Juice - The latest on Washington Wine Country

February 2010

This e-zine has been designed to inform readers of news, facts, and events from Washington's wine country. We welcome your ideas, comments, and questions. Please e-mail them to us at info@winecountrywashington.org. Thank you for reading!

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A Perfect Pairing: Co-Winemakers Tim and Kelly Hightower

A Perfect Pairing: Co-Winemakers Tim and Kelly Hightower of Hightower Cellars

 Tim and Kelly Hightower are one of Washington State's first married co-winemakers. Since founding Hightower Cellars, the two have shared all of the responsibilities of running a winery, including winemaking, accounting, marketing, operating the forklift, and janitorial duties. Together, they craft delicious, supple, age-worthy Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons from a wide array of vineyards in three distinct appellations. In honor of Valentine's Day, we thought we'd ask them a few questions about their winemaking life together.

When you're making wine together, how do you decide what steps to take and when?
Tim: We do it mostly jointly. We divide up taking grape samples, bringing them back to the winery, and we taste and test them together. We talk about it, look at numbers, decide when to pick. I tend to run the press, while Kelly takes more vineyard samples.
Kelly: Same with blending, which we’re working on right now. We’ll bottle in March and May. We don’t always have the same opinion but we’ll come to a consensus. One of the most important winemaking decisions is when to pick. We always make sure we’re together on that.

Do you have similar palates?
Tim: They’re similar, but not identical. We both like food wines, not super tannic, well balanced.
Kelly: I think we have the same goals for the wines. Especially as we get older, we’re both sensitive to different things - I’m more sensitive to oak tannins - but we have a common goal in mind - to create good, well balanced food wines that express the vintage and the vineyards they’re coming from.

What have you learned, through the process of making wine together?
Tim: I’ve learned to let my wife go first.
Kelly: Hopefully we’ve both learned to communicate better. I don’t think being married and having a business together works for everybody, but for us, when you’re making a decision, you really learn about synergy and how different strengths and weaknesses work together. Synergy is the big lesson. I could make a good wine on my own, but it’s better because of working with him. And Tim lets me go first.

What’s your favorite food and wine pairing, perhaps for a Valentine’s Day brunch?
Kelly: Egg fried rice and Champagne is one of my favorite things to have for brunch.
Tim: Especially duck egg fried rice.

How will you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year?
Tim: We’re having a few hundred people over (for Red Wine & Chocolate).
Kelly: Our anniversary is the day after Valentine’s Day, so we didn’t plan that very well.

What’s your favorite place in Washington Wine Country?
Tim: Well, we fell in love with Red Mountain. It’s a beautiful spot not just for the grapes it produces but for the views out over the Yakima River, Horse Heaven Hills, and the Rattlesnake Mountains.

What’s ahead for the future?
Tim: I’d say what’s coming up for us is working on the best things coming out of our vineyard – working with additional grape varietals and continuing to change as the vines mature. We’re going to come out with an estate bottled wine. It will be bottled in May and probably released in September.
Kelly: We started the winery in 1997 in Woodinville, so first we grew the winery bit by bit, making 200 cases, then 600 cases. In 2002, we bought our property in the vineyard and expanded production. Then we built a tasting room. So we’re also enjoying sitting on the patio a little more now than we used to.

Facts & Tidbits

Did you know?

Tasting Report: Males vs. Females
-More women than men drink wine once or more a week—54% to 46%
-In California, the above numbers are reversed
-80% of all wine consumed in the U.S. is by women
-Adult men claim to drink mostly red wine: 40% to women's 27%
-Younger men wine drinkers consume as much white and red wine as younger women
Source: Wine Opinions Survey, 2007

Men's Wine vs. Women's Wine?
Bill Daley of the Chicago Tribune created the only purpose-made, male vs. female blind tasting, asking two teams of sommeliers, three males and three females, to choose their favorite wine; and choose the wine they thought the other gender team would favor.

The Results
-The women chose a 2003 Stag's Leap Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon, often considered a 'man's wine,' and thought the men would choose this as well.
-The men chose a 2005 Williams Selyem Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir, often considered a 'women's wine,' and thought the women would choose it as well.
                                                                                         Source: Wine Enthusiast, October, 2008

Living Wine Country

Along the Wine Road

Precept Wine Brands Acquires Corus Estates and Vineyards
Effective January 1st of this year, Seattle-based Precept Wine Brands expanded its Northwest portfolio with the acquisition of Corus Estates & Vineyards. Corus Estates & Vineyards was owned and operated by the Baty family. Dan Baty is also co-owner of Precept Wine Brands with CEO Andrew Browne.

“Dan and his family felt that it was time to consolidate some of the efforts of their wine entities,” said Browne. “These additions to our Northwest portfolio will strengthen our commitment to producing and selling wine of outstanding value in the region. We feel posed for success with our core portfolio and the additions of these new brands.”

Precept plans to increase distribution and consumer awareness of the core Corus Estates & Vineyards brands. The newly acquired brands include Washington State brands Alder Ridge, 6 Prong, Zefina; Oregon brands Blue Pirate and Battle Creek; and Idaho brand Sawtooth Winery.
Source: Precept Wine Brands, January 12, 2010

New Hotel in Downtown Yakima is a Welcome Sign of Growth
A new 110-room Holiday Inn Express is now open in Yakima, a welcome symbol of growth in public and private construction and development now taking place downtown. The $12.5 million hotel has 114 sleeping rooms and features a full service restaurant and bar and comforts such as a complimentary hot breakfast buffet, 24-hour fitness center, indoor pool with a whirlpool, and meeting space. The hotel is also using a variety of environmental practices. Rooms are cleaned with eco-friendly products, electricity in rooms only operates when guests place their key card into a designated slot, and the swimming pool uses a salt saline solution instead of chorine.

Other recent and upcoming improvements in downtown Yakima include enhancements to the Performance Park, its surrounding streetscapes, and the public plaza. These investments are a good indication that even in an economic downturn, downtown Yakima is still a highly desirable location to invest and do business.
Source: Committee for Downtown Yakima, December 2009

Another Reason to Visit Washington Wine Country: A New Distillery in West Richland
Construction began January 20th on Black Heron Spirits Distillery and Portworks, the first distillery in Southeast Washington, at the Port of Kennewick's Wine Estates Park at Van Giesen Street and Keene Road. Local political and business leaders, many of whom attended the groundbreaking ceremony, hope the distillery will spur economic development and bring more tourists to the area.

Owner Joel Tefft, a former winemaker and previous owner of Tefft Cellars Winery in Yakima Valley, along with partner Becky Runyan, plans to make a variety of handcrafted white and aged brown spirits, using locally grown grapes and grains. Production will begin in August with vodka and gin.

According to a new state law, craft distillers can produce 20,000 gallons or less a year, serve up to 2 ounces, and sell up to 2 liters of liquor per person in tasting rooms. The 4,000-square-foot facility will include a tasting room, and the inside of the building will have a prohibition-era look, capitalizing on the current speakeasy craze that’s hitting the bars nationwide. According to Tefft, "We'll be small, but we'll be bringing a lot of traffic."
Source: Tri-City Herald, January 21, 2010

 Get a Taste of the Destination

 Pour this luscious sauce over a juicy steak and pair it with Hightower Cellars 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon for a deliciously romantic Valentine's Day dinner.

Green Peppercorn Sauce
 This is a tried and a true recipe from Hightower Cellars that Tim created for a celebration dinner. When he graduated from high school, he asked his mom for an age worthy bottle of wine.  She bought him a 1976 Chateau Latour. Years passed and there were lots of celebrations (college graduations, a new house, a new winery, and a new marriage), but somehow they never got around to opening it. They finally decided that a Saturday night dinner with close friends was a celebration, so they created a menu and one of the dishes was this sauce. 
Tim and Kelly use this as a steak sauce, but swear it is yummy on everything.
2 cups beef stock (If you are using canned stock, please use reduced sodium.)
Reduce until there are only 3 Tablespoons remaining
Add 1-2 Tablespoons brined green peppercorns, rinsed, when the stock is about ¾ reduced
Add ¼ cup Marsala
Add ½ - ¾ cup Cream

These quantities are not hard and fast. Adjust the cream, Marsala and pepper corn quantities depending upon taste.  If you are making the sauce for more than 14 people, use more stock to start.

Washington Wine Country Collection


 This year’s Wine Country Celebration will shine a spotlight on the economic impact that the wine industry has on our state's economy and encourage all wine and food lovers to join in. We are offering an expanded series of our winemaker dinners at top-notch  restaurants around Greater Seattle along with our renowned Winemaker Dinners in the Vineyards. Also this year, the Grand Gala will be replaced by two exclusive five-star winemaker dinners hosted by Wine Country Celebration Board Members. In its first seven years, the Wine Country Celebration has raised over $2.5 million for Washington Wine Country programs that bring local organizations together to promote economic revitalization, wine and culinary tourism, and community well-being in the vineyard region.

We invite you to come together as a community to savor the bounty of Washington Wine Country at several events throughout the month of June. Sip and savor the local flavor!

Prequel Winemaker Dinners around Greater Seattle: Thursdays, June 3rd - 17th
Winemaker Dinners in the Vineyards throughout Washington Wine Country: Friday, June 18th
Grand Gala Wine Dinner at the DeAtley Estate in Yakima: Saturday, June 19th

For the latest information on the Wine Country Celebration, visit www.winecountrycelebration.com.

Mark Your Calendar

Please submit upcoming events to events@winecountrywashington.org.

February Events

2/12 - Valentine's Dinner at Chandler Reach Winery - Join us for a four-course gourmet dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day. Price includes dinner, wine, tax and gratuity. $69.95 per person. Menu includes appetizer upon arrival, Sweet Heart Salad, Oysters Rockefeller, New York Steak with Parris Reserve Cabernet Sauce and Red Velvet Cupcakes. Visit www.chandlerreach.com.

2/12 - 2nd Annual Wine & Chocolate Class at Le Chateau - Just in time for Valentine's Day. Lan, of Petits Noirs Fine Chocolates, is back again to tempt your palate while you learn about wine and chocolate pairings. This fun and educational class has limited seating; reservations required. Visit www.lechateauwinery.com.

2/13-2/15 - Red Wine & Chocolate in Yakima Valley - The natural affinity between dark chocolate and red wine is no secret. This weekend in Yakima Valley provides a distinctive and elegant offering of fine chocolate and fine wine. Visit the more than 52 wineries in Yakima Valley. Each winery pairs sumptuous chocolate desserts with their very own remarkable red wines. Visit www.wineyakimavalley.org.

2/13-2/15 - Red Wine & Chocolate, Rattlesnake Hills Style! - No ticket or fee. This free event offers three delicious days of wine and chocolate! It's been an annual tradition for more than 20 years. (Visitors must have a wine glass to taste.) Luscious red wines and ports, white wines and ice wines are paired with chocolate delicacies. Enjoy special discounts and/or reserve tastings with a Rattlesnake Hills Passport card for $10 (not required, but definitely worthwhile!). Visit www.rattlesnakehills.com.

2/13-2/15 - Barnard Griffin Exquisite Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting - Join us over Red Wine and Chocolate weekend and find yourself surrounded with some sweets surprises! We will release our new 07 Malbec along with some other exciting wines for your tasting review. There will be a $5 non-refundable tasting fee for this event. Visit www.barnardgriffin.com.

2/13 - Red Wine & Chocolate at Hard Row to Hoe - We'll be pairing three red wines and one white wine with Green & Black premium organic chocolate. Let your taste buds be the judge. We'll be pairing Maya Gold with Edelzwicker, White Chocolate with Zinfandel, Espresso and Dark Chocolate with Miss de Miner and Bittersweet Chocolate with Syrah. You may consider never having one without the other ever again! Open Saturday and Sunday 12 -5. Visit www.hardrow.comom.

2/13 - Valentine's Day Party at Cougar Crest Winery - Roses, truffles and complimentary wine tasting for the first 100 ladies. Live music by Chelsea Spence, Harpist 1-4pm. Chelsea is currently the principal harpist with the Mid-Columbia Symphony in the Tri-Cities, WA and the Grande Ronde Symphony Orchestra in LaGrande, OR. Visit www.cougarcrestwinery.com.

2/13-2/14 - Red Wine & Chocolate in Lake Chelan Wine Valley - Wine certainly is one of the most romantic things and there is no better way to celebrate the month of love than by savoring chocolates and artisan wine. A unique collection of passionate wine producers all put a delicious spin on this event. Visit www.lakechelanwinevalley.com.

2/13-2/14 - Celebrate Valentine's Day with Tertulia Cellars - Join us for a special Valentine's Day weekend. Enjoy music from classical guitarist Adam Wray, relax with a complimentary massage from Shannon Smith of 2 Un Wind, enjoy wine specials , chocolates & other treats such as roses for the ladies (while supplies last). All $5 tasting fees will be donated to the relief effort in Haiti. Visit www.tertuliacellars.com.

2/13-2/14 -  Red Wine & Chocolate with Anelare - Come visit Anelare over Red Wine & Chocolate Weekend! We will be open Saturday from noon- 8pm and Sunday from noon- 4pm. Chef Earl Smart will be creating fresh, decadent bites while you sip on our Anelare wines. Columbia Valley Luxury Cars will feature some of their best luxurious vehicles on Sunday. Visit www.anelare.com.

2/13-2/16 - Maryhill Winery “Toast to Passion” Weekend - Enjoy free wine and chocolate tastings and live music with an exceptional art show hosted by Northwest artists John Clement and Mary Rollins. Bring home one of their unique pieces of art or peruse our extensive selection of jewelry, home décor, apparel, books, music and more. Special case discounts also available throughout the weekend. Enjoy live music by Kit Garoutte (Saturday 1-5 pm), Wayman Chapman (Sunday 1-5 pm) and Sandee Marshall (Monday 1-5 pm). Artists John Clement and Mary Rollins will make a special appearance Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 pm. Visit www.maryhillwinery.com.

2/14 - Valentines Day at Skylite Cellars - We will be pouring our Double Gold medal winner from the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Tasting, the 100% % Malbec, accompanied with chocolates. No tasting fee. Make sure to bring your sweetheart. Visit www.skylitecellars.com.

2/14 - Vintage, Gems, and Jazz at Col Solare - Let Col l Solare romance your palate and win your heart this Valentine's Day with our "Vintage, Gems, and Jazz" event from 1-5 p.m. Lovers of wine, embrace the chance to purchase older vintages from our private cellar. Lovers of jewelry, swoon for the one-of-a-kind pieces and vintage jewelry of Bonita. Lovers of Jazz, be tantalized by the romantic rhythms of the Steve Haberman Duo. Enjoy a complimentary sample of wine along with exclusive sweet treats by Picazo 717. All “lovers” over 21 are welcome. Visit www.colsolare.com.

2/19-2/20 - Chef's Weekend at Cave B Inn & Winery - Tendrils Vineyard Restaurant’s new Executive Chef Joe Ritchie and Cave B Estate Winery Winemaker Freddy Arredondo team up with acclaimed guest chef Dan Gilmore to provide hands-on food and wine education experiences. A portion of the proceeds from these 3-day weekend programs will benefit two Washington state hunger relief organizations, Food Lifeline and Second Harvest Inland Northwest. Students will work directly with the chefs, learning both the techniques and creative process behind preparing extraordinary food. In addition, students will receive instruction from award-winning winemaker Freddy Arredondo and will have the opportunity to create their own custom wine blend. Chef’s weekend package includes 2 nights accommodations at Cave B Inn at SageCliffe, all food and instruction with Chefs and Winemaker.
Visit www.caveb.com.

2/20 - Mardi Gras Winemaker's Dinner at Airfield Estates - Join Airfield Estates Winery and Picazo 717 for a fantastic feast celebrating the Mardi Gras season, our very own "Fat Saturday." Delicious foods, phenomenal wines, and a good time by all are sure to be had. $85 per person.
Visit www.airfieldwines.com.

2/25 - Jazz at Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery - Jazz Night at the Chateau Live Jazz Every Thursday at Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery every Thursday night from 6 to 9 pm featuring the Confluence Jazz Band. Visit www.fairelepont.com.
View a complete wine country calendar at www.winecountrywashington.org/eventCalendar.aspx.

Founded in 2003, Washington Wine Country is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting wine-related tourism and economic vitality by fostering collaborative regional partnerships throughout the celebrated wine growing region of Eastern Washington, where 99 percent of Washington State’s wine grapes are grown. The region includes the Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Red Mountain and the newer appellations of the Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills, Rattlesnake Hills, Wahluke Slope, Snipes Mountain, and Lake Chelan. For more information on Washington Wine Country, please visit www.winecountrywashington.org.