This Memorial Weekend, Sip Into Something Local

Clark County is currently home to 18 wineries and tasting rooms. Enjoy a taste of local in Southwest Washington Wine Country this Memorial Weekend. Dan Eierdam

The Willamette Valley, Walla Walla and Hood River have their allures but did you ever stop to think about how things in your own backyard just don’t garner the attention they deserve? In case you missed it, Clark County is currently home to 18 wineries and tasting rooms—more than enough for a wine-packed weekend.

Eleven of those recently formed the Southwest Washington Winery Association and they’re pouring new releases and rolling out a free passport to entice you into their tasting rooms. May 28-30 from 12 p.m.-6 p.m. have your passport stamped by six of the participating wineries (Burnt Bridge Cellars, Cellar 55 Tasting Room, Confluence Winery, English Estate Winery, Emanar Cellars, Heisen House Vineyards, Koi Pond Cellars, Moulton Falls Winery, Olequa Cellars, Rezabek Vineyards and Stavalaura Vineyards) and leave it at the last one for your chance to win one of 11 prizes.

The North Clark County Wine Trail—consisting of Dolio Winery, Pomeroy Cellars and Moulton Falls Winery—lure people a bit off the beaten track with promises of bucolic country roads, peaceful vistas and ample hiking opportunities. Not just a great marketing concept, these wineries deliver on their promise and then some. Currently hosting a three-part hiking series highlighting Lewisville Park, Lucia Falls Park and Moulton Falls Park, North Clark County wineries truly are ‘worth the drive.’

Close-in Rusty Grape Vineyards will be hosting their own Memorial Weekend Tour with stops at three other wineries— Bethany Vineyard & Winery, Three Brothers Vineyard and one yet to be announced. Transportation by A List Limos and snacks during the tour are included in the $40 ticket price as well as a wood-fired pizza and appetizer spread back at the Grape, capped off by a special barrel tasting. Tasting fees to the other wineries is not included.

Acres under vines in Clark County grows with each passing year. Enjoy a taste of local in Southwest Washington Wine Country this Memorial Weekend. Viki Eierdam

On a convenient loop within a four mile radius, three Ridgefield wineries entice fine wine fans with new releases poured by charming vintners. Visitors can sip a bottle from the extensive wine list of the second oldest winery in Clark County at Bethany Vineyard while looking out over their pristine 26 acres under vines; enjoy sparkling rosé, pulled pork sliders, New York brats and nonalcoholic wine-derived ice cream at Gougér Cellars Winery; and taste Dan’s new releases—a 2015 Gewürztraminer and 2015 Pinot Rosé—paired with cheeses at Three Brothers Vineyard.

Village Vineyard reopened on April 16 after winter break and they’re featuring live music in their tasting room over Memorial Weekend. Dave and Sheila always have a warm welcome for guests and Sheila makes a terrific appetizer platter to share with everyone who stops by. If you’ve not been to this gorgeous winery that also serves as a bed and breakfast and event space, you’re in for a treat. The butter yellow home—situated near Laurin Middle School— stands sentry atop a south-facing slope and outdoor seating is inviting.

Southwest Washington winemakers are pouring new releases this weekend like the much-anticipated sparkling rosé at Gougér Cellars. Viki Eierdam

Want to imbibe without the drive? Join The Vine Travelers and leave the teetotaling to Janine. Her 12-passenger van will safely transport passengers on a tour to Koi Pond Cellars, Stavalaura Vineyards, Heisen House Vineyards—where guests will enjoy a boxed lunch on this National and State Historic Site—and Olequa Cellars. Reservations required.

This Memorial Weekend, treat yourself and out of town guests to the charms found right in your own backyard.

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Area wineries bringing their A game to outdoor concerts

 

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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Meet the wine pro: Necessity is the mother of invention

Janine Julian, owner of The Vine Travelers, offers personalized wine and brewery tours with the option of light adventure from Gorge hikes to clam digging. Laura Leadingham

When outdoor enthusiast, Janine Julian, moved from Minnesota to the Northwest over 20 years ago she took on more than a full-time dental position. “Coming out here and being halfway between the mountains and the ocean I went crazy exploring and when my family came out here, I was the tour guide. I took them to wineries and hiking,” Janine said. Several years later her son, Joe, was looking for a fundraising idea for baseball and Janine went straight to what she loved—wine. Some elementary math and a couple bus company phone calls later, she had the makings for an adult adventure that far exceeded cookie dough. After that first successful winery tour she and her husband, Doug, organized others for various efforts their children were involved in but it wasn’t until they put the outings on hold for a time—and people remarked how much they missed them—that they realized they had a viable business opportunity.

Janine Julian’s at once approachable personality and love for Northwest wines are the perfect pairing for an ideal wine tour experience. Laura Leadingham

In 2011 The Vine Travelers was born and the couple enjoyed organizing winery, brewery and light adventure tours for out-of-towners and local residents as they balanced their day jobs. It was to be the combination of a back injury and a wine tour in the Casablanca region of Chile that poised Janine for the leap of faith to expand The Vine Travelers to five days a week. Using her 12-passenger van, Janine generally arranges three winery or brewery stops a day. A snack plate is included and lunch can be provided, customers are welcome to bring their own or, in the case of a brewery tour, food is ordered on site. She consults with clients beforehand to see what their beverage style is or area they’d like to tour. From there she’s able to coordinate a personalized itinerary based on established vineyard/brewery relationships. The Vine Travelers typically focus on Clark County; the Washington and Oregon side of the Gorge as far as Hood River; and down into the Willamette Valley but routinely explore new areas to stay up on this fast-growing industry. From her early tour guide experiences with her family, she realized she could add even more value to her winery and brewery excursions by providing a few extras. Janine said “They (visitors) travel with minimal items and I could be the one who offered backpacks and water bottles and park passes and they wouldn’t have to figure out what to do and where to go.” Drawing from their own interests, The Vine Travelers can incorporate light hiking in a wine tour or even take guests on a full day sightseeing trip to the beach complete with clam digging. While she doesn’t claim to be a wine expert, Janine has developed a palate dictated by the weather, activity or food a bottle is being paired with. They keep everything on hand from sauvignon blanc for Thai food to port for sipping around a campfire but her favorite wine and food combination is “salmon freshly caught that day by us and a really good pinot noir; my absolute favorite,” Janine said, echoing her adventuresome spirit. **If you like what you’re reading, follow Corks & Forks by clicking the ‘Follow’ button or follow Corks & Forks on Facebook.

Charlies Bodega + Grape-ful Women = 5 stars

 

The waiter assigned to the Grape-ful Women group at Charlies Bodega—that kept growing as the night progressed—adapted with a smile on his face and plenty of wine to keep us all happy.

What elevates an opportunity to try out a new place is doing it with friends. Even better, a group of about 40 other women just as excited about new adventures and great wine as I can be.

So it was that about three weeks ago I ventured into the recently-rebranded Charlies Bodega in downtown Vancouver all by my lonesome to meet up with the Grape-ful Women. This is the second event I’ve attended and they do an amazing job of making everyone feel included.

I immediately saw Janine Julian, co-owner of The Vine Travelers, and area wine consultant, Lynda Lathrop, talking with a lady who’d walked in seconds before me (Dawn). The party was in full swing and there was one table left. So, my new friend, Dawn, and I took a seat and started chatting. She was waiting for a high school friend (Stacey) to show up so they could blend Spanish wine tasting with reunion planning. Sounded like a terrific arrangement to me.

The waiter assigned to our group—that kept growing as the night progressed—adapted with a smile on his face and plenty of wine to keep us all happy. I think Joe realized early on that all that attention from so many ladies was a pretty good gig.

Charlies Bodega had a successful re-branding back in January and now allow ample opportunity to enjoy their Iberian-focused wines with a Spanish-inspired menu.

The first wine of the evening was a well-chilled Príncipe de Viana 2013 Chardonnay from the Navarra region paired with a bacalao tapas. When in Spain, I learned that bacalao is salted cod and it was served on its own with vinegar that, frankly, was a bit much however it’s paired beautifully with Albariño—a bright, high acidic, low alcohol wine that cuts the harshness of this dish perfectly. Charlies Bodega mixes their bacalo with potato making it less intense and the richness of the chardonnay was a lovely accompaniment to their version.

According to our wine tasting notes, bobal grapes are the “second most widely planted” in Spain with tempranillo beng number one. The Bovale 2011 Bobal from the Utiel-Requena region is a red wine harvested from 60+ year-old grapes. It had a medium finish with raspberry and herbal characteristics making it a nice wine for even summer days and would probably evolve if paired with food.

Charlies Bodega has a Tuesday night flight tasting which varies between whiskey and wine and a great deal every Monday night from 5-9 pm when all their wines by the bottle $50 and under are 50 percent off and bottles over $50 are $25 off.

The favorite of the night seemed to be the Luzon Verde 2013 Monastrell from the Jumilla region which was amusing since it was also the least expensive at $22/bottle but it was bold with lots of chewy tannins and its earthiness paired wonderfully with the mushroom salad that Joe so kindly set before us. Monastrell (aka mourvèdre) is a favorite of mine (note: just tasted a gorgeous one at the Celebration of Syrah that Anne Hubatch of Helioterra Wines is making). The spice and leather notes of this grape draw me in and it’s a perfect example of how affordable high quality wine coming out of Spain is.

I can’t mention Charlies Bodega without talking about co-owner, Lisa Dougherty. She was there for the Grape-ful Women event and was seamlessly accommodating, even having Joe pour a fourth wine—the 2008 Vega Escal from Priorat, which was an inky, chewy blend of garnacha, cariñena and syrah that any steak lover would embrace.

As is the case at a Grape-ful Women event, I ran into some familiar faces and left with some new friends including Katherine, Lori, Charlotte and Laura Caldwell, who’s the voice of Sun City Players. The next Grape-ful Women gathering is happening this Thursday from 6-8 pm at Koi Pond Cellars.

Tip: Charlies Bodega has a Tuesday night flight tasting which varies between whiskey and wine and a great deal every Monday night from 5-9 pm when all their wines by the bottle $50 and under are 50 percent off and bottles over $50 are $25 off. It’s a great way to find a new favorite and enjoy some amazing Spanish fair served by a terrific staff simultaneously.

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Meet the wine pro: Making wine her second act

Area wine consultant, Lynda Lathrop, spends a great deal of time in Clark County, Willamette Valley and Walla Walla wineries to keep her finger on the pulse of what’s happening locally. Photo courtesy of Lynda Lathrop.

The inquisitive side of local wine consultant Lynda Lathrop makes her immediately likable. For all her knowledge, there’s no snobbery and she can find value in a $10 bottle of Trader Joe wine as effortlessly as she can a Napa Valley cabernet but her palate for vino was not developed until later in life.

“I got into the wine biz in ‘99 and I didn’t really know a lot about it. I was new to the area. I’d usually order white wine in a restaurant but order a different white wine every time,” Lathrop said.

That initial curiosity spurred her to open and operate Vancouver Gift and Wine Cellar in downtown Vancouver from 2001 until 2009. Acquiring wines for her shop and conducting weekly wine tastings gave her hands-on education in a field she quickly fell in love with. During that time she immersed herself in trade publications and successfully completed an intermediate sommelier certification program.

It’s rather surprising, though, that she took the wine consultant route as opposed to vintner.

“I was more interested in horticulture-why grapes grew in certain regions due to climate and soil,” Lathrop explained. “Whenever I’d go for a wine tour with a bunch of people everyone would be surrounded by wine but I’d go out to the vineyard and talk about planting, growth, etcetera. Different wine makers do things differently. I found it intriguing—what makes it work for this guy and not for this guy.”

She shared that a wine consultant should constantly be up on what’s new in the wine industry but sommeliers are usually snatched up by high-end restaurants and typically concentrate on that restaurant’s menu. Lathrop spends a great deal of time in Clark County, Willamette Valley and Walla Walla wineries to keep her finger on the pulse of what’s happening locally.

In the past she’s helped educate wait staff at restaurants on how to pair their wine selection with the menu to offer customers an elevated dining experience and set up private cellars but, with the market demand shifting to wines best consumed now, fewer folks are cellaring wine.

Lathrop specializes in teaching wine classes from how to taste wine to blind tasting red varietals to tasting room etiquette. She also consults with local tour companies like The Vine Travelers, pours at weddings, organizes in-home wine parties, and is a founding member of Grape-ful Women, a community of ladies joined together by a love of wine who occasionally organize local fundraising events for worthy charities.

My question of her favorite wine and food pairing was met quickly with “Cab sauv and steak, really, and salmon is my second” but on the afternoon we spoke she was sitting on a sunny deck in Astoria enjoying a chilled sauvignon blanc.

“It’s from the Bordeaux region…2013,” she laughed as she realized that she’s always unconsciously testing herself.

For wine consultation inquiries, contact Lynda Lathrop at wineprincess829@yahoo.com.

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