A Marathon of Wine Tasting Through Wallingford & Ballard - and Woodinville

The last two weeks have been a wine-drinking marathon.  Reds, whites, and more reds.  For many years my wine preferences were seasonal - reds in the colder months, whites and rosés in the warmer months.  But that was years ago, and now it doesn't seem to matter anymore. I'm still a bit of a renegade when it comes to food pairings, however.  Some rules are meant to be broken - either that, or my palate knows no boundaries.  I haven't taken time to figure that one out.  My lack of drinking boundaries is probably what led to the marathon of wine.  Since I'm a Ballardite, I usually drag my bones around the nearby neighborhoods and occasionally venture out to Woodinville, the wine and food Mecca of Western Washington.

So I found myself landing at some old favorites and making a beeline for the barstool.  I'm a fan of tiny bars.  There are a few notable ones around town that are stand-outs (La Carta de Oxaca and Hazelwood in Ballard are the first ones that leap to mind).  Literally four people can sit at these bars.  One of these micro-bars to which I made a beeline is located in Smash Wine Bar in Wallingford, one of my favorites on 45th Street, the main drag.  I can sit there and sip my wine and stare at the wall and no one cares.  Fortunately, they have some delicious Washington wines and because I like to drink local, I usually seek them out.  They cracked open a sumptuous Washington syrah for me on several occasions.  It seems to me that Washington just keeps getting better and better at making this southern Rhone style red blend.

Eventually I found myself at Ray's Boathouse.  I'm not sure how I ended up there, but I do know that even if I was blind I would be able to find my way to Ray's Boathouse.  Neither wind, nor sleet, nor rain...etc.  This time it was for a late lunch, and I can always find a fabulously prepared bivalve or salmon on the menu.  I ordered one of my favorites, the spinach and arugula salad with a 4 oz. piece of coho salmon plunked down on top of the greens.  I could have ordered any kind of red to go with this salad, and an Oregon pinot noir would have been a fantastic match.  But I was compelled to order the lovely Washington sauvignon blanc.  The sauv blanc from Washington is definitely its own style, and very different from the well-known New Zealand sauv blancs, which are famously citrus-y.  The Washington style is crisp and dry, but lacks the citrus tones and reflects the mineraly character of our terroir, which this grape interprets so well.  It was a good lunch, and I had the view for dessert. 

And of course, I couldn't let two weeks go by without slithering up to Woodinville for a couple of tastings.  I enjoyed one of my favorites, the Sur La Mer from William Church Winery, which I tasted in their Hollywood Hill tasting room next door to Purple restaurant.  I also indulged in the stellar Stella Mae bordeaux blend at Sparkman Cellars, also in the Hollywood Hill district.  This and the Ruby Leigh are my perennial favorites among Washington reds, truly impressive blending and attention to detail, good for both sipping and drinking with a meal.  But at some point the marathon ends and it's time to warm up for the next event.  Cheers!

  

Fall Trip to Woodinville in the Sammamish River Valley

Somehow I ended up in the Warehouse District of Woodinville.  How did I get here?  It happened to be a Saturday that found me with nothing urgent on the calendar for the next two weeks.  My curiosity about some Woodinville wines I've been hearing about sucked me like a magnet up to the Woodinville area, which lies in the northern reaches of the Sammamish River Valley on the far northeast side of Lake Washington.  The vast majority of the wineries in the area are found either in the Warehouse District or the Hollywood Hill District.  The number of wineries in the Warehouse District is almost overwhelming, but I was on a mission to find Matthews Winery.  It was easy because it was just a few doors down from William Church Winery, where I needed to stop to pick up another bottle of their Viognier and some other favorites.  I could barely get in the door because they were about to start a winery tour and there were many revelers milling around waiting for the tour.  But it thinned out quickly and I moved into position to prepare for a tasting of the Viognier and their delicious reds.

My Stash From Woodinville     ©Jill J. Smith 2013

Being fully satisfied, I slithered a few doors to the west to land at Matthews.  I had long been curious about this winery, and to my knowledge, have never tasted any of their wines.  I'll just say right out of the chute that my favorite of the wines available for tasting that day was the 2010 Reserve, a red blend of Columbia Valley cabernet, merlot, and just a bit of cabernet franc.  They do a spectacular job of blending because this is one of the most balanced blends I have tasted in a long time.  This is a 15.2% ABV wine, but I wasn't overwhelmed by the higher alcohol content.  The merlot gave it a smoothness from start to finish.  I was also stunned by their 2010 claret, and learned that they are able to use the word "Claret" on the label because they were using the term before the law changed in March 2006, when the US and EU signed an agreement prohibiting the use of the term on the label unless a winery's use of the term was grandfathered in under the agreement.

I always go in person to Woodinville to pick up my wine club releases instead of having them shipped to me.  I typically learn bushels of information from the tasting room staff wherever I go.  Matthews' tasting room is tiny, but the wines available for tasting are anything but that.  They also have another tasting room on the road up to Hollywood Hill which I have yet to visit.  Having just tapped the tip of the iceberg about Matthews Winery wines, both red and white, there is much more to know, as they have a premium line known as Tenor, which I didn't taste, but I'll be back!

Belltown, 1st Avenue, Exit Strategy

As I emerged through my escape hatch, which takes me down 1st Avenue in Belltown, I decided to decompress at one of my favorite classic Seattle hideouts.  The court proceeding at the King County courthouse was exhausting, so I made a beeline down 4th Avenue and dropped down Seneca to 1st.  I was just in time for happy hour at Queen City Grill, where I could collect myself and gird my loins for the next battle.  This has long been one of my favorite spots in the city, and it remains so.  Perfect for decompression after a harrowing court appearance.

Queen City Grill makes some of the drop-dead best salmon and mussels in the city, and that's saying a lot because there is quite a bit of competition, especially in the Pike Place Market area.  They almost always have some wild mushrooms on the menu, which are locally sourced because there is no shortage of wild mushrooms around these parts, especially on the Olympic Peninsula.  And now it's chanterelles.  Could there be a better tonic with which to decompress?  That and the amazing northern Italian wines they offer.  They have some amazing Barolos and Barbarescos (not by the glass), which is the perfect complement to those chanterelles.

Once, about 26 years ago, I camped out on Slumgullion Pass in the San Juan National Forest in Colorado, elevation 11,530 ft.  My campsite was in a spruce-fir grove just off the summit of the pass, which straddles the Continental Divide.  It was October so the campgrounds in the area were already closed, so I was off in the woods in my tent.  I woke up in the morning and there was a heavy frost on my tent and everywhere else in the vicinity.  The sun was coming up but it hadn't hit the forest yet, and even when it did, there wasn't much sunlight to warm things up because of the heavy forest cover.  I clambered out of the tent and started piling up tinder and kindling to get a fire going.  As I was walking around the woods looking on the forest floor for the perfect sticks, I stumbled upon a small patch of chanterelles.  I couldn't believe it.  There was a delicious breakfast staring me in the face.  And I thought I was going to just make some dense coffee and pack up and go.  No, I was afforded the luxury of having sauteéd chanterelles for breakfast at 11,530 ft., 35ºF, in a spruce-fir campsite in October, while the aspens were still golden.  This is my fond chanterelle experience, and I've revered them as a religion ever since.

So with my fondness for chanterelles, I was drawn like a magnet to the dark den that is Queen City Grill in search of the Holy Chanterelles.  And I was not disappointed.  The ones in Washington are much larger and a paler orange color than the ones on Slumgullion Pass, which were smaller and bright orange.  But the flavor remains the same - savory and tender.  After finding my religion, the court hearing that day was almost a distant memory.  If you can't be eating chanterelles in October on the Continental Divide, eating them with an Italian wine at Queen City Grill in Seattle is the next best thing.

6,000 Year-old Wine Found in Greece

Wow... This is stunning:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/02/6000-year-old-wine-greece_n_4027039.html

6,000-Year-Old Wine Found In Greece; Ancient Samples May Be Oldest Unearthed In Europe

The Huffington Post  |  By Meredith Bennett-Smith Posted: 10/03/2013 8:41 am EDT  |  Updated: 10/03/2013 8:41 am EDT

Vancouver - Vacation Skills Act II, Scene I

                                        ∫  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ • ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∫
And now I'm in Vancouver BC, where I cannot practice law.  Whew.  I set out this morning to find out what's happening in the BC wine scene and I learned plenty.  While plodding around some of the downtown neighborhoods of Vancouver, I turned in to Liberty Wines and found a BC rosé tasting going on.  Stunning is all I have to say about that.  If it was a blind tasting I would have guessed Provence.  I don't claim to be an expert wine taster, a sommelier, or a vinologist, but I have been told by several different people that I have a more sensitive palate than most.  I'm not sure how that translates to knowing a lot about wine, but I do know that there are a wide range of flavors among all varietals, I know what I like, and that's what I tap into.  These BC rosés mostly looked pale salmon-colored, tasted dry and complex, and it was apparent someone was paying attention to detail.  The Okanagan has in many ways a climate similar to eastern Washington for growing grapes, with the cool nights especially being a great benefit.  It shows.

Progressing further down my urban wine trail, I next turned into a nice little bistro called Whet where I had the pleasure of experiencing more delicious BC wine from the Okanagan Valley.  I started with some lovely Kusshi oysters from the BC coast and paired them with a glass of Poplar Grove Chardonnay from Penticton, a sub-area of the Okanagan VQA.  It had a nice, not-too-oaky silkiness and a dry finish.  Then I progressed to a succulent piece of wild salmon on a bed of wild greens with strawberries and goat cheese and combined it with the Black Hills Sauvignon Blanc from the Oliver area, another subarea of Okanagan just south of Penticton.  This one had the characteristic mineral and steel of this varietal, but drier overall than the chardonnay.  Both were stunning and a tribute to the styles.

Kusshi Oysters in Vancouver            ©Jill J. Smith 2013       

I also had the pleasure of discovering Kettle Valley wines, and the 2009 Pinot Noir was surprisingly delicious.  It is definitely a BC style, which to me differs from the Oregon style.  It was produced from grapes grown in the Lazy Dog vineyard in Penticton, the Elgert vineyard in Okanagan Falls, the Hayman and Trovao vineyards in Naramata and the Thibault vineyard in Summerland, according to their web site.  This is a light, elegant style with almost no tannins.  It seems to have a lighter structure than Willamette pinot noirs.  I am a giant fan of Oregon pinots, but they definitely have some competition in BC.  Good luck coming over to my living room and expecting to try a glass of the Kettle Valley pinot.  I can't guarantee there will be any left.  This is the type of wine I might stash under my desk when churning out a late night brief.  Woe to my opponents if that happens.

Aaaand...Scene.

Kettle Valley Pinot Noir and Sauvingnon Blanc      ©Jill J. Smith 2013

Warming Up My Vacation Skills

This doesn't happen very often - I am taking the week off.  This is my summer vacation.  My last summer vacation was in October 2009.  Yeah, I've taken a few days off here and there, a long weekend now and then, or a quick getaway to BC, but not a real vacation.  The current summer vacation started yesterday and it was very confusing.  Since I am a workaholic, I wasn't sure where to start.  It is a real syndrome that is only exacerbated by the mandatory technology like the "crackberry," the iPad, and gmail.  Not to mention tweeting, which has got to stop.

But one thing I was not confused about was that I would have a beverage, and by beverage I mean wine, duh.  Since one of my missions while on vacation is to be able to be unplanned and spontaneous as much as possible, I tooled around Ballard and found Skillet Diner for a late lunch.  I learned that they prefer to serve Washington wines, which I was pleased to hear.  I had a Washington sauvignon blanc with a very tasty Cobb salad, which I highly recommend (if you haven't noticed already, I am a proud day-drinker).  It was a nice place to drop into in the middle of the afternoon, as they have an open-air dining room, at least during the warm weather, a mandatory long diner counter that doubles as a bar, and a partial view of the kitchen.  Late afternoon was a good time to banter with the staff as it wasn't super busy and they were happy to shoot the breeze with me.  This is a good thing.  I don't know if most of my bartenders know this, but I view them as my therapists most of the time.  Say what you want.

In the next day or two, I am going to Woodinville for my next episode of slithering around the wine bars and tasting rooms.  Since it has been dark and stormy lately, I am anticipating less slithering and more planting my drinking elbow in only a couple of lounges.  I am tardy in picking up my wine club shipment from William Church Winery, another of my favorites and a winery with a very pleasant tasting room.  They focus mostly on reds, but they do a beautiful Viognier.  This shipment includes the 2010 2 Spires, a Syrah/Cabernet blend, and the 2010 Sur La Mer, their flagship, Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blend, perfect for fall sipping or pairing.  I'm already warming up my culinary thought process so I can determine which tasty slab of protein I want to prepare to go with these beauties.  Now I have enough time to do that.

King Estate Winery to Hold Fundraiser for Raptor Center

http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2013/09/14/king-estate-winery-to-hold-fundraiser-for-raptor-center/

Washington Wines Earn Top Honors

http://www.greatnorthwestwine.com/2013/09/13/washington-wines-earn-top-honors/?utm_content=buffer66783&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

Aspen Homeowner Sues Jordan Vineyard & Winery Over Rental During Food & Wine Classic...and Loses

Food & Wine Classic Home Rental Lawsuit: Why Jordan Winery Fought Back and Won

http://www.winebusiness.com/blog/?go=getBlogEntry&dataId=121368

Bringing The Wine To Portland, Oregon - NY Times

An interesting article about Portland urban wineries.  I will be heading down there to slither around the tasting rooms, you know.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/travel/bringing-the-wine-to-portland-ore.html?_r=0

Winery Ordinance Changes Unveiled - Santa Barbara County

Winery ordinance changes unveiled

Oh Joy, The Planets Have Aligned!

I'm definitely not known for histrionics, but it is that time of year again when I received my Sparkman Cellars wine club shipment, so this means my long litigation nightmare is over.  Well, not really, because there is new litigation on the horizon.  But receiving my shipment marks the beginning of the fall wine-drinking season.  I'm not really sure what the planets are doing, except surely Mercury cannot be in retrograde.  Nor is the moon full on this day.  This must be why I received my shipment from Sparkman just in time to retire to my nerve center and lick my wounds.

This fall shipment included the inimitable 2011 Ruby Leigh and Stella Mae which never last long in my lawyer cave (note: I did not say "man cave" because I am not a man).  It also included the luminescent 2012 Lumiére Chardonnay (three of them!), which will most likely be the first one I pop open while the weather is still warm.

And what red wine should I drink during a thunderstorm (which we should be having over the next few days)?  Why, the 2011 Rainmaker Cabernet Sauvignon, of course!  Alas, only one bottle was included in the shipment, so since I am the rainmaker in my firm, it is mandatory that I hoard that one bottle all to myself, and pick the most fierce thunderstorm during which to drink it.  Now that's alignment, folks.

So, where was I?  Oh yeah, the shipment.  I also received two bottles of the 2011 Ruckus Syrah, which I am very excited to try because, of course, the fabled Darkness of 2008 was a Syrah and received a 93-point rating from Wine Spectator, so I am anxious to do a comparison.  The tasting notes from Sparkman's web site say that: "Ruckus takes the wild game, bramble, stone and smoke of Red Mountain syrah and fuses it with the black fruit, cedar, cigar box and iron of Red Mountain cabernet sauvignon to produce a rich, supple, layered soulful goodness." 

It's not a direct comparison because Darkness is 100% syrah grapes and Ruckus is mostly syrah but is blended with some cabernet. The 2010 Ruckus was 89% syrah 11% cabernet sauvignon and received 94 points from Wine Spectator.  I have no reason to believe the 2011 will not be equally spectacular.  I'm looking forward to some roast bison with with the 2011 Ruckus Syrah.  I'm not sure how many people will be able to taste any of these wines with me since I will likely be hoarding them.  But who knows, if the planets align, I might be completely willing to share! (But not during a thunderstorm).

Ballard - In a "Brewery Bubble" - MPLS Star Tribune

From rundown and out of favor to hot spots with cool drinks: The brewery effect in 6 cities

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/214284401.html

Is Blue Moon a Craft Beer?

Blue Moon Beer is Not What They Want You to Think it is

www.salon.com/08/09/13/dont_buy_blue_moon

Canadian Pinot Noir - Okanagan Valley

As you can see from the photo, this bottle is empty.  I drank the whole thing myself because I didn't want to share it.  Don't worry, I bought more than one bottle, so other people were able to partake.  This was a stunning 2008 Pinot Noir from Prospect Winery, Okanagan Valley (yes, that's the Canadian spelling) VQA called Fats Johnson Pinot Noir.  On a recent trip to British Columbia, I ducked into a wine shop in downtown Victoria first thing in the morning while looking for breakfast and I found this gem.  Of course, the pinot noir grape is most associated with Oregon and the Burgundy region, but at least in the Northwest, B.C. wines, especially pinots, are slowly becoming higher profile it seems.

But I haven't seen any sold in the U.S. - you must sojourn to British Columbia or Alberta to purloin this gem.  And by purloin, I don't mean you should literally steal it, but I do mean the Fats Johnson Pinot Noir is a steal at $18.99 $Canadian.  The label claims that this wine boasts bright cherry and strawberry notes which mingle with a delicious hint of spice, that it is medium bodied and highly versatile - perfect with a range of foods or delicious on its own.  I agree with everything in that description.  And it seems to have a distinctive style quite different from Oregon pinot noirs.  This is a great sipping wine, but was also spectacular with seared scallops.

The Okanagon Valley is a Canadian VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) region in B.C.  VQA is the regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the high quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines crafted under that system in B.C. and Ontario, similar to DOCG in Italy or AOC in France.  I long to try other B.C. pinot noirs.  I ran across a venue that offers vineyard tours in B.C. called Salt Spring Vineyards, so next time I wend my way up to Vancouver Island I plan to look them up.  They aren't in the Okanagon Valley, they are on an island between Victoria and Vancouver, but they also make a pinot noir and I'm intrigued.

A Quick List For Decompression

Some of my favorite decompressing or AWOL spots around north Seattle:

74th Street Alehouse - Phinney Ridge
-A convenient tavern with good lunch menu in a great neighborhood
Hilltop Alehouse - Upper Queen Anne
-A fireplace in the back, friendly staff, and great views from Queen Anne Hill
In The Red Wine Bar - Phinney Ridge
-One of my favorite all-time decompression bars with a fireplace, great atmosphere, excellent wine and food
The Beer Authority - Lake City
-A bottle shop with many good craft brews in an under-the-radar neighborhood
Smash Wine Bar & Bistro - Wallingford
-Perfect location for decompression if you're heading west on 45th Ave. through this classic Seattle neighborhood
The BalMar - Ballard
-This is one of my favorite lounge lizard habitats - a no-brainer for decompression in Ballard

Oregon Brewing Co. v. Rogue 24

ROGUE v. ROGUE 24

Read more about this lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, from the Washington Post here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2013/04/29/oregon-brewing-co-sues-rogue-24-for-trademark-infringement/

Bell's Brewery v. Enbridge - MI Brewery Lawsuit Against Pipeline Pollution

New Beer Lawsuit Could Spell Trouble For Keystone XL Pipeline (via Clean Technica)

Bell’s Brewery, which bills itself as the oldest and largest brewery in Michigan, has just filed a lawsuit against the company Enbridge and if that name doesn’t ring a bell, think back to July 26, 2010 when an Enbridge pipeline broke and spilled…

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Woodinville Tasting Rooms

As if I needed another reason to escape to Woodinville, I go for the tasting rooms.  I've found that there are many tasteful tasting rooms around Woodinville, some spare, some elaborate; some fun, some sophisticated.  I like the ones with big chairs I can sink into and it's nice to have a few small bites available.  And I really love it when there is a bar I can sit at because it's easier to shoot the breeze with the folks pouring the wine when it isn't too busy.

@jjsattorney Lounge Lizard Native Habitat © Jill Smith 2010

One of the most beautiful and functional tasting rooms in Woodinville in my opinion is the lovely Novelty Hill-Januik tasting room.  Weirdly, it's one of my favorites even though it doesn't have the big chairs to sink into, and it's usually always busy, so not much breeze-shooting going on.  But it helps that Novelty Hill wines are among my favorites in Washington.  The tasting room is an airy, expansive open space with the tasting bar central to the room.  There is no bad view there just like there is no bad wine there.  Tasteful tasting surroundings!  The earth tones, wood, and metal give it a soothing Northwest feel and give it a style all its own that is different from most rooms in Woodinville.  It also has a large outdoor patio that is just what the doctor ordered during our fabulous Northwest summer.  And if I have the luxury to be AWOL from the office in the middle of the week, they have an event every Wednesday in the summer called "Wednesday Wine'd Down" with live music, small bites, and by-the-glass and bottle specials.

But I especially like the fact that Novelty Hill's Stillwater Creek estate vineyard became the first Columbia Valley AVA vineyard to become certified "Salmon Safe" in 2007.  Stillwater Creek, according to Novelty Hill's website, is located on the Royal Slope of the Frenchman Hills area of the Columbia Valley AVA.  Salmon Safe certification for winegrowers focuses on reducing runoff from hillside vineyards and enhancement of native biodiversity on vineyard sites.

Near Steamboat Rock State Park © Jill Smith 2009

Columbia Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) is the largest AVA in Washington, and the Frenchman Hills are located to the south of a desert habitat management area and form the southern boundary of the Ancient Lakes sub-area within the AVA.  We're lucky to have such an amazing environment and natural resources in Washington, but protecting habitat so the ecosystems can be sustainable is a must so that we don't lose what we have.  More vineyards in Washington should try to become certified Salmon Safe.  It makes the wine taste just a little better to me.

So as a lounge lizard, my habitat consists of comfortable tasting rooms that help me decompress, give me a great view, and give me one great excuse to get out of the office in the summertime during our long days and short nights, and the Novelty Hill-Januik room does not disappoint.

In 2007, Stillwater Creek became the first Columbia Valley vineyard certified “Salmon Safe” for environmental practices that help protect water quality and habitat for wildlife and fish, particularly native Northwest salmon. - See more at: http://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/wines/vineyards/#sthash.WuJ9tDoS.dpuf

In 2007, Stillwater Creek became the first Columbia Valley vineyard certified “Salmon Safe” for environmental practices that help protect water quality and habitat for wildlife and fish, particularly native Northwest salmon. - See more at: http://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/wines/vineyards/#sthash.WuJ9tDoS.dpuf

In 2007, Stillwater Creek became the first Columbia Valley vineyard certified “Salmon Safe” for environmental practices that help protect water quality and habitat for wildlife and fish, particularly native Northwest salmon. - See more at: http://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/wines/vineyards/#sthash.WuJ9tDoS.dpuf

Ballard, The Nerve Center

My nerve center lies within the vascular web of Ballard, which is probably on its third or fourth reincarnation ever since it was annexed by the City of Seattle in 1907.  Since I keep a rather tight schedule, I often find myself grabbing a late working lunch within walking distance of the nerve center.  There is no shortage of food and beverage joints within walking distance, so I really don't have far to go.  Many of them don't open until 4:00 or 5:00, however, which is a little late even for a late lunch.  But one of my favorites, the very old but wise grande dame of Ballard, Hattie's Hat, is open for lunch.  Hattie's has allegedly been around (apparently in the same location) since 1904, when Ballard was still a separate municipality.  Below is an example of the type of liquor license Hattie's enjoyed. 

My Pavlovian response to the pressure cooker environment of litigation is a short trek down Ballard Ave. to Hattie's.  Anyone who has lived in Seattle or Ballard for more than a minute has probably discovered Hattie's.  For me, the place can do no wrong.  I've been known to have an adult beverage at lunch, making Hattie's the perfect place for a 2:00 lunch to release the steam from the pressure cooker.  The last thing I would call it is a "wine bar" (dive, hole-in-the-wall, diner, lunch counter, yes, but not a wine bar) but as it turns out, they actually have a few very drinkable wines on the beverage list.  But I am particularly impressed that they have Anchor Steam on the list, my favorite beer in the whole world.  As long as Hattie's exists, I will be walking there for lunch.

But sometimes the litigation pressure cooker continues on through the end of the day, in which case I am in no mood to walk very far.  I put my reptile skills to good use in these situations and merely slither a few yards across the street to the BalMar, which doesn't open until 5:00.  But if I'm unable to let off steam until 5:00, it provides the perfect venue and has everything I need at that point - a dark room, smart and conversational bartenders, a lounge atmosphere, small bites, good wine, or any kind of cocktail concoction I can come up with.  They have a great list of their own handmade cocktails, but I like to get creative all by myself, which helps to unshackle me from the straight jacket that is the litigation practice.

I don't know how the downtown Seattle attorneys do it.  Talk about pressure cooker!  Yes, they may have a glorious view from a 30th floor picture window, but it's unlikely any of them see fresh air until they leave for the day.  And they definitely can't walk down the street to Hattie's Hat for lunch or soothe the nerves in the dark interiors of the BalMar at happy hour.  Lucky me.

Bastille Day

Here is a quick history on Bastille Day:  

http://bastille-day.com/history/French-Revolution

Summer in the City

Thanks to the weather in Seattle this weekend, this has turned out to be a great weekend to hang around the city.  In fact, this weather has been going on all week, so it's been a great few days to tool around the city and explore new places.  Earlier this week, after dropping off some papers with the court downtown, I stumbled upon Vessel, a nice citizen's lounge near the federal courthouse.  They don't announce wine as their specialty, in fact it's more of a cocktail lounge.  So I was surprised to find that they had a spectacular rose from Washington on their by-the-glass list.

It was from the Purple Star winery from Richland, a winery I never heard of until this week.  I thought it was a Provence rose (I'm picky about my roses): dry, pale, interesting.  Until the bartender showed me the label.  I didn't know what grape they used, but I could tell it wasn't a 100% Sangiovese or Cabernet.  It was more subtle than that, and I was left feeling like it was one of the Provence grapes like Cinsault, Grenache, or Syrah, or some combination.  So I looked it up.  This little Purple Star is 85% Syrah and 15% Cabernet, a combination that gives depth and interest.

If you're out and about the city, go find that Purple Star rose at Vessel.

Woodinville - My Personal Wine Parlor

Being a high-strung professional, I find Woodinville Wine Country to be a very soothing place to which to escape.  It's an easy drive from the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle and there are many ways you are rewarded while you're there. 

Last weekend when I was in Woodinville, I made a beeline to the Hollywood Hill district because I needed to pick up my second trimester wine shipment at William Church Winery, one of several wineries that offer comfortable tasting rooms in Hollywood Hill.  But as I was slithering around the wine parlors, I took a peek around the corner from William Church and I discovered a tiny bistro hiding out in the shadows in the back corner of the row of wineries.  Le Petit Terroir was there, staring me in the face.  Since I'm incapable of turning away from a challenge, I went in.

 It's a tiny place with only a couple of indoor tables and several outdoor tables, so the indoor tables were full.  But it was hovering around 88º that day, so the outdoor tables in the shade with bountiful umbrellas looked inviting.  The owners came out to greet me and tell me about their place.  This, despite the fact that they were still recovering from a busy lunch and an even busier dinner the night before.  And they were just leaving for the day, so it was quite a nice gesture.  A close encounter with an owner or chef makes any place enjoyable and memorable.  They told me about some of their favorite wine finds and how they focus on Italian wines (despite the French name). 

I especially enjoyed a conversation with Chef Jason after the owners left.  Since it was growing late in the afternoon and most lounge lizards were seeking air conditioning, there were just a few people there.  He took the time to explain the thoughts behind the menu and the fact that they make their own charcuterie right there in that little bistro.  Even the pancetta and prosciutto! 

The conversation progressed on to the topic of wines coming out of Washington state.  As I was biting into a crostini, he disappeared momentarily and returned with two partially filled balloon glasses of Washington red wine.  He handed one to me and said "taste this."  We swirled and tasted a delicious bold, dry red.  I remember liking it quite a bit, but I don't remember if I uttered a verbal response at that point.  My brain was starting to melt like hot brie.  At that point the conversation could have continued on for hours. 

I finished up my rosé and plat du fromage.  But before I left, Chef Jason invited me into the kitchen to witness the charcuterie "cave."  He told me he made all the charcuterie himself and I have to say, I was impressed.  Making truly delicious cured meats takes finesse and patience, and it was clear that Chef Jason was passionate about the craft.

I was starting to succumb to the 88º heat (in the Puget Sound area, this is a sweltering heat wave that causes great anxiety among the population and gives people delusions of Death Valley).  So my slithering came to an end.  Not enough hours in the day.

Footnote: I just discovered Woodinville Zip, and while it doesn't apply to me, it is definitely something I would take advantage of if I was in one of the local zip codes.  Woodinville Zip offers some behind-the-scene opportunities to people who live in the neighborhoods around Woodinville.  It's like being a member of numerous wine clubs all at once.

French wine on 4th of July eve?

Hey, NSA, I'm a traitor.  Guess what I'm drinking on this fine Sunny Seattle Afternoon of July 3, 2013?  A French Cote de Provence rosé - the 2012 Miradou.  A dry, affordable, delicious summery wine.  Label says it's bottled in Sorgues, France.  Sorgues is just a stone's throw south of the legendary Chateauneuf du Pape area and just a stone's throw north of Avignon.  I found this little gem at Savour in Ballard.

The flaw in my traitorous theory is that French wine most likely played a large role in the founding of our nation and the American revolution.  Thomas Jefferson was a lush for Bordeaux, and how many times did Benjamin Franklin solicit the help of the French leading up to 1776?  I think everyone lost count.  But you can't say French wine didn't have something to do with Franklin's influence on the French and vice versa.  So, thank you French rosé, for making my 4th of July so pleasurable!

Final thought: We're all in this together.  Pick your poison.

Back In The Saddle

It has been some time since I wrote anything on this blog.  In fact, I haven't written anything for about three years.  Ugh.  I blame it on Congress.  What else are they good for?  Seriously, it's John Boehner's fault.  But in reality, it is due to the rigors of my litigation practice that has sucked up all my time for far too long.  My clients thank me for it.  But the courts have these silly things called deadlines and due dates, and I am nothing if not punctual.  I'm not 100% Type A, I'm more of a Type A/Type B hybrid, but I am good at meeting deadlines.  Since I last wrote, Washington passed a new law privatizing its liquor stores and restructuring the industry.  So there are lots of new wine and liquor stores around Seattle and all around of our neck of Cascadia.  Many things have changed in a short three years.

But enough about me.  What wines have you been drinking lately?  Great.  Back to me.  I have to talk about my latest wine favorites.  And about the last few times I slithered around Woodinville.  If you are what you eat, I am a grape.  Which one?  Probably a grenache, I don't know.

I'm a big fan of Sparkman Cellars, no mystery to anyone who knows me.  My five-year-old niece even knows.  We were drawing the other day and I drew a wine glass and inked in the sketch with a dark purple crayon. Then I asked her what I drew.  She said "Sparkman wine."  True story.

I have been a "Ring of Fire" member of the Sparkman wine club since its inception and I did not know that they made a Pinot Noir.  There aren't many Pinot Noirs that seem to come out of Washington wineries, so I was surprised.  Hot weather dominating the news, I was sniffing out lighter, summery wines, and I didn't really have red wine on my mind, even though I gravitate towards the reds.  Lately I've been entranced by rosés.  But when I tasted the Sparkman pinot, I was taken aback.  It was a nice, light, airy red that goes well with 88º weather in Puget Sound.  I just don't want a heavy red in the summer when my mollusk nature prefers shade in the mind-squelching heat of the global warming sun.  I felt like I could drink their pinot with a Kansas City barbeque brisket, with oysters and mussels and manila clams, and with barbeque salmon.  I don't know.  It was like a cross between a nice delicate pinot noir and some kind of rich, Provence-style rosé.  And this is not just the heat exhaustion talking.  I took home a few bottles.  I'm now riveted on the concept of Washington pinots.  I'll be digging into this more in later posts.

So, rosés.  I'm kind of a Provence purist when it comes to rosés.  But what about Washington rosés?  Gilbert Cellars and Waters Winery are two of my favorites.  If you see these on a menu this summer, these are definitely worth ordering if you like the dry Provence-style rosé.

I have a Court of Appeals deadline tonight, so I'm going to switch over to my legal analysis personality now.  More about rosé as soon as I can take off the lawyer hat.