Posts Tagged wine

From my Winemaker Friends…..

Sep 2

I received this press release from illustrious local winemaker Bob Betz about the benefits of drinking wine! (Of course, Bob says he knew it all along). But as we head into this Labor Day weekend, and you’re considering a glass of wine — remember, Washington state wineries produce some of the best red blends in the world, and also keep in mind — ‘everything in moderation.’

Margo Myers, Principal, Margo Myers Communications

CDC Study Recognizes Moderate Alcohol Consumption As One of Four Key Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors
For Immediate Release – 8/29/2011
Contact: Public Affairs
Telephone: 202-682-8840

Washington, DC – A new study by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that moderate alcohol consumption is one of four healthy lifestyle behaviors that help people live longer.

According to the CDC, the four lifestyle behaviors were: having never smoked, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and moderate alcohol consumption. Each was “significantly associated with a reduced risk of mortality.”

The CDC researchers concluded that these low-risk lifestyle behaviors, “exert a powerful and beneficial effect on mortality.”

Additionally, the CDC press release about the study stated: “This study adds to the mounting evidence of the substantial gain in life associated with healthy behaviors, and underscores the need for the clinical and public health communities to work together to promote greater adoption of these behaviors.”

The CDC study, “Low Risk Lifestyle Behaviors and All-Cause Mortality: Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III Mortality Study,” was published recently online in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers analyzed data from 16,958 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III Mortality Study from 1988 to 2006.

The researchers found that each lifestyle behavior was significant in reducing mortality, and found that the greatest benefit was when moderate alcohol consumption was included with the other three lifestyle behaviors. The researchers stated, “using a sample of the U.S. population, we showed that 4 low-risk behaviors exerted a powerful protective effect on mortality and several cause-specific categories of mortality.” They cited a number of studies reporting potential health benefits associated with moderate alcohol consumption including reduced all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The researchers also cited “the well-documented harm caused by excessive alcohol use.”

The study authors pointed to the recommendations of the Federal 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which defines moderate drinking as consuming up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. The Guidelines define a standard drink as 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol) distilled spirits, 5 fluid ounces of wine (12% alcohol), or 12 fluid ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol). Each of these standard drinks contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol.

The Distilled Spirits Council does not recommend that people drink alcohol for potential health benefits and have always encouraged those adults who choose to drink to do so responsibly and in moderation. Even drinking in moderation may pose health risks to some people and some individuals should not drink at all.
Abstract of CDC Study in American
Journal of Public Health

Tags: Bob Betz, CDC, healthy lifestyle, linkedin, Margo Myers Communications, wine

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Vacation’s Over!

Aug 21

Posted by admin in Events

Fun while it lasted. My brother and sister in law, along with their teenage daughter, visited this past week from the East Coast. That explains my absence from the blog — I was too busy simply having fun! Their visit reminded me of why we live in the great Pacific Northwest. Yes, they were here for our hot weather — the 95 and 96 degree days. That meant we were out on Puget Sound, trying to cool off on the water. Another day, we headed to Woodinville for some wine tasting at the many tasting rooms that have sprung up in the past couple of years. From Novelty Hill and Januik, to Chateau Ste. Michelle, to Brian Carter Cellars — we tasted Washington reds and whites, and found some well-priced, tasty wines. Getting back to Seattle took a little extra navigating, since President Obama and his motorcade were in town — and you all know what that does to traffic.

U-district to Uwajimaya. We did the aunt and niece pedicures, visited the UW bookstore (one of my mother in law’s favorite spots), as well as Uwajimaya, 10,000 Villages, and countless stops in between. There’s Snoqualmie Falls, Pike Place Market, shopping downtown — you know the drill. But the variety of places to take visitors is amazing.

Time to catch up. More importantly, it gave us time to catch up with relatives that we don’t often get to see, given we live on opposite sides of the country. Their last visit here was 6 years ago (with only one quick trip in between). We had some great family barbecues, dinner at the mother in law’s, and a nice night out at a local restaurant.

Working anyway. One thing I’ve learned about being in business for yourself — you’re never really off the clock. That meant a few days work even with company in town. There are always emails to answer, the occasional fire to put out, classes to prepare and teach — the list goes on and on. Truth be told — I love it. But I enjoyed my short break while it lasted!

Tags: UW, Uwajimaya, wine, Woodinville

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Will Work for Wine

Jun 14

Posted by admin in Events

Seattle Wine Awards reception. I admit, it’s a rough life at times — volunteering to work in the Washington wine industry. As I mentioned in a previous post, Seattle Wine Awards Executive Director Christopher Chan asked if I would help out and interview various winery owners and winemakers during Sunday’s reception and tasting for award winners at the historic Rainier Club in downtown Seattle. After thinking about it for all of, like 2 seconds, I said sure!

The interviews. I was able to meet and interview upwards of 15 winemakers and owners, and ask them about their award winning wines. Lucky me — I talked to everyone from Freddie Arredondo from Cave B winery near Quincy, (I grew up in neighboring Ephrara), to Darcey Fugman-Small of Woodward Canyon, Ronn Coldiron of Glencorrie, Stevie Johnson of Tertulia, Flint Nelson from Kestrel, Rasa Vineyards’ Pinto Naravane, Robert Smasne of Smasme Cellars and Skylite Cellars, (and who was kind enough to share a bottle of award winning red), as well as Leslie Balsley from William Church Winery and Mike Andrews of Coyote Canyon Winery. (I know there are a couple of others I am unintentionally leaving out).

What I learned. Washington wines are excellent. While I didn’t have time to do as much tasting as I would’ve liked, I did taste some fabulous blends. It’s one of the things Washington winemakers do extremely well. The Rhone-style blends are simply delicious, and if you are a red wine lover, I encourage you to try them if you seldom branch out from your favorite Cab. The blends made from Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Mourvedre and other varietals are, for the most part, done well.

Where to find the interviews. The interviews will eventually be available on YouTube and I will have to find out exactly when they’ll be uploaded. John David Cline did the videography, and I know Ole Thompson, the former sommelier at Wild Ginger, also did a number of interviews. You’re sure to find your favorite winemakers and as soon as they are posted, I’ll attach some links. In the meantime, for a full list of winners, please check out http://www.seattlewineawards.com/, and for you winemakers, I see entry forms are already post for next year!

Tags: Cave B, Coyote Canyon, Glencorrie, Kestrel, Rasa Vineyards, Seattle Wine Awards, Smasne Cellars, Tertulia, William Church, wine, Woodward Canyon

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Efestē Spring Wine Release

Mar 21

Posted by admin in Events

Tis the Season. Local wineries are now releasing their 2007 vintages, and my husband and I are always happy to meet new people. So when we were invited to visit Efestē for their release day in Woodinville, we immediately put it on the calendar. Efestē (think F-S-T — the first initials of the last names of the owners, Daniel and Helen Ferelli, Patrick Smith, and Kevin and Angela Taylor) has a relatively new facility in an industrial area of Woodinville, where not only the wine is made, but the warehouse lends itself nicely to events and entertaining with a kitchen, bar and wide open area in the winery.

The Wines. One of our winery volunteer friends, Jeff, introduced us to Patrick Smith, who was kind enough to make sure we got a taste of the four wines being poured this day. I am in no way a ‘wine expert’ — merely an enthusiastic wine drinker who enjoys trying various well-made Washington wines. We started with the 2009 Feral Sauvignon Blanc — described as a ‘crisp white with a taste of citrus and minerals, and a lingering finish.’ It lived up to its description, but Sauv Blanc has never been my favorite. (Yeah, I admit, I like Chardonnay). Then we moved on to the 2009 Evergreen — a riesling that you could describe as ‘off-dry’ — certainly not sweet. This had a nice touch to it, and once I learned winemaker Brennon Leighton had helped make the Chateau Ste. Michelle ‘Eroica’ when he worked there, I could taste a similar style. (The grapes for the 2009 Evergreen came from the Evergreen Vineyard near George, Washington, and the 2007 Eroica also included grapes from the Evergreen vineyard). This riesling we decided, would pair nicely with Thai food. Next up was the 2007 Final Final, a blend of 56% Cabernet, 42% Syrah, and with 2% Mourvedre to add a hint of spice. It’s smooth with tastes of black plum and clove, and is a mid-priced blend at $25 that’s very easy to drink. Lastly, we tried the 2007 Big Papa — a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon made with grapes from mature Red Mountain vines (including 31% from Kiona, 31% Weinbau, 25% Klipsun and 13% Sagemoor vineyards). Brennan is a big believer in not manipulating the wine, but using great grapes to give his wines big, bold, complex flavors. This one we’ll lay down in the cellar for a few years to allow it to age. One woman tasting the ‘Big Papa’ next to me could only describe it as, “Yumm-oh.”

In the photo left, above: Tasters enjoy the four wines being poured. In the photo to the right: Efestē owner Patrick Smith shows me around the tasting room. In the photo below: winemaker Brennan Leighton explains the complexities of the 2007 Big Papa.

The People. Patrick was a great host, who introduced us to the other owners, Daniel and Helen Ferelli. Daniel and Helen shared some of the ‘back story’ of how the winery came into being, as well as how some of the wines are named. Daniel, who’s Italian, had been making wine in his garage, sharing his passion for wine with his son-in-law Kevin. Daniel and Patrick met through a business connection. When they all got together for dinner — it wasn’t long before a new project was born. They talked with local winemakers, took a trip to Australia to talk to winemakers there, (in fact, the winery’s symbol is Aborigine for ‘kangaroo’) and they came back with a philosophy of ‘not taking yourself too seriously, enjoy your family, friends and anyone else that would like to join you in a glass of wine, breaking of bread and a good laugh.’ Patrick told me that’s what he likes best about the wine business — “people are happy. What’s not to like?” About this time, Daniel grabbed a bottle of their ‘Ceidleigh’ — a syrah made entirely from Red Mountain grapes. Ceidleigh (pronounced KAY-lee) was named after a gal in Australia who was their server at a dinner there. (Helen frankly wanted to know why a wine wasn’t named after her, and she’s getting a namesake soon). Back to the wine. The Ceidleigh turned out to be my favorite. The 2006 Ceidleigh was named #36 of the Top 100 wines by Wine Spectator last year, and garnered 93 points from the same magazine. (Helen told me it was HER favorite, even before it won the acclaim).

The Winemaker. We’d previously met Brennan Leighton at another wine tasting, and enjoyed talking with him. Now we had some time to not only find out his philosophy about winemaking, but we learned that my husband and I lived in Monterey, California at the same time Brennan lived around Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz,where he grew up. All of us love the California Central Coast, and had fun sharing our favorite spots from Half Moon Bay, to Big Sur, to Santa Barbara. Brennan has a very distinct philosophy when it comes to making wine. He says he doesn’t want to be ‘heavy-handed,’ and believes in using great grapes to let the ‘wine make itself.’ He likes the ‘process’ of winemaking, although he admits there’s somewhat of a ‘disconnect’ at times. On this release day, people were drinking the 2007′s, while he had just bottled the 2008′s and was thinking about the 2009′s. Brennan says he’s like the ‘intuitiveness’ of making wine, the creativity as well as the science, and if you throw in the farming knowledge (since every growing season is different), it’s always changing. He’s a likable guy who makes wines you’ll like, and if you haven’t yet tried Efestē wines, you can check them out further by visiting their website at www.efeste.com.

Tags: Brennan, Efeste, Ferelli, release, wine, Woodinville

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Betz Family Winery Release Weekend

Mar 9

Posted by admin in Events

Betz Family Winery Spring Release Update: Betz Family Winery in Woodinville holds two releases a year, and the Spring Release this past weekend was a roaring success by any standard. Not only does Bob Betz make fabulous red wines, about 1300 customers visited the winery for their first chance to taste what they’ve bought, learn more about the wines and Bob’s philosophy, mix and mingle with other customers, and enjoy an afternoon of talking (and tasting) wine. Customers tasted the lightest red wine first, the Petite Rousse, then went on to the Clos de Betz, finishing up with the Pere de Famille. And we noticed that some customers were on a mission — hardly being able to wait to get to the much-anticipated PDF, which is why I’ve listed it first, below.

In the photo to the left – I listen carefully as Bill extols the virtues of the 2007 Pere de Famille. Bill is a longtime volunteer who, (along with Nick), has taken me under his wing and is teaching me the finer points of pouring Bob’s wine for the many customers we meet during release weekends.

In the photo to the right, winery volunteers Robin and Jeff listen carefully to last minute instructions from winemaker/winery owner Bob Betz.

Featuring — 2007 Pere de Famille: This spring’s release featured the ‘much talked about’ 2007 Pere de Famille, a Cabernet Sauvignon blend, that may just be the best wine Bob has ever made. Most Washington state red wines can be laid down for 5-10 years. This one can be cellared for up to 20 years according to the experts, based on the balance and structure of this wine. It features 85% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, mainly from Red Mountain, including the Klipsun, Kiona and Ciel du Cheval vineyards, plus about 7% Petit Verdot grapes. It tastes divine, and my goal is to actually keep it in our cellar for up to 5 years. (20 years would be a stretch at our home). As I mentioned in an earlier post, this wine garnered scores of 95 points from both the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, and I was told this past weekend, that Steven Tanzer mentioned to Bob that it was the best of 600 Washington wines that Tanzer recently tasted.

2007 Clos de Betz: This wine is primarily Merlot grapes (62% compared to 47%), with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot adding their subtle complexity. Bob says, “The result is a big volume Clos, from its glass-coating appearance to its length on the finish. Deep black cherry, plum and exotic spice aromas lead to a rich, ripe and lush mouthfeel. But this is no fruit salad; it’s an integrated, well-knit wine, filled with deep red notes and added depth coming from an increased quantity of remarkable Red Mountain grapes. Fruit from our Horse Heaven and Yakima Valley vineyards added hints of cola, chocolate and minerals enhancing the final blend.”

2009 Petite Rousse, a light, drinkable red perfect for summer. Bob made about 55 cases of the 2009 Petite Rousse – a light, chillable red that we love during the warm summer nights. Bob says, “This year’s version is slightly deeper and richer than the 2008 version because of more Syrah in the blend, just over 50%. The rest is made up of Grenache and a little Mourvedre to complete this Southern Rhone-style quaffer.”
What we love about Release Weekends: The Betz family (Bob, Cathy and daughter Carmen) truly believe each of their customers is special, and as volunteers, it’s our job to share this philosophy with the hundreds of people who come through the winery’s large wooden doors. People are happy to come and taste their purchases, learn about the other wines Bob makes that maybe they didn’t buy this time around, and find out what sets apart this winery from the many others that have sprouted up across the state. (If it sounds like people are buying on faith, they are. That faith is certainly justified by the Betz Family Winery’s reputation for quality and Bob’s consistency in producing fine red wines year after year). I love talking to people about wine, and many customers are very knowledgeable, and ask a lot of questions. We’re happy to track down answers if we don’t know. My husband and I also enjoy getting to know the other winery volunteers. They are a group of hardworking people, devoted to doing their best for the winery, and having fun! Many of them help out in all production phases of the winery, not just release weekends, and know what they are doing when it comes to making great wine.

In the photo on the left, the group of volunteers enjoys dinner after the doors closed, with a few select bottles of wine to be shared with all.

In the photo on the right, Cathy Betz (in the blue shirt and gray vest) recaps the days events with volunteers Bill, Jeff, Angie, Jay, and new assistant winemaker Tyson.

Please check out www.betzfamilywinery.com for more information about their wines. Of course, there are a growing number of wineries around Woodinville that have their own ‘release weekends’ just in case you missed this one. I’ll keep you posted on my next volunteering effort at Bob’s.

In the photo to the right, Greg Kruse, one of the volunteers, with Bob Betz checking out the ‘good stuff’ in the barrels.

Tags: Betz Family Winery, cabernet, Merlot, release weekend, wine

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Celebrate Washington Wine 2010!

Jan 31

Posted by admin in Events

A Great Year – No doubt 2009 will be remembered as a great year for the Washington wine industry. First, Wine Spectator named Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 its “Wine of the Year” ranking it #1 in the world, with a rating of 95. It’s the first time in history that a Washington wine has been named ‘number one’ in the 21 year history of the annual ranking, and the judges went through 17,000 wines before giving the nod to Columbia Crest. Then, Wine Enthusiast named Chateau Ste. Michelle CEO Ted Baseler it’s “Person of the Year” for his work on behalf of the wine industry.

: Margo with host Chateau Ste. Michelle CEO Ted Baseler

Those associated with the Washington wine industry have known that we produce world-class grapes and world-class wines, and now the rest of the world knows it, too. Baseler says the Wine Spectator award has changed the perception of Washington wines, “literally overnight.” And he says the awards are “validation” of our state’s wine industry and the top quality wines we produce.

Celebrate Washington Wine auction – The January 30th auction to benefit Washington State University’s Viticulture and Enology program was a sellout!! Some 200 guests in ‘black tie’ descended on Chateau Ste. Michelle on a drizzly night to celebrate the great gains made in Washington’s wine industry, and they ‘bid wildly’ on everything from fabulous trips, such as an African safari, to collections of top Washington wines, to special winemaker dinners. It’s all to raise money for what WSU is aiming to make into a top flight program in vineyard management and the art of winemaking. In fact, WSU’s program has a new director in Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling. He’s low-key in person, but has big plans for the program with the goal of nurturing young talent and keeping them here in Washington to advance both the science and art of great wine.

Giving Credit – Kudos go to Nancy Harnasch, the event chair, and her great team of volunteers for a terrific evening! A lot of hard work is needed to make such auctions a success, and the positive energy generated by this year’s event creates a buzz to keep “Celebrate Washington Wine” a ‘must-attend’ benenfit. The crowd this year was a mix of both ‘new’ and ’old’ attendees, and it’s always fun to chat with Christopher Chan, the auction reader, (who is the Executive Director of the Seattle Wine Awards, as well as the Director of Wine and Spirits at the Rainier Club). Chan did an awesome job, and played so well off auctioneer Jeff Randall, who is so good at coaxing just a few more dollars out of the pocketbooks of bidders. WSU President Elson Floyd and his wife, Carmento, are always gracious. Also, a number of WSU Board of Regents were there, including attorney Rafael Stone,and his wife, Donna. (Stone and I discovered we share a birthday). Another couple at our table, Greg Porter and his wife, Lauren, found out we all went to WSU during the same years, where Porter played Cougar football. I also visited with Washington Wine Commisson Executive Director Robin Pollard, as well as Greg and Stacy Lill, of DeLille Cellars. Dan Bernardo, WSU Dean of the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, and his wife Pam, as well as Seattle Times publisher Frank Blethen, and his wife, Charlene, also were in attendance, as were a number of other notable bidders out to have some fun, and recognize our state’s wine industry.

Money raised (update) – I’m now learning that this was the biggest auction to date, and that more than $240,000 was raised on Saturday night. I do know that in nine years, Celebrate Washington Wine has raised well over a million dollars for the WSU Viticulture and Enology program. And if you’re interested in attending next year — the date has already been set for January 22nd, 2011!

Please feel free to click on the photos below for the full image. Just a few of the wonderful friends and colleagues attending Celebrate Washington Wine.