Archive for August, 2009

 

Wine Word of the Week: Sulfur dioxide

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is sulfur dioxide. Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Sulfur dioxide, or SO2, formed when elemental sulfur is burned in air, is the chemical compound most widely used by the winemaker, principally as a preservative and a disinfectant. …. Sulfur dioxide reacts with oxygen […]

Filed under: Wine Word of the Week |

 

Wine Blogging Wednesday #60: I Have Zinned

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Our host for the August edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, the blogosphere’s monthly virtual wine tasting event, is Sonadora of Wannabe Wino. She selected I Have Zinned as this month’s theme because she loves Zinfandel and it pairs well with summer BBQ and other grilled fare. We were asked to “pull out a Zinfandel, throw […]

Filed under: American Wine, Red Wine, Washington State Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday, Wines Over $25, Zinfandel |

 

Spotlight On: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, located in Napa, California, was founded by Warren Winiarski in 1970. Bitten by the wine bug when he spent a year studying in Italy, Warren and his family moved to California in the early 1960s to pursue his winemaking dream. He gained experience working for Souverain Cellars and then Robert Mondavi […]

Filed under: American Wine, California Wine, Spotlight On, Video, Vineyards, Wine Activities/Events |

 

Hitting the Wine Bars in Seattle: A Good Way to Taste and Learn

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Most Wednesday nights for the past two months have been “date night” for LaGayle and me at a local wine bar. We picked a different one each Wednesday and evaluated them in five different categories: first impression, service, wine, food, and value. It was fun; we met some friendly folks, found some good new wines, […]

Filed under: Wine Bars |

 

Wine Word of the Week: Yield

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

This week’s Wine Word of the Week is yield. Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Yield is an important statistic in wine production, which measures how much a vineyard produces. It has been a subject of intense interest from at least the time of classical Rome. Yield may be measured as […]

Filed under: Wine Word of the Week |

 

Wine Tasting Dinner: Washington Viognier

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Last Friday evening was another beautiful, sunny, summer evening here in Seattle. It was the perfect night to gather with friends to enjoy a fabulous meal and good wines for one of our monthly wine tasting dinners. This month’s dinner featured Washington Viognier, a lovely white wine that’s perfect for warm weather. Viognier (pronounced vee-oh-NYAY) […]

Filed under: American Wine, Viognier, Washington State Wine, White Wine, Wine Tasting Dinners, Wines Over $25, Wines Under $15, Wines Under $20, Wines Under $25 |

 

More from WBC: A Day in Napa Valley

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Our day in Napa Valley during the recent Wine Bloggers Conference was worth the price of the conference admission alone. It was the perfect mix of education, tastings, and fun. We started the day at The Culinary Institute of America where we enjoyed two keynote addresses focusing on the future of blogging, social media, and […]

Filed under: American Wine, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Wine, Chardonnay, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Lesser Known Varietals, Merlot, Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Activities/Events, Wine Travel, Wines NOT To Buy (1 & 2 Star), Wines Over $25 |

 

Private Tasting: Washington Merlot

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Recently, we had what turned out to be a Washington Merlot showdown in one of our double blind private tasting dinners pitting the 2005 Whitestone Merlot Lake Roosevelt Shores Vineyard against the 2003 Sandhill Merlot. We all thought that both wines were excellent, but three out of the four of us gave a slight edge […]

Filed under: American Wine, Five-Bangs For Your Buck Wines, Merlot, Red Wine, Washington State Wine, Wines Over $25 |