Work is tough when you have to taste wine all day...

...Not!

My last two days of work have consisted of presentations and discussion about viticulture and enology (grape growing and wine making) with the company I work for.

Topics included the effects of macaration and alcohol content on tannins in winemaking, Clone expression in the vineyard and winery, and tasting... lots of tasting.

Erath Pinot Noir and Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon clone tasting.

It is amazing to get to see what these fabulous winemakers do with the fruit I look at! After tasting from 9-12 we ate a wonderful lunch at Mojave on the patio of Desert Wind Winery. Then off to tour Dick Boushey's vineyard and taste different wines made from a block of Syrah we were looking at.  Then we were able to tour the Washington State University research winery at WSU-IREC.

The Walter Clore Center

Dinner was amazing back at the beautiful Walter Clore Center in Prosser!  Frank Magana  catered a wonderful meal of bacon wrapped beef filet over a bed of mushroom pilaf with the last asparagus of the season drizzled in hollandiase sauce.  A wonderful evening of great food, an amazing view and conversations with great people.

The 'tour de France'

Oh and how can I not mention the wine??  Started with some sparkling, then onto Grenache Blanc from Dick Boushey's vineyard, then a wonderful 'Tour de France' 

Bloom, beautiful and fragrant.

ITS HERE! ITS HERE!

We have reached my second favorite time of the year in the vineyards!  The intoxicating aroma, the tiny calyptra (Flower petals below, they are five fused petals which detach from the flower, curl a tad and fall off), the long days in the warm sun. 

The very beginning of bloom! The caps are so swollen!

Grapes are self pollinated so Bees are mostly seen in the inter row feeding on Yellow Mustard or Meadow Salsify.  

I enjoy the beauty in every stage of the vineyard, but this is very amazing.  I suggest visiting vineyards in many stages, yes when the grapes are ripe for the tasting, one loves to visit the vineyard.  But there is beauty out there all year round!

Viticulture: The not-so-glamourus side of the indusrty

Everyone in the wine industry spends their time sipping wine, looking fabulous and being rock stars, right? Not always but that is what weekends are for!

Viticulture is the down and dirty of the wine industry.  Days are spent one of two ways it seems, either painted in sunscreen trying to find cool shade in the 100 degree weather of the Washington dessert or bundled up from head to two in the oh-so-stylish Carhart coat and bibs (bibs? think insulated overalls, really quite a dream when it is 25 degrees and snowing sideways.)

There are many issues and hard work that went into the grapes that have become the wonderful glass of vino you sip to celebrate or just to relax after a busy day at the office.  Farming is hard work and one must always be aware of the upcoming new pests from California or Japan that is set to land in Washington, new diseases like leaf roll and how it is transmitted in the vineyard and the ever elusive "Predicting consumer preference."  <Insert rap song about Moscado here>

Wine Spectator published great article "Moscato Mania" describing the boom in Moscado. 

As with most agricultural sectors, Viticulture has been concerned with the recent speculation and scientific studies concerning the effect of pesticides (namely Neonicotinoids) on bee populations.  Although Grapes are self-pollinating, Bees are present on the plants on the vineyard floor and must be taken into consideration when planning pest management.  The Good Fruit Grower Magazine had a great article in the May 15th issue describing the new findings and where new research is needed to protect the bees.



Upper Right: Drift pesticide damage on edges of Grape leaves
Upper Left: Beautiful Gewurztraminer inflorescence, notice the wonderful Pink tint
Lower: Oh the Irony...  YES, they are spraying certified organic pesticides but I believe most consumers would not believe me if I told them much of the organic products they purchase are sprayed. 

Speaking of 7-9% alcohol and fruity, fizzy wines, Have you tried "New Age" yet?  From Elsa Bianchi in Argentina, this wine is a great summer sipper at a great price point.  I for one cannot wait for this trend to spread! Who says wines need to be loaded with alcohol anyway?



We preferred the White to Rose but both are worth a try!
Price: $8.99  (STEAL!)



Birthday Weekend!

There is nothing better than spending your birthday with loving friends and family!

 Weekend highlights:

Mmm =]

Birthday beer on the patio! 86 degrees calls for blue moon!

Photo from: http://www.skiptomylou.org

Lovely BBQs with friends on Thursday and Family for Chad's cousin Scott. Scott's graduation called for a Pinterest.com inspired desert! 

And I am loving my new Kindle! Thanks Chad! I also had a mini shopping spree at The Rack.  Love the great finds!

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!