A Brief Guide to Wine Tasting

Play fun cork games during the 2011 Harvest Wine Tour of Olympic Peninsula Wineries.

The Harvest Wine Tour of our Olympic Peninsula Wineries starts today. We hope to see many familiar faces and welcome new people to the Washington State wineries and cideries of Port Townsend, the Chimacum Valley, and Port Angeles.

Please read on for a brief guide to wine tasting. We hope this will help you negotiate and appreciate the wines you sample this weekend.

Wine tasting is about more than just taste. It examines the sight, scent, and taste of wine. The experience begins with the uncorking (which is why many restaurants offer the cork for sniffing), and ends when the aftertaste has faded.

Be sure to note the following aspects:

The appearance of the wine in the glass. Hold your glass up the light and tilt it. Note the colors. Then swirl the wine and watch the legs run down the sides of the glass – the thicker and slower the legs, the fuller the body of the wine will be. Think of the difference between skim milk and whole milk.

The aroma of the wine in the glass. Swirl the wine for about 10 seconds, then put the glass to your nose and breathe deeply. Do this a few times. How many various scents can you distinguish?

The taste of the wine. Take a sip and savor it before you swallow. Does it have a heavy or light texture (again, think of skim vs whole milk). Is it sweet? Fruity? Dry?

The finish of the wine, or aftertaste. How does the wine linger in your mouth after the sip has been swallowed?

Consider a wine’s complexity, character, and potential. Would you enjoy drinking this wine alone, or do you think it would be best served with food? If served with food, what kind of food? Spicy, sweet? Rich and creamy? Meaty?

We look forward to seeing you tasting Washington State Wine this weekend during the Harvest Wine Tour of Olympic Peninsula Wineries. Enjoy the wine and cider you taste. Have fun with the experience. Drink responsibly and pace yourself. Cheers!

Autumn Equals Apple Cider

Nothing says autumn quite like apple cider. For centuries, people have celebrated the fall harvest of apples by pressing them into cider. Hot apple cider, sparkling apple cider, and hard apple cider are the quintessential beverages of autumn.

Don’t let this autumn pass you by without stepping onto a farm and celebrating the apple.

Fall at Finnriver Farm on the Olympic Peninsula.

Finnriver Farm and Cidery in Chimacum is hosting an Apple Festival this Sunday, October 16, 2011, from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be apples, hot apple cider, apple brandy, and a variety of artisan hard ciders. There will also be family games, face painting, and music all day. The incomparable Cape Cleare salmon cart will be on hand with delectable dishes like their salmon sandwich, and Finnriver will serve a few tasty sweet treats.

Why stop at just one Washington State cidery? Head over to Eaglemount Wine & Cider while in the Chimacum Valley and sample their ciders. The wine studio at Eaglemount Winery is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.

Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cidery are members of Olympic Peninsula Wineries, a group of Washington State Wineries and Cideries making wine on the Olympic Peninsula.

Celebrate the apple this Sunday, October 16, 2011.

Get Out and Admire the View

Early September is a fantastic time to visit Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park. As of this writing, there is snow only at the highest elevations. Hiking trails are open and views are out of this world.

Good company, glorious views, and a bottle of Washington Wine from the Olympic Peninsula. Perfect.

Much of the summer was a bit of a disappointment, at least with respect to weather. Low clouds and a low snow line did not inspire hiking. These last weeks of warmth and sun have helped remedy that, and the coming weeks should bring more of the same.

Plan a trip to the Olympic Mountains. Hike if you like, or simply sit and enjoy the stunning views from the top of Hurricane Ridge. You’ll feel the mist clear from your mind. You’ll feel happy.

We suggest you never visit the Olympic Peninsula without stopping by one or more of our member Washington Wineries. Speak with the wine makers, taste some wine, and bring home a bottle of Washington Wine to enjoy as you remember your glorious time on the Olympic Peninsula.

Please visit Olympic National Park for up-to-date information about hikes and conditions.

Fort Worden State Park

Fort Worden State Park is one of Washington’s treasures. Situated on the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, it offers stunning views, soft sandy beaches, and wooded hiking and biking trails. It’s also just minutes from historic downtown Port Townsend, one of the most picturesque towns in the state.

The view from Fort Worden.

Few beaches in the Puget Sound area can match the beach at Fort Worden. Grassy dunes line the sand, dancing in the ever-present breeze. Mount Baker, the Cascade Range, and Mount Rainier stand tall in the distance, while the cliffs of Whidbey Island shimmer in the foreground. The deep sand begs for bare feet, the drift wood inspires fort building, and the water is cooling on a hot day. (more…)

August Events Featuring Olympic Peninsula Wines

Several of our member Olympic Peninsula Washington State Wineries are involved in special events around the Sound this month. They’re different, their fun, and they’re certainly worth a look. Now that summer has finally reached the Pacific Northwest, get out and enjoy it!

Toast a successful jump with Olympic Cellars Washington State Wine.

Pair Washington Wine with skydiving? Why not. Join “The Working Girl First Jump Club” for an evening of Tandem Skydiving into the field behind Olympic Cellars Winery on August 10 and August 24. Jumps start at 5 p.m. and will run hourly in groups of 5 – 6 until all have jumped. Participants will certainly be served Olympic Cellars Washington State Wine, but not until after the jump. Friends and family are invited to watch at the winery and enjoy a picnic dinner while waiting. For more information, please see Olympic Cellars.

The Finnriver Farm Cider Dinner is less likely to make your adrenaline run, but it too promises to be a superlative event. Join the folks from Finnriver Farm and Cider and Chef Mark Bodinet at the Copperleaf Terrace, where you’ll be treated to inspired cuisine paired with Finnriver Washington State Ciders and fruit liqueurs. Copperleaf Terrace is located at Cedarbrook Lodge, a tranquil setting south of Seattle. The five-course dinner is a farm-to-table meal made with local ingredients, including Finnriver Farm’s own strawberries. For the menu, please visit Cedarbrook Lodge. To make a reservation, please call 206.214.4282. The cost is $55 per person (plus tax and gratuity), and seating is limited to the first 24 guests.

Camaraderie Cellars Washington State Wine will be available at the Gig Harbor Wine and Food Festival, August 6, 2011. The festival will highlight Chef Kevin Gillespie, 2 time semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation “Rising Star Chef of the Year” award, known for bringing the farm to the fork. There will be celebrity chef appearances, a cook-off finale, and wine seminars, among other exciting events. Additional information is available at the Gig Harbor Wine and Food Festival.

Olympic Music Festival 2011

Each summer, the Olympic Peninsula is graced with outstanding chamber music in a glorious setting. 2011 is the 28th season of the Olympic Music Festival. Experience it if you can.

A glass of Washington State Wine from the Olympic Peninsula is the perfect accompaniment to the Olympic Music Festival.

The Olympic Music Festival is held on the grounds of festival director Alan Iglitzin’s home, which is located north of Quilcene. Musicians play in a turn-of-the-century barn that opens to a vast lawn. Guests are welcome to arrive early and enjoy the festival’s 55-acres of gardens, woods, and horse pastures. Picnickers are welcome.

Once the show starts, listeners relax in lawn chairs or stretch out on blankets. This is the perfect occasion to enjoy a glass of Washington State Wine from one of member Olympic Peninsula wineries. Try a glass of the award winning Working Girl White from Olympic Cellars, or the festive, award-winning Raspberry Bliss from Harbinger Winery.

The Olympic Music Festival takes place Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. from June 25 – September 4, 2011. Seating in the music barn requires reservations, but the lawn has open seating. Additional information and tickets are available at Olympic Music Festival.

Whale Watching and Wine Tasting

Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is one of the few places in the state where one can go whale watching and wine tasting in the same day.

Killer whales, humpback, minke, and gray whales all swim in the waters of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia. Puget Sound Express, based in Port Townsend, takes passengers out to see them all. For the past few months, gray whales have been most visible. For the next few months, orcas should be most prevalent.

A glass of Washington State Wine is just what is needed after an exhilarating day searching the waters for whales. Sorensen Cellars and FairWinds Winery are both located in Port Townsend, and both offer wine tasting. Wine and cider tasting is also available at Finnriver Farm and Cidery, located outside of town in lush Chimacum valley, and Eaglemount Wine and Cider, in the hills on the southeast banks of Discovery Bay.

The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the most majestic creatures on earth – whales. It is also home to some mighty fine wine – Washington State Wine. The Olympic Peninsula is the place to experience both.

Additional information about whale watching tours is available at Puget Sound Express.

Celebrate Locally Grown Wine and Cheese

Locally grown. It’s a movement that has been quietly growing for years in this country, especially in the Pacific Northwest. More and more people are shopping at farmers markets and joining CSAs. More and more people are purchasing eggs freshly hatched from local chickens, raw milk, and grass-fed beef. These foods may cost a bit more in dollars, but there is growing consensus that the cost to the environment is less.

Spend the weekend of April 16 - 17, 2011, exploring locally made wine and cheese.

Washington State is blessed with a mild climate, fertile valleys, and abundant grasslands. On the Olympic Peninsula alone, our farmers produce a great variety of fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood, and milk. A trip to the Port Townsend, Sequim, or Port Angeles Farmers Markets reveals not only these fresh foods, but a host of items made from them; fresh jams, baked goods, artisan cheeses, and of course, Washington State wine and cider.

NW Wine and Cheese Tour: April 16 – 17, 2011.

Olympic Peninsula Wineries and Cideries are joining together the weekend of April 16 and 17, 2011, for the NW Wine and Cheese Tour – to celebrate Washington State wines, ciders, and cheeses. Vintners and Cheesemakers are lining up sensational pairings of wine and cheese (it’s a tough job…), and look forward to sharing them with all who attend the NW Wine and Cheese Tour.

We hope you’ll plan to visit the Olympic Peninsula for the NW Wine and Cheese Tour, April 16 – 17, 2011. Advance Tickets for the self-guided tour include a commemorative wine glass and complimentary wine and cheese tastings at all seven participating Washington State wineries. Individual Wine and cheese tastings are also available at all participating wineries and ciders, for a fee of $5.

For additional information or advance tickets, please visit see the NW Wine and Cheese Tour.

Sweet and Savory, Chocolate and Wine

Chocolate. Red Wine. Joy.

Is there anything better than following a bite of chocolate with a sip of good red wine? We think not.

Celebrate two of the best things in life with good friends, family, or that special someone. Join seven of our Washington State Wineries on the North Olympic Peninsula for two weekends of Red Wine and Chocolate: February 12 – 13, and February 19 – 21, 2011 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily).
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Chocolate and Wine, Wine and Chocolate

Indulge in pure joy - red wine and chocolate.

Every year in February the Washington State wineries of the Olympic Peninsula dedicate two weekends to chocolate and wine. This comes at the perfect time – when the holidays seem ages in the past and spring seems far off in the future. Our advice: do not despair. Drink wine and eat chocolate.

The Red Wine and Chocolate Festival takes place on February 12 & 13, and February 19 – 21 (President’s Day Weekend); doors open at 11 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.. Each participating Washington State winery will serve perfectly paired wine and chocolate. If you’ve never tried the two together, you simply don’t know how good life can be. (more…)

Thanksgiving on the Olympic Peninsula

Spending Thanksgiving on the Olympic Peninsula with family or friends? Be sure to bring some Washington State wine to the table. Olympic Peninsula wineries offer a surprising variety of wines, one of which is sure to complement your Thanksgiving meal.

Drink wine on the Olympic Peninsula over Thanksgiving weekend.

Once the feast has been consumed and the table cleared, you may find yourself wondering what to do. Wine tasting is a terrific activity at this time of year, when the weather can be blustery even in the Olympic Rain Shadow. It’s especially fun to go wine tasting with a group of friends and/or family. Try the same wine and enjoy discussing its nose and legs, or try different wines and steal sips. You can find wines to drink with Thanksgiving left-overs, and wines to store until Christmas and New Years. Why not pick up a few bottles of Washington State wine to offer as holiday gifts while you’re at it?

Consider touring all the Olympic Peninsula wineries over the weekend. Visit Washington State wineries and cideries near Port Townsend on one day, and in Port Angeles and Sequim on another day. Stop for a leisurely lunch while you’re out and about, after all, the holiday season is here, and it’s time to celebrate.

Celebrate the Harvest at Olympic Peninsula Wineries

Celebrate the fall harvest with Washington State Wines.

Pull your favorite wine glass out of the cupboard and bring it with you to the 2010 Harvest Olympic Peninsula Winery Tour. Celebrate the fall harvest with Washington State Wines and Ciders and a sampling of fresh, delicious, food. Participants will be able to sample new releases and try old favorites.

For an added bit of fun, we’re adding a scavenger hunt this year. At each of the seven participating Washington State wineries and ciders you’ll be given a clue – find the item it describes and get a sticker on your card. If you find all the items and have the stickers to prove it, you’ll have a chance at wining a culinary gift basket.

Below are a few Harvest Festival details for each Olympic Peninsula winery / cidery.

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