A note from the Editor

It is sometimes difficult to stop and remind ourselves of all there is to be thankful for. This is, of course, the time of year that we are to do just that, and as I stop and reflect I find myself overwhelmed. I contemplate the life of our soldiers still in Iraq, the immense homeless population here in Seattle and around the country, the lack of freedom of the citizens of North Korea and I realize how truly fortunate I am. In America we often get so busy running the race and fretting about not having the ultimate picture, that we forget how unbelievably blessed we are.

This year I am thankful for warmth and shelter in the cold and rain, for an abundance of friends and family, for the fact that I will never go hungry, for work that not only supplies my income but also brings fulfillment, for a strong and healthy mind and body and for my freedom as a citizen of this country.

As I remember all of these things I am also reminded of you, our loyal readers who continue to read Juice and support the work that we do throughout the year. Thank you for reading and thank you for joining me in the spirit of "pioneering" the vineyard region of our state.


 
Happy Holidays


From Washington Wine Country

 
Jackie Walsh
Communications Director
Washington Wine Country
jwalsh@winecountrywashington.org

'Tis The Season . . . to Head East

This Holiday Season, Washington's wine country offers magic, lights, holiday feasts, hidden treasures and a bounty of wine for your holiday table and gift giving. Although the biggest releases of the year occur in the Spring, many wineries also have newly released wines just in time for the holiday season. What better way to add spirit to a holiday party or gift giving than with a new vintage for a new year. Contact your favorite wineries and ask about new releases or go to a local retailer and peruse the Washington wine section. You could also consider creating gift baskets for out of town guests or distant friends and family featuring Washington wines and other regional products.

If you're looking for a holiday get away not too far from home, consider taking part in one of these great seasonal events throughout Washington Wine Country. From Lake Chelan to Yakima to Walla Walla, there's a delightful array of events throughout the holiday season.

Lake Chelan Wine Valley
Thanksgiving & Holiday Winery Lighting

Part of the Columbia Valley AVA, the Lake Chelan region now boasts 12 wineries with open tasting rooms nestled within the rolling hills and sparkling waters of Lake Chelan. The scenic lake setting offers visitors an intimate backdrop to their holiday wine country touring and tasting.

Join these wineries just after the Thanksgiving Holiday for the a special Thanksgiving in the Lake Chelan Wine Valley. Begin the Friday after Thanksgiving and celebrate the end of the growing season with a free, self-guided tour of the wineries in the Lake Chelan Valley. The focus will be on special food and wine pairings and recipes using wine and a few wineries will be offering samples straight from the barrel.

Another holiday event in the Lake Chelan Winery Valley is The Holiday Winery Lighting. On Saturday, December 9th the switch will be flipped and the wineries will be brilliantly lit with wonderful holiday lights and displays. Each participating winery will have specially planned events, tasting specials or activities for the Christmas season.

For more information on the wineries of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley, visit www.lakechelanwinevalley.com.


Yakima Valley
Thanksgiving in Wine Country

Each year the wineries of the Yakima Valley open their doors the weekend after Thanksgiving to showcase their wines and offer delicious holiday pairings. November 24-26, visit the wineries of the Yakima Valley and extend your Thanksgiving celebration into wine country. Here are just a few of those perfect pairings and how some wineries will be giving reserve ticket holders extra special treatment.

At Apex Cellars reserve ticket holders will be escorted to the Reserve room to visit with winemaker Jean Claude Beck and enjoy Sicilian Spiced Braised Short Ribs & Cambazola Crusted Crostini paired with vineyard designated wines such as 2000 Solstice Merlot, 2000 Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon and 2001 Outlook Syrah.

Join Chandler Reach in Benton City and enjoy a taste of Grandma Tudors spaghetti paired with 2003 Monte Regalo.

Hightower Cellars is releasing its 2003 Sauvignon and 2004 Murray Cuvee. Enjoy perfectly paired cheese and chocolates and a series of Hightower Cellars wines from 1998-2002 in celebration of Hightower Cellars 10th harvest!

At Kestrel Vintners enjoy the 2004 Viognier accompanied by Chef Chris Van Hoorelbeke’s Fire Roasted Apple and Brie en Croute. In the Cellar, Club Members and Reserve ticket holders, celebrate the release of Kestrel’s 2003 Old Vine Signature Edition Merlot, expertly paired with Chris’ Red Wine Barrel Braised Short Ribs with Caramelized Onions.

Snoqualmie Vineyards is providing several oils and dips with bread, crackers and vegetables. Reserve ticket holders will enjoy Satay with spicy peanut sauce from the "Emerald of Siam” as well as enjoy tasting Snoqualmie Reserve wines

For reserve tickets, call 1-800-258-7270 or buy your tickets on-line at www.wineyakimavalley.org.


Walla Walla Valley
Holiday Barrel Tasting & Winemaker's Fete

On the first weekend in December winemakers open their doors to share samples of their future releases. Walla Walla has more and more boutique "by appointment only" wineries so this event is a great way to meet the winemakers and learn more about the process from those wineries who don't have regular "open to the public" business hours.

This annual event in Walla Walla is a wine country favorite and highly coveted hotel rooms are already sold out, but those determined can still find a way to participate. You may have to stay in the Tri-Cities and drive in but the festivities promise to be well worth it. Wineries will be open Saturday and Sunday, December 2 & 3 and hours vary. See the event details with a list of open wineries and times at www.wallawallawine.com.

To kick-off the Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend, there is a special Winemaker's Fete on Thursday evening at the Marcus Whitman Hotel. Sample Valley wines by varietals with an opening reception  followed by an exquisite winemakers’ five-course dinner by Chef Bear of The Marc. Intimate tables of eight are hosted by select Valley winemakers with each winery awarding a special magnum to one lucky tableside guest. A dessert and wine pairing reception with all the winemakers present concludes the festivities. There is also a silent auction throughout the night to benefit local art education in schools and the Carnegie Art Center.
 

Facts & Tidbits

Washington Wines and the Economy

Did you know?

Washington's wine industry boasts $3 billion of economic impact for our state. With over 14,000 wine related jobs, wages to these employees is somewhere around $466 million. Moreover, as the second largest producer of wines in the United States, Washington state is focused on the premium wine market segment.

Source: The Washington Wine Commission


 

Living Wine Country

Along The Wine Road

Balsamroot Winery

Visit the newest winery of the Lake Chelan area and experience a tasting for the senses with Winemaker and recent UC Davis grad Judy Phelps.

At the tasting bar, visitors are encouraged to take a different approach to their tasting experience. Judy pairs lemons with her Riesling, peaches with her Viognier and chocolate with her Cabernet, not to taste with the wines but to smell.

"The pairings aid in helping our visitors pick up the flavors and aromas of the wine," states Judy. "It's an elevation of the senses."

Around Lake Chelan, the same growing conditions that produce amazing wine grapes also give rise to the spectacular Arrowleaf Balsamroot. A native wildflower that covers the hillsides of the vineyard in the spring, just as the grapevines are beginning to bud, it is where the winery derives its name.

Having planted their own grapes in 2005 and 2006 concentrating on white varietals, owners Don and Judy Phelps will soon be making Estate wines. They currently have a 2004 blend called Ivan The Red, 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah all from the Wahluke Slope. The 2005 vintages consist of Riesling, Viognier and Chardonnay, all from vineyards in the Columbia Valley.  To purchase wines or learn more about the visiting the winery, go to their Web site at www.balsamrootwinery.com.

Get a Taste of the Destination

Shakti's Restaurant in Downtown Wenatchee

After asking around we discovered that Shakti's is the restaurant of choice of both Wenatchee locals and visitors. Voted favorite downtown restaurant in Wenatchee and having received three stars from Best Places Northwest, Shatki's offers flavors of fine dining in Washington Wine Country.

Owners Shakti Lanphere and Renee Mack tout Shakti's as having an ambiance like no other in the area with fresh seafood, hand-cut dry aged meats, a well paired boutique wine list and talented table service well above the norm.

Chef Shakti Lanphere's personal dedication to flavor and presentation have all sky-rocketed this savvy supper club to the top of the list for "destination restaurants". Offering both lunch and dinner, the menu boasts some of these favorites:

Spinaci Alla Fiorentina . . . baby spinach briefly tossed with fresh sizzled garlic, warmed juiced lemon & Kosher salt.

Penn Cove Mussels . . .  steamed with chopped garlic, fresh thyme, Roma tomato, sherry & double cream.

Risotto I Fungi . . . WA grown chicken breast, fresh Crimini mushrooms, fire roasted red peppers & fresh rosemary stirred with Arborio rice & Gorgonzola.

Rack of Lamb . . . New Zealand half rack grilled with whole roasted shallot, brown sugar & sweet aged Balsamic.

In addition to the warm, inviting dining room, Shakti's is said to boast Wenatchee's only "Top Shelf" cocktail lounge. An intimate setting for sipping Martinis or hand-selected boutique wines, the lounge offers a colorful Tapas menu brimming with "bold eclectic Mediterranean flavors" and a special emphasis on desserts and after dinner drinks.

Offering wines from Washington, California and a few other regions, the wine list features Washington wines very close to home like Wedge Mountain in Peshastin. Other local wines are from Hightower Cellars, Sandhill, Fox Estate, Saviah Cellars, Martin Scott and Thurston Wolfe.

Check out Shakti's the next time you're in wine country at 218 North Mission in Wenatchee and for more information, visit their Web site at www.shaktisfinedining.com.

Thanksgiving Breakfast Yes, that's right, Thanksgiving Breakfast. There's so much focus on the big dinner that we forget to think of what to have on hand for breakfast and often times we have guests at our home that will want breakfast. Here's a great recipe for a delicious breakfast pie that can be prepared the evening before. A couple of remaining steps the next morning and all that's left to do is pop it in the oven. Enjoy! Ingredients 1 frozen pie crust 8 oz pork sausage, browned and drained 1 cup southern-style frozen hash-brown potatoes, thawed 1/4 cup sliced green onion 1/4 cup chopped red or green bell pepper 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 4 large eggs 1/4 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper Preheat oven to 375 F. Place crust on baking sheet (it should still be in the aluminum pie pan). Sprinkle sausage around bottom of crust. Top with potatoes, onions, bell peppers and cheese. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper until blended; pour over sausage-potato mixture in crust. Bake 30 minutes or until egg mixture is cooked and crust is lightly browned. Sprinkle with additional cheese and peppers, if desired. Serve with seasonal fresh fruit. * If preparing the evening before, wait until morning to blend egg mixture and pour over sausage-potato mixture prior to baking.

New This Month . . . "Dancing Woman" Art Prints

Finally . . . what many of you have been waiting for! We now have our new "Dancing Woman" illustration from this year's Wine Country Celebration available in posters. Just in time for the Holidays, Washington Wine Country art prints and wine coasters make wonderful gifts for the wine lover in your family.

Unique Art Prints are available of all four illustrations of our "Perfectly Balanced" campaign for $25 each or a set of three for $60.  Our wine coasters have wine country images on both sides and are packaged in a clear gift box. An eight coaster gift set is $10.

As the "Dancing Woman" is a brand new product, it is not yet listed on our Web Site. For this print please download the merchandise order form below or call our contact our office directly at 206-285-0514.

Click here to download our merchandise order form. For more information and to order Washington Wine Country merchandise, visit www.winecountrywashington.org/cellar.