Walla Walla Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend

 

Next weekend, December 3-5, is Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend in the Walla Walla Valley. It is a festive occasion as many wineries open up their barrel rooms and decorate them with greenery and lights. Most also pour samples of wines still in the barrels. Here are some events that are not to be missed.

 

Robison Ranch Cellars - This winery will be featuring its new 2008 Syrah and 2008 Merlot and sampling some 2009's at the Ranch on Lower Waitsburg Road on Saturday and Sunday.

TL Cellars - Troy Ledwick will be pouring current and future Releases at Catie Walker's new Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman store (see below) on Saturday, December 4 from 12 to 4.

Dusted Valley - Andrae's Kitchen, a mobile kitchen, will be parked at Dusted Valley on Saturday and Sunday. Great burgers!

Cadaretta / Artifex - Cadaretta and other Artifex wineries will be open on Saturday from 10 to 4.

Tero / Flying Trout - Jan and Doug Roskelley and Ashley Trout will be presenting new releases, barrel samples, music, food, bonfires and barrel burning at the winery west of Milton-Freewater.

Locati Cellars - The winery just south of the border, off Stateline Road, will be open Friday, the 3rd.

Rasa Vineyards - Billo and Pinto Naravane's new digs on Powerline Road will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

 

Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman Wine Shop Opens

 

Catie McIntyre Walker opened her new wine shop (which takes its name from her blog) at 19 North 2nd Street in downtown Walla Walla a few weeks ago. I haven't been there yet, but will just as soon as we get back to Walla Walla on Thursday. From what I've learned from friends, Catie's shop is a must visit place. She has an eclectic selection, not only of local wines, but other Northwest and international ones as well. She also hosts wine tastings from time to time. Troy Ledwick will be pouring his TL Cellars wines on Saturday (see above). By the way, be sure to check out Catie's excellent, chatty blog.

 

Just Opened: URBAN Enoteca in Seattle's SODO District

 

Last night, Lynn and I attended the opening of URBAN Enoteca at 4130 1st Avenue South. This is a 20,000 square foot destination wine tasting venue. It includes The Tasting Center which comprises of seven Tasting Bars (with five more to be added in the future) showcasing Five Star Cellars (Walla Walla Valley), Cave B Estate Winery (Columbia Gorge), Cote Bonneville (Yakima Valley), Fielding Hills Winery (Wahluke Slope), Fidelitas (Red Mountain), Kiona Vineyards & Winery (Red Mountain) and McCrea Cellars (Seattle). There also are three distinct private event spaces, offering space for from 25 to 175 seated guests and 300 for receptions. Catering is provided by Chef Jason Wilson Events.

 

The opening was a great event, the spacious facility was swarming with oenophiles, and the food was plentiful and delicious. The Tasting Center was luxuriously appointed with leather sofas and chairs, plenty of tables, and state of the art wine tasting bars. There, I saw Bob and Susan Neel of McCrea Cellars, David and Matt Hulse of Five Star Cellars, Mike Wade of Fielding Hills and Freddy Arredondo of Cave B presenting their wines. All the wineries were fine representatives of URBAN Enoteca's criteria that "they must be producers of exceptional Washington wines, must be fun and easy to work with, and have no current Seattle tasting room." Congratulations to owner Terry Thompson for masterminding this impressive enterprise.

 

URBAN Enoteca is is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays for trade events and tastings. For more information, go to the website: www.urbanenoteca.com.

 

 

Other Westside Washington Wine Events

 

Not going to Walla Walla for Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend? Then go to Woodinville for St. Nicholas Day Open House, Saturday and Sunday, December 4 & 5. Two day passes are available for $50, for one day, $40. For information, go to the Woodinville Wine Country website.

 

On Saturday, December 12, there is the DeLille Cellars Pere Noel party at the winery. We went last year and found it highly worthwhile. Fine food and wine. Cost is $25 per person and includes a logo glass. For information and tickets, go to DeLille Cellars' website.

 

The South Seattle Artisan Wineries (SSAW) is having Open Houses on Saturdays, December 4 and 11 from 1 to 5. For more information go to SSAW website (use your search tool to find it).