Memorial Day Weekend: Staycation!

We live in a Beautiful little slice of paradise.  Working in the wine industry, sometimes it takes guests coming from out of town to "stop and smell the flowers" and appreciate a little wine tasting in our own backyard!

Marisa, Noe, Chad and I enjoying the sun at Canoe Ridge visiting the red facility for Chateau Ste Michelle.

Marisa and Noe made the drive from the wet side of the state to visit Chad and I in lovely little Prosser!  We spent the weekend feasting (Mostly in Brunch form, See banana topped french toast below), wine tasting and enjoying everything Prosser has to offer (including Burger Ranch Ice Cream Cones, total indulgence)!

 

One of the Sparkling brunches from the weekend!

Note to all: it is only Champagne breakfast if your bubbles are from the Champagne region of France.  Our bubbles were in the Washington Form from my work, Domain Ste Michelle Blanc de Noir.

We were busy tasters, and enjoyed the wines of Alexandria Nichole (Jet Black Syrah), Snoqualmie (Whistle Stop Red), Mercer (Pinot Gris), Chinook (Rose), and the distillery Blue Flame (Pepper Vodka) Saturday, (Wines we loved and had to take home!).  Sunday we enjoyed the scenery at Columbia Crest (Whidbey Island Reserve Port) and Canoe Ridge facility of Chateau Ste Michelle (Canoe Ridge Syarh), we even were able to taste on the patio with the breathtaking view of the Columbia and Oregon across the way!

 

The fiancé and I enjoying the view at Canoe Ridge!

You know it is spring when: Cherries are right around the corner!

Truth: I hate Cherries.
I don't like them alone, frozen, in pie, in drinks or... anywhere! And no, you won't be able to change my mind, so please don't make me try your cherry concoction!

Beautiful Cherry blossoms in March!

But that doesn't mean I don't put my best effort to make delicious cherry treats for the fiance! Living in the Columbia Valley, I am preparing for the gifts of cherries we receive, they come lots at a time from both grape growers and friends and neighbors with cherry trees!

I am thinking I will bake this little number found from GetOffYourButtAndBake.com! Not being a cherry fan, but they look delish!

http://www.getoffyourbuttandbake.com/2010/02/puff-pastry-cherry-blossoms.html

Get ready, the cherries are getting color already!!!

Spring is here!

After a long winter of snow, frozen fog creating beautiful ice sculptures from the grape vines, getting stuck in the mud, and mostly being stuck in the office, spring is here and it is not holding back!

Although it can be cold, the sun is usually out! And with the few days in May above 90 degrees have pushed the grapes ahead of the growth seen to this point in the last 5 years! Woohoo! All growers need great news this season, most had to weather a back to back botrytis year (2010) and a powdery mildew year (2011).

 

2012 is off to a great start! Cheers!