Sip Shout Out: Mel's 4 WINE

Mel's Nursery & Home is a must-stop for me when in North Spokane. Not only is Mel's a  full-service nursery and florist, they have tasteful home furnishings and decor items which will have you wanting to adopt their casual yet elegant style.

What's new at Mel's in the ever expanding wine department with an obvious commitment to local wineries. In addition to finding a wonderful selection of Washington Wines you'll discover unique wine accessories and delightful gourmet foods which includes select cheeses, such as Cougar Gold, addicting carmel covered pretzels and interesting flavored crackers.
This may be a perfect place to fill up your picnic basket.



Here is my previously published article on Mel's.

8800 N Division St

Spokane, WA 99208

(509) 467-5132 http://www.shopmels.com/

Mel's circa 1970 (courtesy of Mel's)

In 1970 Mel's was a small fruit stand selling seasonal plants and shrubs. Today it's a garden center but so much more. Great furnishings, unique home décor, espresso and full service florist make Mel's a destination in style. If you have a case of the bah- humbugs, one visit to the legendary Christmas Room will have you spirit in no time.

Mel's is truly where home and garden come together and a place where you can always find something wonderful. It's not a bargain hunt, but if money wasn't an issue I'd buy even furnish my imaginary lake cabin there. But since money does come into play, it is my philosophy is buy a few good pieces at Mel's and fake the rest.

(Published in Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living Magazine, November 2008, best of)

SWANK's newest arrival of designer wine glasses.

New arrival at Swank. Designer wine glasses.

Swank Dictionary Definition:
[swangk] noun, adjective, -er, -est, verb
-noun
1. dashing smartness, as in dress or appearance; style.
2. a swagger.
-adjective
3. stylish or elegant.
4. pretentiously stylish.
-verb (used without object)
5. to swagger in behavior; show off.
-noun

6. a locally-owned stylish, fashion forward boutique making it easy to shop local.

Locally owned, designer clothing boutiques are popping up like Spring flowers in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene. The spotlight is on Swank, a hot and hip boutique relocated in Northtown Square. DeLori Furulie and Jody Jones showcase an eclectic mix from clothing and accessories to home decor and candles. Designer DeLori highlights her own trademarked way cool belt buckles, also carried at several out-of-town boutiques. On a recent visit, owner Jody Jones showed off the latest arrival of Wine Glasses with sassy sayings.

Swank concentrates on 3 important things; Closet, Home and Life.
Here's their story:

     Once upon a time in a land far, far away called Tri-Cities a nice girl named Jody was busy being a police officer. Her love of civil service was rivaled only by her love of fashion. Since the police "Outfits" were so drab she was never without her Chanel sunglasses. Jody found that her friends appreciated her fashion sense so much that she was recruited to shop for and style them.
     This began a fun side job of selling designer clothing at home parties where she met another nice girl named DeLori. DeLori was busy being a soccer mom but her love of fashion and all things fabulous found her making gorgeous belt buckles which were known & coveted through all the land.

     Together, Jody and DeLori dreamed of a place where all things fabulous could be found in one place. They dreamed of a place where girls could find the perfect things to make their own Closet, Home, & Life fabulous.
     Soon, Swank Boutique Fabulous Closet * Home * Life was born. News spread fast through all the land and soon all the girls had their own fabulous closets, homes, & lives. And they all lived fabulously ever after.

This post an updated version of a published articles I wrote for Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living Magazine, Haute Couture Shopped Locally, April/May 2008 and the fairytale is credited to http://www.swankboutique.net/

Chocolate and Wine pairing

Everybody loves the idea of pairing chocolate and wine, and with good reason. It's a dynamic duo which evokes romance. What's not to like? But the flavors of chocolate and wine aren’t always that compatible. Here are some tips for a blissful union.

Chocolate and Wine Sip Tip #1: Pair lighter chocolates with lighter wines; darker chocolates with full-bodied wines. Go from light to dark in your tasting session, starting with milk or lower percentage cacao chocolates and their corresponding wines.

Chocolate and Wine Sip Tip #2:
Suggestive pairings for Milk Chocolate: Merlot,  Riesling (debatable), Sauvignon Blanc and Dessert wines.
Local match ups:
2006 Liberty Lake Cellars Merlot
2009 Barrister Winery *Riesling
2010 Nodland Bebop *Riesling
2008 Robert Karl *Sauvignon Blanc
NV Latah Creek Wine Cellars Natalie's Nectar
2005 Grande Rhone Merlot
NV Mountain Dome Brut

Chocolate and wine Sip Tip #3
Pairings for Dark, Bittersweet and Semisweet chocolate: Zinfandel, Syrah, Tawny Port. Armagnac, and Cognac. If you're looking to pair up Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Sangiovese reds, they need to be well-aged to suitably pair with darker chocolates.

Local match ups:
2007 Arbor Crest Syrah
NV Townshend Vortex
2008 Barrister Sangiovese
2006 Nodland "Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Overbluff Cellars "Latour" Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Whitestone Cabernet Sauvignon.
2006 Robert Karl Inspiritation
2008 Barili Cabernet Sauvignon

* Post note: I received an email from an unknown sender who strongly disagrees with pairing Riesling and  Sauvignon Blanc with Milk Chocolate. I am bringing it up as something to consider. But remember you are entitled to your opinion, as we don't all don't have the same palates. As always, I encourage you to discover your own. Thank you to all those sippers who helped research this post and if you like it together then by all means pair it. Cheers and Nibble, SIP

Forget Love...I'd rather fall in chocolate. Click on the link to find out where chocolate lovers unite locally: http://www.sipofspokane.com/2010/03/forget-loveid-rather-fall-in-chocolate.html

Get some juice between your toes in Leavenworth.

Art Credit: Marco Polo 

Leavenworth Crush Festival

Need to getaway?  Well, Leavenworth is charming and just over a 3 hour drive from Spokane.
And if you go on September 18, 2010 you can GRAPE STOMP in the Leavenworth Festhalle (Downtown Leavenworth). You know you've always wanted to feel juice between your toes.

Enjoy the wines from 30 wineries across the state of Washington. Taste wine and food, listen to great jazz music, stomp on some grapes and enjoy the beauty that is Leavenworth in the fall.

$30 dollars will get you in the door, a glass to take home and 15 tastes of outstanding Washington wines. Don't miss out on your opportunity to get some juice between your toes, and benefit the Leavenworth Civic Center Foundation as you enjoy the bounty of the vineyard.

Tickets are available at http://leavenworthcrushfestival.eventbrite.com Tickets are available from the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, either walk right in and purchase or give them a call at (509).548.5807. This event is for ages 21 and older only.

Contact: Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce

Phone: 509.548.5807

Website: http://www.leavenworthfesthalle.com/

Here's Lucy to get in the grape stomping mood. Love this clip.

Photo Credit: Act Theater

About Leavenworth:  The City of Leavenworth is one of the greatest tourist destinations in Washington State. Nestled in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountain peaks that rise more than 8000 feet, and whereever you are coming from the road to Leavenworth is a scenic drive. 

The "Bavarian Village" is perhaps best known for its incredible year-round schedule of celebrations, festivals and events.

From Kinderfest (just for kids), International Accordion Celebration, Oktoberfest and Christmas Lighting, to Washington State's oldest festival - the famous Autumn Leaf Festival.

Hooray! A day for Cabernet.

Hey, Hey Cabernet!

This Thursday, Sept. 2 is world wide #Cabernet Day. For 24 hours, people around the world will be celebrating the king of grapes on social media sites. Like we need a reason to drink a Cab.
Hmmm....Okay, I'm in.

It’s simple to participate. Drink Cabernet (or Cabernet Franc or Cabernet blends) and talk about them online.

Use the #Cabernet hash tag on Facebook, Foursquare, Gowalla, Twitter and other blogs. Use the hash tag to see what hundreds of others are thinking about what they're drinking.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country. Cabernet is definitely a belle of the ball in Washington.

In Spokane, we do this so very well. Whether Barrister's iconic Cab Franc to Overbluff's trio of Fab Cabs we have no shortage of Cab's to choose from. Barili Cellars sophomore efforts had a Cabernet Sauvignon being the the spectacular standout and Whitestone's Cab Sauv and Nodland's Reserve are coveted in my collection. Liberty Lake Wine Cellars and  Robert Karl have well deserved accolades for their Cabs. Townshend, Grande Rhone, Arbor Crest and Caterina have crave worthy cabs as well.
Yes, in Spokane we have choices. This would be a good day to host a wine tasting party.

 Life is a Cabernet.

We are Sip of Spokane. So it's kinda our job to represent Spokane. Are you in?

Twitter is easy to sign up for at http://www.twitter.com/. Just send quick posts (tweets) about your favorite Cab and within in post have #cabernet so it can be tracked. It's fun to search #cabernet http://search.twitter.com/
Read what everyone is saying about this great grape brings new meaning to the phrase heard it through the grapevine.
Cin Cin, Sip

Great News!

Local wineries want to celebrate Cabernet. Here is what's happening locally on Cabernet Day. (Thursday, September 2nd).

Nodland Cellars will be open from 12-5:30 and is offering a 10% discount on the Walla Walla Reserve Cabernet.

Caterina Winery: The tasting room will be open from Noon - 6pm. They are offering a 10% discount on 1-5 bottles and 15% off on 6+ bottles of our 2007 Cab 90 pts Wine Enthusiast and our 2001 Willard Estate Cab 92 pts Wine Enthusiast.

Overbluff Cellars: The tasting Room will open 3-7 pm and they are offering 10% off all wine. Yes, the reserve is sold out but there are 2 other fab cabs to choose from. 

Latah Creek Wine Cellars: The tasting room will be open 9am-5pm and they are offering a 25% off their Cab blend Vinosity.

Whitestone Winery: The tasting room will be open from noon- 6 pm and be tasting our 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasting fees have been waived.

aNeMone, a beautiful business

A gift from Sip. Local, of course.

I adore the handmade paper flowers from aNeMonE. A local couple, Mary and Nathan Erberle turned a personal touch for their wedding into a successful business. These floral works of art make a perfect addition to wine you are gifting.

Check out www.handmadepaperflowers.com to find out more about this beautiful business.

aNeMone is located in Riverpark Square on the second floor near Nordstrom. This is a delightful shop with special selections for gifts, home and yes, even for your favorite wine.

Photo By Young Kwak

 

 

A DELIGHTFUL shop. (photo credit aNeMonE)

Sip is a locapour.

Atticus Coffee (a relative of Boo Radley's) is my kind of coffee shop.

Atticus Coffee on Wall in downtown Spokane is one of my very favorite independant coffee shops. Located at 222 North Howard Street has the perfect patio, free WI-FI and delcious coffee and baked goods. Not surprisingly its has a cool but quirky style all it's own since the owners are the same owners of nearby Boo Radley's. This is my kinda coffee shop. A unique mix of remarkable wines are available for purchase including local pours and some hard to find wines.

Here is a previous artcile I wrote for the about nearby brother store the way cool BOO RADLEY'S

232 N Howard St (Downtown Spokane)

Spokane, WA 99201

(509) 456-7479

Quirky, witty, defiantly fun and possibly a little naughty is what best describes Boo Radley's, a novelty gift shop, specializing in retro in the heart of downtown Spokane. The selections is...well...random. Boo Radley's is located across from the Looff Carousel in Riverfront Park and the best place to get something you didn't know you were looking for. Brings back fond memories of such things as tin lunch boxes, pez, classic wind up toys and even Gumby.

(Published in Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living Magazine November 2008, Best of)

Day Tripping (Sipping) with Sip and Angela

We are so excited about this SIP TRIP ROAD TRIP! This tour is about the local wine, regional cuisine, appreciating art and experiencing the beer of Pullman, Washington. Best part is the driving is left to our favorite driver, Brian of Alpha Omega Bus tours.
The tour is this Saturday, August 28th and we'd love you to join us on our quest to discover wonderful wine, cuisine, art and even beer from the Pullman area. A backstage pass to a couple wonderful wineries where tasting fees have been waived and delicious discounts secured are all part of the thoughtful schedule. The cost for this winescapade, which includes transportation is only $55 per person. Reservations will be on a first come basis and the quickest secure way to secure your space will be via paypal. Cheers!

CAKE, the new bakery at CHAPS

7:15 AM - We will meet at the Chaps where their lovely newly opened bakery Cake is opening early for us just in case you want to try a decadent pastry to start the day off  with the proper indulgence of a blissful bakery item. Chaps/Cake is located at 4237 South Cheney-Spokane Road Spokane, Wash I-90 west to exit 279 south approx 2.5 miles in the Latah shopping plaza  (509-624-4182). Yes, it's a convenient place to meet for a Pullman trip, but this is also personnel. We really like it here.  

8:00 AM The bus will leave promptly (don't miss the bus) and hit the open road with a planned arrival of 10am at Merry Cellars. IMAGINE...the wine you buy is a journey. Like the open road, each glass awakens you to new possibility. Welcome to Merry Cellars. Meet winemaker Patrick Merry, hear his story and taste the wine he's proud to put his family's name on. The label to the left is from the handcrafted Crimson Red blend that I adore. Yes, you may be thinking it's a vintage WSU Football squad on the label. But it's actually a High School Rugby team from the West side of the state. Merry Cellars makes some sultry Syrahs and I have been wanting to try their limited release Blackberry Merlot. There is no tasting fee and  we have arranged a discount of 10% off a half case and 15% off  a case making this a good time to stock up. Patrick so kindly said he would sample the limited release Blackberry Merlot for us as I am wanting to try it and also mentioned doing something special for us like barrel tasting some upcoming wines.

We will then board the bus and head to downtown Pullman to the Paradise Creek Brewery where we will have lunch, tour and a tasting. Paradise Creek Brewery is the newest brewpub in the state of Washington with the production house in the basement of Pullman’s Old Post Office. Their ales are crafted with some of the finest malts and Yakima hops we can get our hands on. From the lightly malted Dirty Blonde to J-Dub’s English Pale Ale to our creamy yet roasty Postal Porter, the variety of seasonal and perennial ales flowing from the  taps and will make the most demanding beer lover smile. We will have lunch here where they have graciously discounted some entrees for us. Please know you are welcome to eat and drink on the bus and you can pack yourself a picnic instead of eating out.

2:30 PM Next stop is Wawawai (wah- WOW- ee) Canyon winery and art gallery for more sipping. Winemaker Christine Havens will be our host informing us about the winery, wines and art gallery. Wawawai Canyon invites you to reveal in a feast of the senses, taste wine and by inspired by art. The winery has graciously waived the tasting fee for our group.

The gallery currently is featuring the works of mixed-media artist, Io Palmer. Her exhibition, In Three Parts is a collection of mixed-media work created from 2008 to 2010 that explore issues and ideas related to labor, class construction, and the effects this has on personal and social identity. This small lot vinatge winery plans to keep things small...and keep are hands in and on everything they produce.  The wines are only available in our tasting room for the most part, and are offered exclusively to wine club members as pre-releases.

For more information on Wawawai Canyon Winery go to http://www.wawawaicanyon.com/

Activity to be determined- art, bears, oh my!

Dinner: You are on your own to choose your craving. But may we suggest Basilio's Italian Cafe. This is a family owned Italian restaurant located in the heart of downtown Pullman, Washington on Main Street. They offer delicious Italian cusine at affordable prices. Inside the authentically decorated restaurant it will be as if you just took a trip to Little Italy. The friendly, dedicated staff will make you feel right at home. Of course we've organized a discount for our group. You can also pack a picnic or bring a cooler on the bus.



We will set a time to meet back at the bus for our return to Chaps.

Please understand that the bus space is limited and is a first-come, first-serve basis. The quickest way to reserve your spot is by clicking Paypal link below. If you would rather pay by check please email SIP at sipofspokane@gmail.com for address to send it. Your space is not reserved until payment is received. Your space is transferable but not refundable. Purchases and extra costs are up to you. You are welcome to pack a picnic, bring a cooler to keep your  personnel expenses to a minimum. We just want you to come and have fun. Though our stops and tours have been secured, the schedule is subject to slight changes.

The really great news is that there are more wineries, breweries and cuisine to discover in and around the Pullman area and we want to plan to SIP TRIPS on a regular basis because we love WINE.

SIP and Angela

 PayPal Link

Sip Trip - Pullman

A girl's gotta have it. Girly Girl Wine

I am a SUCKER for Marketing. These Girly Girl Washington wine labels are fun, yet elegant, and support women causes.

And well...I am a Girly Girl.

Women in general like to have fun but marketing to women is also a smart business move. Not only are women the majority of wine consumers, they are the largest of today's buying power markets. Women as a group make less than one-half of all household income, they influence more than 80 percent of dollars spent. This adds up to a hefty $3.4 trillion per year. Wowza! That's some Girl Power.

Women make more decisions than men do about cars, tires, financial services, and computers. With the plethora of national women's magazines, television channels and books geared towards a female audience, other industries have clearly seen the light. So where is the wine industry on the issue of marketing wine to women. Well,  they're getting there. This Washington wine company has caught the wave.

Girly Girl Wines is a women's wine company designed to serve women who are young at heart and enjoy their girl time. Girly Girl wine intends to create a lifestyle that can be integrated into a woman's daily life. *Girly Girl Wines also donates a part of its proceeds to help fund breast cancer research, a cause which hits home to millions of women.

Chloe. (Pinot Gris)
For the sweet girl next door that enjoys shopping on weekends.

Kayla. (Merlot)
For the girl who is always up for new adventures!

Mia. (Chardonnay)
I'm the kind of girl who loves going to the spa and being pampered.

Farrah (Cabernet Sauvignon)

I am extremely athletic and take pride in staying active and living a healthy lifestyle.

In the window of a Salon (Ballard, WA.)

About Girly Girl wines:

(Girly Girl Wines was officially released in May 2010)

Here is a little "Hey there" from Girly Girl Wines:

"We are a women’s wine company designed to serve women who are young at heart and enjoy their girl time. We’ve created a wine brand called Girly Girl Wines. We will be offering four wine varietals each with their own “wine” personality. We came up with this concept because although there are over 500 wineries in the state of Washington, the number of wines that are actually being marketed towards women is small.


According to the Wine Institute, women make up 57% of all wine purchasing decisions. If this is the case, shouldn’t there be wines out there that relate directly to women?"

SIP is a "Girly Girl"
Angel Ball Gala photo by Diane Maehl

Yes, but the burning question is  - How's the wine?
Well the girls have picked up some bling.

2010 Las Vegas for the WSWA

Silver Medal 2007 Cabernet 2008 Pinot Gris

Bronze Medal 2008 Chardonnay

2010 Seattle Wine Awards

Gold Award 2007 Cabernet

Outstanding Award 2008 Pinot Gris

I was recently smitten by Farrah (Cabernet) on a deck overlooking Lake Coeur d'Alene. These wines are fun, delicious and are perfect for all your girl nights out.

Let them eat Cupcakes (and drink wine)

Picture courtesy of Celebrations Cookie & Cupcake Boutique

Are you into the cupcake craze?

The seam so innocent - just little itty-bitty frosted cakes. Okay, truth be known - I've had three at a time.

Cupcake cafes have sprung up across the country. Spokane finally has a dedicated cupcake cafe in the Garland district, Celebrations - A Cookie & Cupcake Boutique recently opened at 713 West Garland. I noticed it last week on my way to Bon Bon, the new vintage cocktail bar at the Garland Theatre. The building is pink and brown striped, you can't help but notice it. Yes, this neighborhood is getting even cooler.

Angel Ball Gala, Cupcakes by Madeleine's

You can also get these delicious mini-cakes at Taste Cafe, Madeleine's, and the Rockwood Bakery. William & Sonoma sells the "Sprinkles" brand that you can bake at home and showing-up Spokane by getting a dedicated shop was  Sandpoint, Idaho with Hey, Cupcake opening early last year.

Seriously, cupcakes make people smile and wine enlivens any event. Pair the two for an easy, impromptu party to remember.

SIP thinks a Sparkling Wine such as Arbor Crest or Mountain Dome pairs nicely with almost any cupcake and Washington Viognier, such as Barili, Overbluff, Townshend and Terra Blanca are wonderful when paired with Vanilla, Coconut or Lemon incensed cupcakes.

Pairing Ideas for Wine & Cupcakes;

Peanut Butter Chip Cupcake with Beaujolais
It’s like a decadent peanut butter and jelly. The fresh, fruit-forward, jammy Beaujolais complements the chocolate and peanut butter flavors.

Coconut/Vanilla Cupcake with sweet or late-harvest Gewurztraminer or Viognier
The tropical notes of the wine fit the dry, sweet, tropical-tinted coconut and vanilla flavors.

Red Velvet Cupcake with a late harvest Muscat
This distinct red sparkler’s fresh sweetness and pleasant party appeal makes it a versatile cupcake companion. The effervescence complements the lively flavors of the cupcake, and the two distinct sweetnesses reinforce each in a cotton-candy combination. Perfect for sweet teeth.

Chocolate (All) cupcake with Port
Port is pleasant. The thick, pronounced flavors deliver a combination greater than the parts. Try Knipprath Au Chocolat! or Townshend Huckleberry Port

Lemon cupcakes and Sauvignon Blanc or New Zealand Style whites. SIP chooses a Washington Viognier. The crisp, green, tart wine cuts the lemon’s acid and reinforces the pound-cake flavors of the confection.

Let them eat CUPCAKES (and drink wine).