Warm Up With A Red Wine During December
I’m officially declaring December to be “red wine month.” With winter on the horizon and the prospect of even colder weather ahead, December just seems like the perfect time to enjoy a glass of red wine. I’m not saying you should abandon all plans to serve a chilled white wine this month. But if you […]
Taste of Tulalip, Tri-Cities Wine Festivals Showcase Washington Wines
Earlier this month I attended a couple of my favorite Washington wine festivals. Amid the tasting, noshing and schmoozing at these events, I like to look for standout wines as well as potential trends I see in the wines that are presented. On November 3, 62 northwest wineries poured over 400 wines at the Tri-Cities […]
Plenty of Options Will Take the Stress Out of Choosing a Thanksgiving Wine
It’s that time of year for my traditional Thanksgiving column or, as some may perceive it, the kickoff of “wine shopping anxiety season.” Really now, if you’d paid attention for even part of the first ten-plus months of the year you wouldn’t have to worry about what wine to serve Aunt Tilly and Uncle Horace […]
Washington Cabernet Franc Beginning to Come Into Its Own
In the world of wine, cabernet franc seldom takes center stage. It seems perfectly content to play a supporting role, most often in a red wine blend with a smattering of other varietals backing up cabernet sauvignon or merlot as the lead character. Cabernet Franc is one of six red grapes permitted for use in […]
Robert Karl and Barrister Are Two of Spokane’s Best Wineries
During a recent stopover in downtown Spokane, I made certain to visit what are arguably two of the best wineries in the city. Robert Karl Cellars has been a long-time favorite of mine. Winemaker Joe Gunselman and his wife Rebecca were on hand the day I dropped by and even though they were in the […]