Red, red, wine. Goes to my head. (Part 1)

Over a month ago, one of my favorite wine swiggin' pals, Kirsten, came up from San Francisco for a visit and part of her trip had to include a trip to some local wineries. Literally, right up the road from me on 202 (Woodinville-Redmond Rd.), about 30 minutes away, is a nice collection of about 35 wineries (oh my!). Now, the grapes aren't grown here, but in eastern Washington where it is much warmer and drier. The wine growing region extends from the Columbia River (which borders Washington and Oregon) up to Chelan and into the Okanogan.

After spending so many years enjoying the scrumptious wines and environs (great place for cycling!) of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, and the CA central coast, I really had no expectations on this trip. My only goal was to find a decent red wine that was NOT a pinot noir. Up to now, I've always associated this region (from Oregon up to British Columbia) with the sweeter variety of white wines - Riesling, Gewurtraminar, and ice wine. But, little did I know that the region actually produces slightly more (57%) red wines than white. So, off we went with map in hand. On the way, we picked out the smaller, boutique-style types of wineries and avoided the bigger ones like Chauteau Ste. Michelle which would be the equivalent to Mondavi or Beringer in Napa.

Our first stop: Januik winery (they also distribute another label, Novelty Hill). The building reminded me of the building that used to be occupied by Roshambo winery in Sonoma - modern building with high ceilings and a lot of concrete. It kind of matched the staff's attitude when we first walkedin - cold and pretentious. But, as we engaged in a conversation with our pourer and asked for recommendations, they warmed up and our itinerary for the day changed for the better thanks to their helpful tips. They really trust their customers, though. When I paid for my wine, they gave me a box and pointed me to the wall of wines where I can pull the ones I purchased. Uh, hello, the Janiuk Champoux Cab (retail $125 a bottle) was right above the one I had purchased two of (Novelty Hill 2004 Stillwater Cab) for $30....it was tempting but I believe in karma and didn't want that to come and bite me in the ass. I also purchased a couple of Janiuk 2005 Lewis Vine Syrah. Great start to our day!

Next stop: JM Cellars. I love their tasting room! It's basically a converted home and their tasting room was so cozy with the lit fireplace and a table full of yummy cheese and crackers (which I so needed after our first round of tasting...hence, the title of my blog). It was like hanging out at someone's house for a party. Very friendly staff and I ended up buying a couple bottles each of the 2005 Tre Fanciulli and the 2005 Bramble Bump Red - both are blends. I don't have wine notes so I can't give you the details other than they were gooood. Both are sold out so you'll have to come over to Casa Ritchie for a taste :-) The day was getting better but I still wasn't completely convinced. On to the next winery!

To be cont'd (Red, red, wine. Goes to my head. (Part 2)