Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Sadly, we have come to the end of our adventures at the Beresan Winery….

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

This year’s Wine Blog Awards were given out at the Conference. The event was hosted by Alan Kropf of the Wine Mutineer Magazine, who gave the presentation that we won’t soon forget! Thanks to Laura and Lisa from Jordan Winery for video taping the experience. I was certainly not expecting the type of presentation (though I have added some of my photos of the event for additional color.

And clearly, you can see the ceremony needed more color!

Congratulations to the winners!

Best Wine Blog Graphics, Photography, & Presentation: Good Grape
Best Industry/Business Wine Blog: Criteria: Good Grape
Best Wine Reviews on a Wine Blog: Bigger Than Your Head
Best Single Subject Wine Blog: Criteria: New York Cork Report
Best Winery Blog: Criteria: Been Doon So Long
Best Writing On a Wine Blog: Catavino
Best New Wine Blog: Criteria: Swirl, Smell Slurp
Best Overall Wine Blog: Criteria: 1 Wine Dude

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Now that I have returned from my cross-country trek and my holiday weekend trek I am beginning to run through my photos and video. Where to start… at the beginning I guess.

For those of you who want to know what a wine blogging conference is like, here is a sneak peak!

If you guessed that we would be chatting and tasting the wines of the sponsors, then you were right! If you guessed drunken debauchery… well, sorry to disappoint you. Maybe next year!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

I saw a demonstration last night on how to sabre a bottle of Champagne. I want to do this from now on, although realistically, I realize that my personal sommelier, Sophie will undoubtably take over this task, as she loves to open wine for me.

So, Sophie? This is for you, my love. Study up.

and remember as Napoleon said, “In victory, you deserve Champagne, in defeat, you need it”

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

This year, I will once again, be driving out the Wine Blogger’s Conference. This year, the event will be held in beautiful Walla Walla, Washington. Naturally, I need to find places to stop along the way. No road trip is complete without a bite of the local color. So the key is to start planning now. I have two potential routes to adventure. I can either take the incredibly convenient to hop onto Interstate 90 which will lead me through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington; OR the equally incredibly convenient to hop onto Interstate 94 which will lead me through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington.

Choices, choices. The common denominator is the ease with which I will be able to hit the road as from Chez Neuman it is a five minute drive to either Interstate. Talk about your Gateway to the West!

Now is the time, for me to figure out as much as I can to make an informed drive. So if you know a cool, geeky spot, I should stop, a nice, but reasonable place to stay for the night, the local fare that should be tried or a great winery along the way? Email me at gretchen@vinoverve.com. If I use your suggestion a beautiful Locapour t-shirt could be yours!

Locapour Lite by VinoVerve
View more Locavore T-Shirts

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

At the time of this writing, the Red Mountain AVA is, indeed, the smallest appellation in the State of Washington, although if the trend of designating smaller and smaller sub-regions continues we will eventually have every block of vineyard considered unique.  The appellation is located in both the Yakima and Columbia Valley AVAs in Benton County, Washington between the towns of Benton City and Richland.  This area has 4,040 acres, 600 of which are under cultivation.

Appropriately enough given the name of the appellation, the area is known primarily for its high quality red varietals including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah.  It is believed the quality comes from the Southwest facing slopes which are warmer than typical for the Columbia Valley and cool evenings which preserve the acid levels within the grapes.  Additionally the gravelly soil with high levels of calcium carbonate and acidic soils help to balance the flavors and concentrate the berry flavors of the grapes.  Is this how the mountain got its name?  No.  It is named for the wine red color that the native cheatgrass turns in the spring.

Wine began to be produced on the Mountain in the 1970s with John Williams of Kiona Vineyards and Jim Holmes (now) of Ciel du Chaval.  There are now 13 wineries including:

• Blackwoood Canyon
• Buckmaster Cellars
• Canon del Sol Winery
• Col Solare Winery
• Corvus Cellars
• Goedhardt Family Winery
• Hedges Cellars
• Hightower Cellars
• Kiona Vineyards and Winery
• Oakwood Cellars and WInery
• Seth Ryan Winery
• Tapteil Vineyard
• Terra Blanca Winery

The total acreage in the AVA under cultivation is 14.85% of the total… imagine the wines that could be produced from 15% or 20%!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Designated as an AVA in 2005, Horse Heaven Hills has been producing wine grapes since 1972 when Mercer Ranch owner, Don Mercer planted a seven acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon with the hope of growing grapes that would rival those of Chateau Lafite in Bordeaux. That vineyard, now owned by the Champoux Family in partnership with the Andrew Will, Powers Winery and Woodward Canyon produces high quality Cabernets. Twenty vineyards are located within the AVA, including Washington’s largest which belongs to Columbia Crest. The majority of the vineyards are producing for grapes for wineries in other appellations. Seven wineries call Horse Heaven Hills home.

Wines produced on the south facing slopes of the hills have reduced rot and fungal diseases due to the strong winds blowing up from the Columbia Gorge. Additionally the winds keep the area dry, stressing the vines and producing higher quality fruit. Other varietals produced in the area include: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Petit Verdot, Riesling, Roussane, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Viognier and Zinfandel.

The appellation and the mountains got their name from James Gordon Kinney an early settler of the area who, remarking about the knee high grasses that fed the feral horses in the area, “This is surely a horse heaven!” In fact, the fossil record of the area shows that early horses were in the hills as early as 12,000 years ago (the feral horses seen by Kinney were actually re-introduced into North America by the Spanish Conquistadors). Either way, I keep thinking of that Poco album, Legend that had the cover art designed by the late, great Phil Hartman. And yes, that means I am old enough to remember record albums.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Wine has been produced near Lake Chelan since 1891 by Italian immigrants and that 154 acres were planted as of 1949 only 260 acres are currently under cultivation. There are fifteen wineries in the AVA (with one on the way). Grape varietals grown in the region include Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürtztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The area is unique in the Columbia Valley due to the micro-climate created by the lake which increases the amount of time that fruit stays on the vine. This allows the additional development of complexity building phenols while keeping the sugars and acids in balance. Additionally glaciers on ice-age Lake Chelan left the appellation with a coarse, sandy soil that is full of quartz and mica.

The Lake Chelan AVA is yet another subset of the Columbia Valley and was designated in April of 2009. . The AVA application for Lake Chelan was delayed for several years as Alcohol and Tabacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) froze all petitions due to a controversy related to the Calistoga designation. It was determined that any winery that included the name of the AVA or substantially similar to it must source 85% of its grapes from within the region. This required five wineries in the AVA with “Chelan” in their names to comply with the regulation.

Nothing is ever simple…

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Located completely within the Columbia Valley AVA and within Benton and Yakima Counties, Rattlesnake Hills is a 16 mile long stretch of territory of basalt mountains. The AVA was created in 2006 but has been under cultivation since 1968 when the Morrison Vineyard was planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling for Chateau St. Michelle. Currently there are nearly 30 vineyards in the area some of which can be found here

Grape varietals grown in the hills include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewürtztraminer, Malbec, Merlot, Muscat Canelli, Petite Sirah, Riesling, Semillion and Viognier.

The AVA is centered around Zillah, Washington. I am hoping given that I will be in Walla Walla which is relatively close by, that I will get to experience the hills for myself. I was especially relieved to learn that the name “rattlesnake” comes from the shape of the hills… and not for any reptilian invaders in the area. I am like Indiana Jones that way. I hate snakes.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

(Editor’s Note: This is another in my on-going explorations of the AVAs in Washington State. Unfortunately, writing all of these posts at the same time has re-ignited my college years love of freaky titles. I apologize in advance.)

The Wahluke Slope is another small AVA located within the Columbia Valley. Established in 2005, it is known primarily for producing Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and is known as the warmest grape growing region in the State of Washington. Additionally, it is the only appellation that is a single geological landform. It is cradle by the Columbia River and protected by the presence of the Saddle Mountains to the north, but was formed when the Great Missoula Floods tore through ice dams at the end of the last ice age creating an alluvial fan of fine basaltic silt over a short period of time.

In terms of more modern disasters, the AVA is located across the Columbia from the Hanford Site, a decommissioned US DOE nuclear research facility. To the west is the Yakima Firing Range.

The appellation is home to more than 20 vineyards operated by wineries outside of the AVA. There are three wineries operating within the appellation as well.

Powered by Bookmarkify™