I've enjoyed discovering wine tasting in Clark County. I hope you've enjoyed discovering it with me!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
I've long been wanting to attend wine tasting at the Rusty Grape Vineyard's and was not disappointed last Friday the 14th when I took a group of friends with me to check it out. There were twelve of us, and everyone loved it. I've heard from several of my friends that they plan on going back. It was friendly and fun and one of our new favorite places to go. Great Reviews!
Rusty Grape Vineyards is family run by Heather and Jeremy Brown who add a personal touch to their Tuscan themed tasting room. Everyone working the tasting was enjoyable and so
personable you felt like a neighbor stopping in. The grounds are scenic and accented by an enchanting courtyard and welcoming patio.
This local vineyard is a great example of a local Clark County winery with a cozy atmosphere, friendly people and good wine.
My favorite wines for the evening were the Sangiovese and the Strawberry wine. And just for fun, there was jewelry for sale so I bought a pretty freshwater pearl and citron necklace.
Bonus!
Their tasting room is open every Friday from 4:30-8:00, Saturdays varying from 12-5:00 or 8:00 and Sundays by Appt. (see calendar of events)
Check it out!
Rusty Grape Vineyards is family run by Heather and Jeremy Brown who add a personal touch to their Tuscan themed tasting room. Everyone working the tasting was enjoyable and so
personable you felt like a neighbor stopping in. The grounds are scenic and accented by an enchanting courtyard and welcoming patio. This local vineyard is a great example of a local Clark County winery with a cozy atmosphere, friendly people and good wine.
My favorite wines for the evening were the Sangiovese and the Strawberry wine. And just for fun, there was jewelry for sale so I bought a pretty freshwater pearl and citron necklace.
Bonus!
Their tasting room is open every Friday from 4:30-8:00, Saturdays varying from 12-5:00 or 8:00 and Sundays by Appt. (see calendar of events)
Check it out!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Friday March 7th I, along with two of my wine tasting accomplices, went to the Salut! tasting of Spanish wines. While I've been to Salut! numerous times to attend the Wine 101 class and to buy wine, this is the first of their wine tastings I've been to.
We had a great time. Not surprisingly, the the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. We arrived around 6:45 so the tasters were well on their way to having a great time. The owner, David Gray, was behind the counter helping pour as well as mingling in the crowd getting feedback from the tasters. Along with the staff, two canine buddies were there to greet the wine crowd. Regretfully, I didn't get their names but they were friendly and showed me where their treat jar was located. It was almost as if
we were sharing a couple bottles of wine with a group of friends in someone's living room rather than a business.My favorites for the evening were the Burgant 2006 Albarino for $12.99 a bottle, Alto Almanzora 2005 Este for $8.99 a bottle, and my very favorite was the Bodegas mas Alta 2005 Artigas Priorat at $39.99 a bottle (Spanish .. I don't know what they are either except white, red, red.) Besides the flavorful wines offered at wine tasting David has a comprehensive and eclectic selection of wines for sale. A great selection to choose from and all have been taste tested!
On Saturday I took a couple friends and drove out to Bethany Vineyards. Unfortunately there is a "Closed 4 Remodel" sign in the driveway. I guess that would explain why the 'events' page on their website is blank right now. There is a general message on the web page that their tasting room is open on Saturdays from 11-6 so when they re-open I will make it a point to go to one of their tastings. It's in a scenic area and looks like a great place for a spring Saturday.
Since we were unable to taste the Bethany wines we decided to try one of the other wine venues listed on the blog. We chose Vinetopia. I was well aware that Vinetopia was a different atmosphere for wine tasting. My impression of Vinetopia is a postmodern wine ATM machine. The wine tasting room is located off the side of the restaurant in Cinetopia. The walls are lined with bottles of wine behind glass. In order to taste the wine of your choice you purchase a plastic card for $3 and add money to your balance. Then you insert your card in the slot above the wine of your choice, push the little red electronic wine button and it dispen
ses an accurate ounce for a predetermined dollar amount ranging from $1.40 to $12.00 into the wine glass you're holding under the spout. It's all very mechanical and antiseptic. (Cold and impersonal). There wasn't anyone there hosting or available to tell us about the different wines, and there wasn't information posted about the wines available. However, there were two computers available if you so chose to look things up. (Just what I want to do when wine tasting).I wasn't able to take any photo's of Vinetopia for the blog as I was told absolutely no photos, but have attached a link to the photo I could find on their website. Vinetopia. And for your viewing pleasure have attached comparison photos of Salut! and Vinetopia.
I'm sure Vinetopia has a specific clientele; those that know what wines they want to taste with no frills involved, or those that don't know any better. Clearly, Vinetopia isn't my cup of tea (glass of wine).
Monday, March 3, 2008
Due to the high attendance at the wine tasting event Friday last (February 29th) at Discount Tobacco and Wine I am once again compelled to sing their praises. South American wines were featured. My two favorites for the evening were a 2007 Cono Sur Organic Chardonnay from Chile and a 2006 Punto Final Malbec from Argentina. Both were reasonably priced at around ten dollars per bottle.
True to the ongoing theme of Clark County wine tasting there were tasters of all ages and varieties, (over twenty-one). There were beginning tasters, social tasters and a few experts in the room, including the owner, Rich Franklin who deemed himself the "Willy Wonka of Wines" for the night. Possibly because of the afore mentioned generous pour, almost comparable to the everlasting gobstopper.
I saw one taster in his sweats, most in jeans and a few in slacks but the overall impression for the evening was an across the board enjoyment of the wines in a casual atmosphere.
Because themes have not been discussed thus far in the blog I want to list some upcoming events:
March 7: K'Syrah, "First Friday: featuring Zinfandels (5 wines), 5-8 pm $10, dinner $25.00
Salut! Spanish Wines (7 wines) 5-8 pm, $10
Rusty Grape, 4:30-8 pm
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Argentinean Wines, 6-8 pm, $10
March 8: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8
March 14: K'Syrah, Pinot Noir, CA vs. OR, (5 wines), 5-8 pm, $10, dinner $25
Salut! Cost + 10% (18 wines), Friday 5-8 pm $10, Sat. 12-6 pm $5, Sun. 12-5 $5
Rusty Grape, 4:30-8, Live Music!
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Gooleridge Wines, 6-8 pm, $10
March 15: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8
March 19: Salut: Wine 101, 7-9 pm, $35
March 21: Rusty Grape, 4:30-8
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Gnarly Head Wines, 6-8 pm, $10
March 22: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8
March 28: Rusty Grape, 4:30-8
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Zin Night, 6-8 pm, $10
March 29: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8, Italian Wine makers dinner
April 4-6: English Estates, Grand Re-Opening, complimentary wine tasting
To follow: Additional events from Bethany Vineyards and Discount Tobacco & Beverage
Cheers!
Marcie
True to the ongoing theme of Clark County wine tasting there were tasters of all ages and varieties, (over twenty-one). There were beginning tasters, social tasters and a few experts in the room, including the owner, Rich Franklin who deemed himself the "Willy Wonka of Wines" for the night. Possibly because of the afore mentioned generous pour, almost comparable to the everlasting gobstopper.
I saw one taster in his sweats, most in jeans and a few in slacks but the overall impression for the evening was an across the board enjoyment of the wines in a casual atmosphere.
Because themes have not been discussed thus far in the blog I want to list some upcoming events:
March 7: K'Syrah, "First Friday: featuring Zinfandels (5 wines), 5-8 pm $10, dinner $25.00
Salut! Spanish Wines (7 wines) 5-8 pm, $10
Rusty Grape, 4:30-8 pm
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Argentinean Wines, 6-8 pm, $10
March 8: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8
March 14: K'Syrah, Pinot Noir, CA vs. OR, (5 wines), 5-8 pm, $10, dinner $25
Salut! Cost + 10% (18 wines), Friday 5-8 pm $10, Sat. 12-6 pm $5, Sun. 12-5 $5
Rusty Grape, 4:30-8, Live Music!
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Gooleridge Wines, 6-8 pm, $10
March 15: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8
March 19: Salut: Wine 101, 7-9 pm, $35
March 21: Rusty Grape, 4:30-8
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Gnarly Head Wines, 6-8 pm, $10
March 22: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8
March 28: Rusty Grape, 4:30-8
Vanc. Gift & Wine Cellar, Zin Night, 6-8 pm, $10
March 29: Rusty Grape, Tasting Room open 12-8, Italian Wine makers dinner
April 4-6: English Estates, Grand Re-Opening, complimentary wine tasting
To follow: Additional events from Bethany Vineyards and Discount Tobacco & Beverage
Cheers!
Marcie
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Friday the 22nd of February I attended the wine tasting featuring Italian wines at K'Syrah in Camas. I was with a friend who really tastes the wines while I generally drink them, decide which one I like the best and go back for more of the same. This is how the first comments went:
"I'm disappointed already."
"Really? I like it, it's so cute! Look at the candles, and the colors they've painted the walls, very cool place."
"I think your pour is bigger than mine."
"It says here each pour is one and a half ounces."
"Hmm, I don't know about that. How can they say it's tasting from Northern Italy and not include wines from ..." and then I quit listening because I don't know the different regions of Italy and was pretty sure I wouldn't retain them at that time.
This is a good introduction to the different levels of wine tasting. In my experience there are three to four levels of wine tasters. There is the beginner who is a little, maybe a lot, intimidated by the whole wine tasting arena. This is because they've heard the expert wine taster speak. We'll get there in a minute. The newbie is just learning the different wines and generally prefers to start with the sweeter wines and you hear, "Oh that's a good one, what kind of wine is this?"
The social wine taster (this is me) will know the different wines, will have a preference to different wines and wineries, but will still drink everything else. You will hear these type comments from the social wine taster, "Oh, I like that wine, I was hoping you'd have it tonight," and, "No thanks, I don't like Syrah, I'll just taste the Pinot again." And maybe even, "If you don't want the rest of that, I'll finish it."
Then there are (in my opinion) at least two levels of the expert wine taster. These guys know their stuff, where the grapes come from, when they are harvested, how long the wine should age, etc. This is what you overhear with the expert wine tasters, "It's aging well. I think it'll be good in about ten years." Ten years? Yeah right. Like I can let a bottle of wine sit in my house for ten years. Good luck with that! The expert wine taster will comment on the hint of oak and rosemary in the wine giving it a slight woody flavor with a fruity finish. They may even refer to the wines they dislike as 'swill'. Which I don't believe is an actual technical term of wine description.
K'Syrah seemed to cater to the newbie and social drinker, at least on the wine tasting event I attended. Much like it's counterpart, Salut!, K'Syrah is a little wine shop with weekly wine tasting events on Friday nights. The wine tastings are ten dollars for a flight (a flight is a taste of each one of the wines from the selection for the evening) and twenty-five dollars for dinner. We didn't have the dinner the night I went however, a friend of mine and her husband have previously gone for dinner and were able to buy a bottle of wine off the shelf (at the store price, not a restaurant price, so it is a better deal) and drink it with dinner.
Check out the link for K'Syrah and enjoy!
"I'm disappointed already."
"Really? I like it, it's so cute! Look at the candles, and the colors they've painted the walls, very cool place."
"I think your pour is bigger than mine."
"It says here each pour is one and a half ounces."
"Hmm, I don't know about that. How can they say it's tasting from Northern Italy and not include wines from ..." and then I quit listening because I don't know the different regions of Italy and was pretty sure I wouldn't retain them at that time.
This is a good introduction to the different levels of wine tasting. In my experience there are three to four levels of wine tasters. There is the beginner who is a little, maybe a lot, intimidated by the whole wine tasting arena. This is because they've heard the expert wine taster speak. We'll get there in a minute. The newbie is just learning the different wines and generally prefers to start with the sweeter wines and you hear, "Oh that's a good one, what kind of wine is this?"
The social wine taster (this is me) will know the different wines, will have a preference to different wines and wineries, but will still drink everything else. You will hear these type comments from the social wine taster, "Oh, I like that wine, I was hoping you'd have it tonight," and, "No thanks, I don't like Syrah, I'll just taste the Pinot again." And maybe even, "If you don't want the rest of that, I'll finish it."
Then there are (in my opinion) at least two levels of the expert wine taster. These guys know their stuff, where the grapes come from, when they are harvested, how long the wine should age, etc. This is what you overhear with the expert wine tasters, "It's aging well. I think it'll be good in about ten years." Ten years? Yeah right. Like I can let a bottle of wine sit in my house for ten years. Good luck with that! The expert wine taster will comment on the hint of oak and rosemary in the wine giving it a slight woody flavor with a fruity finish. They may even refer to the wines they dislike as 'swill'. Which I don't believe is an actual technical term of wine description.
K'Syrah seemed to cater to the newbie and social drinker, at least on the wine tasting event I attended. Much like it's counterpart, Salut!, K'Syrah is a little wine shop with weekly wine tasting events on Friday nights. The wine tastings are ten dollars for a flight (a flight is a taste of each one of the wines from the selection for the evening) and twenty-five dollars for dinner. We didn't have the dinner the night I went however, a friend of mine and her husband have previously gone for dinner and were able to buy a bottle of wine off the shelf (at the store price, not a restaurant price, so it is a better deal) and drink it with dinner.
Check out the link for K'Syrah and enjoy!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Clark County has developed its own atmosphere for wine tasting. It’s a deliberately quaint and laid back atmosphere in the ‘Couv. Upon review of the interviews thus far, Tommy O’s, Salut, Discount Tobacco and Wine, and Rusty Grape Vineyards, clearly the presentation of the wine atmosphere in Clark County is consistent. ‘Couv residents can walk into a wine tasting, a lounge, or a store knowing either a little or a lot about the wine, wearing either jeans and a t-shirt or slacks, tennis shoes or black high heeled boots and their dressed up or dressed down attitude fits in either way.
Jeremy, one of the owners of Rusty Grape Vineyards in Battle Ground, stresses the rustic Tuscan atmosphere they have developed at their winery. Rusty Grape Vineyards is open to barrel tasting and a wine tour anytime, without appointment or ceremony. “We’re not one of those places that want you to taste the wines and leave,” he states, “we encourage you to open the bottle, sit, relax and drink it here, take your time.” Besides wine and good times, Rusty Grape Vineyards offers free WiFi, “We get people in here with their laptops enjoying a bottle of wine sometimes even for a couple hours.” Sounds like Starbucks has some competition! Let’s see, wine or coffee?
Rich Franklin of Discount Tobacco and Wine states that they make their wine tasting events casual by design, presenting an event less intimidating to new wine drinkers. They also provide an educational setting, sharing information about wineries as well as information about different wine regions that interests both the novice and experienced wine drinkers.
David Gray of Salut!, voiced that same opinion in his interview. Vancouverites are here to enjoy the wine. Our atmosphere is different than that of Portland; we’re not here for the show, we’re here to enjoy the wine.
Tommy O’s is an example of a locally owned restaurant that offers a casually elegant atmosphere where the clientele can enjoy a selection of great wines at reasonable prices.
Vancouver has come into it’s own. Clark County residents need not cross the bridge into Portland or drive miles to Yakima Valley, Willamette Valley, or the Gorge to find a friendly place to get advise on which wines to buy, a quality and educational wine tasting event, or a quietly refined bistro to enjoy a bottle of Zinfandel. With wine tasting events offered weekly at numerous wineries and shops in Clark County we can enjoy being wine connoisseurs in our own backyard.
Jeremy, one of the owners of Rusty Grape Vineyards in Battle Ground, stresses the rustic Tuscan atmosphere they have developed at their winery. Rusty Grape Vineyards is open to barrel tasting and a wine tour anytime, without appointment or ceremony. “We’re not one of those places that want you to taste the wines and leave,” he states, “we encourage you to open the bottle, sit, relax and drink it here, take your time.” Besides wine and good times, Rusty Grape Vineyards offers free WiFi, “We get people in here with their laptops enjoying a bottle of wine sometimes even for a couple hours.” Sounds like Starbucks has some competition! Let’s see, wine or coffee?
Rich Franklin of Discount Tobacco and Wine states that they make their wine tasting events casual by design, presenting an event less intimidating to new wine drinkers. They also provide an educational setting, sharing information about wineries as well as information about different wine regions that interests both the novice and experienced wine drinkers.
David Gray of Salut!, voiced that same opinion in his interview. Vancouverites are here to enjoy the wine. Our atmosphere is different than that of Portland; we’re not here for the show, we’re here to enjoy the wine.
Tommy O’s is an example of a locally owned restaurant that offers a casually elegant atmosphere where the clientele can enjoy a selection of great wines at reasonable prices.
Vancouver has come into it’s own. Clark County residents need not cross the bridge into Portland or drive miles to Yakima Valley, Willamette Valley, or the Gorge to find a friendly place to get advise on which wines to buy, a quality and educational wine tasting event, or a quietly refined bistro to enjoy a bottle of Zinfandel. With wine tasting events offered weekly at numerous wineries and shops in Clark County we can enjoy being wine connoisseurs in our own backyard.
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