Tag Archives: Pinot Gris

Le Bec Fin by Chateau Beck

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Le Bec Fin by Chateau Beck is a new side project by Jean Claude Beck, the winemaker of The Woodhouse Wine Estates in Woodinville. We first met Jean Claude when he arrived at Woodhouse about ten years ago to lead their wine production, and we were immediately charmed and impressed.

He was born in the Alsace region of France, following several generations of winemakers; his family estate has been producing wine since 1579 in a small village south of Strasbourg. According to European gourmet magazine Feinschmecken, “everything this winemaker touches turns to gold in the bottle.” Jean Claude’s motto is “No boring wines!”

We also love another of his quotes: “As my Grandfather Char once said, ‘I don’t want to make the most expensive wine in the world, I want to make a wine that when you sit at the table and the glass is poured, you empty it and without hesitation you ask for another.’”

Jean Claude’s love for wine is evident in every conversation we have with him. (And you can see his creativity by his July 4th Facebook photo, above.) So we eagerly awaited the arrival of his three Le Bec Fin wines to sample: 2016 Vin Rosé, Vin Blanc and 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. They were all lovely. Continue reading →

San Juan Vineyards Joins Corliss Family

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Big news in Washington state’s wine industry: Michael and Lauri Corliss, the owners of Corliss Estate, Tranche Cellars and Secret Squirrel as well as three vineyards in Walla Walla, Red Mountain and Yakima, have purchased San Juan Vineyards in Friday Harbor. The sale is effective on Feb. 1.
Continue reading →

Washington State Crushes Wine Grape Harvest Record

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The state’s record for its wine grape harvest was crushed in 2016, according to a report released by the Washington State Wine Commission.

The commission’s Annual Grape Production Report showed 2016 had the biggest wine grape harvest in the state’s history: the 2016 harvest totaled 270,000 tons, a 22-percent increase over 2015 and easily surpassing the previous record harvest of 227,000 tons in 2014.

The largest growth came from Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 23,700-ton increase. This also meant that Cab Sauv was the top-producing variety grown in the state — 71,100 tons or 26% of the total. Merlot was ranked second, at 48,400 tons or 18% of the total. Syrah came in third of the reds, at 21,300 tons, followed by Cab Franc at 4,300. Malbec rounded off the top five reds at 2,700.

Overall, red varieties accounted for 58% of the total production, compared to 51% in 2015.

Chardonnay was the top white grape and third overall at 45,000 tons, while Riesling was right behind it at 41,300 tons. Sauvignon Blanc was ranked third among whites, trailing with 9,800 tons, followed by Pinot Gris at 8,700 and Gewurtztraminer at 2,600.

A sign of further growth — there are now more than 900 winery licenses in Washington State.

“2016 was a year for the record books,” said Steve Warner, president of the Washington State Wine Commission, which represents every licensed winery and grape grower in the state. “Not only did we see our biggest harvest ever – but it was a great harvest. The weather in Eastern Washington cooled down a bit to extend the growing season and allow the grapes some extra time to mature on the vine. Our growers and winemakers are extremely excited about these wines.”

Further details are available in Annual Grape Production Report.

Cheers,
Margot and Dave

Say what? Wine & Lemon Meringue?

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Summer sippers are bountiful in Oregon wine country, as we recently discovered at #WBC12, the Wine Bloggers Conference held this year in Portland. During last week’s heat wave, we were refreshed by crisp Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and several Rosés.

But tasting wine took on an entirely different experience at Noble Pig in Carlton. (Note: In the weeks ahead, I have several blog posts to write about this wonderful town in the Willamette Valley.)

Our smart and creative hostess Cathy Pollak, a winemaker and well-known food-and-wine blogger, poured a taste of her 2009 Pinot Gris Noble Pig. First, we swirled and sipped this soft, lush white wine with a creamy finish. Then came a surprise.

Cathy poured what seemed to be about a teaspoon of lemon olive oil into a paper cup, instructed us to toss it into our mouths (like a shot) and then have another sip of the Pinot Gris.

She said it would taste like lemon meringue pie.

Say what? Wine transforming to the taste of lemon meringue pie? Is this a good thing? It turns out the answer is a resounding yes!

It was absolutely delicious. So good, in fact, I bought a bottle of her Galantino Lemon Olive Oil, so Dave could experience this taste sensation at home. (He loves lemon meringue pie, but that’s another story.)

Cathy offered up many other unusual pairings, but that one was a standout to me. Be sure to read her food blog for more creative adventures. And yes, we recommend the wine too.

As mentioned, we will be writing several posts about our two days in Carlton, in addition to sharing our experiences at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2012. We hope you come back often to read them.

Cheers!