It’s a busy, yet exciting time of the year for Pacific Northwest wineries as grapes from the 2006 vintage are being harvested and crushed. So when do winemakers release their latest vintages? There’s no hard and fast rule on this one. White wines fermented in stainless steel are usually released in the spring following harvest, […]

Several weeks ago I talked about the differences between Old World wines and New World wines. Old World wines, you may recall, are European wines that are generally lighter in body and have subtle, earthy flavors. American palates tend to lean towards New World wines, which come primarily from the United States, Australia and Chile. […]

If you’re interested in wines and plan to be in or around the Portland, Oregon area, take the scenic drive to Montinore Estate, located about 30 miles west of the city in the northern Willamette Valley. The estate houses a striking mansion built in the early 1900’s along with a nearby contemporary tasting room, picturesque […]

Vic Hubbard, wine buyer for Bellingham’s Community Food Co-Op, likes to refer to something he calls “comfort wines.” Comfort wines, he says, are “familiar, fairly consistent…wines that are made in enough quantity to have good availability.” In addition, “these wines are not too expensive to enjoy at least occasionally.” I like that concept. The fairly […]