We love bubbles. Bubbles on the deck. Sparkling wine before dinner, during dinner, or after. Sparklers to celebrate. Bubbles, just because. So, when Vineyard Brands sent us four bottles of sparkling wine, we could not wait to open them. All four are NV and wallet-friendly ($15-$19). Marqués de Cáceres Cava Brut, Miguel Torres Chile Estelado Brut Pais, La Vieille Ferme Sparkling Blanc, and La Vieille Ferme Sparkling Rosé. Continue reading
Category Archives: Cinsault
Echolands
We recently met Echolands Winery’s impressive CEO Doug Frost, and decided right then and there that we’d soon stop by the newly opened 27,000-square-foot production facility, Echolands Estate, in the heart of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla. And that’s just what we did. Doug is one of only three people in the world to hold both titles of Master of Wine and Master Sommelier. In addition, he’s hilarious, with a giant personality. Of course, we also wanted to see incredible Winemaker and General Manager Brian Rudin, whom we knew from his successful time at Canvasback. We sat down with Brian and his marketing guru, Stephanie Forrer, to learn more about the gorgeous estate and taste through some outstanding Echolands wines.
Rosé All Day
June 8 is National Rosé Day, but it’s not the only time to rosé all day! Spring is here and summer is around the corner, and therefore, there’s always an occasion to drink pink. Certainly, it’s time to drink pink on the patio, oceanside or poolside. We sip it on our deck lakeside on warm evenings, and watch its pretty color match the gorgeous Washington sunsets. However, there are many colors of rosé, from the palest of pinks to rich cranberry and even orange. Here are some we’ve tasted lately.
Anniversary Wine
Wow, we haven’t opened this much wine in months, since way before my knee surgery. But it was our anniversary wine celebration – and these three bottles were excellent choices. In honor of BC wine month, we began with 2019 Tantalus Blanc de Blancs, a simply stunning sparkler of 100% Chardonnay with fine bubbles, bright acidity and salinity. Next came 2018 Liminal High Canyon Syrah, WeatherEye Vineyard. This impressive 100% Syrah is a silky, smooth special-occasion wine. And to round out the night, Two Vintners 2019 Oliver, which includes 70% Grenache from WeatherEye Vineyard, along with 20% Syrah, and 5% each of Petite Sirah and Cinsault. What a cool blend. Oh, what a night!