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: Syrah
Morgan Lee
We said it before, and we’ll say it again: We’ve never met a wine from Morgan Lee that we didn’t like. Or love. From Two Vintners Wines to Covington Cellars to his Full Pull partnership with Block Wines, Morgan Lee makes killer juice. Not surprisingly, he’s frequently described as a superstar winemaker. We caught up with him two weeks ago when Washington Wine invited media and trade to the scenic Chateau Ste. Michelle to a “Celebrate Washington Wine” Grand Tasting. He poured his amazing new release, Two Vintners 2018 Gayle Syrah. And we also recently opened six of his other wines: Block Wines 2018 Ankleroller Rocks Syrah and Starside Cabernet Sauvignon 2020; Two Vintners 2015 Some Days are Stones Syrah, 2017 Syrah, and 2018 Lola; and Covington Cellars 2017 Franc. Read on for details.
John Bigelow
If you’ve never been to JM Cellars in Woodinville or Maltby, you are missing out on many wonderful Washington wines crafted by talented winemaker John Bigelow. John is the epitome of a winemaker who is both an artist and a scientist. We’ve been drinking his impressive wines since we moved to Seattle in 1999, one year after JM Cellars opened its doors at the picturesque Bramble Bump hill in Woodinville. We caught up with John a few times this spring and summer. In March, we chatted with him at Taste Red Mountain Woodinville. In April, we visited his Maltby location. And subsequently, we talked to him at Celebrate Washington Wine this month (pictured here with his son and Cellar Master, Tommy). We really enjoy listening to John Bigelow’s passionate stories and tasting his wines. Read on for more details.
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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