A Note from the Editor

I've learned a lot in my first six months at Washington Wine Country – from how to operate the copy machine to current trends in the industry – and one of the biggest sources of inspiration and education has been this very newsletter. So as I begin to take over its writing, I want to first thank Jackie Thai for introducing me to the world of Washington wine, and for her ongoing work and support of wine country as well as our organization.

To my surprise, another thing I’ve gained is a new appreciation for white wine. L’Ecole Semillon, Waters Viognier, Poet’s Leap Riesling – just to name a few – these beauties have elevated my summer meals to a whole new level. I now realize that crisp, fruity whites are no less than perfect for cheese-and-fruit picnics, crunchy salad lunches, and grilled salmon dinners on the deck.

Just a few weeks ago, I shared my love of Washington whites with some friends, by opening up a bottle of Olsen Estates Chardonnay that I picked up on a recent visit to their elegant tasting room. With casual swirls and quick sips, their eyes popped in unexpected glee.

Welcome to Washington Wine Country!

Leslie Jackson
Communications Director
Washington Wine Country

The Rise of Riesling in Washington State

Surprise: Washington State is the largest producer of Riesling in the United States, with over 4,000 acres of this aromatic grape. One of the first varietals planted here, its quality and popularity are on the rise.

 “I’ve been making Riesling since 1981 and the ones that sold best then were sweeter,” says Rick Small, Chairman of the Washington Wine Commission and owner of Woodward Canyon Winery. “Now that the buyers and public have grown up, Woodward Canyon's Riesling style is drier and probably more Alsatian. The vines are old and making fabulous wines. The good news is now there's a market for it.”

This white grape, originating from the Rhine region in Germany, dates back to the 1400s and earlier and is used to make wines that range anywhere from bone-dry to quite sweet – even sparkling white wines. Riesling exemplifies the role that sugar and acid play in a wine’s overall balance, qualities that give it the potential to age well. With time, the wine acquires a petrol or diesel-like aroma.

“The process of making white wine such as Riesling is very delicate,” says Gilles Nicault, Winemaker for Long Shadows Vintners, producer of Poet's Leap Riesling. “You have to be a much better winemaker to make good white wine, and a connoisseur of the grapes. Riesling is such a diverse variety. You can make Riesling from grapes that are ripe, very ripe, or even moldy – each bringing a different winemaking style to your wine.”

Riesling has long been popular among wine aficionados for its ability to reflect the individuality of its terroir and for its cellar longevity, but today, surprisingly, this historic wine also appeals to the younger set. Chateau Ste. Michelle is now the world leading producer of Riesling, and its Columbia Valley Riesling is the country’s best-selling. Head Winemaker Bob Bertheau attributes much of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s success to the desires of the millennial consumer group. 70 million strong and growing, these are the young adult children of "boomers" who are buying wine at a breakneck pace and want something different from the oaky, high alcohol wines that their parents drink. “Riesling fits that niche. Young and friendly and fresh and fruity. The millennials don’t remember bad Riesling; they’re starting with a fresher palate, and they want something vibrant and different.”

Other Washington wineries are targeting that same demographic. Charles Smith Wines “Kung Fu Girl” Riesling from Columbia Valley, a classic Riesling, was marketed at $12 a bottle with the tagline, “Riesling and Girls Kick Ass!” Similarly, Pacific Rim Winemakers, owned by Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, last year purchased land near Red Mountain and created a winery exclusively dedicated to Riesling, with the hip, cool motto, “Riesling Rules.”

So is this Riesling renaissance just a trend in Washington or will it last? It’s a question of timing,” says Rick Small. “I tried unsuccessfully to make a dry Riesling ten or twelve years ago but people just weren’t ready. American wine buyers are more sophisticated now and the winemaking and grape growing has gotten much better. It’s clear now that the quality of Riesling is absolutely fabulous and some of those Washington locations bring about a very specific minerality. The public has embraced it and I’m just delighted.”

A handful of Washington wineries have even partnered with some of Europe’s most accomplished winemakers to create premium Riesling wines. In 1999, Chateau Ste. Michelle began a collaboration with Germany’s famous winemaker Dr. Ernst Loosen to create Eroica Riesling. Today, the winery produces 600,000 cases a year of this top-scoring wine, which Food and Wine Magazine calls “Simply one of the best produced in the U.S."

In a similar partnership, Long Shadows Vintners’ called upon Armin Diel, proprietor of the renowned Schlossgut Diel, to make their Poet’s Leap Riesling. “We handpick all of our grapes, to keep the freshness and crispness of the grapes, and then we have Armin Diel help us make a vibrant, lively Riesling that’s not too dry, not too sweet, with a natural acidity,” says Nicault. However, even at such a high level of quality, he recognizes that there are still some marketing challenges. “People always say 'I don’t like sweet wine’ and you have to tell them it’s not sweet. The challenge is to change their minds about what Riesling actually is. But the increase in sales every year is incredible – it’s exponential.”

Overall, the future is looking bright. “The consumer continues to go up and down like a yo-yo, " says Small. "But the history for me and wine has been close to 30 years and I’ve always seen cycles. Nice, beautifully made Riesling could slow down while another variety jumps into the forefront. But it is such a wonderful wine with food – with its beautiful, crisp acidity – and I think people are really appreciative of that. I’m optimistic.”
 

Facts & Tidbits

Did you know?

“Over the last year, AC Nielsen data shows that Riesling is the fastest-growing white varietal (for the third year in a row), and the second fastest growing of all varietals. Indeed, Riesling sales have increased an amazing 54 percent over the last three years. This is good news for the folks in Washington State, where Riesling has long been a staple in their grape growing arsenal.”

Source:  Pacific Sun, July 7, 2008
 

Living Wine Country

Along the Wine Road

Music in the Vineyards

Great wine, live music, warm sunshine, could there be a better way to spend your summer?
Check out the host of summer concerts throughout Washington Wine Country.


Balsamroot Winery
Jazz on the Crush Pad: Thursday evenings at 7:00pm, bring a picnic supper and kick back to live jazz music at Balsamroot Winery. Featuring The Bob Soost Trio on July 24th and Trio Deluxe on July 31st.
For more information, visit www.balsamrootwinery.com.


Bookwalter Winery
Bookwalter Winery hosts a series of jazz concerts from 6:00 to 10:00pm. Check out their August music schedule and learn more about the winery at www.bookwalterwines.com. 




Maryhill Winery
Maryhill Winery features “Live Music on the Arbor”
every weekend, all summer long. Enjoy a variety of musical styles including jazz, blues, alt country, flamenco guitar, and more. Their 4,000 seat outdoor amphitheatre offers sweeping views of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge, enchanting lovers of wine, music, and the great outdoors. For more information, visit www.maryhillwinery.com.



Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla
Geoff Tate, the lead singer of Queensryche, will be doing his first solo gig in six years on September 29th at Three Rivers! Playing music from his solo album as well as some Queensryche songs, he will be 'plugged in'. Get ready for the event of the summer! Tickets are $100 per person and include a picnic dinner and logo wineglass. For more information, visit www.threeriverswinery.com.



Tsillan Cellars
Every Wednesday through Sunday from 6pm-9pm, Tsillan Cellars offers an Italian experience of world-class wine, food and music among the vines, featuring a variety of acoustic & vocal talents, with special guests on certain Friday and Saturday evenings.  For more information,
visit www.tsillancellarswines.com.

Get a Taste of the Destination

Try this Pacific Northwest Pairing

As with other white wines, dry Riesling is generally served at a cool 52°F, while sweeter Rieslings are often served warmer. Riesling is a versatile food-friendly wine that pairs beautifully with Pacific Northwest cuisine – fresh sushi, spicy Thai, or these scrumptious Dungeness crab cakes.

Dungeness Crab Cakes (Serves 4)

1 pound shelled cooked Dungeness crab
1 large egg
1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup fat-skimmed chicken broth
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon salad oil
Mandarin chutney
Salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl, beat egg to blend. Add crab, bread crumbs, green onions, bell pepper, broth, and mustard. Gently shape mixture into 8 equal patties.
2. Pour 1/2 tablespoon oil into a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add half the crab cakes and cook, turning once, until cakes are browned on both sides and seafood in center of thickest part is opaque but still moist-looking (cut to test), 6 to 8 minutes total. As cakes are cooked, transfer to an ovenproof platter and keep warm in a 200° oven. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to pan and cook remaining cakes.
3. Serve crab cakes with mandarin chutney and salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Sunset, January 2001

Washington Wine Country Collection

Wine Country Celebration Raises $415K to Promote Washington’s Wine Country Region

More than 600 people attended the 6th Annual Wine Country Celebration and Grand Gala on June 20-21, raising $415,000 for Washington Wine Country. The weekend of events included a concert by Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist Steve Tyrell, Winemaker Dinners in the Vineyards, and a Grand Gala Benefit Dinner and Auction at the DeAtley estate in Yakima. The winemaker dinners sold out well in advance, a success that is reflective of the caliber of wineries, winemakers, chefs, and sommeliers involved. The winemaker dinners featured:

Hedges Family Estate on Red Mountain
With winemakers from Hedges Family Estate, Col Solare Winery and Mark Ryan Winery, and Chef Philip Mihalski of Nells Restaurant

Olsen Estates in Prosser
With winemakers from Olsen Estates, Long Shadows Vintners and Mercer Estates, and Chef Ken Sharp of El Gaucho

Sheridan Vineyard in Zillah
With winemakers from Sheridan Vineyard, Fidelitas and Stevens Winery, and Chefs Roy Breiman and Justin Sledge of Salish Lodge and Spa

Northstar Winery in Walla Walla
With winemakers from Northstar Winery, Pepper Bridge Winery and Spring Valley Vineyard, and Chef of Mike Davis of 26brix

The Grand Gala Benefit Dinner and Auction was the highlight of the weekend, featuring Chef Jason Wilson of Crush Restaurant and well-known Sommelier and Wine Director Jake Kosseff. The event raised $380,000, including $47,000 from 41 donors in a “Raise the Paddle” auction and $63,000 in sponsorships from 13 different companies. These funds will go to support a variety of programs to promote winery tourism and year-round culinary travel to Washington’s vineyard region, including a collaborative regional public relations campaign, dynamic marketing programs, and initiatives to spur economic growth and revitalization of the region.

“Even in today’s struggling economic climate, over 600 people from around Washington State came together to show their support and raised over $400,000 for this non-profit,” said Allen Shoup, the event’s Co-chair and owner of Long Shadows Vintners. “That figure begins to show how much statewide support there is for Washington Wine Country’s mission of revitalizing the communities and economies of Eastern Washington through leveraging the rapidly growing wine industry and agritourism culture.”

Mark Your Calendar

Please submit your upcoming special events or regional events to events@winecountrywashington.org and we will post them in our next issue.

August Events

8/1-9/25 - Shocking Art at Waterbrook Winery - Local multi-media artist Jon Davis captures static electricity in a unique and fascinating method. The artist reception is free and open to the public from 6-8pm. For more information, call (509) 522-1262.

8/2 - Masquerade Anniversary Party - Celebrate Masquerade Winery's First Anniversary along with the other wineries of The Winemakers Loft. Live music featuring Highway 12. $5 cover at the door. Food available for purchase. Wines by the bottle and glass. For more information, call (509) 786-1377.

8/9 - Prosser Wine & Food Fair - Nearly 3,500 wine enthusiasts gather for an afternoon of fine wine and local food specialties from 3pm to 9pm. Two bands will entertain you all day as you sample wine from 30 Washington wineries and food from 20 local food vendors. Located at Art Fiker Staduim on Paterson Road. Tickets are $20 pre-sale and $25 on the day of the event. Attendees must be 21 or over. For more information, call (509) 786-4545.

8/23 - Chateau Champoux - Sunset at the Chateau - Chateau Champoux invites you to a Sunset Couples night from 7pm to 10pm, an evening of delightful Greek dishes and superb Cabernet wines produced from Champoux Vineyard grapes. As always, you will enjoy chocolate surprises with their special Port at evening's end. For more information, visit www.chateauchampoux.com or call (509) 894-5005.

8/23 - Snake in the Glass at Rattlesnake Hills - Wine, dine, and dance to great music with all the winemakers of the Rattlesnake Hills Wine Trail! The annual Snake in the Glass Passport Party is an exclusive, invitation-only celebration for everyone who has completed the Wine Trail Passport. Arrive at 6pm at Hyatt Vineyards, listen to the great sounds of Gentlemen Wild while visiting with winemakers and winery owners, and sample exquisite wines. Then, enjoy the scrumptious dinner catered by Birchfield Manor. For more information, visit www.rattlesnakehills.com or call (509) 965-4521.

8/30 - Annual Harvest Party at Silver Lake Winery - Celebrate The 2008 Grape Harvest! From noon to 6pm, this event features a pit roasted Kailua Pig (free samples), ice cold vinoritas, a chance to win prizes in our grape stomping contests, and lots of fun. Featuring live music by the Blue Tropics band, Limbo Contests, Grape Stomping Contests, a blessing of the Grapes, and more. Lunch Available. For more information, visit www.silverlakewinery.com or call (509) 829-6235.

8/30-9/1 - Maryhill Labor Day Weekend Event - Treat yourself to a day of relaxation, live music, beautiful views, and a glass of your favorite Red or White. Have a picnic on our arbor - either bring your own, select items from our gourmet deli, or purchase some from Lazy Pig BBQ. For more information, visit www.maryhillwinery.com or call (877) 627-9445.

View a complete wine country calendar at www.winecountrywashington.org/eventCalendar.aspx.

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