Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? If so, you might want to check out the 2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Syrah from the Columbia Valley of Washington State. Our selection criteria include: A very good […]

It’s that wonderful time of year! The holidays are upon us. The lights and decorations are up, the stores are bustling, and Christmas music fills the air in our cars, homes, and stores. And, soon, the relatives will be coming to town to celebrate. So, for this challenging wine pairing, we decided to go beyond […]

There are as many different types of wine parties as there are wines. Through the years, we have hosted numerous wine parties. Regular readers are familiar with our regular Wine Tasting Dinners and have probably read about our Digging into the Cellar Parties, Tasting Groups, and Open That Bottle Nights. Recently, we had the opportunity […]

Chris Camarda made his first wines in the basement of his mother’s house on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington. After spending 20 years in the restaurant industry, Chris had developed a good palate and decided to try his hand at winemaking. He founded Andrew Will Winery in 1989 and named it for his son […]

Managing partner Marty Taucher and winemaker/partner Chris Peterson founded Avennia Winery in 2010. Located in Woodinville, Washington, Avennia made an impressive debut with their first releases in the fall of 2012. The winery name was inspired by the Roman name for the city of Avignon and is a nod to Old World winemaking. Winemaker Chris […]

For many years, I’ve heard Barolo referred to as the “King of Wines”; but when I looked at a glass of Barolo, it looked like a wimpy wine because it was light red in color and somewhat transparent. Consequently, I had a hard time getting excited about it, especially when I looked at the price […]

While the roasted eye of round roast was the main course for this challenging wine pairing dinner, it was the shallot sauce that added something extra to the meat. Roasted beef can get a little boring if you’re not careful. I love beef, but I do like to see what can be done to give […]

LaGayle and I sip a glass or two of wine virtually every evening, either just sitting out on the deck talking and/or as an accompaniment with dinner. Unless we are having guests or it is a special occasion, we like to keep the cost moderate on these everyday wines. Over the years, we have developed […]

This summer, our family vacationed in Italy. It was my first trip to Italy, a place that had been on my travel bucket list for some time. While this trip was truly a family vacation filled with sightseeing, I’m sure it will come as no surprise that we Wine Peeps worked in some winery visits […]

Founded in 2000 by Nina Buty and Caleb Foster, Buty Winery has become one of the most highly regarded wineries in Washington State. While Caleb has gone on to other ventures, Nina continues to run the winery. She works closely with winemaker Chris Dowsett and consulting winemaker Zelma Long. Chris gained valuable winemaking experience in […]