SIPPING in Spokane - Spring Releases
![]() |
PHOTO CREDIT: HANOVER |
SIPPING in Spokane
GRAPE EXPECTATIONS: In 1986, the
Spokane Winery Association (SWA) was formed with Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, Latah Creek Wine
Cellars, Mountain Dome Winery, Caterina Winery and the no longer Worden Winery.
Four of the five founding wineries are still blazing the Washington Wine trail
and actively contributing to our bustling wine scene. There are currently over
700 wineries in Washington State and at the time of the inception of the SWA in
the mid 80’s there were less than 25 Washington wineries.
Spokane has
become a destination for WINE and local winemakers are thrilled to invite you to
taste why. 2012 marks the 26th annual Spring Release Tasting event.
This highly anticipated indulgence takes place on Mother’s Day Weekend (May 11-13)
from 12-6pm at 18 local wineries and 2 affiliate tasting rooms.
Spring finds wineries everywhere celebrating the releases
of their liquid art, which marks the finale of wine making season and the start
of a new wine year. Locally, our area wineries invite locapours (lovers of
local wine) in on the festivities of their annual Spring Barrel Tasting. You
can expect the welcoming tasting rooms to provide samples of new wines which
include current vintages and in some cases wines still in the wine making
process with your taste coming directly from the barrel or tank.
Today with all the local wineries and tasting rooms that are participating, you’ll need a plan
of stopping by more than a few wineries a day to complete the mission of not missing a single one during this premier wine event.
Here's a 3 –day game plan:
Downtown 1 (12-13
wineries total, 7-*8 stops).
Barrister
Winery, Barili Cellars, Whitestone Winery, Grande Rhone Cellars, Caterina
Winery/Lone Canary Winery/Mt Dome. *Arbor Crest Wine at their Riverpark Square, Cougar Crest, Nectar Tasting Room.
Downtown 2/North (6
wineries total, 5 stops)
Robert
Karl Cellars, Overbluff Cellars, EMVY Cellars/Bridge Press Cellars and Vintage
Hill Cellars with either before or after hitting Townshend in Greenbluff.
Valley/Liberty Lake (4-5 wineries, 4-5 stops)
Valley/Liberty Lake (4-5 wineries, 4-5 stops)
Knipprath
Cellars, Latah Creek Wine Cellars, Nodland Cellars, *Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
(Cliff House) with either before or after jetting to Liberty Lake Wine Cellars.
Note: *Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
has both a downtown tasting room at Riverpark Square and the historic Cliff House
located in the Spokane Valley.
No, you really can't taste it all. So here's some SIP TIPS.
Arbor Crest Wine
Cellars
Cliff House 4705 N
Fruithill Road Spokane, WA 99217 509-927-9463
Downtown
808 West Main Avenue
Spokane, WA. 509-747-3903
Sip Tips: Go for the Syrah, Malbec or Sauv Blanc.
Barili Cellars
608 West 2nd Avenue Spokane, WA 99201 509-995-4077
Sip Tips: Take a CAB.
Sip Tips: Go for the Syrah, Malbec or Sauv Blanc.
Barili Cellars
608 West 2nd Avenue Spokane, WA 99201 509-995-4077
Sip Tips: Take a CAB.
Barrister
Winery
1213 W. Railroad
Spokane, WA 99201 509-465-3591
Sip Tips: New release of Rough Justice BABY! and the coveted Barrister Block or you can always rely on the remarkable Cab Franc.
Cougar Crest Tasting Room
8 N. Post St. #3 Spokane, WA. 99201 509.241-3840 Sip Tips: Cab Franc!!!
Caterina Winery
905 N Washington Spokane, WA 99201 509-328-5069
Sip Tips: Caterina Winery will both be pouring a selection of complimentary sips. The viognier is a victory.
905 N Washington Spokane, WA 99201 509-328-5069
Sip Tips: Caterina Winery will both be pouring a selection of complimentary sips. The viognier is a victory.
EMVY Cellars & Bridge
Press Cellars
32
West 2nd Avenue, Suite 100 Spokane, WA 99201 509-979-2749
Sip Tip: EMVY's pride is the Devotion
Red Blend wine and the Bridge Press Merlot is marvelous..
Grande
Ronde Cellars
906 W. Second Spokane, WA 99201 509-455-8161
Grande Rhone Cellar Red!
Knipprath Cellars
5634 East Commerce Avenue Spokane, WA 99212 509-534-5121
Sip Tips: Au Chocolat! and "V" are a treat.
Latah
Creek Wine Cellars
E.13030 Indiana Avenue Spokane, WA 99216 509-926-0164
Sip Tips: Latah Creek always take the best host award. The Monarch series is a standout. The magnificent winery gift shop provides a serious shopping opportunity.
Liberty
Lake Wine Cellars
1018 S. Garry Road Liberty Lake, WA 99019 509-255-9205
Sip Tips: You had me at Merlot. Liberty Lake Merlot is marvelous. LL is debuting their 2009 Tempranillo.
906 W. Second Spokane, WA 99201 509-455-8161
Grande Rhone Cellar Red!
Knipprath Cellars
5634 East Commerce Avenue Spokane, WA 99212 509-534-5121
Sip Tips: Au Chocolat! and "V" are a treat.
E.13030 Indiana Avenue Spokane, WA 99216 509-926-0164
Sip Tips: Latah Creek always take the best host award. The Monarch series is a standout. The magnificent winery gift shop provides a serious shopping opportunity.
1018 S. Garry Road Liberty Lake, WA 99019 509-255-9205
Sip Tips: You had me at Merlot. Liberty Lake Merlot is marvelous. LL is debuting their 2009 Tempranillo.
Lone
Canary Winery
905 N Washington
Spokane, WA 99201 509-328-5069
Sip Tips: Blissful blends.
Sip Tips: Blissful blends.
Mountain
Dome Winery
905 N Washington Spokane, WA 99201 509-328-5069
Sip Tips: Mountain Dome is now available at Caterina's tasting room. Gnome Perignon! and Sip's fave Cuvee Forte'
Sip Tips: Tasting Room to 5 Washington State Wineries:
Nectar Tasting Room
120 N Stevens Spokane, WA. 99201Sip Tips: Tasting Room to 5 Washington State Wineries:
Anelare Winery, Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards, Northwest Cellars, Skylite Cellars, and Terra Blanca Winery. With so many options, let your flight attendant be your guide.
Nodland Cellars
11616 East Montgomery
Drive Suite #70 Spokane, WA 99206 509-927-7770
Sip Tip: A Bad Attitude is not only recommended, it's encouraged.
Overbluff Cellars
620 S. Washington Street Spokane, Washington 99204 509-991-4781
Sip Tips: A stellar cellar line up. Overbluff tends to sell out quickly. Encourage them to make more. Overbluff is debuting Defiance Syrah and their coveted Reserve.
Sip Tip: A Bad Attitude is not only recommended, it's encouraged.
Overbluff Cellars
620 S. Washington Street Spokane, Washington 99204 509-991-4781
Sip Tips: A stellar cellar line up. Overbluff tends to sell out quickly. Encourage them to make more. Overbluff is debuting Defiance Syrah and their coveted Reserve.
Robert
Karl Cellars
115 W. Pacific Avenue Spokane, WA 99201 888-4CLARET (509 363-1353)
Sip Tips: Crushing on the Claret which the 2009 is being released and the Sauv Blanc is spectacular.
115 W. Pacific Avenue Spokane, WA 99201 888-4CLARET (509 363-1353)
Sip Tips: Crushing on the Claret which the 2009 is being released and the Sauv Blanc is spectacular.
Townshend
Cellar
16112 North Greenbluff Road Colbert, WA 99005 509-238-1400
16112 North Greenbluff Road Colbert, WA 99005 509-238-1400
Sip Tip: Townshend Cellar Vortex is Sip's fave. Yes, even over T3 which I also adore. And the Table Red is a tasty value. Townshend is introducing a NEW dry Rose'
Vintage Hill Cellars
319 W Second Ave
Spokane, WA 509-994-1406
Sip Tip: Vintage Hill provides a SIP then SHOP opportunity as its nestled amongst 2nd Ave boutiques.
8 N. Post Spokane, WA 99201 509-838-2427
Sip Tip: Pieces of Red (Version 9 is out) is always a winner but St Vincent is Sip's all time WS fave.
***Be safe. Remember, it’s HIP TO SPIT. Taste responsibly by pacing yourself, nibbling throughout your winescapade and having a designated driver. CHEERS!
Practice, Practice, Practice.
Wine is very personal. You don't have to be an expert, but
you do need to trust your own palate. Each time you try a new wine, your
awareness of the character and subtle differences will be expanded. Tasting
wine is like a sport: the more you practice, the better you become at it. Only
with wine tasting you won't be dragging you feet to do it.
Sip Tip: The
best place to perfect your tasting technique is in a winery tasting room.
It is recommended you try and go during off-hours when the tasting room host
isn't too busy and the host can take you through the paces and discuss each
wine with you. Pay attention, there is much to learn in the Tasting Room from
the host, which around Spokane if it’s not the winemaker themselves, they
are often close by.
LOOK
The
first step is to hold the glass by the stem and look through the wine against a
white background to appreciate the true color. The wine should be bright and
clear, not hazy or cloudy. White wines range in color from nearly clear to a
golden yellow. Red wines range in color from dark, intense red to a light, pale
red. Some of the intense colors have you thinking about bringing in a glass of
wine to have the paint store match the color for a sensational syrah colored
powder room.
SWIRL
To
get the full aroma of the wine, fill a large wine glass a third of the way
full, and swirl the wine around in the glass. Come ‘on really give it a swirl.
This releases the aromatics. Try step #3 SNIFF - before and after you swirl.
You'll notice there's a huge difference.
SNIFF
Inhale
deeply through your nose and try to identify what you smell. Do you smell
fruits or spices? You might find hints of familiar smells including wood,
tobacco, citrus, apple, chocolate, plums, pineapple, flowers or berries. When
you smell, lean over and put your nose completely in the glass. Come on, no one
is looking.
TASTE
After
taking a sip, roll the wine around in your mouth to reach all of your taste
buds. Then, breathe air through your lips to release the aromas. If the wine
makes you pucker, it may be a little tart (high in acids) or tannic (dry like
banana skins and tea leaves). If it feels hot and burns a little, it may have
high alcohol content. If none of these elements overwhelm you, the wine is
likely well-balanced. Notice how it feels in your mouth: this is called the
texture. Try and detect what flavors you taste before comparing that to the
winemakers notes on what you “should” taste. Sometimes you’ll decide they are
the same and other times not even close. Keep in mind food changes the taste
dramatically.
SPIT
It’s
HIP to SPIT. It may make you slightly uncomfortable initially, but if you’re
tasting a lot of wine it is essential to spit. Spitting enables you to
experience wines without the danger of imbibing too much alcohol. If you are
just trying a few, go ahead and drink up. By the way, wine that lingers in
your mouth and throat after you have spit is a sign of good length and body.
Sip Tip: Remember, once
again, this is personal. Keep on tasting to find what YOU like and why.
Ask questions, take notes so you can recall your preferences and pretty soon
you'll figure out your wine style. Keep in mind, it all changes the more you
taste. So darn-it-anyway, you’ll need to keep at it, as not only wines change
but your taste preferences may as well.
Comments