Critically-acclaimed finger picking guitarists Mark Hanson, Terry Robb and Doug Smith return to Moulton Falls Winery on Sunday, September 18 for the 2nd Annual Guitar Summit. Viki Eierdam
On Sunday, September 18 three critically-acclaimed guitar players will join forces once again for a Guitar Summit at Moulton Falls Winery and it’s a not-to-be-missed event.
Terry Robb,Doug Smith and Mark Hanson make up the unstoppable trio of talent that will play “some of the finest finger-picking guitar style music in the country” beginning at 4 p.m.
The outdoor stage at Moulton Falls Winery will provide ideal acoustics to project the sometimes flamenco, sometimes bluesy sounds of the 2nd Annual Guitar Summit at Moulton Falls Winery. Viki Eierdam
Not only is their wicked string strumming mesmerizing but the breathtaking backdrop of Moulton Falls Winery is nothing short of the perfect venue for assembling such a wealth of musical genius under one roof (or one sky since, weather permitting, this is an outdoor concert).
The pizza oven will be fired up, Moulton Falls’ boutique wines will be available and their wildly popular ciders will be on tap, as well. Gather some close friends and enjoy a night of local wine and music in the shadows of the Cascade Foothills.
Last years’ inaugural Guitar Summit was attended by an appreciative crowd and 2017 promises to bring out an even larger audience so secure your $12 advanced ticket at www.tickettomato.com ($15 the day of).
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Jeff Waddell (far left),winemaker at East Fork Cellars, plays lead guitar and vocals with Les Cellars Rats who recently performed at Three Brothers Winery Wine Club Appreciation Concert. Viki Eierdam
Two weekends ago the park like setting of Three Brothers Winery—under majestic evergreens—provided a cooling backdrop for their combined Wine Club Appreciation Concert with East Fork Cellars and I had the privilege of attending.
Scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm, the crowd was a bit thin early on due to the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing but the opening act—Les Cellar Rats—appeared unfazed by the scorching sun as they covered hits from Journey to Kansas and an impressive Jimi Hendrix interpretation.
My husband and I scored premium seating under the recently-expanded covered patio since most guests were spread out with blankets on the lawn. Owner, Dan Andersen, joked with me that we’d taken over Walt Houser’s table and I can see why that’s his favorite spot; it afforded the perfect stage view under the comfort of shade and close proximity to chilled bottles of crisp pinot gris.
Guests at Three Brothers Winery’s Wine Club Appreciation Concert were treated to the soulful sounds of the Al Perez Band. Viki Eierdam
As more and more club members began descending on the grounds, the Al Perez Band took to the stage. The soulful sounds from Al’s acoustic guitar and the five-piece band backing him were masterfully woven but, alas, we had to make our exit before their set was up because, while I was visiting with Doug and Janine Julian (owners of The Vine Travelers), Walt and his lovely bride, Beth, showed up!
All kidding aside, that is not why we left. The arrival of the gracious owner and winemaker of Bethany Vineyards and our departure was simply a synergistic happenstance (you can thank us later for saving your table) because we were off to check out the inaugural Guitar Summit at Moulton Falls Winery with critically-acclaimed finger picking guitarists Terry Robb, Doug Smith and Mark Hanson while Drastic Measures and F.O.G. with special guest vocalist, Brenna Stillwell, would have the Wine Appreciation Concert continuing well into the evening.
Critically-acclaimed finger picking guitarists Mark Hanson, Terry Robb and Doug Smith performed at Moulton Falls Winery’s inaugural Guitar Summit two weekends ago. Viki Eierdam
Joe and Susan, owners of Moulton Falls, had their hands full with an appreciative crowd under a now cooler evening sky by the time we pulled in and the skillfully-delivered compositions of the trio were absolute magic. A recently-constructed stage (a.k.a Jake’s doghouse) provided ideal acoustics to project the sometimes flamenco, sometimes bluesy sounds of this stellar ensemble.
A recently-constructed stage (a.k.a Jake’s doghouse) provided ideal acoustics to project the sometimes flamenco, sometimes bluesy sounds of the inaugural Guitar Summit at Moulton Falls Winery. Viki Eierdam
It was like old homecoming at both stops being able to visit with Andersen, East Fork Cellars’ winemaker, Jeff Waddell (also lead guitarist for Les Cellar Rats), Walt and even Ridgefield mayor, Ron Onslow, at Three Brothers and then seeing author, Spike Walker; wine photographer, Richard Duval; and chatting with Joe and Susan at Moulton Falls. Wine makers and appreciators are truly a community of approachable, fun loving folks.
Two completely different concerts with two completely different atmospheres but each one hitting it out of the park with performances and talent. More outdoor concerts are scheduled throughout the summer at Clark County wineries. Gather some close friends and be sure to raise a glass at one (or two).
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Moulton Falls Winery set in the beautiful Lucia Valley near hiking, rafting and kayaking opportunities
Memorial Weekend of 2012 the doors to Moulton Falls Winery in Yacolt opened for business. Owner and winemaker, Joe Millea, presided over the tasting room along with his then-girlfriend-now-wife, Susan. People were greeted by some very nice wines and their 140-pound Golden Retriever/Great Pyrenees mix, Jake.
Between the winter holidays of 2013 and August, they’ve made some modifications to their building and grounds in order to be in compliance with requirements set forth by the Clark County Community Development Office. The County has given Moulton Falls Winery the green light and now Joe and Susan are ready to focus on wine, an expanding food menu and some extremely talented local musicians.
Inviting outdoor seating at Moulton Falls puts wine lovers in the midst of the beauty of the Lucia Valley
Wine offerings include their Big Jake Chenin Blanc which is a tribute to their winery dog, a slightly sweet Riesling with a hint of spice made in the German style, a brand new Syrah/Petit Verdot blend and an aromatic and well-balanced Sangiovese.
Moulton Falls sources fruit from the Red Mountain AVA (American Viticultural Area) in Eastern Washington and the Columbia Valley AVA, a little closer to Clark County.
The Chelatchie Prairie Railroad, which has been increasing its train rides over the years as they’ve raised money to improve and extend the line, runs right past Moulton Falls so the two began partnering after the winery opened to offer four wine runs a year. The next one is scheduled for September 13. Riders meet and are picked up at the winery, taken on a two-hour excursion through the picturesque landscape of North County and then dropped back off at the winery where ticketholders are treated to a free tasting of Moulton Falls’ current releases.
“We’re getting a lot of people from Portland who find out about Moulton Falls. A lot of college kids who want to go swimming (search the internet) and find our winery near the parks (Lucia and Moulton Falls). I’m working with a lot of businesses up here to promote tourism, to showcase just how gorgeous it is up here and how much there is to do,” Millea said.
Talent like Grammy-award winning guitarist, Doug Smith (middle), accompanied by his wife and accomplished flutist, Judy Koch-Smith, and folk -rock acoustic guitarist, Don Mitchell, enrich any visit to Moulton Falls Winery
The quality of talent interested in performing at the winery from Vancouver and the Portland folk scene is a compliment to the stunning natural beauty of the area and the terrific audience coming out to appreciate these musicians.
Names like Terry Robb, one of the top acoustic blues guitarists in the world, Grammy award-winning guitarist, Doug Smith and acclaimed folksinger, Tom May, who’s toured all over the US, Canada, Europe and used to play with Gordon Lightfoot, are just a few examples of the caliber of musicians that shine up at Moulton Falls.
On a recent Saturday night I enjoyed a mushroom pizza drizzled with truffle oil while sipping on a glass of their Sangiovese listening to Doug Smith accompanied by his wife, Judy Koch-Smith, who is also an accomplished jazz flutist, and folk-rock acoustic guitarist, Don Mitchell, who has a natural comedic talent that is absolutely endearing.
A cozy nook in the wood-heavy tasting room of Moulton Falls Winery
Not only was I fortunate to enjoy all this but I saw first-hand how friendly the local crowd really is. I was invited to join Clark (a regular at Moulton Falls who comes out from downtown Vancouver for the finger-picking music) at his table and his appreciation for the style of music being showcased at Moulton Falls was infectious. Joe and Susan are certainly on to something and the town of Yacolt is darned lucky to have them so close.
Back bar detail at Moulton Falls Winery tasting room
Moulton Falls Winery is open Fri 4-9 p.m., Sat noon-9 p.m., Sun noon-6 p.m. and located at 31101 NE Railroad Avenue, Yacolt. For more information, call (360) 686-4070, go to www.moultonfallswinery.com or connect with them on Facebook.
Being at The Grant House just makes you feel patriotic
Arguably one of the most beautiful streets in Vancouver is Officer’s Row which parallels Fort Vancouver National Historic Site including the expansive park. In the summertime, rows of flags flap in the breeze and each home is punctuated by perfectly manicured lawns and majestic old oaks.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc paired with a hummus platter at The Grant House was a perfect break in the middle of the week
As luck would have it, The Grant House has an inviting veranda to take it all in on while enjoying happy hour from 3-5 pm Tues-Sat or dinner a little later with the sounds of local artists like Terry Robb’s acoustic blues wafting in the background.
We made it to the top of Hamilton Mountain – 7. 5 miles roundtrip with a 2400 foot elevation gain.
Last Wednesday, after dropping our nephew off at his house (we all endured Hamilton Mountain the day before as part of our training to hike St Helens on Aug 12), we decided to romp in the park with the dogs and that patio seating looked mighty inviting. Not only is The Grant House dog friendly, Challenge and Baby Girl were given their own ceramic dog dish to lap ice cold water from while we enjoyed our own beverages. Very nice.
A water dish just for Challenge and Baby Girl. A step up from our collapsible one.
Happy hour was over but no matter. When I saw Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc by the glass I knew that was going to be my choice anyway. The crisp citrus acidity paired very well with the hummus platter that came with feta, tomatoes, cucumber and Kalamata olives. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass and by the bottle as well as a specially-priced Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay during happy hour.
There’s nothing quite like loafing on the porch of an over 135 year old building on a gorgeous Northwest day. It’s spectacular that little old Vancouver has such a rich history of stunning mansions and one of them houses such a fine restaurant. I might have the pan-seared Alaskan cod tacos on our next visit or their summer salad with sweet corn. They also have three different kinds of sliders and the white bean risotto on their dinner menu was tempting.
Challenge and Baby Girl chillin’ on Officer’s Row after romping at Fort Vancouver Park
Savor, Sip and Sojourn 