Fall brings great debut wines to discover - Just when I fear that the old Gregutt palate is becoming a bit jaded, the magic happens. It has something to do with crush, and with autumn, and with the deluge of new releases that hit about this time each year. Suddenly, out of the dozens of wineries ma...MORE...

10/08/08 Wine Q&A - Many readers wrote in response to my recent column on checking wines as baggage when flying. Typical was this e-mail from Tim Y: "Last year on our trip to Napa we had the wineries ship the wines directly. Since it was during the summer and we were driving...MORE...

Many wineries trying to be more green - Q. We want the wines we purchase to be as green as possible. Who's doing the best job in your opinion? A. Many wineries are making progress on many fronts: In the vineyard, where pesticides and chemical fertilizers are being banned; in the winery, where...MORE...

Wine adviser: Building the Rattlesnake Hills name - It's a late summer morning, just ahead of the wine grape harvest, and I'm cruising the Rattlesnake Hills with Gail Puryear, the man most responsible for the region's application to become an official AVA. It's Washington's ninth and newest (as of this wri...MORE...

09/17/08 Wine Q&A - Q. I am in the process of moving to the Seattle area and shipped a few bottles of wine from my home in Florida. Unfortunately, the shipment was delayed and I am afraid that the wines may have sat in some rather severe heat. They were well packed but not i...MORE...

Wine Adviser: Taking a holiday trip? Know wine regulations - With the holidays looming, many wine lovers are planning to travel to family gatherings in other parts of the country. Perhaps you thought you would take along a special bottle or two to enjoy with your friends and family. Not so fast, bucko! These days,...MORE...

The road to exceptional wine touring leads to Prosser - Wine touring in the fall is especially thrilling, because it is the season of the harvest. The Crush is how winemakers refer to it, a phrase that neatly captures both the physical pressing of the grapes, and the rush of crunch-time winemaking. The Winema...MORE...

Wine adviser: Quest for value ends with Zillah's Kamiakins - Two themes run consistently through much of the wine literature written during the past three decades. One is the quest for value. As long ago as the late 1960s, writers were bemoaning the fact that prices for first-growth Bordeaux (Lafite, Latour, Margau...MORE...

08/27/08 Wine Q&A - Q. My wife and I recently heard a story on Northwest Public Radio about new regulations in Italy for wines in boxes. Are you aware of any quality American wines (particularly reds) that are available in boxes as opposed to traditional glass bottles? A. Bo...MORE...

The increasing value of Washington wine - A recurring complaint about Washington wines -- perhaps the most frequent wine whine that I hear -- is that they are overpriced. When something that negative so stubbornly permeates the consumer-sphere, it demands attention. Why is ...MORE...

Georgia's in the news -- for wine, too - Attention, wine wonks! Kakheti is calling, all the way from Georgia. The former Soviet Republic, which lies east of the Black Sea and has been in the news of late, invites you to sample wines from Kakheti, its principal wine region. Some 500 different in...MORE...

L'Ecole No 41 keeps new kid panache - L'Ecole No. 41, the third winery to open in Walla Walla in the modern era (and just the 20th in Washington state), has been around so long now that, like a well-worn old easy chair, it's all too easy to sink into its plush comforts and look around for som...MORE...

Oregon summer sippers easy on the pocketbook - Amid a sea of $30 to $60 wines from Northwest producers, the occasional budget jewel bobs to the surface. During the course of a couple of weeks spent reviewing new releases from Oregon, I found quite a few wines perfect for summer sipping that are priced...MORE...

07/23/08 Wine Q&A - Q. While I am no wine aficionado, I have sent back wine a couple of times when I find that the wine bubbles across my tongue even though this wine is not a sparkling wine. This has happened with a couple of pinot noirs and once with a blended cab franc-ca...MORE...

Wine adviser: State crafts its take on roussanne - Roussanne, an aromatic white wine grape from the Rhone Valley of France, is one of a number of Rhone-inspired varietals being explored here in Washington. I've long believed that one of the best ways to learn about wine is to focus on single varietal wine...MORE...

Italian whites made for summer sipping - Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those A-B-C (Anything But Chardonnay) people; in fact, I am very fond of chardonnay. Especially French chardonnay, when it's Chablis or even a modest little Macon. But it's all too easy to fall into a white wine rut, es...MORE...

July Fourth -- whatever the weather -- calls for zin - Should we be expecting warm, sunny weather for July Fourth? Maybe, but I can't help but recall a Fourth of July some years ago when it was so bitterly cold in Seattle that we huddled in winter coats on my deck watching a fireworks show that mostly took pl...MORE...

In praise of what state does best: grenache, riesling - There is no more influential arbiter of the value and quality of Washington wines -- at least as far as the world at large is concerned -- than the bimonthly newsletter called Robert Parker's Wine Ad...MORE...

Go pink for summer - With summer weather, summer foods and summer entertaining -- especially summer weddings -- on the horizon, the wines to drink are pink. They're versatile, festive, chillable and fresh, and there are more dry, food-friendly pink (ros&ea...MORE...

The Gorge for wines - Washington's Columbia Gorge AVA (viticultural area) was officially approved in 2004. This is not the same Gorge as the famous concert venue. This Gorge spans the Washington/Oregon border on the eastern edge of the Cascades. And like t...MORE...

Spanish wines importer brings palate with him - Basilio Rodriguez Grueso followed his heart (and his future wife) to Bellingham, Wash. -- a long way from his home in La Mancha. But his palate never left Spain, and so the former banker made an abrupt career...MORE...

Stock spring picnic with affordable Washington wines - A few weeks ago, I was asked to organize a wine tasting for a private event. The table was laid out with an assortment of picnic foods: olives, nuts, cheeses, pâté, salmon spread, various dips and salads and a cold pork tenderloin. Rather t...MORE...

05/14/08 Wine Q&A - Q. A recent wine column in the Wall Street Journal stated a large disappointment in merlots that cost $20 to $50. The final listing of nine were California only despite the authors including Washington labels in their tastings. I'm not too sure how much I...MORE...

South Seattle wineries showcase wares, facilities - Saturday afternoon, the South Seattle Artisan Wineries (Cadence, Fall Line, :Nota Bene and OoS) will "Celebrate Spring" with a four-winery open house from 1 to 5 p.m. They are all relatively small boutiqu...MORE...

Novelty Hill carves a name for itself among state wines - Novelty Hill Winery, whose sleek, modern, well-appointed production facility and tasting room share space (and winemaking) with Mike Januik's winery in Woodinville, has quickly earned a place on the short list of Washington's best value wines -- and best ...MORE...

'On fire' Argentine malbecs, Part 2 - Last week, I wrote about Argentine malbecs and struggled to whittle down several dozen excellent bottles to just a single case. This week, I want to follow up with some more of these noteworthy wines. "Malbec," I am assured by virtually every wine distrib...MORE...

Prepare yourself for Taste Washington - Taste Washington weekend is just ahead, with a full day of seminars on Saturday, and a wine-and-food-a-thon Sunday. It's the unofficial kick-off event to a spring full of new releases and specials in the hundreds of tasting rooms scattered around the stat...MORE...

Washington winemaker at the top of his mark - We have reached a moment in the modern history of the Washington wine industry where some of the veteran winemakers are at the height of their long careers. They are making wines with confidence and style. Their decades of work have taught them a great de...MORE...

03/26/08 Wine Q&A - Q. What's the difference (if any) between syrah and petite sirah? A. Big difference. Syrah (also called shiraz) is a peppery red wine grape that provides the core of most great wines from the Rhone Valley of France. It's widely grown in Australia and ha...MORE...

Grown in Washington, crafted in Oregon - It's perhaps no more than a curious coincidence, but have you noticed that some of the best Washington wines are being made in Oregon? Winemakers Peter Rosback (Sineann), Andrew Rich (Andrew Rich Wines) and David O'Reilly (Owen Roe) -- though by no means ...MORE...

Loire Valley, Part 2: red wines - What I would term "authentic" red wines are those that best and most clearly express the specific flavors of the grape, the soil and the vintage from which they are made. When tasting wines that are made from a single grape varietal, as opposed to blended...MORE...

Loire Valley offers appealing white wines - The Loire Valley of France, though best known for its bookend white wines -- Muscadet in the far west, Sancerre in the east -- offers a selection as varied and appealing as any region in the world. From sparkling wines called "Fines Bulles" (fine bubbles)...MORE...

02/27/08 Wine Q&A - Q. I received a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle 2005 Cinsault as a gift. Is this a red or a white wine? Could you describe it for me? A. This is an unusual red grape rarely bottled as a varietal wine in Washington. It is originally a southern French vari...MORE...

Wine Q&A - Q. Thanks for your great articles about Washington state wine growing regions. I am seeking a list of the 500 or so wineries for educational purposes and hoping you could tell me if there is a Web site or resource available? A. The Washington Wine Commiss...MORE...

Ageability of wine best determined in retrospect - By Paul Gregutt One of the enduring reference points for gauging a wine's quality and value is its estimated ageability. Estimated is the operative word here. The leading wine-scoring newsletters and magazines frequently issue declarations such as, "Forg...MORE...

01/23/08 Wine Q&A - Q. What do sparging and ullage refer to? A. Sparging is part of the bottling process that helps to preserve wine freshness and prevent premature oxidation and other problems. After being rinsed and filled with wine, the bottle will have inert gas (usuall...MORE...

A man with a true passion for wine and family - The love of wine grabs people by the throat and wallet and leads them down many different and fascinating pathways. I've met thousands of winemakers, wine sellers and wine enthusiasts over the years, each with a different tale to tell. But Roy Hersh is th...MORE...

Wine question and answer - Q. Some chefs and cookbooks recommend cooking with the same wine you are planning to drink with the meal; others say to use any cheap wine because the alcohol cooks out and it doesn't really matter. Which is correct? A. Well, actually, both -- or neither....MORE...

A to Z pleases palate, pocketbook the palate and pocketbook - By Paul Gregutt Wine Adviser "Aristocratic wines at democratic prices" is the motto emblazoned across the home page of A to Z Wineworks. It immediately establishes A to Z as a thinking person's budget wine. No critters, trucks or trash talk here. Happil...MORE...

State's grapes attract talent - It has become almost commonplace for celebrity winemakers to visit Washington state. They come from France, Australia, Italy, Germany and California -- some to consult, some to make wines collaboratively. But more and more, they come to stay. Make no mist...MORE...

01/09/08 Wine Q&A - Q. I accidentally left some wine in the back of my car overnight, and the temperatures outside dropped below freezing. I know that overheating is bad for wine, but what about over-chilling? A. Over-chilling is not good, but not quite as bad as wine that h...MORE...

01/02/07 Wine Q&A - Q. I recently returned from a trip to Western Australia, visiting local wineries scattered throughout the region. Every bottle I brought home has a screw top, even the high-end bottles. For storage, do I still need to leave the bottles on their side since...MORE...

Resolve to learn more about wines in 2008 via blind tastings - Let's start the new year right, with a resolution to be pro-active about wine tasting in 2008. Let's face it, most wine encounters are random. You grab a bottle while shopping for dinner, or you pick something off a restaurant list because the sommelier r...MORE...

Wine Adviser's notes from 2007 - Wrapping out the year, some highlights, changes and memories ... I set out in January to focus this column's attention more regionally on wine, emphasizing place over grape or producer. Because place, often referred to as terroir, is the defining elemen...MORE...

12/26/07 Wine Q&A - Q. I'm trying to find a nice decanter for a gift but I'm not sure where to look. A. Most big department stores carry decanters (along with wine glasses, etc.) in their kitchen/dining room sections. Fancier decanters can also be found in the kitchen speci...MORE...

State's best wines this year - Once again, in the retrospective spirit of the season, I offer a highly personal list of the year's Top 100 Washington wines. There are now more than 530 bonded wineries in the state. If they average just 10 wines annually (some less, some more), that's...MORE...

12/19/07 Wine Q&A - Q. In a recent column you talked about some wines that were served to you that had some problems -- one had the wrong date, another was corked and the third was a charm. Who was on the hook for the first two bottles? Who bears responsibility for checking ...MORE...

Throwing around terminology

- Throwing around terminology Think of the havoc that can be created when unregulated wine terms are tossed around. There are so many different words to choose from. Let's consider just two: nouveau (as in Beaujolais nouveau) and reserve (applied to thousan...MORE...

12/12/07 Wine Q&A - Q. With respect to your recent article -- the correct way to store wines -- is it less important for long-term horizontal storage if the cork end is covered with wax, or if the bottle is a large format (1.5L, 3L, 6L, etc.)? I have several large format bot...MORE...

How to preserve safe salsa - Salsa has become one of Americans' favorite foods. With the abundance of tomatoes, onions and peppers this time of year, people often want to make salsa to have on hand this winter. Here are some ways to preserve salsa or preserve the ingredients to quick...MORE...

Sensational sandies - Whenever we make Chocolate Caramel Pecan Sandies, the kitchen fills with the most delicious aroma that comes from baking with butter, and we are reminded of what the late Richard Sax said about homemade cookies. On his l...MORE...

Remember food safety when reusing plastics - You may feel good about reusing your plastic margarine tubs for microwaving leftovers or using plastic grocery bags for food storage in the spirit of reuse or recycle, but are they safe practices? Not according to the U.S....MORE...

Freeze strawberries to preserve summer flavor - I have had several calls recently on how to freeze strawberries with and without sugar. There are several methods that yield a good product. First, wash and drain strawberries, then remove hulls. For strawberries packed in liquid (syrup, juice or water),...MORE...

Yakima chef spotlights fresh foods - YAKIMA -- Yucca root, dandelion blossoms, cabbage leaves -- if anyone can make these sound delicious, Erika Cenci can. What's more, she can make them taste delicious. Cenci, co-owner of A Touch of Europe Bed and Breakfast in Ya...MORE...

Cookies for the holiday - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS What are the holidays without several different kinds of cookies to taste? Here are just a few favorites. For more recipes, visit www.yakimaherald.com. Rugelach These traditional Jewish cookies wrap a tender, flaky dough around a fi...MORE...

Creation earns national prize for local writer

- Creation earns national prize for local writer By TERRY CAMPBELL Yakima Herald-Republic Yakima freelance writer Donna Scofield has broken into print again. Yakima Herald-Republic readers have prized Scofield's astute looks at home life in her biweekly col...MORE...