aperdue's blog

Mind-boggling levels of Shiraz

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:52:53 -0400

I'm reading the new book Wine Politics, and it's a rather fascinating look at the business side of the wine industry and answers a lot of questions about why things are the way they are.

Vineyard update with Charlie Hoppes

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:42:02 -0400

We recently got out in the vineyard with Charlie Hoppes, owner/winemaker for Fidelitas Wines on Washington's Red Mountain. In this wide-ranging interview, we talked about the state of the vineyards after a cool spring, Goose Ridge Winery's latest project, Charlie's move away from Syrah and the upcoming harvest.

NW winery search

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:55:00 -0400

Over the past few months, we've been working on a better way to provide information on Northwest wineries. Our old Web site had a searchable database, but it was difficult to maintain. Our new system will provide a way for site visitors to provide updates, which then will be easy for us to upload.

We know we're missing a fair bit of information in this first release, which is why we're counting on all of you to take a look at your favorite wineries and provide us with any updates you might have.

Take a look:

A taste of B.C. by the Bay

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:47:30 -0400

Since first sip, we've been fans of Joie Wines in Naramata, British Columbia. In the next few weeks, patrons of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., will have the opportunity to discover the joy of some of the finest wines to come out of the Okanagan Valley.

Searching for wine shops

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:03:18 -0400

You might recall awhile back that I posted a list of Northwest wine shops, wine bars and wine clubs, seeking feedback on which I might be missing. I received information on more than 50 places I didn't know about.

More on Syrah's softening with wine lovers

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:26:08 -0400

As a follow-up to last week's blog item about how interest in Syrah appears to be waning in the marketplace, I got the following note from Chuck LeFevre, owner of Esquin Wine Merchants in Seattle.

Columbia Crest shows a little silver

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:48:52 -0400

A few weekends ago, Columbia Crest marked its first quarter-century with its "Silver Solstice" celebration. On hand were such folks as Doug Gore, who was Crest's winemaker for many of those years, and Kay Simon of Chinook, who hired Gore when she was with Ste. Michelle.

Rosé rising

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:26:41 -0400

According to reports, rosés have surpassed whites in total production in France. Taken at face value, I'd find that difficult to believe, but serious rosés have long been favorites in France.

But could it be possible that rosés are outpacing Chardonnay (Chablis, Burgundy), Sauvignon Blanc (Bordeaux), Semillon (Bordeaux), Riesling (Alsace) and Viognier (Rhone)?

Honoring a legend

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:52:37 -0400

On Saturday evening, the Washington wine industry honored Stan Clarke by inducting him into the Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame in Prosser.

Clarke, who died unexpectedly last fall, was a grape grower, winemaker, educator and wine writer in his more than 30 years in the business.

A cautionary tale of overpriced wines

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:35:13 -0400

A now-former reader recently sent me the following email:

Families of the Wine: Seasons Among the Winemakers of Southwest France

Is interest in Syrah fading

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:44:26 -0400

I've begun to wonder what has happened to all the buzz about Syrah, that luscious red grape whose ancestral home is France's Northern Rhone Valley?

In the past decade, interest in Syrah has skyrocketed in the Pacific Northwest, with more than 200 different examples coming out of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho.

A tasting of Northwest Italians

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:44:39 -0400

I could not be more jazzed about our big judging Friday for the Fall issue of Wine Press Northwest. We've gathered about 70 Italian red varieties from throughout the Northwest.

I figured we'd end up with a lot of Sangiovese and a bit of Zin and the odd Nebbiolo. Here's how it stands at the moment (with a couple of more wines showing up Thursday morning:

New food blog to bookmark

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:09:50 -0400

Our dear friend and Wine Press Northwest columnist Braiden Rex-Johnson has joined my blogroll with the launch last week of Northwest Notes. She already has posted several items since launching Thursday.

Thin to win

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:48:18 -0400

Melissa and I spent a good deal of time Sunday afternoon untangling our nine Sangiovese vines in the backyard. Now in our fifth season with these vines, I've come to the conclusion that growing Sangiovese in no way reveals a prowess for having a green thumb. These things will grow regardless of how much time and effort you put into them.

Bridgewater Bistro emerges as great Northwest destination

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:13:46 -0400

A couple of months ago, I lamented the end of The Shoalwater Restaurant in tiny Seaview, Wash. For years, I've savored some of the greatest meals of my life at The Shoalwater, and its wine list stood amid the finest in the Pacific Northwest.

But after 27 years, owners Tony and Ann Kischner closed The Shoalwater to open Bridgewater Bistro, just across the Columbia River in Astoria, Ore.