After opening a handful of robust California wines for #MerlotMe month, it was back to my home state of Washington for two by Walla Walla producer L’Ecole No. 41. If you were tasting these wines blind, you might not guess they’re related. These two are like second cousins or first cousins, once removed. Aside from […]
Wrapping up #MerlotMe month with a pair of Washington ‘cousins’ Read More »
Washington state is home to small wineries and big, big vineyards. Sure, there are exceptions. By and large, though, farming belongs to the semi-arid land east of the Cascade Mountains. That’s where the spouse and I headed. In the Yakima Valley, conditions are nearly perfect for growing a variety of grape varieties. Warm summer days
Road trip to Yakima, Part II: Four vineyards to know Read More »
Like a person or a cherished pet, a wine has a personality of its own. Some are slow to open up. They’re intense, complex and take a long to get to know. Others are forward and direct, or they may be hearty and easygoing. To me, the L’Ecole No. 41 Frenchtown Red, Columbia Valley AVA,
A Washington red meets Mediterranean-style cuisine Read More »
Ever taste a wine so good it made you cry? Perhaps you can remember the precise moment it changed your life. For Marcus Rafanelli, winemaker at L’Ecole 41 in the Walla Walla Valley in southeastern Washington, that wine was a 1988 Columbia Syrah that he tasted at a birthday dinner. This particular Syrah was the
L’Ecole winemaker feels the love for Washington Syrah Read More »
If you’re a fan of Washington state wine, chances are you’ve heard of the Yakima Valley. No one knows for certain how the Native American word “Yakima” originated. According to one legend, “Yakima” misappropriates the Native American word for “big belly” or “pregnant one” and was named for a tribal chief’s errant daughter. If that’s
Road trip to the Yakima Valley, Part I Read More »
