Despite my grumpy start to the uninspired family vacation, I had a nice time at Wallowa Lake. We awoke to a dusting of snow one morning and enjoyed the wood fireplace in Pine Cone in the evenings. When it was time to head to the valley, I felt sad. However, the promise of wine lay ahead. That made leaving the mountains more palatable. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Give me wine to wash me clean from the weather-stains of care.”
The family caravanned (each couple was from a different state, so we drove separate vehicles) to Walla Walla and stopped at a few wineries on the way into town. I had not been to any of these wineries before.
Our first stop was Glen Fiona. This is a Celtic themed winery on the outskirts of Walla Walla. We were all so excited to be wine tasting that Big-Bro, Dad and I each bought a few bottles. I purchased the Basket Press Reserve because it can be cellared for 6 to 8 years (Hubby built a Cellar in our basesment). This wine is described on the Glen Fiona website as having discrete nuances of saddle leather, bacon fat, licorice and maple integrated into the cherry fruit and black peppercorn spice. Maybe my few days in Pine Cone tracking deer at the base of the Wallowas and buiding real wood fires got my palate in the mood for saddle-leather and bacon fat (what we call the “Jack London” special), but honestly, my wine sense isn’t sophisticated enough to tell bacon-fat from pencil lead. The most notable part of Glen Fiona is the man who was pouring the wine. He was quite quirky and knowledgeable – and the bassist in Mum-in-law’s band! It turns out that this area of Oregon and Washington is a micro-cosm where everybody knows everybody and you can’t do anything without it getting back to your Mom, Dad, or Significant Other.
We called Mum-in-law and invited her to join us at the next stop. She said she’d be right over, that she would take the Corvette and the back roads. Now, Corvette and back roads are usually two phrases you don’t hear together. This Corvette was won, however, by Mum-in-law’s husband (dubbed Cap’n Blood by Big-bro and Sis-in-law) at a raffle for the Walla Walla symphony. This means the folks are a tad more adventurous with the Corvette, which is kind of fun. Ironically – the car is wine colored – the color of a spicey Syrah.
The next winery we hit was called Va Piano. I honestly don’t remember much about this winery – as I had not eaten lunch and I tasted with gusto at the previous stop. However, I do recall that I rode shotgun in the Corvette on the way to the next winery. I decided that I look rather nice in a wine colored Corvette – zipping though the vineyards.
Our penultimate stop was Dusted Valley Vintners. One of the wine-makers was pouring while the other schlepped boxes around in the back room. Both were young men (well, younger than me anyway) who were pretty wacky. Like their website says – if they are going to do the work of Bacchus then they are going to do it right. Having a Liberal Arts degree, owning a copy of Fantasia, and naming a bottle opener after him, I know a little about Bacchus, and I believe he doesn’t take himself too seriously. This is certainly the atmosphere of Dusted Valley Vintners with the barrel of monkeys label on their wines and their Stained Tooth Society wine club. Hubby says this stop was the highlight of his trip because he asked an excellent question. I have no idea what that question was … I was busy cleansing away my “weather-stains of care.”
The final wine stop of the day was Gifford-Hirlinger. This is a brand new, tiny place that currenlty sells only one release. It is owned and operated by a shy young man (younger than me, anyway) who lovingly grows the grapes, ferments the wine, and just built the tasting room. He gave us a tour of the place, and it was very informative and inspirational. This is the thing I love best about the wineries in this region. Because it is a relatively new area for wineries, more often than not, your tastings are poured by the wine-maker personally. You get the opportunity to chat with them about what inspired them to start the business, how they make the wine, the pain of the year of the “big-freeze” where entire vineyards are lost, and anything else you want to know. We purchased a bottle of the Stateline Red, and we’ll be back for the next releases this Winter and next Spring. Proof that an excellent personal experience creates loyal customers! Also, Sis-in-law and I voted the wine-maker “cutie-pie of the trip,” loudly, just as he was rushing out to give us our forgotten receipt. Color our cheeks Merlot!