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/