Wine down ideas for the weekend

Wines from the SW Washington Wine Association will be poured at this Saturday’s Ridgefield’s Wine, Chocolate & Gratitude Gala.

First Friday is upon the County once again. Downtown Vancouver, Battle Ground, Ridgefield and Camas will be rolling out their pre-holiday best and festive spots will be numerous. Get a jump start on the holiday season and enjoy it for a full two months!

Start Christmas shopping early at The French Door. Joyeux Noel – a Holiday Open House – this Friday, November 4 from 5-9 p.m.  Gifts, decorations, hors d’oeuvres, refreshing drinks and live violin music by Kara Griffey will put shoppers in the spirit. 

Gary Gouger offers free pasta Friday Happy Hour every Friday at Gouger Cellars Winery. From 5- 8 p.m. enjoy a dish of pasta with a glass or wine bottle purchase and be sure to check out his new dessert; a cinnamon seeded French toast custard baked, topped with a zinfandel glaze or maple syrup and served hot with a scoop of his home-made ice cream!

Cellar 55 Tasting Room has live music and a new art exhibit to complement their lineup of Five Star Cellars, Basel Cellars and VanArnam Vineyards wines.

Happening at Burnt Bridge Cellars, a classical guitarist and mixed media art are the appetizers to Kim Mahan’s Spanish-inspired Food by Class Cooking offerings (think pintxos, paella and chorizo). Of course, Ben’s wines wash it all down beautifully.

Don’t miss Ridgefield’s Wine, Chocolate & Gratitude Gala this Saturday, November 5th at Overlook Park from 11 am-6 pm. Wines from the SW Washington Wine Association will be featured.

Gearing up for Nouveau Day, Courtney will be pouring Cru Beaujolais this Saturday, November 5 from 12-8 p.m. at Veraison Wine & Events. $5 buys three tastings of this complex wine perfect for the Thanksgiving table.

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Celebrate the sun’s appearance with a few North Bank weekend picks

The sun is shining and, if you’re looking for a way to celebrate its appearance, here are my top picks for the Clark County area:

Rescheduled from last Confluence Vineyards Winery is hosting their “Harvest in the Vineyard Festival” today and tomorrow from 12-6 p.m.

Rescheduled from last weekend due to the storm that wasn’t quite, Confluence Vineyards Winery is hosting their “Harvest in the Vineyard Festival.” There are very few opportunities for a second chance to attend a missed event. Why not take advantage of this one? Today and tomorrow from noon to 6 p.m. with local artisan vendors, food, live music and wine tastings.

Rusty Grape Vineyards turns 10! Come celebrate with them today from 4 – 10 p.m.

Rusty Grape Vineyards turns 10! From 4 – 10 p.m., enjoy their Octoberfest antics including: A Pint Glass Relay at 5 p.m. with 3-person teams. Racing for a Dinner for 6 including shuttle service! (purchase tickets here); a Costume Contest at 6:30 p.m. (think German outfit). Winner receives a Rusty Grape Swag Bag and free pizza coupon; Yodeling contest at 8 p.m. Winner walks away with free pizza for a year!

Drink This! Vancouver from 4-9 p.m. This 21 and over event is a fabulous way to check out all that’s going on in the revitalized downtown Vancouver area. Just show up at one of the below locations, pick up a free map and walk from one great spot to another. Visit four locations for four beverages and four stamps on the map, turn in the stamped card at any spot and wait til October 30 to find out if your card was drawn for a prize! Participating locations:

Beigeblond
Burnt Bridge Cellars
Donnell’s Bar
Doomsday Brewing Safe House
Heathen Brewing Feral Public House
Kiggins Theatre
Niche Wine Bar
Old Ivy Taproom
Pacific House
Tap Union Freehouse
Trap Door Brewing
Trusty Brewing Company
The Thirsty Sasquatch
Tommy O’s Pacific Rim Bistro
Vancouver Pizza Company

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Visit Vancouver USA Announces First Annual Dining Month

This October, Visit Vancouver USA will present its first annual dining month, Dine the Couve, with 19 participating restaurants, breweries and tasting rooms. Original Vancouver USA eateries will serve three items for $23 (alongside regular menu offerings), while breweries and tasting rooms will have $3 drink specials for the entire month.

“Vancouver USA’s restaurant and brewery scene continues to grow at a rapid pace, providing unique destination assets for both residents and visitors to enjoy,” said Kim Bennett, president and CEO of Visit Vancouver USA. “Dine the Couve is a celebration of what makes our local culinary and brew scene stand out — quality, affordability and a collaborative spirit.”

All participating restaurants will provide diners with a fixed, three-course menu, which may include any combination of soup, salad, appetizer, entree, dessert or craft beverage.

Participating restaurants include:

• Beaches Restaurant
• Frontier Public House
• Gray’s at the Park
• The Grocery Cocktail & Social
• Heathen Feral Public House
• Jorge’s Tequila Factory
• La Bottega
• LUXE
• Main Event Sports Grill – Downtown
• Niche Wine Bar & Bistro
• Tommy O’s Pacific Rim Bistro
• WareHouse ‘23
• Willem’s on Main

 Participating breweries and tasting rooms include:

• Doomsday Brewing Safe House
• Loowit Brewing
• Old Ivy Taproom
• Thirsty Sasquatch
• Trap Door Brewing
• Trusty Brewing

Menus for Dine the Couve will be posted online by Oct. 1 at VisitVancouverUSA.com/DineTheCouve. Use #DineTheCouve to share dining experiences on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disclaimer: This is a reprint of Visit Vancouver’s press release

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Drink This! Vancouver takes over downtown January 23rd

Grab a date or a group of friends and check out the growing downtown scene at Drink This! Vancouver Saturday, January 23rd. Drink This!

Another exciting Drink This! Vancouver event is on the horizon and they just keep getting better and better. Saturday, January 23^rd fans of craft beverages can stop into any of the 11 participating businesses from 4 – 9 p.m. and partake of the specialty of the evening for a small fee.

Bonus: Pick up a walking map at any of the stops, earn a stamp with each craft beverage consumed and turn the map in after four stamps for the chance to win a prize.

Now in its 5^th year, Drink This! Vancouver was created to showcase artisan beverage makers and the growing downtown Vancouver night scene. If you’re an old hack at this, you’ll recognize some businesses that love to roll out their carpet for every event—like Cellar 55 Tasting Room and Vancouver Pizza—and some new faces such as Trusty Brewing (in the former location of Dirty Hands) and Pacific House.

Try some San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition medal winners at Burnt Bridge Cellars, Finn River Cider at Kiggins Theatre or a cinnamon whiskey chocolate martini at Charlie’s Bodega. There’s a toast option for just about every palate. Although it is alcohol-heavy, many locations are family-friendly and some even offer craft root beers and sodas and food opportunities abound to satisfy grumbling stomachs.

Drink This! Vancouver is a great date night option or gather up some friends and stroll the walkable route together. Here’s a full list of participants:

Cellar 55 Tasting Room – Five Star Wines

Trusty Brewing – Craft Brews

Main Event – Cucumber Blossom

Kiggins Theater – Finn River Cider

Pacific House – Main St Maple

Burnt Bridge Cellars – Recent Release Flights

Vancouver Pizza – Beer Tap Takeover!

Donnells Bar – 3 Howls Distillery

Charlie’s Bodega – Cinnamon Whiskey Chocolate Martini

​​Trap Door Brewing – Craft Brews

Thirsty Sasquatch – Double Mountain Tap

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Maryhill Winery brings the Gorge to Vancouver

Vancouver’s Heathman Lodge hosted Maryhill Winery’s first ever large scale off-site tasting this past Friday night. Maryhill Winery

There seem to be a lot of ‘first evers’ happening in the local wine world not the least of which was Maryhill Winery’s first ever large scale off-site tasting this past Friday night at Vancouver’s Heathman Lodge.

Collaborating with Visit Vancouver USA, the Maryhill crew brought their award-winning wines from the Washington Gorge to pour for over 250 attendees. Maryhill Winery

Collaborating with Visit Vancouver USA, the Maryhill crew brought their award-winning wines from the Washington Gorge to pour for 250-300 attendees including wine connoisseurs that traveled the I-5 from Seattle. Co-owner, Craig Leuthold, said the turnout for this Vineyard Series Tasting Experience could be a sign of more roadshows to come. Those in attendance were able to taste through over 30 wines, join Maryhill Winery’s wine club and enjoy up to 35 percent off bottle prices from this winery named Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest.

While Northwest artist, John Nilsen, performed solo piano, the crowd mingled from table to table tasting varietals from over 15 vineyards comprising seven AVAs in Washington State. Maryhill Winery

While Northwest artist, John Nilsen, performed solo piano, the crowd mingled from table to table tasting varietals from over 15 vineyards comprising seven AVAs in Washington State. It was the perfect venue to stock up for the holidays, hostess gifts and Christmas gift giving. The atmosphere kicked off the season and being able to meet Craig and his lovely wife, Vicki, as they poured wines typically only available at their Goldendale tasting room was an absolute treat.

The Heathman Lodge was the perfect venue to stock up on Maryhill wines for the holidays, hostess gifts and Christmas gift giving. Maryhill Winery

Maryhill’s 2014 Columbia Valley Viognier paired beautifully with a sweeter cheese being served and would be seamless with a honey-baked ham bound for the Thanksgiving table as well as pumpkin pie. For folks who can’t be convinced that white can handle a holiday table, their Super Tuscan (sangiovese, merlot, cabernet sauvignon blend) 2011 Columbia Valley “Tavola Rosso” was versatile enough for a smokier ham, traditional turkey or prime rib. Lacking a rosé in the abundant lineup, it’s no stretch to imagine the 2012 Horse Heaven Hills Cinsault filling that spot. Its lower tannins, strawberry and perfume notes and earthy palate are a perfect substitute and would pair elegantly with the trimmings of the celebratory table (I.e. cranberry sauce, mushroom stuffing and green beans).

Maryhill Winery, named Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year by Wine Press Northwest, is an excellent representation of Washington terroir over 15 vineyards comprising seven AVAs throughout the State. Maryhill Winery

For those who missed Maryhill’s Vineyard Series Tasting Experience, their tasting room is open daily from 10 am-6 pm. Otherwise, Hudson’s Bar and Grill inside Vancouver’s Heathman Lodge features several wines from Maryhill that pair nicely with their extensive happy hour menu and Northwest-inspired entrées. With temperatures dipping down to winter norms, who wouldn’t want to kick back in front of a cozy fire with a few friends, a fine glass of wine and a plate of porcini-crusted scallops, smoked salmon BLT minis or some Hudson’s meatloaf?

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