Spring forward!
Submitted May 5th, 2008
At last, around the edges of my gardens and on the north-facing slope, my daffodils are released from their prison of ice and snow. As Wordsworth wrote over two hundred years ago, “And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.”
There’s no time left for winter blahs; with garden to tend, garage to clean, and wine events filling the calendar, who has time to remember the dark days of winter? My first “dance” was a trip to the second weekend of Chelan Nouveau, where the wineries were offering their new whites and rose’s for our delectation. Sunshine, bright tulips and daffodils, friendly winemakers and great wine: how could it get any better? With food, of course! Wapato Point Cellars and Vin du Lac offer lunches and snacks in idyllic settings; May 1, Lake Chelan Winery will begun serving lunch, while its evening barbecues are already well-known and popular.
Tunnel Hill, adjacent to the Sunshine Farm Market, has built an attractive new facility with a pleasant, comfortable tasting room and very friendly pouring staff. If things develop as planned, a major complex to rival Sun River and Whistler will be built between Tunnel Hill and Tsillan Cellars winery, and in the hills above.
In downtown Chelan a bit of sad news awaited us. The CR Sandidge tasting room and Bistro ceased operation April 30. CR Sandidge wines will be available online, through the Wine Club, and in various restaurants and stores. As always, the Tri*Umph was superb, as were the new Whistle Punk, the Klingele 2004 Syrah and Stonetree.
Scott Benson’s new Pinot Gris is a delight to the senses, as is the Viognier. He was also barrel tasting his new Cabernet Franc. I put in an order at once, as the 2005 sold out in a few weeks, before I even knew it. He recently released his 2006 Sangiovese and Pinot Noir, both good representatives of the grapes, and pleasantly food-friendly.
On up the road, Milum Perry of Tildio welcomed us with the new Sauvignon Blanc. Now I like grapefruit and am very fond of gooseberries, but not in my Sauvignon Blanc. Tildio’s was delightfully crisp and fresh, with hints of citrus and melon and a very faint whiff of gooseberry. The 2005 Robusto, an elegant blend of Merlot, Cab and Petit Verdot, topped off a fine morning; however, it was time for food, so we headed down to Wapato Point and tried their new lunch service, complete with rousing music, excellent service, and sun in a scenic outdoor setting. We tasted a new wine, also, and one which could become a standard for this annual event. Named “Chelan Nouveau” after the two-weekend celebration, the wine is styled on the order of the French Beaujolais Nouveau. It is light, fruity and red, and compatible with a variety of foods. Best served slightly chilled, it is refreshing and enjoyable.
At Lake Chelan Winery we tasted the new Maximum Meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and think it is destined to be very popular. Apparently the Wine Spectator agrees, as they recently gave it a 90 rating.
Balsam Root Winery was a lively place Saturday, with family entertainment to accompany its excellent wines. The Cab Franc and the very lightly oaked Chardonnay are not to be missed.
The Pinot Gris “Grisant” at Vin du Lac is always a crisp, delightful accompaniment to their delicious food offering, and; their outdoor tasting room is one of the most pleasant places in the area to lunch and sip
One can only taste so much wine before one’s good sense says, “Enough. It’s a long drive home.” With the advent of more new wineries, tasting will take an extra day next year in order to cover them all. Meanwhile, area Barrel Tasting-May 16, 17, 18-is next. I hope to see you there..
Joanne Saliby