fruit.

Washington State University Snohomish County Extension is sponsoring a workshop on what it takes to grow and maintain a cider orchard as well as providing a broad overview of the cider-making process. The workshop will be held on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ed’s Apples in Sultan. Ed’s Apples is located at 13420 339th Ave SE, Sultan, just off SR 2.

Participants will learn the steps necessary to create a quality hard cider product, a rapidly growing small farm niche product. WSU Tree Fruit Specialist Gary Moulton will provide an in-depth overview of the topic, including a discussion of varietal selection, growing and harvest information, as well as an informal look at the production steps from raw fruit to finished bottle.

Cost is $65 per person (early bird registration is $55 per person before Aug. 12) and includes a box lunch.

To register, download a form at www.snohomish.wsu.edu/ag/workshops/hardcider09.pdf and mail with your check, or contact Karie Christensen at 425/357.6039 or by e-mail at klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu.

For more information contact Andrew Corbin, corbina@wsu.edu or 425.357.6012.

Junior 600 Night at Safeco Field

On June 9, 2008, Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th career home run amid a standing ovation of 16,000 fans in the Dolphin Stadium in Miami while he was playing for the Cincinatti Reds. He is only the sixth player in MLB history to accomplish such a feat, joining the ranks of Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Sammy Sosa. Now that he’s back in Seattle, playing for the Mariners, the accolades keep coming. After all, 398 of those homers occurred during his previous tenure on the M’s from 1989-1999.

On July 26, the Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation is hosting Junior 600 Night at the Safeco Field 1st Base Terrace Club to commemorate that 600th homer, and to benefit the Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Ken Griffey Jr. Family Foundation.

So, why are you reading about this at WINO? Well, Junior 600 night will feature the release of “Junior 600,” a limited-edition labeling of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Ethos 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 600 individually-numbered, autographed and authenticated bottles were produced.

There will also be a live and silent auction of autographed sports memorabilia from legends such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Grady Sizemore, and attendees can meet the man himself, Ken Griffey Jr. while munching on food & drinks.

To purchase tickets or to reserve a bottle/case, please call the Seattle Children’s Hospital Foundation office at 206-987-2837. Tickets are $350 per person, and all proceeds will benefit Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Ken Griffey Jr. Family Foundation. Ticket price includes one autographed bottle of the Junior 600.