No longer will the $12 wines impress me with their flavor for you have crushed them with your big bold Bordeaux style. The fruity aromas, the smooth finish, and the velvety texture has your Ciel du Cheval 2003 taunting me, lingering, and begging me to drink more. But I must be strong, I must resist your temptation. I must forget you so that I can move on, and drink other wines.

And so I am, good bye Andrew Will Ciel Du Cheval I will miss you.

In just the year and half since Steve Robert’s WineTrails of Washington was released, many of the listed free wine tastings are no longer free.  Surprised? I guess I shouldn’t be.  Dissappointed?  Definitely.

And before I’m accused of defaming the entire book, please note, that couldn’t be farther from the truth!  WineTrails is a great book for any wine lover looking to explore Washington wine country near and far.  With over 30 detailed and easy to understand wine trials mapped out, even the novice wine hound can piece together a stellar weekend – or week long – excursion.

But if you want to accuse me of being cheap, go for it.

I just have a hard time walking into a winery that has yet to prove itself to me, and handing over five to 10 bucks a pop.  I think at least one free taste is called for.  Then – after seeing that this winery does in deed value the effort that I made even making it out to their establishment – I would love to support them

But, until that catches on, my only advice is to call ahead (the phone number are given) to verify tasting fees.  A couple weekends ago, Dan and I hit up the southern Woodinville wine trail (pg. 138) and were faced with more wine fees than feebees.

Among the southern Woodinville wineries now charging for wine fees, although listed as “complementary” in WineTrails, were Chateau St. Michelle, Columbia Winery and Facelli Winery.  We even checked out a couple North Woodinville Wineries, and found that DeStefano, Mark Ryan, Red Sky and Edmonds wineries also now charge for wine tastings (most refundable with wine purchase).

But just when I wonder how wineries can justify charging upwards of $10 for a one or two 2 oz. tastings, I have to look no further than Woodinville’s Saintpaulia Vintners.  They’ve closed their tasting room altogether.

“Economicaly, it wasn’t making sense,” said Paul Shinoda, winemaker and proprietor of Saintpaulia Vintners.  “There are so many tasting rooms in Woodinville an I was just outside that in the warehouse district and it just didn’t attract the traffic that I needed.”

Okay, fine. <insert pouty Lisa here>

I just hope, after all my tastes, I have enough money left to buy a bottle.

- Lisa

It’s a long journey from the ‘traditional’ wine regions of Washington, but I’m glad we took the time.  Maryhill Winery sits perched on the very edge of the Columbia River Gorge.  Overlooking a miniature version of the Grand Canyon gives this winery wow factor.  I hate that term, but it truly makes you feel you are somewhere special.  Maryhill’s patios overlook the vineyards that surround the winery and add to the feeling that this is a great place for wine.  I’ve never been to Tuscany, but the patios are exactly what I imagine it would look like.

Walking through the eastern patio and into the tasting room, we were immediately greeted by a friendly face.  Kelley would eventually pour our wine, but at first we avoided the bar to take inventory of all the tasting room had to offer.  The grand wine bar made the largest impression on me, it looked majestic and fit for a king to drink at with its highly polished wood and brass.   Upbeat violin music was dancing in the background, enticing you to talk, enjoy and drink lots of wine.  I was amazed at how the music struck the perfect balance of allowing you to talk normally, but keep the atmosphere lively.

After looking over the random wine nick-knacks we landed ourselves at the bar.  Kelley greeted us again and began to pour our wine.  She was informative without us having to ask 20 questions and was generally a great help.  I do wish they were less pushy about their premium tasting and wine club; it seemed obvious she was on commission.   The wine itself was good, but not amazing and is appropriately priced.

Overall our wine wine experience was good and friendly.  Were Maryhill closer to home I could see myself spending entirely too much time sipping wine on their patios.

Dan

There was no large, air-conditioned tasting room.

No wrought iron chairs to lounge in or panoramic vineyard views.

Just a man in his garage, ready and willing to share his love and tales of Washington wine making.

His dog was there too.

Aurora – THE dog of Sleeping Dog Wines – greeted us excitedly, as she does all visitors (when she’s not ‘Sleeping’).  And while Larry didn’t exactly start barking or jumping up and down on us, his excitement to greet visitors was evident too.

“You must be Dan!” said Larry Oates, founder and sole winemaker of Sleeping Dog Wines.

Larry had found us online and had exchanged emails with Dan, persuading us to visit his winery.  What we found there redefined my notion of ‘winery.’

First, it’s a garage.  But not the dark, dank, wood-beam kind of garage you had back home.  No, this one is loved.  Probably because it has a greater purpose – that of wine making, sharing and enjoying.

We quickly learned how Larry got his start in the winemaking business (what he calls, “The Puppy Years”), how often he walks the vineyard (twice a day with Aurora) and how many acres he has (“We’ve got four, but we don’t have any grapes”).

The source of Larry’s carefully selected grapes is actually just across the small dirt road from his home, in Buoy Vineyards.

Since 1992, Larry has been walking Buoy vineyards, at first procuring whatever grapes were left after harvest.  Ten years later, he began purchasing select grapes that he personally taste-tests until his palate – and his refractometer – determine the grapes are good for the picking.

His winery team is, well, less of a team, and more of a trio.  It’s him, his wife Joyce, and of course Aurora.  Together, they produce 500-600 cases a year, but no, they couldn’t possibly do it alone.  It’s only with the help of devout friends, family and fans that Sleeping Dog Wines make it from bushel to bottle.

All it takes is a call out to his mailing list, and people come from all around to help with the crushing, the pressing and ultimately, the bottling.  These volunteers are compensated with a homemade feast, a bottle of wine, and the glory of knowing they helped produce some great Washington wines that are enjoyed all across the state and as far away as Washington DC.

So while our trip to Sleeping Dog Wines didn’t exactly land us in the trendiest of tasting rooms, I couldn’t have asked for a better wine experience.  What Larry does with only a few hundred feet of space is a showcase all its own and there’s something priceless about visiting a wine maker with such a welcoming rapport, that almost an hour into the visit, you realize you haven’t even started wine tasting yet.

But what’s the rush?  As we learned from Larry’s philosophy with wine, the process should be just as sweet as the product.

To learn more about Larry, Joyce and Aurora’s adventures in winemaking, and where you can get your paws on some of their wines, visit their website at http://www.sleepingdogwines.com

- Lisa

Cheers!

Dan

There will be over a 100 wineries and more than 300 wines to taste, for more info head to Taste Washington.

Follow them on at www.small-lot.com

- Lisa

As you’ll find in any simple “wine aerator” Internet search, there are a few to choose from. And it’s no surprise that the Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator comes up first.

That thing is crazy amazing. It can take the cheapest bottle of wine, and make it actually drinkable. Of course, if you’re like me, you’ll look at the plastic cone in action and think, “I could make this.” But since the truth is we can’t, it is worth the $35 or so dollars. It truly is a must-have for any wine drinker. Unfortunately for me, after multiple out-of-state moves, I seem to have lost mine ): So in my search for viable options, I came across the Rabbit Wine Shower-Funnel With Strainer.

I’ll be honest, I only bought it because it was the only aerator-type thing Bed Bath and Beyond had in stock. But I know how (annoyingly) popular the Rabbit Wine Opener is, so I figured their aerator should be worth a try. I was, admittedly, impressed with it’s straining feature; something the Vinturi one does not have. Though the Rabbit funnel wasn’t as much fun to watch.

Nonetheless, we purchased it and tested it with a nice $12.99 bottle of Powers 2007 Cabernet-Merlot. Our control sample proved true to its under $15 price. It carried the aroma of day old wine and tasted initially dry and bitter. But after one run through the aerator, a difference was noticeable. Fruitiness was detected and that initial stale, acidic bite was muted. So what the heck; we decided to try two runs through the strainer. And viola! What a difference that made. Suddenly, this Kennewick blend was satisfyingly smooth and noticeably fruitier.

So I guess we won’t be sending the Rabbit funnel back. But I really do need to go buy another Vinturi aerator. I figure, the money spent will be made up for in being able to buy – and enjoy – less expensive wines.

- Lisa

So, if you’re looking to get a little edjimification, then you may want to visit The Tasting Room on the last Thursday of each month for Wine 101, a “fun” overview of wine terms and facts to help you “decipher an extensive wine list and survive that intimidating sommelier” (‘cuz don’t you face that guy, like, everyday?). Cost is $20 per person, and cheese and meat trays available for an additional charge. For more information, call 206-770-9463.

The Tasting Room is located in Pike Place Market, at 1924 Post Alley, Seattle, WA, 98101.

* If anyone’s been there before, I’d love to hear what you thought of it.

- Lisa