Yikes! I awoke at 4:45. This is what time I’m normally going to bed! After a much needed cup of Starbucks, we hopped a prop plane out to the Tri-Cities airport to begin the Road Trip. Directly off the plane, we hopped on to our busses and were soon tooling down the road through Washington Wine Country. Riding along the Columbia River and looking at sheep. Good times! The overall plan for the journey is to work our way back to Woodinville by bus, stopping at the major AVA’s and wineries along the way.
The day began at Woodward Canyon with Rick Small. A fifth generation farmer, he toted us out into the vineyard to do some berry samples. 2010 has been an extended and late vintage for everyone down the west coast so we had the opportunity to taste the fruit when we otherwise might have not had the ability to do so (It would’ve normally been picked by now). We pulled different clones from clusters on different rows, etc. I’m tooling around on a broken tow (long story…), so it was a slight challenge, but awesome!
We checked the sugar levels of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon with the refractometer and then tasted barrel samples of the same varietals from 2009. Those of us brave enough to do it in front of the owner, concocted blends from the individual grapes. I christened mine as “Morning Wood”.
After that, the debauchery ensued. I pretty much won the lottery on the Road Trip by being paired up with Charles Smith of K Vintners for the afternoon. Myself, and three others (one of whom was newly indoctrinated Melissa Monohoff MS) spent the afternoon hanging out with Charles at the winery. Ultimately, it turned into a patio party with some of his wines and a Vieux Telegraphe 2005. Of the K Wines, we tasted the 2008 Viognier, 2008 Phil Lane Syrah (from 2 acres surrounding his home), 2005 Cougar Hills Syrah, and the 2007 Royal City Syrah. All were excellent wines with intense complexity, but completely balanced on the palate. As Charles said, it coats the palate, but still feels light.
We were required to return to our new hotel at 4pm, but Charles traded his SUV for a Rolls Royce Phantom 2006 and came to pick us up covertly for a “super secret probation party” back at the winery before the evening festivities. We sped out (and I mean sped at 110mph…) to the winery where we drank a Sauzet Puligny 1994 amongst other activities that set the night up for pure hilarity!
Off to Leonetti Cellars for tasting and dinner, I don’t think any of us wanted to do more than drink beer or Riesling. So, Charles grabbed each of us a Japanese import (didn’t get the name, but he has it imported special…) for the car ride over. He says the cops “know “ him! Can’t imagine how. We plowed through the tasting as best we could and hankered for dinner.
Dinner was wonderful. The Leonetti wine pairings could have been a little more course specific, but the wines were good on their own, as was the food provided by Graze Catering. The Leonetti’s offered their Sangiovese with Antipasto, the Merlot with Caesar Salad and Roasted Tomatoes, and the Cabernet with Spaghetti and Meatballs. For a dessert of Tiramisu, they poured their Reserve Cabernet. A number of cool wines were broken out by the Walla Walla Vintners after the meal for fun.
The night extended itself as Charles escorted us in the Phantom (affectionately named Satan) to the Green Lantern for a preliminary beer before attending the official “Beer Hall” in downtown Walla Walla with the rest of the gang. Eventually, we caught up with the rest of the crew to enjoy some local brews and a relaxing end to the evening. Charles was still looking to party, but our tour guides advised us highly against it if we wanted to survive to rest of the week…
And so Day 2 has come to a close. I am excited for what the rest of the week has in store –
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