Juice - The latest on Washington Wine Country

September 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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Back on the Farm with Boushey: Harvest 2010

Dick Boushey has been growing wine grapes in Yakima Valley for 30 years (not to mention other crops such as juice grapes, apples, pears, and cherries for even longer). Here, he offers us a glimpse of real life on the farm and in the vineyards at this time of year - with all of its excitement, anxiety, challenges, and rewards.

It’s harvest time. What does that mean for you?
It's the best of times and the worst of times. It means the culmination of a lot of work coming up. It means high anxiety. I like it when everything's picked and there's no fruit left.

What are you concerned about?
About everything ripening properly, coordinating everything. We look forward to harvesting, but there's a whole lot of work that has to be done in the next month - at the right time. It's a coordinated effort that has to happen between winemakers, workers, trucks, and everything. In the next month or month and a half, I'll be working every day.

What kind of growing year was 2010?
This year has been schizophrenic, very cool. We're two weeks later than last year for sure. We had a late spring and a cool summer. If you reference past history as far as heat units, we're tracking with 1999 which was a very cool year. They're very similar. The wines that came out of 1999 were great, so that's encouraging, but 99 had a wonderful fall, and we need the same. This year, bud break was 5 days early but bloom on the grapes was 11 days late. May and June were so cool, it held everything back. We didn't have very good bloom weather. Everything's going to ripen later in the year. We haven't started picking yet in most cases. These are generalizations though - regarding the cooler areas. We just need a nice fall to ripen everything up. We're hoping we'll have good maturity, probably lower sugars, lower alcohol, nice acids, hopefully nicely balanced wines.

What are the biggest challenges in growing wine grapes?
You have to know your vineyard. The challenge is making sure you're consistently growing good fruit every year no matter what the season is like. This year, we've seen a lot more fruit, more vigor in the vines, so we've had more shoot thinning, extra passes-through, green thinning several times... We've had a lot more vineyard work.

What are some wines that you especially like paired with the foods this time of year?
Rhone whites are interesting - Marsanne , Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Rousanne - with foods that are in season right now - because we have pears that we're picking now, and the best corn, apples, tomatoes, peppers, melons. The Rhone whites have a little more depth than your average white - spice, good acidity, lots of different floral, jasmine, and violet. Maybe they're a transition into heavier wines later when it does get cooler.

When harvest ends, do you get to rest for a while?
I wish! I used to. But this year, harvest may go through October and into November. Generally what happens is that we have to account for everything we did, and we have fulltime workers that want a little time - we'll probably take a week off - and then get back to work. It's much more relaxed and you're not on a tight schedule then, but everybody has to work. I'll look for wine events to go to, drink wine and talk to other people about how their year went, because we don't get to talk to each other much. I'd like to say I'm going off somewhere sunny, but on the farm, it's not like you can just turn off the lights until spring.

Is this a good time to visit wine country?
It's fun right now because the white grapes are nice and golden, and the reds - you can tell the different between the varieties. It's really pretty with the many crops that are being harvested at this time of year such as hops and mint - and the wonderful smells that accompany them. I think it's the most fun time of the year.

Facts & Tidbits

Did you know?

What's with the barefoot grape stomping?

Crushing is the process of gently squeezing the berries and breaking the skins to start to liberate the contents of the berries. De-stemming is the process of removing the grapes from the rachis (the stem which holds the grapes). In traditional and smaller-scale wine making, the harvested grapes are sometimes crushed by trampling them barefoot or by the use of inexpensive small scale crushers. These can also de-stem at the same time. However, in larger wineries, a mechanical crusher/de-stemmer is used.

Living Wine Country

Along the Wine Road

 Try these Rhone whites with your favorite early fall dishes - made with grapes handpicked from Boushey Vineyards:

Forgeron Cellars 2009 Marsanne, Boushey Vineyard (100% Marsanne)
The 2009 Marsanne is a white wine to be reckoned with. On the nose it presents with lush tropical aromas full of coconut and pineapple as well as a little mineral. The mouth is full and rich without being heavy. The Marsanne brings to mind a walk through the Provence countryside with a picnic basket full of bread, cheese and fresh pears.

Maison Bleue 2009 "Petite Joie" Boushey Vineyard Marsanne (100% Marsanne)
This 100% Marsanne displays distinctive aromatics of crushed fresh almonds, honeydew melon, quince and crème fraiche. The wine is viscous without being too oily, exhibiting lush flavors of apricot and peach, marzipan, toasted hazelnuts, good underlying minerality and balanced acidity. Pair this wine with lobster, pork, chicken, mildly spicy foods, smoked trout, and hard, aged cheeses.

McCrea Cellars 2008 Sirocco Blanc, Boushey Vineyard (40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne, 10% Picpoul)
A classic case of “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts” — these four wines, all fermented in neutral French oak barrels, are interesting and distinctive by themselves but superbly enhance one-another in this Côte du Rhône blend. This delicious, complex wine is a favorite of many chefs because of its tremendous versatility.

McCrea Cellars 2008 Grenache Blanc, Boushey Vineyard (100% Grenache Blanc)
There is only one acre [of Grenache Blanc] in production in the Northwest, so this is truly a McCrea exclusive. The vines are sourced from the famous Beaucastel vineyard in the Rhône, via Tablas Creek. The wine is fresh, crisp, and fruit-driven, with wonderful acidity — a perfect match for shellfish or Asian cuisines.

Get a Taste of the Destination

 One of Dick Boushey's favorite hangouts in wine country is the new Wine O'clock Wine Bar in Prosser. Wine O'clock showcases wines from Bunnell Family Cellar and RiverAerie, accompanied with classic bistro menu items featuring artisan pizzas and locally sourced daily specials. Thank you to Chef Laurie Kennedy for sharing the following recipe.

Wine O'clock's Caramelized Onion Pizza

2 large Walla Walla sweet nions, thinly sliced
1 C Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 T Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Pizza Dough

Put onion in sauté pan with olive oil. Over medium/low heat, gently cook onions about 40 minutes until caramel color, stirring occasionally. They will cook down quite a bit.

Brush dough with olive oil and spread onions over the pizza. Season with salt and pepper.

Add cheese and bake at 400 degrees until bubbly.

Washington Wine Country Collection

Collaborative Regional Ad Campaign Reaches Over 2 Million

 Gather in Washington Wine Country was a highly creative and targeted cooperative advertising campaign that ran from May-July 2010. The campaign brought together 30 partner organizations in the Washington wine and hospitality industry, including wineries, hotels, restaurants, attractions, and regional organizations, with the primary goal of increasing tourism in Eastern Washington’s vineyard region.

The campaign launched with a comprehensive 24-page insert in the June, 2010 issue of Seattle Met titled The Amazing Taste Trail! Five Summer Road Trips through Washington Wine Country, a comprehensive guide to travel through Yakima Valley, Prosser Wine Town, Red Mountain, Tri-Cities in Columbia Valley, and Walla Walla Valley featuring wineries, restaurants, hotels, driving distances and directions, activities, wine country recipes, and more. The campaign extended from there with advertisements highlighting each region in Seattle Met print and online, Horizon Air, The Seattle Times online, KWJZ 98.9 radio and online, and travelwashingtonwinecountry.com.

This cooperative advertising program far exceeded expectations in terms of:

• Impressions: Over 1 million per month for two months
• Reach: two months of multimedia advertising - print, radio, and online – throughout the Greater Seattle area
• Numbers of companies and organizations interested in participating: double the number originally expected
• Advertising value for each partner: a percentage of the cost of buying the same amount of advertising individually for far more impact, appearing in ads as part of an exciting, dynamic region to visit and explore

To date, there have been numerous wineries and travel based companies and organizations working separately to promote their own products and services designed to push wine-related tourism in Washington State. However, the overwhelming response to this campaign proves that as our economy changes and competition for wine and culinary tourism dollars intensifies, there is a growing interest to work collaboratively to promote tourism to the vineyard region as a whole, leveraging the strengths and resources of each organization to build a strong and vibrant marketing presence.

Mark Your Calendar

Please submit upcoming events to events@winecountrywashington.org.

September Events

9/1 - Barnard Griffin's 5 for $5 at 5pm - 5 for $5 at 5pm (until 7pm) in our Richland Tasting Room. Savor tasty nibbles while you pick 5 different wines to sample from a unique selection of 15 wines from our cellar with authoritative commentary by our wine specialists. A great way to spend an early evening! Taste our Reserve Wines which have limited distribution outside of the winery. A tasting fee of $5.00 will be refunded upon purchase of any Tulip label wine and a $10.00 tasting fee will be refunded upon purchase of any Reserve wine. Visit www.barnardgriffin.com.

9/3-9/24 -  Honor Roll Tastings at L'Ecole No 41 - Experience a one-of-a-kind private tasting in the cellar of the historic Frenchtown Schoolhouse on Friday afternoons from 2 pm until 3 pm. Reservations only. Visit www.lecole.com.

9/4 -  Grown to Greatness Summer Tour Stop - Come break bread at Hightower Cellars — bread made from the yeast on our grapes.  Leslie Mackie, founder, co-owner and head baker of Macrina Bakery, and Kelly and Tim Hightower, owners and winemakers of Hightower Cellars, introduced an artisan bread made from grape yeast cultivated from Hightower Cellars estate vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  We will tell you the whole story when you visit us and taste the Hightower's carefully crafted wines along with selected cheese pairings. In addition, you will receive a discount on our two estate wines, Murray Red Mountain Syrah and our newly introduced Out of Line Estate Wine. Visit www.hightowercellars.com.

9/4 -  8th Annual Harvest Party at Silver Lake Winery - The Party of the Year! Join us in celebrating our 8th Annual kick off to our Harvest season with this fun-filled, amazing event. Live music, Grape Stomping and Limbo Contests, lunch and delicious Ice Cold Vinoritas! Enjoy our Tropical retreat in the Vineyard!  Visit www.silverlakewinery.com.

9/4-9/6 - Labor Day Celebration at Maryhill Winery - Soak up the last of summer and join the festivities at the annual Labor Day celebration, September 4-6 at Maryhill Winery. Sway and dance to free music on the arbor, dig into mouth-watering BBQ, enjoy free tastings and stock up on your favorite Maryhill wines! The music line-up, playing from 1-5 pm daily includes: Saturday - Wayman Chapman; Sunday - RaChiChi ; Monday - Carlyle.  Visit www.maryhillwinery.com.

9/11 - Chateau Champoux's Grape Stomp - Join the fun for the 5th Annual Grape Stomp Event. Bring your three person team, your enthusiasm, your bare feet and stomp for prizes, trophies & bragging rights. $45 for stompers, includes entry into the stomp, t-shirt, wine tasting, & BBQ lunch prepared by the Tip Pit Crew. $35 for non stompers, includes BBQ lunch, wine tasting & cheering privileges. Visit www.chateauchampoux.com.

9/11 - Quincy Valley Balloon & Wine Festival - Quincy Valley Balloon & Wine Festival, 5-9 p.m. Held at “Parties on the Green” at Twin Firs Turf in Quincy, WA. Enjoy viewing hot-air balloons, fine wines, beer, food, dancing and live entertainment at this family-friendly event. Tickets to the wine/beer garden are $20 per person and include 8 tastes of wine and a souvenir glass. Tickets can be pre-purchased at www.wenatcheewines.com, or at the event. (509) 669-5808. Visit www.wenatcheewines.com.

9/11 - Tagaris Vineyard Trip to Wahluke Slope- Due to popular consumer demand, The First Annual Vineyard Trip to the Tagaris Estate Vineyards in the Wahluke Slope AVA has been scheduled for Saturday, September 11. The trip will leave from Tagaris at 9:00am heading off to the vineyards via motorcoach with Starbucks and Danish in hand. First stop will be Tagaris’ newest vineyard, organic Michael Vineyard. Winemaker Frank Roth and his staff will pour barrel samples of each grape variety in each varietal block. The second stop is at King Fuji Ranch, home to one of America’s largest Fuji apple plantings with more than 1.5 million trees. King Fuji is also home to 6-year-old Alice Vineyard, where Mourvèdre, Counoise, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Malbec are grown. Smaller groups will split up to tour the orchards and the vineyards, with barrel samples and grape and apple-picking along the way. The final stop will be at the 26-year-old, old-vine Areté Vineyard. Visit www.tagariswines.com.

9/11 - Fiesta at Lake Chelan Winery - In celebration of our wonderful Wine Club Members, we are throwing a fabulous Fiesta on Saturday, September 11, 2010 from 5 to 9 PM! We will have: Live Music from the Steamers starting at 5 pm, Traditional Mexican Buffet, Tasting of New Releases, Barrel Tasting, and Games for the Kids. Adults Entrance Fees: Wine Club Members are Free, Children 13 and under are Free, Guests of Wine Club Members: $15.00 ; Public: $25.00. If you would like to volunteer at any of the winery events, please call the winery at (509) 687-9463 and ask for Lynn. Visit www.lakechelanwinery.com.

9/17 - Three Rivers Music on the Deck with Snap Crackle Pop - There is nothing better than music, wine and food in a picturesque vineyard setting. Table seating is limited. Picnic dinners from CrossRoads Steakhouse available to purchase starting at 5:30pm. Visit www.threeriverswinery.com.

9/18 - Harvest Lunch at Dunham Cellars - Join the Winemaking Team for lunch at Dunham Cellars. We'll start with a winery tour, which is in a WWII airplane hangar. Then enjoy a casual lunch paired with our wines and the chance to see 'crush' in action. Visit www.dunhamcellars.com.

9/25 - Greener Living and Harvest Celebration at Snoqualmie - Snoqualmie Winery, a Washington leader in the production of sustainably and organically grown wines, invites the public to celebrate the fall wine harvest and the natural quality of the Northwest at its third annual Greener Living & Harvest Celebration on the winery grounds in Prosser, WA. Visitors can enjoy locally sourced bites paired with Snoqualmie’s organically produced Naked wines, listen to jazz music from the Vintage Reserve Jazz Band, and browse the offerings from green-focused local vendors. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit www.snoqualmie.com.

9/25 - Winemaker Dinner at Dunham Cellars - Join the Winemaker for dinner at Dunham Cellars. We'll start with a tour of our winery, which is located in an old WWII airplane hangar. Then enjoy an elegant 5-course meal paired with our award-winning wines. Visit www.dunhamcellars.com.

9/25-9/26 - Annual Kiwanis Wine Country Trek - Imagine vineyard after vineyard with every color of grape you can envision, red delicious apples just being picked off trees, hop fields, cherry orchards, nearly a dozen different wineries, gently rolling hills and 120 miles of amazing sun soaked fun. This is the setting for the seventh annual Kiwanis Wine Country Trek, a two day bike trek from Yakima to Prosser and back. All proceeds go to Kiwanis community and youth service projects. Additional Information: This event coincides with the hot air balloon festival, and harvest festival in Prosser. The fully supported ride takes riders to Prosser the first day and back to Yakima the second. Registration includes our famous gourmet dinner, the balloon glow, overnight camping (indoor and outdoor), baggage transportation, meals and break stops. Visit www.applevalleykiwanis.com.

9/25-9/26 - Catch the Crush at Terra Blanca - Bring your glass and enjoy the best Red Mountain has to offer. We are joined this year by Theo Chocolatier Becky Buck Douville, providing us with some tasty treats from our Demo Kitchen. Also joining us for the weekend is Bruce Bjornstad, author of Ice Age Floods. He will be available for book signing as well as accompanying us on vineyard tours throughout the day. Visit www.terrablanca.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.