Above all, we have been cheerleaders for WA wine since we moved here in 1999. Therefore, we celebrate WA wine every month, but even more so in August, which is Washington Wine Month, aka WAugust! With eight wine-touring regions, 19 AVAs, 1,000+ wineries, and 400+ vineyards, there is something for everyone here. To kick off the month-long festivities, Washington Wine held a Grand Tasting of 116 wineries at the picturesque Chateau Ste. Michelle. Read on for our notes about the wines we tasted and the people we talked to at this great media and trade event. In addition, find out about special wine discounts and promotions throughout WAugust.
Category Archives: Walla Walla
Summer Reds
Fire up the barbecue – it’s grilling season and time for some summer reds. So bring out the glasses and pour your favorite red wine to complement tangy ribs, juicy hamburgers and succulent steak. Likewise, find some cedar planks to barbecue salmon, halibut or swordfish that pair well with Pinot Noir. Above all, here are 40 summer reds that we tasted from Washington, Oregon, California, British Columbia, South Africa, Italy, Armenia, France and Chile.
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Drink Pink
Summer is here and it’s time to drink pink! We officially started on June 11, National Rosé Day. But the weather around here did not cooperate for a deck party, so instead we hosted one two weeks later. We discovered many colors of rosé, from the palest of pinks to rich cranberry and even orange. We poured 21 bottles to 20 friends. Read on for our thoughts on the ones we tasted and recommend.
Summer White Wines
Our enjoyment of summer white wines increases every year. Until recently, our palates preferred Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris/Grigio. But these days, we also appreciate the refreshing, wallet-friendly Turbiana grape from Lugana, Italy and Marsanne from here in Washington state. Most importantly, there are so many wonderful summer white wines. For example, here are 25 that we have enjoyed from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Italy, France, South Africa and New Zealand. Most of them are everyday, good-value porch pounders or deck wines, but a few shine with an elegant meal.