WineyWomen Wine Blog

Garrett Estate Cellars | Winery Highlight

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Garrett Estate Cellars is a family owned winery and has been around since 2003. They have grown from 3 acres to 35 acres of land to grown their grapes. They are located on the Western Slope in a small town called Olathe, CO. Garret Estates went from 12 varietals of vines to 7. They produce the following wines:

Riesling
Pinot Gris
Chardonnay
Gewurztraminer
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Pinot Nior

Garrett Estate also annually purchases Western Slope, Colorado grown grape varieties to ferment other flavors such as Syrah and Cabernet Franc. I have got to get me some of that Cab Franc!

Let me tell you something about Mitch Garrett who is the son of the owner of the winery. I met Mitch 2 years ago at the Woodland Park Festival called Vino and Notes. He is such a funny person.. He has a great sense of humor and loves to tell you about his wine! Mitch also has a big heart and I think he has a little flirty side to him... Watch out ladies!

I fell in love with Garrett Estate Cellars wines that day... I believe it was the Chardonnay that I loved so much. You all know that I am not a huge white wine fan, but this one was yummy and I didn't feel like there was a blah taste like most chards have, I guess I am not a fan of American Oak on my whites!

Recently Mitch sent me 5 bottles of their current wines:

2010 Riesling, 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, 2010 Chardonnay, 2009 Merlot and 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. I can't wait to get them opened and do a video on them..I have tasted pretty much all of their wines and can tell you that they are very good. I am going to have to go get their Cabernet Franc because this is my latest favorite grape.

I encourage you to go get a bottle of Garrett Estate Cellars wines... I have provided a list of stores here in the Colorado Springs Area that you can get their wine from.You may want to call first.

You can get a bottle of Garrett Estate Cellars wines from the following locations here in Colorado Springs;

Austin Bluffs Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Bluffs Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Crown Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Coaltrain Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Liquor Outlet – Colorado Springs, CO
Drive-In Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Empire Wine & Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Hope Wine & Spirits - Colorado Springs, CO
Jamboree Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO
Plaza 21 Liquors - Colorado Springs, CO
Shamrock Liquors - Colorado Springs, CO
Springs Liquor Outlet - Colorado Springs, CO
Steins & Vines – Colorado Springs, CO
Vintages Wine & Spirits – Colorado Springs, CO
Voyager Liquors – Colorado Springs, CO

Wine Festival Season starts June 2nd in Mantiou! Make plans to attend a few Colorado Wine Festivals.. Great way to meet Mitch and other winemakers and try their wines.. Believe me, you will be surprised!

The 2011 Winery at Holy Cross Abbey Annual Harvest Fest

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:38:00 GMT

The annual Harvest Fest party at the Holy Cross Abbey is a super fun time! Lots of vendors selling their wares, food, and just fun things! Live music fills the air. People hanging out on the lawn as if they were having a picnic. I saw many people purchasing their lunch and a bottle of wine from the Abbey and sitting on their blankets enjoying the day..

The day was beautiful.. 1st day of Fall and it was 85 degrees.. that's Colorado.

My friend Cynthia and I went to the Party and got the VIP tent privileges. Gotta love that!

For the first time I purchased some freshly roasted Green Chilis and a 10lb bag of Gala Apples from Colon Orchards. I purchased soups, cheeses, bread, pasta... Dinner was good that night! :)

I bought two bottles of wine, The 2009 Colorado Cab Franc, of course and the 2009 Colorado Merlot. I got the Merlot with this years artwork. The Abbey has a contest every year for new artwork that they use on labels and promotion information. Sharon Conner, is a Cañon City artist who won the winery’s Harvest Fest 2011 art competition with her vivid rendition of fall grapes.

This event is FREE to attend.. If you want to taste the wine, there is a small fee. I highly recommend this to anyone close to Canon City...Great times! Thanks again Sally for inviting me!

Here are a few photos from the festival

{module_photogallery,24767,6,,15,80,80}

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey 2011 Winemaker's Dinner

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 06:00:00 GMT

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey, kicked off their Annual Harvest Festival with their Winemaker's Dinner, held at Shadow Hills Golf Club. The golf club had an incredible view. The sun was setting and the view was just amazing on this perfect weathered day.

Sally Davidson, co-owner of the Abbey called and asked if I would like to be her guest at the annual Winemaker Dinner, of course I said! Thanks Sally!

The Winemakers are Matt Cookson, with Jeff Stultz being the Assistant Winemaker. Larry Oddo is the Winery Owner. You should take the time to go visit the Abbey.. It has a really long history!

There were many people at this event. This was my first winemaker dinner, but I think I will be attending more. This is such a great way to taste the wines and to pair them with foods. The chef did an incredible job on the food selections. While I wanted to get every course photographed, I did miss a couple, only because they looked so delicious that I didn't think to take the photo first. Oh, well, I guess one or two missing isn't that bad.. :)

If you get the opportunity to attend the Abbey's dinner next year or any winemaker dinner, I recommend it.. Don't think it will be a walk in the park. Winemaker Dinners are hard work, like Festivals... The wine flows very well...I recommend getting a room!

Winemaker's Dinner - 8 Course Meal Paired with Wines

Course 1 - Caramelized Brie with Seasonal Fruit from Colon Orchards ~ Paired with the American Riesling
Course 2 - Sauteed Shrimp and Scallops with Shallot Orange Sauce ~ Paired with the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve
Course 3 - Caesar Salad with Blackened Salmon ~ Paired with the 2009 Monterey Chardonnay
Course 4 - Garden Fresh Gazpacho from Local Produce ~ Paired with the 2009 Colorado Cabernet Franc
Course 5 - Pork Shank with Polenta Croutons ~ Paired with the 2009 Colorado Merlot
Course 6 - The Apple Blossom Sorbet
Course 7 - Peppercorn Filet of Beef with Cabernet Wine Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Carrots ~ Paired with the Winemaker's Surprise - Proprietary Red Wine
Course 8 - French Chocolate Mousse Cupped in Pecan Tuile ~ Paired with the 2009 Colorado Merlot Divinity

Below is a photo album of the courses. My favorite Course was Course 2, my favorite wine was 2009 Colorado Cab Franc.

{module_photogallery,24613,6,,15,80,80}

Vino and Notes, Colorado Wine Festival

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:36:00 GMT

This was my second year going to the Vino and Notes Colorado Wine Festival. I was really excited because I had so much fun last year that I knew this year would be just as great or better. I am just going to get this out now so I can move on to much more fun talk about the festival.

This year was kind of a let down. Got to the gate to get in, got my glass but I had a feeling I was missing something. Everyone entering the gate felt they were missing something. We were, A BAG to put our wine that we purchased in. What wine festival doesn't hand out a bag.. Oh, now wait... Those that prepaid got a bag, but a bag without wine pouches so it was like a grocery bag... yeah, that was just as bad. I have NEVER been to a festival that didn't give out a Wine Bag! No wine bag means people don't buy wine because they certainly don't want to carry it. Luckily there were a couple of places, like Turquoise Mesa and White Water Hill who thought to bring bags because they said that the Vino and Notes Festival had done this before. So thank you both because I was able to purchase wine to take home. If I missed any other wineries providing this service "Thanks" as well! In know the patrons appreciated it! I had a few issues with where the food and potties were placed, but no need to keep complaining! :)

Now... On to the fun stuff!

My Buddy Bret, who is the winemaker and owner from Stoney Mesa was our first tent. Always nice to chat with him. Go online line and order the Ptarmigan Cab from Bret, it is AWESOME!..Next we stopped at Garrett Estate Cellars, Mitch is the Marketing Person for Garrett and he is a hoot! We picked up his 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon and his 2009 Merlot. Both great wines!

At this point I think we stopped for food because we needed lunch. After eating we hit a few other spots that were new, like Bethlehem Vineyards... Bill, I believe, I had never met before. then we stopped at Black Forest Meadery... that was different. Not quite a Meade person, but it wasn't bad. If you live in the Springs, stop in and visit them in Black Forest. Then my Wine Buddy Cynthia got caught by the guy selling jewelry...

Then we stopped at Turquoise Mesa and I met Tom's Wife, Mary Joan and their daughter. Tom was manning the fort back in Denver. I would like to think I helped them sell out of their Mourvedre, since I pretty much shouted that they only had 5 bottles left... One person bought two or three! Yeah! I'm not shy, but you probably already guessed that!

Next we stopped and saw our buddies from Mountain View Winery... Mike is the Owner and Winemaker and Dave is his Wine Pourer and bottle finisher! Hee hee... anyway, Dave presented Cynthia and I with handmade cutting boards that he built. See Dave is a cabinet maker and made these for us from his scraps of Oak, Cherry, Maple, and all kinds of other woods... Dave we love them! Oh, and my Dave loved it as well! You are such a Gem! We bought the new wine from Mountain View called Uncompaghre (cherry merlot), Means Mud in Ute! All I know is it is GOOD!

Next I had to stop in at White Water Hill and visited my Wine Elf Christie! She is such a cutie and a hoot! Had to buy the Ethereal from them... Why is it that I like the most expensive items?! Give it a try, it is GREAT! Thanks again Nancy for bringing the Bags!

In between all this time, I think we ate again and headed down towards the exit where we stopped in on Varaison Vineyards! We visited with Alex who is the Assistant Wine Maker to Dad Ron! Let me tell you, Alex knows his stuff! We bought the Bin 405 2007 Merlot! Wheww... that is a BIG wine! Just think of a piece of chocolate laying on your tongue and melting... Yep, that is the same thing. Of course we had to get a photo of the cool truck they came in.

I would say, aside from the "No Bag" issue, the day ended well.. Cynthia did not even come close to Pavement Planking! We stopped in at the local Starbucks, grabbed a coffee and headed down the mountain... Until next year my friends!

Be watching for my wine reviews... I have successfully filled my 30 bottle wine fridge and now will start reviewing all the Colorado, Oregon and Washington wines I have purchased this summer.

Leave a comment if you went to the festival or have tried any of the wines or visited any of the wineries!

Until next time!

Last Wine Festival for the Year!

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:42:00 GMT

As the summer starts to wind down there are fewer wine festivals to attend. Even though we have one final festival, Colorado Mountain Winefest, coming up in September in Palisade, CO, where most of the grapes are grown, I am bringing to a close my festival going for the year with one final festival close to my home in Colorado Springs.

Last year was the first year I attended Vino and Notes held in Woodland Park, CO. It along with the Manitou Springs Festival are my favorite. The new one in Denver was also pretty fun.

Vino and Notes brings an end to my 2011 Wine Festival Going. I can't say that I am too sad because I actually think I am festivaled out, if that actually happens. Although there were some new wineries at each venue, they were usually the same wineries. This year I attended them all so that I could make face contact with the winemakers so they knew who I was and not some random freak emailing them.

I do hope to get out to the Grand Junction/Palisade area this year, not for the wine festival, but to go see all the wineries. This is something I have not done as of yet.

Festivals are such a great way to get out and taste the wine to decide what is your favorite to purchase.

Something I got to do this year was visit the Willamette Valley and Walla Walla Valley Wineries. That was an added bonus that I didn't know was going to happen.. That was such a blast!

If you have been to a festival this year, please tell us which one it was, what winery and wine was your favorite. Even if you are from out of town! I would love to hear your feedback...Or if there is a wine festival that you attend every year without fail. I think I have been attending the one in Manitou Springs every year since about 2006.

Marketing Your Winery

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Marketing your winery may seem like an endless pit of energy and maybe even money. Well, in some cases you may be right. But if we think back to oh, 10 years ago, people were still using the "Yellow Pages" to advertise in and taking out ads in magazines that can be costly as well. Not sure if any wineries took to the TV advertising, and if you did, I don't want to know what you paid for that.

The point is, is that no matter what you do to advertise, you have to be consistent and on it all the time. It use to be the person with the biggest pockets won the space. Now it is a whole new ball game. Now, the person who talks the most is the winner!

To many times when I bring up to wineries that they need to first have a website (which by the way, actually has to be a functional piece of marketing or it is frustrating to navigate), a Facebook Page, maybe a LinkedIn and Twitter account and they need to... wait for it....Blog! This is the new "four" letter word!

Realize that the world has literally gone digital over the last 10 years. More people use their smart phones to communicate than their actual desktop computer. What does this mean for wineries and all companies alike? People are talking about you and if you are not part of the conversation, you could be at a disadvantage. People are not going to call you and tell you that they are dissatisfied, they are going to Facebook it to all their friends. Or if someone had a Spectacular time at your Winery, they aren't going to call you on that either.

Most wineries do have a facebook page. But...how many of the wineries actually check it on a daily basis and post to it? Some wineries have upwards of a 1000 Fans... that is awesome, a built in marketing tool to those 1000 fans. They become fans because they like you and they are waiting for you to say something. I have a winery friend who when the crush comes around puts photos of the stages for us to see. Now, I know that may not seem like anything exciting, but it is.. You get to interact and feel like you are getting special attention.

Embrace the technology and get use to using it... It is only going to get better! Don't wait for people to find you. Go tell them where you are!

What do you use to market your winery?

Photo credit: Orange County Social Media Consultants

Providing Food Pairing for Wine Tasters at your Winery

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT

We can all attest that most of the time food compliments wine. Some wines require food to be eaten while drinking, while others are good all by themselves. What is the "Norm" for wineries. Also what do avid tasting fans like when they visit a winery?

Personally, I love when a winery provides light "munchie" type foods like Cheese, Crackers, and maybe a selection of salami or some other type deli meats. For me, wine and food go hand-n-hand.

Recently I went to Oregon to vacation with family. Did a lot of Pinot Noir tasting. Since Pinot for me is really light, I will tell you I don't like it. But when one of the wineries I went to said "You should drink this with food"...the taste really comes out. I thought to myself "Then where is the food"? Why would a wine that really should be enjoyed with food be served without food?

When you create a customer experience in your Winery, don't you want that customer to have the best possible atmosphere and environment possible? To make that experience even better, pair your wines with those light foods so that when they taste you can get them to try with and without the food. Why is this a smart move? Well, if I am new to the whole wine scene and you gave me the knowledge to pair a certain food with a wine of yours, then I feel empowered that, 1. I am going to buy a bottle of your wine and 2. I am going to impress my friends by unleashing this new knowledge of pairing wines and foods together. Win! Win!

Alot of the wineries are destination stops, which means, if I go to your winery, I may visit a couple others, but I plan to be at them each for awhile. Why not make my experience so good that I don't want to visit the others?

Wineries, please let me know your thoughts
Wine Tasters, please chime in... Wineries can use this as a value add to their wineries!

Castle Rock Colorado Wine Festival

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:53:00 GMT

The Castle Rock Colorado Wine Festival happened this past weekend on July 23rd. This was the 2nd time I have attended this event. The first time was probably about 3 or 4 years ago. I remember it being tons of fun. This year, it seemed something wasn't quite right. Not sure if it was the fact that it was in the 90's, or that all the wineries were on the outer edges...Not sure.. But, aside from the heat and that all the Volunteers really had no idea where the wine check was, it was a great time!

My wine buddy Cynthia went with me, you will most likely see her with me at all the festivals, and we tasted a few new wines. There were a couple vineyards that hadn't been at any of the festivals. One that was new was Allis Ranch Winery. They are located in Sedalia, CO. David and Margaret Rhyne. Super nice people. David has a 1920's Sears Catalog Home that he does his tastings in. I think we will have to get a group of people to head up and see David and Margaret for a tasting and some lunch. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us about your offerings.

Got to meet Michelle Cleveland from Creekside Cellars. If you remember me talking about Zerba Cellars and Mariah being the daughter in law of the owners. I think it was Michelle's parents that were pouring at the festival.

There were many wineries there that attend most of the festivals. As always, it is nice to see them.
One Wine Tasting vendor that was there that I know that I will take a lot of heat for is "Water 2 Wine". None of their wines are made from Colorado Grapes, In fact they get them from 13 other countries. Because they make the wine here is the reason they are allowed to be at a "Colorado" festival.. Just don't think that promotes the Colorado Wine industry. Just my opinion and would love to hear yours on this.

Top places to eat at the Festival was the yummy Chicken, Rice and Banana Pudding from the Black Eyed Pea and the huge, I am talking HUGE, slice of yummy pizza from Grammy's Goodies!

Here are the wines I purchased, so watch for reviews coming up:

BookCliff Vineyards 2009 Ensemble
Ptarmigan 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Colorado Cellars 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cottonwood Cellars 2010 White Pinot Noir
Mesa Park Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Bonacquisti 2008 Cabernet Franc
Garfield Estates 2009 Cabernet Franc

If you went, what did you buy and did you have any favorites and also don't forget the question above...

Karen LaBonte - Trio Vintners, Walla Walla, WA

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Trio Vintners is a winery in Walla Walla Valley. Karen LaBonte is the owner and winemaker.I met Karen on Facebook.. She started following my WineyWomen Facebook Page. Karen said that she loved reading my posts. Wow, I thought.. someone actually likes what I have to say.

What was special about Karen? Well, I have never met Karen. I was not able to get to her winery on the short day I was there, and yet Karen sent me 3 bottles of wine at no charge. Why is this even remotely COOL! Well, It is cool because Karen realizes that word of mouth advertising and having someone talk about her and her wines is a great way to advertise.

Karen did indeed send the wine and I was so excited! There they were 3 new babies to add to my collection.

I am under strict orders from Karen to let these wines lay for about 2 weeks because they are suffering from Bottle Shock. They came by plane and need to recover.

Another interesting thing about Trio Vintners is that Walla Walla as a whole is very Eco-Minded, but Karen is one of the first in Walla Walla to use Eco Friendly Glass to bottle her wines. Eco-Glass is made with 25% less glass, which makes the bottle lighter and cost less in shipping for the consumer. This could mean a significantincrease in wine sales because shipping usually runs about $25. You can tell the difference in weight of a regular bottle and the Eco-Glass bottle.

What did Karen send me?

2008 RIOT, a Red table wine from the Columbia Valley

Karen was reluctant to make because she likes the single varietal wines. This wine is a blend of 85% Mourvèdre, 10% Sangiovese and 5% Grenache, and, arguably it may be an unusual combination, but we've never stood on tradition here at Trio! The RIOT kicks off with a bright mouth-feel thanks to the Sangiovese but quickly mellows out with the dark fruit of the Mourvèdre and smooth tannins from the Grenache. There are a lot of wines out thereclaiming to be 'your table wine' but RIOT is truly designed to go with a large varietyoffood. It practically comes withits own table!

2008 Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley

This blend is from two of our favorite sites: Mission Hills vineyard farmed by Mike Locati, is located in the hills south of the historic Whitman Mission. The fruit has a dark, brooding intensity, not unlike an Italian film star. Morrison Lane, farmed by the estimable Dean Morrison, adds bright acid and bracing cherry fruit, zipping through the blend like a Vespa through old Siena. Together they send the message: Sangioves is back and Walla Walla is where it's at!

2008 Cabernet Franc, Horse Heaven Hills

The dark, medium-weight fruit of this delicious wine is supported by hints of cigar smoke, earth. And elegant but firm tannins. We recommend chilling for 20 minutes before serving to bring out the bright fruit.

Thanks Karen, you ROCK!
I can't wait to try the wines and you can be sure to watch a review on Swirl TV.

Have you tried Karen's wines at Trio Vintners? Let us know, we want to hear what you have to say!

Stoller Vineyards, Dayton, OR

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:53:00 GMT

Stoller Vineyards was my last stop, last winery on my one day touring. I am not sure if they were getting ready to close, but I was able to get in and taste and chat with other tasters.

Ken Stoller, the son of Bill and Cathy was pouring, summer break for college students, and Emily was pouring as well. I met two characters while I was there, they were hoots.. Abe who is a Cardiologist and Scott, who kept telling me his name was Brad Pitt. You know it is gonna be a great time when you get crazy people involved.

Stoller was another destination winery. There were people having small parties on the patio and just enjoying the view, which by the way was breath taking.

So, I tasted all the wines available. My favorites were the 2010 Estate Exclusive Riesling. 2010 JV Chardonnay which was unoaked, done in stainless steel. The one I like the most and maybe I should take note of this was a 2009 Estate Exclusive Tempranillo. I am not a huge Spanish wine fan, but maybe the stateside wineries are doing something different that make this Tempranillo tasty. This will be my 2nd bottle purchased from my whole winery tour.

Then as we neared the end of the tasting, someone mentioned how a Pinot Noir glass can hold an entire bottle of wine with about a 1/4 inch left over. "Really", I said, because it sure doesn't look that it could. So Ken finished off a bottle of wine, pouring tastings of course, and went and filled it with water. Then he proceeded to pour it in a Pinot glass. Sure enough that sucker held the whole bottle. Well, now that I know that little tidbit of info, guess what I did? Yep, I bought one of those glasses. Now, I can pour a whole bottle and just tell people that I am letting it breathe while I drink it! LOL! You can never have too many Big Girl Glasses!

Let me know if you have tasted the Stoller Wine or been to the Winery!

Crumbled Rock, Dundee Hills, OR

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:19:00 GMT

Crumbled Rock was my 2nd to last winery to visit in Oregon on my wine day. My husband asked why I wanted to go there and I said, "Because thename sounds Cool"! It was like a huge barn and next door was their house. I walked in and there was a lady on the computer who didn't hear me until I said "hello". The lady was Julia. She is the accountant for Crumbed Rock and married to the Winemaker, Jerry.

She started tell me about the winery and how her husband was a geologist. I tasted the first wine which was the 2009 Riesling. It is super yummy!

I know I tasted 2 other wines but I don't have notes on them nor can I find them on the website. But it doesn't matter because they were not the highlight of my visit.

Jerry came in the tasting room and started talking to us about how he got the name Crumbled Rock and just giving us the back story. He had to run out for a call and while he was awhile he was away we enjoyed the view of the vineyards. What an amazing view they had. I could live here.

Jerry came back and gave us a taste of something reserved which was awesome, sorry Jerry, I didn't have anything to write my notes on, but that wasn't my highlight moment either.

My highlight moment was when Jerry said let's go taste wine from the barrels. Whoop Whoop! I was so excited..

So he showed us the barrel area, showed us how to use the label machine and to put the cap on the wine bottle. Then he goes over to one barrel, and I am gonna try and get this right, and he siphoned out a 2009 Pinot Juliard and mixed it with a 2010 Pinot Juliard. This combination would be bottled within a couple of weeks from our visit, which would be happening now. Oh My, it was spicy with pepper and the tannins were crazy. This wine was surely going to be a hit...I must watch for it so I can get a bottle since I did get to taste it.

Well boys and girls, it didn't end there, oh no! Next, I got to taste the 2010 Chardonnay that was still in the barrel. Oh yeah, this was good. I believe it was either unoaked or neutral okay, but either way I liked it.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed myself at your winery Jerry and Julia. You made my day!

I recommend Crumbled Rock.. Go see them, it is so worth it and maybe you will get to taste from the barrel.

Please let us know if you have tasted this wine or visited the winery!

Duck Pond Cellars and Desert Wind Vineyard

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:37:00 GMT

Duck Pond has an awesome tasting room. Not only do they have like a huge patio area to have lunch and drink wine, but they have a specialty shop where you can buy cheeses, crackers and all the items you would need to go with you bottle of wine on their patio!

When I walked into Duck Pond, I had to walk around and just check things out. I finally made my way to the tasting area where Jackie met me. She was such a sweet person and just catered to my tasting fancy. Now, I have to say that I have seen Duck Pond in my local Colorado Springs Liquor store and didn't really think too much about them. Then because in Oregon you can buy wine in the grocery store, I saw them in Safeway and decided to give them a whirl. I tried the Merlot, Cab and Syrah. My favorite was their Syrah, I think I had a couple of bottles of that one). So, I kinda knew what to expect.

Duck Pond also has a sister winery called Desert Wind Vineyard. They are located in Prosser, WA. Although I didn't get to Desert Wind while in Walla Walla, I got to taste their 2008 Ruah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot.. This wine was super yummy. Full bodied, lots of fruit forward and tannins. I am waiting patiently for when I open this one. It says is cellars for 5-8 years but that I can enjoy it now!

I was very impressed with this winery and am so glad I got to stop by Duck Pond and meet Jackie!

Have you had a Duck Pond or Desert Wind Wine? Have you visited either tasting rooms? Let us know.

Anne Amie Vineyards, Carlton, OR

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Anne Amie Vineyards sits on a beautiful piece of property. They have a very nice patio area where the tasters can have lunch. When I was there, a group of folks from Texas came in. Lots of regulars as well.

I love the open wineries.. It just makes you feel like you are not crammed in. I tasted about 5 wines but really liked the 2008 Cuvée A Pinot Noir, flavors of Blackcherry and raspberry, and chocolate. Had great soft tannins, very smooth and chocolately.

The next wine that I really liked was 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, this had a cherry flavor. I liked the fullness and the tannins on this one.

Anne Amie Vineyards also has several events going on at the property. It would have been nice to attend some of these.

Let me know if you have ever been and what your experience was!

Sokol Blosser, Dundee, OR

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:33:00 GMT

Sokol Blosser was another winery that I visited 3 years ago and got to come back too. It was definitely on my list of getting back too. This winery was originally recommended to me by my mother-in-law Gretchen.. I loved it three years ago and I loved it again this time.

They have updated their website and tasting room.. Great job on both! The day I went in was a busy Friday, July 8. Melissa was the one who was pouring my tastings. She was very sweet!

The wines I tried that day were the 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris. It has honeysuckle, straw, green apple, grapefruit. It was not overly acidic.

Next was the 2008 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. This wine had an amazing flavor of dark cherries.

The 2007 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir was my favorite. Something about the year of 2007 that just did some awesome things to the grapes. This one had raspberry and some toasty oak.

Now, Sokol Blosser has two other wines that I highly recommend.

The Evolution which Intense fruit up front and a crisp, clean finish. This unique white is truly a parade of flavors across the palate.

The Meditrina which is a core of rich, lush berry from the Syrah. The Zinfandel provides spice, tannin and structure. And the Pinot Noir brings flowers, earth and elegance. It all adds up to a luscious, juicy, easy-drinking mouthful of red wine.

Have you tried Sokol Blosser, and what was your favorite?

Carpenter Hill Vineyards and Folin Cellars, Rogue Valley, OR

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:37:00 GMT

I am combining these two Vineyards because I didn't actually get to visit them. Instead the Distributor Mike happen to come into the Boutique wine shop I was in tasting wines. I was not feeling the love with the Oregon wineries I was trying, and no I don't remember them.. So Mike, pulls out these two wines from his bag. Obviously he was there to get the wines in the store. The owner did know him, so it was all good.

The first wine is from Carpenter Hill Vineyards. It is a 2006 Tango Red (78% Merlot, 22% Petite Sirah). This wine when I tasted it was very full, with dark Cherry, spice and vanilla. I am excited to actually have a glass of this one.

The next wine is from Folin Cellars. The 2009 Viognier was delicious. Floral, slight citrus, honeysuckle and orange blossom. This is a great wine. The wine does not use a cork, it has a glass stopper. Cool, right?

Have you tried these wines before? Let me know.