Podcast appearances and mentions of milton freewater

Tax Day in the US has come and gone. Many of us are getting a refund, so if you have a little extra change, here are some great wines to consider.A few on the list are...Burgundy in red and white: Pinot and ChardPomerol in BordeauxSyrah from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in Walla Walla WashingtonOld Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma, Napa, and Amador CountyChâteauneuf-du-Pape BLANCI offer descriptions and explanations of each wine in the show. I hope you enjoy and find a way to spend your tax money! _______________________________________________________________Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!http://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeopleTo register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: http://www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes_______________________________________________________________Wine Access has an amazing selection — once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club in time for the next shipment (it's shaping up to be outstanding). Get the back catalog on Patreon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tax Day in the US has come and gone. Many of us are getting a refund, so if you have a little extra change, here are some great wines to consider.   A few on the list are... Burgundy in red and white: Pinot and Chard Pomerol in Bordeaux Syrah from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater in Walla Walla Washington Old Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma, Napa, and Amador County Châteauneuf-du-Pape BLANC   I offer descriptions and explanations of each wine in the show. I hope you enjoy and find a way to spend your tax money!   _______________________________________________________________ Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________   Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! Make sure you join the Wine Access-Wine For Normal People wine club for wines I select delivered to you four times a year!    To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes  

Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor, geologist, and terroir expert educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.  Photo: Kevin Pogue. From Vinterra.net As more detail, Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he's known around the world -  his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region.    Kevin's research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine.  Photo: Whitman.edu I need to thank Eric McKibben from Amavi and Pepper Bridge for the introduction.    Here are the items we discuss: Kevin tells us about his past, studying the Himalyan thrust belt, and how he got into wine in Walla Walla To set our baseline, Kevin defines terroir, referring to the definition of terroir from the OIV (International Organization of Vine and Wine)   The majority of the show is spent with Kevin clearing up many, many things we hear about terroir, much of which is not exactly correct. We cover... Why grapes that grow on slopes are often of higher quality than those on the valley floor. Why slopes can be warmer even though altitude makes them cooler (VERY confusing -- temperature drops 1˚C for every 100 meters of altitude yet during the coldest times, the slopes are warmer due to air density!) The benefits of south, southeast, and southwest facing slopes in the northern hemisphere and what actually happens with temperatures of the soil to have this make an appreciable difference.   Solar radiation and how it plays a part in ripening and quality of the grapes. We get into whether slope angle actually matters.   DIRT! Kevin is a geologist and he rocks my world talking about the two or three REALLY key factors of soil and what you may be tasting in the wine that is reflective of the terroir. We also discuss the role of irrigation and whether that makes wine or a more manipulated beverage. Kevin helps me understand the “terroir deniers” and the argument he makes to try to convince them. Washington State, discussing the AVA petition for the Rocks of Milton Freewater, which makes some of the most distinctive Syrah in the world. Kevin discusses this unique plot and why some of the wines taste so much of place (“funk”) and some are just ok.  Photo: https://rocksdistrict.com/terroir How AVAs are made, what goes into it and whether or not they are meaningful or meaningless. We compare the AVA system in the US to the PDO system in Europe.   To me, this is the most comprehensive look at terroir I have ever received. I hope you learn as much as I did in the show. This is Kevin's first show with me, but it won't be his last! I hope you love the super dork out that is this show!!  _________________________________________    

[2021 - Season 9 Episode 354]  You've likely heard of a cocktail "on the rocks," but it doesn't sound like a great idea with wine.  Unless you're growing it among the rocks, and it has some of the most unique flavors in the world! This week's guests share the stories of Ducleaux Cellars of Milton Freewater, and Vin du Lac Winery of Chelan. Join host Brian Calvert for all this, plus our "Wine and Booze in the News" feature.  Master of Wine Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery stops by to answer our wine questions in his segment "Ask Bob," Cote Bonneville winemaker Kerry Shiels has a food pairing in "Bites & Bottles," and Justin Stiefel of Heritage Distilling Company visits with our "Drink of the Week."   Do you use social media?  Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook @NorthwestWineNight. Thank you for listening, and remember, you can find out more about the show and listen to past episodes at NorthwestWineRadio.com #WineRadio #NorthwestWineRadio       A PRODUCTION OF copyright 2022  The Northwest Channel.  All Rights Reserved.  Audio clips of less than 15 seconds can be used, as long as they're credited "Northwest Wine Radio" or "NorthwestWineRadio.com." Audio clips longer than 15 seconds cannot be re-posted or used without permission.

  [2021 - Season 9 Episode 351]  What a wine destination.  This place has everything...views, good wine, dogs, and even an AirBnb on the property.  Now you can sit, stay, and drink! This week's guests share the stories of Los Rocosos Vineyard of Milton Freewater, and DAMA Wines of Walla Walla. Join host Brian Calvert for all this, plus our "Wine and Booze in the News" feature.  Master of Wine Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery stops by to answer our wine questions in his segment "Ask Bob," Cote Bonneville winemaker Kerry Shiels has a food pairing in "Bites & Bottles," and Justin Stiefel of Heritage Distilling Company visits with our "Drink of the Week."   Do you use social media?  Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook @NorthwestWineNight. Thank you for listening, and remember, you can find out more about the show and listen to past episodes at NorthwestWineRadio.com #WineRadio #NorthwestWineRadio       A PRODUCTION OF copyright 2022  The Northwest Channel.  All Rights Reserved.  Audio cannot be used without permission.

Caprio Cellars makes wines from estate vineyards in the Walla Walla viticultural area of eastern Washington. Owner and winemaker, Dennis Murphy crafts wines mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from his three Walla Walla vineyards, one of which is named after his Italian grandmother Eleanor Caprio, and another for his great grandmother Sanitella Caprio. In the show, Dennis shares some good information about Walla Walla and its climate, soils, and the region's unique position in the wine world. The bulk of the show is dedicated to my conversation with him, and he gives us a different perspective from others we've talked to in Walla Walla, like Sleight of Hand Cellars (who doesn't love Jerry Solomon and Episode 295) and Amavi/ Pepperbridge (Eric McKibben rocks out Episode 294). But a lot of Dennis's references are to seminal figures in the Walla Walla wine industry.   Photo: Dennis Murphy, Caprio Cellars Given that, in the first part of the show, I spend a few minutes telling you about the founding figures in the Walla Walla wine industry.  Not only does this help in explaining the references, it sets you up to understand all of Walla Walla -- if you ever talk to anyone about the region or go visit, these names will come up over and over again. They are...   Norm McKibben. A founding father of Walla Walla's wine industry, and he founded Pepper Bridge Cellars and Amavi. His mentorship, forward thinking attitude (he was an early proponent of sustainability), and openness are a big part of the success of Walla Walla. Jean-Francois Pellet is the Director of Winemaking and a partner at Pepper Bridge and Amavi. He was born and raised in Switzerland, and is a third-generation wine grower. After working in vineyards around Europe and for Heitz Cellars in the Napa Valley, he was recruited by Norm to Pepper Bridge  and also helped start Amavi. He is an active partner in the businessl and an important force in the Walla Walla wine scene. Marty Clubb is Managing Winemaker and co-owner of L'Ecole N° 41 with his wife, Megan, and their children, Riley and Rebecca.  Megan's parents, Jean and Baker Ferguson, founded L'Ecole in 1983. In 1989, Marty and Megan moved to Walla Walla and Marty became manager and winemaker of L'Ecole.  Marty, along with Norm McKibben and Gary Figgins (see below) were the three most important figures in starting viticulture in the Walla Walla Valley.  Marty is one of the most revered figures in Walla Walla.   Gary Figgins is the founder of Leonetti Cellar, which was Walla Walla's first commercial winery. The Figgins family has been in Walla Walla for over a century and Gary learned viticulture from his uncles, who were farmers. He is self-taught and has done miraculous things for Walla Walla – Leonetti's wines were among the first to gain high scores and national recognition for the valley. Gary and his wife Nancy passed on the winery to their kids, Chris and Amy, but Gary is a major figure in the development of Walla Walla and is still active in vineyard consulting.   Christophe Baron is a native of Champagne and came to Walla Walla in 1993 while doing an internship at a vineyard in Oregon. He saw the famed “rocks” of the Milton-Freewater district that looked like the puddingstone in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and decided to buy 10 acres for his Cayuse Vineyards. The waitlist for the winery is many years deep, so Cayuse's wines are only available to us on the secondary market (auctions and stuff – there is a podcast to come on auctions that will make that secondary market easy to understand!). He's essential to helping make Walla Walla wine a coveted, hard to get luxury!   Dennis Murphy mentions other important wineries: Gramercy Cellars, Va Piano, and Hanatoro, to name a few!    Finally, we discuss a few vineyards: Seven Hills and Sevein: These are top vineyards of Walla Walla. They have unique soils and are managed by the founding fathers of Walla Walla – Norm McKibben, Marty, Clubb, Gary Figgins, and a few others, with many top wineries sourcing from this land. Photo: Seven Hills Vineyard After the intro, Dennis and I discuss Caprio, and its vineyards and its wines, which are quite tasty. Dennis discusses winemaking techniques, viticulture and sustainability, and his unique, very welcoming hospitality model. He has recently purchased a stake in Pepper Bridge and Amavi, so we discuss that briefly as well.   If you haven't been to Walla Walla, put it on the list. In many ways it represents the. best of the American wine industry -- collegial, entrepreneurial, with a focus on hard work and quality. Who could ask for more?   Photo: Caprio Cellars _________________________________________________________________ Registration for the FREE Wines of the Médoc Class is here:  Session 1, October 21 at 8 PM Eastern Session 2, October 28, at 8 PM Eastern   Thanks for our sponsors this week: Wine Access: Access to the best wines for the best prices! For 15% off your next order, go to www.wineaccess.com/normal To become a member of Patreon go to www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

https://www.mfcity.com/community/page/city-history https://m-f.town/history/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitman_massacre https://vacationidea.com/oregon/best-things-to-do-in-milton-freewater-or.html  

Today we talk more about goals for the coming year and I thank a few listeners for their participation in the Facebook group. This is Latitude Photography Podcast, Episode 101 for January 8, 2021 Useful links: Enroll in my Master Photo Printing course.  https://brentbergherm.com/training-center/course-info/master-photo-printing/ Get some free resources here: https://brentbergherm.com/info/resources/ Palouse Shoot-n-Print Photography and Printing Workshop Get on the list for updates on Latitude Photography School  Shop at lensrentals.com with my affiliate link and I’ll get a small commission of the sale. Use the code "latitude15" at checkout and you'll get 15% off your order. I also have an affiliate link with ThinkTank Photo  Thank you for your support! Introduction I am your host, Brent Bergherm. Welcome to Latitude Photography podcast, the place where travel-outdoor photographers come to learn, grow, create and be inspired. And for me the journey is just as important as it is to be able to make top notch images from the places I visit. The experience is enhanced by making good images and good images are enhanced by the experience. Thank you so much for being here. Today we have a special episode with Brie Stockwell and Lori Rowland and we’re talking goals once again. Brent’s Other Goals for 2021 Become the top affiliate for LensRentals.com and turn those earnings into more rentals for more things to talk about here on the show. To be more active and more of a positive influence online. I’ll start with the Latitude Photography Podcast facebook group, but I’ll also be looking to share more in Instagram and YouTube as well. I have an advanced photoshop class I’m teaching this quarter and I’d love to see what I can do to put some of that material out for this audience as well. Create a series of photographs on where I live. Milton Freewater, OR. Or maybe to expand it to Northern Umatilla County.  Workshop to Dubrovnik, Croatia where we focus on composition and creativity. Lori’s Goals for 2021 My number one goal has always been, and will probably always be, to spark an emotional response when someone views one of my photographs. My goal for 2020 was to enhance that response by creating videos that I call Moving Landscapes.  For 2021, in a continuing effort to improve my video skills, I am going to learn to use a follow focus device to more precisely control my focus transitions. I am going to work to create smooth camera movements using a fluid head tripod. Practice my video processing skills. Develop my YouTube channel Improve my website And… just for fun… Go to a photography workshop as soon as Covid is behind us. Brie’s Goals for 2021 I’ve been trying to make larger goals that make me feel discomfort when I create them.  Last year I made my “impossible goal” and it feels way more possible now since I’ve been pushing myself out of my “comfort zone”.  I’m highly driven by working to achieve an end result and I have found that having a huge goal has pushed me to grow more than I thought possible.   In a continuation of my “impossible” goal for 2020, I finally set a date for my home photography exhibition.  So, my goal is to be ready for it!   I’ve got to finish editing, cull and fine tune them, learn to print, do the printing, frame my images, then put it all together.  I’m also working on the actual event itself.  I built temporary walls!  I think I’ll need to write some things about my images, etc.  Covid concerns, etc. Goal - Keep practicing!  Go out and shoot 1x/week.  I’ve been doing my best already to get out that often but, after my event, I want to keep up my momentum.  I think that revisiting local places will help develop my composition skills, especially if I take the time to check out different perspectives.  Plus, it’s fun to explore! Goal - Get better at editing my images!  I’ve learned a lot already but I would like to hone those skills even further. I think I’ll have on day/wk where I learn and then practice by editing 1 or 2 images. Goal - More photo trips.  Another solo trip maybe back to New Mexico.  Go on an overnight backpack trip with photography in mind.  I’ll definitely need to train for this!  I’m thinking of doing Guadalupe Peak at G. Mountains National park.  Personal goals - Learn better Spanish! I would also like to grow more spiritually. I hope these inspire others to make any type of goal (large or small) and then go for it!  Let’s share on fb! Reminders Find us on the web at http://latitudephotographypodcast.com Find me on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/brentberghermphoto/ Find the podcast facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1892577214293688/ Find me on instagram @brentbergherm Find me on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/brentberghermphotography Find me online at https://brentbergherm.com Find Lori Rowland: https://oregonexposures.com and https://www.facebook.com/LoriRowlandPhotography Find Brie Stockwell:  https://www.instagram.com/asliceofbrie2020/ and my blog at https://asliceofbrie.com.

This was a Syrah 2015 from Walla Walla Washington. It delivered remarkable taste of bramble berry and a tartness of cranberries with a touch of maple syrup in the mid palate. The acidity was bright and alive awakening the herbaceous notes of thyme and sage with a touch of rose petals on the finish. The density of the wine was medium bodied.  This wine is in honor of James Otis Kenyon who was a struggling dentist with his practice in Milton Freewater, Oregon. A competitor moved into his town causing him to burn down his competitors practice. No one knew what happened to James. His family ended up moving to Walla Walla Washington. James eldest son, Robert Otis Kenyon, began the family's legend in Walla Walla. His other son, Stephen Otis began winemaking and viticultural practices. He became dedicated to sustainable and bio-diverse farming in the art of wine. His style of wine is Bordeaux and Rhone varietals.   This was a fantastic and noteworthy wine. It is a highly rated wine with memorable taste! We hope you enjoy this one on the Walla Walla AVA.  This is Jasmine and Bryan. Wine...from on the vine...to the road tasted! Cheers!

Nathan from the new Tri-City Cider House in Richland, WA visits for a few rounds out back. Nate talks about why he is opening a tap house focusing on craft cider and some of the hurdles he’s encountered. Everyone tastes something new, including Berry Limely Cider & Eden Ridge Cider from Blue Mountain Cidery in Milton-Freewater, OR; and RazzBerry Cider from Portland Cider Company in Clackamas, OR. The Tri-City Cider House is on the river-side of GW Way, north of Swift Blvd and just off the Riverfront Trail from Howard Amon Park in Richland, WA. Vibe Happy Hour Episode 1.1 - recorded 21 September 2020 This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

On this special "Oregon" episode of True Cold Case Files, Jason is joined by Gwen Barringer of "A Light For Ericka" while Daisy takes a sick day to discuss the Multnomah County John Doe from 1995, as well as the main feature on Finley Creek Jane Doe of Elgin in 1978. Both of these cases are from Oregon, and along the way, Jason and Gwen will mention cases that occurred in Oregon for reference.  CASE 1: Multnomah Co. John Doe was found in the Columbia River in 1995, a self inflicted gunshot wound the cause of death. Standing at an impeccable 6'6", this John Doe has some recognizable features that no one can just miss! He's very identifiable, but the right person has yet to see this case. Could you be the key in solving his identity?  CASE 2: Two hunting buddies from Milton-Freewater, Oregon are hunting near the Finley Creek Cow Camp when they discover human skeletal remains. The skull of the remains had been sitting atop the shallow grave that they were buried in. Days later, Sgt. John Spilker of the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office determines the remains belonged to a pregnant female in the latter stages of pregnancy. Primitive detective work at the time did not call for DNA evidence, and a forensic reconstruction of the woman was never done before she was cremated in 1979. Could things have been done differently? How much time is left before this case can be solved?  BEFORE THE SHOW: Gwen Barringer, special guest host, highlights her podcast "A Light For Ericka", a podcast dedicated to the disappearance of Ericka Rene Hogg of Selma, Oregon. This episode is ad-free!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/truecoldcase/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/truecoldcase/support

We finally cover Oregon State in the United States -- home of much Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and lots of other great emerging varietals. The state has some challenges, but it's a fascinating place and an essential part of the American wine landscape.   Thanks to our sponsors this week (see info below for more on them!)     Here are the show notes:  Oregon Overview: 4th in production after, CA, WA, NY. (third if you only consider vitis vinifera!) Oregon produces more than 39 different varietals, grows 82 The number of vineyards in Oregon has nearly doubled since 2005 70% of Oregon wineries produce fewer than 5,000 cases a year  Location, Soils: Most winegrowing is at 45˚ north latitude – same as Beaujolais, “Burgundy”, Côte d'Or is at 47˚N Soil is important:  Marine Sedimentary: Willakenzie Volcanic (Basalt): Jory, Nekia Windblown Loess (Silts): Laurelwood Wine Types: Pinot Noir is 58% of all plantings, 59% of production Other major varieties: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon   Regions Willamette Valley AVA 71% of wine production Largest AVA, nearly 600 wineries Grapes: Pinot, Pinot Gris, Chard, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Cab, Gewurz, etc. Sub AVAs: Chehalem Mtns, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Yamhill-Carlton District, Ribbon Ridge (in Chehalem Mtns)    Southern Oregon AVA = Rogue Valley + Umpqua Valley   Umpqua Valley AVA: drainage basin of Umpqua River, not mtns Warmer than Willamette, cooler than Rogue Tempranillo, Pinot, Pinot Gris, Cab, Chard, Riesling, Gruner Rogue Valley AVA   Warmest, driest region Three valleys – different terroir    Columbia Gorge AVA Straddles Columbia River of Oregon and Washington Wide variety of grapes: Syrah, Pinot, Chard, Gewurz, Zin, Cab, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sangiovese   Columbia Valley AVA Portions of northeastern Oregon Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley AVAs are within Washington state. - The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is in both states Syrah, Merlot, Cab, Sangiovese, some Rhône stuff   Snake River Valley AVA Principally located in Idaho, encompasses two large counties Eastern OR Different climate – cool, low rainfall, short growing season Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay   Thanks to our sponsors this week:  YOU!The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople    Last Bottle I love this service!! Last Bottle Wines finds great wines and offers them at a one time discount. Last Bottle Wines: Is a fun way to discover the best wines at the lowest prices Maintains relationships with producers in the most prestigious wine regions around the world and traveling to Europe several times each year to eat with, stay with, drink with, walk the vineyards with the people who make the wines. Offer a range of prices from low end to high end $9 to $99 and the wines range from the lesser known kinds like Albariño and Bläufrankish to Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. Visit: http://lastbottlewines.com/normal and join to get a $10 instant credit to use toward your first order. Invite your wine drinking pals and they’ll get $10 instantly and you get $30 when they make their first buy.

Whether the blends are Bordeaux, Rhône-style, or something completely unique, Washington is serving notice that its red wines made from a mix of grapes are world-class. This week we talk to Wine Enthusiast Contributing Editor Sean Sullivan and get to know bottles from three unique regions, Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, and Walla Walla Valley, and how vineyard site impacts what ends up in your glass.  Wines Discussed: @5:25 Underground Wine Project 2015 Idle Hands Red (Red Mountain) @12:11 Buty 2014 Columbia Rediviva Phinny Hill Vineyard Red (Horse Heaven Hills) @16:37 La Rata 2014 Red (Walla Walla Valley (WA)) Transcript: Jameson Fink: Welcome to Wine Enthusiast's "What We're Tasting" podcast. I'm your host, Jameson Fink. Join me as we discuss three fantastic wines and why each one belongs in your glass. This episode, we're looking at red blends from Washington state with Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast contributing editor who covers and reviews wines from the region. "What We're Tasting" is sponsored by Vivino. With the largest online inventory, Vivino finds the right wine every time, including wines from my dear home state for a decade of Washington. Download Vivino to discover and buy your favorites. Stock up at vivino.com/wineenthusiast. One of the conversations we always have about a wine region or a state is having a signature grape, does it have to have a signature grape. Definitely with Washington, what's really interesting about that is you could probably say Merlot, you could say Cabernet, perhaps even Syrah. I think what's interesting about Washington, besides its diversity in grapes, is its red blends. For me, that's where a lot of excitement is so I'm excited to speak with you about this, Sean. Welcome to the show. Sean Sullivan: Thank you very much for having me. Jameson Fink: With red blends, I think ... Also, I should mention that you wrote a really interesting article for winemag.com about wine blending and red grapes. If you go to winemag.com and search for wine blending, it will come up. I was thinking about Bordeaux-style blends, your Cabernet-Merlot, Cabernet-Franc, et cetera, based blends. Rhone blends, which are your Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and a few other suspects might be involved in that, too. Sean, is Rhone ... Are the Rhone blends, the red blends, is that really where a lot of kind of the excitement and really interesting things are being done in Washington? Sean Sullivan: Yeah. I think that in terms of ... Bordeaux-style blends have really been done for quite some time in Washington now. It's really only more recently ... If you look at it, Syrah has really only been in the state ... It was first planted in 1986 and the plantings have been growing ever since, so it's a reasonably short history. It's really only much more recent that we've started to see an increasing number of wines using Grenache and using Mourvedre and some of the other varieties, as well, in Rhone blends. Definitely, we see a lot of those, as well some very exciting wines being made in that category, but we see people blending with pretty much everything under the sun in the state. We have over 70 different grape varieties planted here and people are experimenting with a lot of different things and they're trying to blend with a lot of different things and seeing what they find. Jameson Fink: Do you think, just because I think Syrah has been such a rising star, that that's kind of ... Obviously, some of these blends are Grenache-heavy or possibly Syrah-heavy or another grape, but it seems like, with sort of the ascending stardom of Syrah, where it has that kind of savory Old World notes and some good acid and some of that kind of New World lift and power, is that kind of playing a part in the popularity of Rhone-style blends? Sean Sullivan: Not just in Rhone-style blends. Even in Bordeaux-style blends, we see some wineries blending in sometimes a little bit of Syrah, sometimes a lot of Syrah, which you could say is that still a Bordeaux-style blend or not. I think one of the things you get with Syrah, in addition to the things you said, is that you get that nice plush richness of fruit flavor that a lot of consumers find very, very appealing. I think we see Syrah being used in a variety of different types of blends in addition to the Rhone-style blends. Jameson Fink: I kind of think of ... This is something just when I first came to Washington in 2004, 2005, that I found interesting, and I really hadn't seen it anywhere else, is it seems like there's a lot of Syrah-Cabernet blends that kind of ... A little bit of Syrah, a little it of a Cabernet, is that kind of a signature Washington blend? It seems really interesting. Sean Sullivan: Yeah, it's definitely something that you see a lot of in the state and people have been doing at least going back to the early 2000s, if not earlier. There are two ... Right, you see it a little bit elsewhere in the world, such as Australia. You see those types of blends, but it's definitely something that we see a good bit of here in Washington and something that I think can be done very, very well in Washington. It's a good marriage of the two varieties. Jameson Fink: Yeah. You're not sort of ... That's one of the nice things about a fairly young wine region is you're not kind of bound by tradition, like, "Okay, we can either make a Bordeaux-style blend or we have to make a Rhone-style blend." It's like, "Hey, let's take a little bit from Column A and Column B." Sean Sullivan: Well, I was told a great story by Steve Griessel at Betz Family Winery where he was saying that he had a winemaker in from Bordeaux, from a fairly well-regarded winery. They were working with a series of barrel samples and he said the first thing the Bordeaux winemaker did was take some Syrah and try blending it into the Bordeaux blends and kind of seeing what that looked like. It's something that I think a lot of people are experimenting with. As you said here, it's early days and very much the Wild West, and so people are trying different things and trying to see what works. It leads to a lot of excitement and a lot of interesting wines being made. Jameson Fink: Yeah. Well, let's talk about one of those interesting wines. The first one I wanted to talk about was the Underground Wine Project 2015 Idle Hands red from Red Mountain, 90 points. When we were talking about this earlier, that ... It's 90% Syrah, 10% Cabernet, so it really could be labeled as Syrah. Sean Sullivan: Correct, could be labeled as Syrah. They actually make ... Underground Wine Project makes another wine that's the flip of these wines called the Devil's Playground that's 90% Syrah ... Excuse me, 90% Cabernet and 10% Syrah, as well. Yes, this wine could be ... To be a varietally labeled wine, it needs to be at least 75% of this variety. At 90% for this particular wine, it's well above that but they're labeling it as a red blend. I think partly in doing so, it gives them the flexibility to change that blend over time if they wish, and partly red blends are just a very, very hot category now and have been for the past few years. Jameson Fink: Yeah. I picked ... That was something I wanted to talk about, just because a lot of ... We might be drinking a lot more blends than we even know, just because any bottle of Cabernet or a single variety grape, whether red or white, it can have a certain percentage of other grapes in it. I think that is kind of an interesting development. A lot of people might not know that when they buy a Syrah. They're like, "Okay, it's a Syrah," but you know what? It might have 10% Cab, it might have 15%. I think that's kind of an interesting thing for people to kind of dig deeper in if you're ... Those lovely PDF tech sheets with all the wine data on them, it's pretty interesting when you sort of dig down a little and get the blend. Sean Sullivan: Yeah, absolutely. I think most wines are blends of some type. Either they're blends of different barrels, they're blends of different varieties, they're blends of different vineyards, they're blends of different appellations, and so it can be very interesting to look down in that and say, "Okay, what is the 5% of this? What does it bring to the wine? Why did the winemaker add it?" Sometimes, you can try to figure that out and try to taste that in the wines, and sometimes it's much more subtle and it can be hard to do. It's definitely interesting to think about. Jameson Fink: It's like all the wine world is a blend. Sean Sullivan: All the wine world is a blend. Exactly. Jameson Fink: Actually, that ... When you said a little, kind of detecting those smaller percentages, I thought it was really interesting, just going back to your article about wine blending when you talked to James from Syncline about one of his blends has 2% of something in it. A lot of people would be like, "2%? What the hell is that going to do? That's not going to contribute anything," but he was ... He spoke very strongly about, "Yeah, that's something ... When it's there, you can taste it and, when it's not there, it's a different wine." Sean Sullivan: Yeah, absolutely. Another part of that conversation with James which didn't make it into the article, he was also talking about sparkling wines. He was talking about the dosage or adding of sugar to those wines, as well, and he was saying that as much as a quarter of a milliliter can radically affect the taste and overall sensation of the wine in a sparkling wine. It seems ... 2% in a 750 mL bottle seems like an extremely small amount but he's saying even tiny drops of sugar to wine can also radically affect them, as well. That's part of the article. Jameson Fink: Yeah. Look, I'm just going to give a little sidebar even though we're talking about red blends, that the Syncline sparkling wines are great, and the sparkling Gruner is really cool. Sean Sullivan: Yeah, it's definitely ... It's both an extreme rarity and absolutely delicious and well worth people seeking out. Jameson Fink: Just going back to the Underground Project Wine, just something you said I thought was real interesting, too, just not calling it a Syrah, giving that flexibility. With red blends, such a hot category, and having those kind of proprietary names like Idle Hands or the Prisoner or something like that, one year to the next, people are like ... They're responding to the name, the packaging, and then the wine inside, of course, but it does give you that. Maybe next year it will be 80% Syrah or maybe there will be another grape in there. As long as it's got that kind of, I think, maybe stylistic consistency that people expect, and this is a project with, I should say, between Trey Busch and Mark McNeilly, that people are going to respond to it. They're kind of looking for that kind of profile with these wines. Would you agree with that? Sean Sullivan: Yeah, I would absolutely agree. Yeah, Trey Busch, Sleigh of Hand sellers, Mark McNeilly, Mark Ryan Winery. The wine coming from Red Mountain, known as a very, very warm area of Washington state, so wines with a lot of ripeness of fruit but also a lot of structure to them, as well, when we're talking about Cabernet Sauvignon in particular. Big, powerful wines that I think are very, very consumer-friendly. Jameson Fink: Yeah. One thing I'm glad you mentioned, Red Mountain, it's a really ... As far as appellations in Washington go, Red Mountain is a tiny place, right? Sean Sullivan: Yeah, it's only 4,040 acres total in size, so really, really a small growing region, but, if you go there, it is extensively planted to wine grapes. I don't know what the current number is. It's at least 2,600 acres, I want to say, planted to wine grapes at this point, so it's very much wine country there, and specifically red wine the vast majority of grapes grown there are red wine grapes because of the heat. Jameson Fink: Are you seeing more collaborations like this with winemakers, more projects where two or more winemakers are kind of getting together and making something together, a new brand, kind of something that's different than what they're doing with their own winery? Sean Sullivan: I definitely think there's some interest in doing that. One of the things that I think makes Washington such a fun area to cover and such a fun area to visit is it's a very small industry and everyone really still knows each other. In this case, Trey Busch and Mark McNeilly made this wine because they've been friends forever and were interested in working together and doing something together. I think those types of collaborations are definitely something that is very Washington. A lot of winemakers here, in areas like Woodenville, they're sharing equipment, they're sharing presses, they're sharing all sorts of different things during the harvest time, and that lends itself to a really nice kind of collegial atmosphere that then leads to people doing various joint projects together. Jameson Fink: Yeah, and they share beers and pizza. Actually, interesting. Earlier, you talked about how there's another Underground Wine Project wine that's kind of the flip of that heavy Syrah-Cab blend. Actually, the second wine is kind of like that, the Buty 2014 Columbia Rediviva Phinny Hill Vineyard red from the Horse Heaven Hills, 91 points. That's 80% Cabernet, 20% Syrah. My experience with Buty is actually more of ... To me, their white wine, their white Bordeaux, their Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle is, to me, a really iconic Washington white wine. Can you talk about this particular red wine? Sean Sullivan: Yeah. I agree, the Buty white wine is definitely one of the iconic white wines of Washington state. Here, we see one of their reds with the 2014 Columbia Rediviva from Phinny Hill Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. Horse Heaven Hills is a pretty warm growing region in Washington, near the Columbia River. This particular vineyard is right next to Champoux Vineyard, one of the most famous vineyards in Washington state, so we see this really nice ripeness of fruit flavor from that Cabernet Sauvignon, a lot of nice structure to it, too. Oh, really nice fruitfulness coming from the Syrah, this kind of plum flavor. They also, at Buty, make a wine that is, again, kind of the flip of this, focusing more on Syrah, called the Rediviva of the Stones. That's coming out of the Walla Walla Valley appellation where the winery is actually located. We see in Washington a number of wineries that are playing with these Cabernet-Syrah blends. Some will be Cab-dominant, and then sometimes they'll make another one that's kind of Syrah-dominant with the opposite percentage. It makes for an interesting comparison between the two wines. Jameson Fink: One thing ... Reading your review, you called Phinny Hill Vineyard "up and coming." Is that because of its location next to Champoux, or is it relatively new? What's kind of exciting about it to you? Sean Sullivan: Yeah. This is a vineyard where, if you talk to different wine makers, they're ... One of the things about Washington I should say, just back up for a moment, is we don't have as much of the estate model here in Washington, where we have a vineyard with a chateau or winery sitting next to it. Instead, we have wineries sourcing fruit from different vineyards across the Columbia Valley, which is Washington's largest growing region. A lot of different wineries are sourcing fruit from Phinny Hill Vineyard, and there's just a lot of excitement about the fruit that's coming out of that particular area. In particular, Gramercy Cellars, a lot of their Cabernet Sauvignon, which is an outstanding wine coming from Washington, is coming from the Phinny Hill Vineyard, as well. It's definitely one that, when you talk to winemakers about what they're excited about that's in their cellars, Phinny Hill is definitely one of those places. Jameson Fink: It's pretty interesting because these are some, like Champoux, Phinny Hill, some really prestigious vineyards, but the appellation Horse Heaven Hills, I went there once and my instructions were like, "There's this lonely gas station and, if you don't get gas there if you need gas, you might be in trouble," and it was a very lonely gas station so it wasn't exaggerated. Can you talk about Horse Heaven Hills, where this wine comes from, because I think there's obviously a lot of maybe more high production type of wines that come from there, but then there are these really prestigious vineyards. Sean Sullivan: Yeah. The interesting thing about the Horse Heaven Hills is it is a very remote growing region. The closest major town would probably be Prosser, which is about an hour, maybe a little bit less than that, away. It's a pretty remote growing region, but some exceptional growing conditions. As I said before, it's down close to the Columbia River so you get a nice river effect, which helps protect against frost and freezes, which is one of our issues that we can potentially have here in Washington. There's also a very nice wind flow coming through, in part because of that river, which helps make thicker tannins and concentrate the fruit a little bit more. I think it's a very interesting growing region. I've also ... I was initially a little bit skeptical of how good of a region it might be for Syrah, mainly because of the warmth of the regions, but I've recently seen some very high quality Syrahs coming out of the Horse Heaven Hill, as well. It's a very interesting growing region, but it is extremely remote. Jameson Fink: Okay, so the first two wines were pretty much wines with 90% Syrah, 80% Cabernet, but now let's really get into a blend for real, serious time. The La Rata 2014 Red from Walla Walla Valley, 93 points. It's a Grenache 53%, Cabernet 34%, and 13% Syrah blend. Sean, can you just talk about the winemaker who is making this wine because there's a lot going on there? Sean Sullivan: Yeah, there's definitely a lot going on here. This is a project, this was started in 2012 by Elizabeth Bourcier, who is the assistant vigneronne at Cayuse Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley. She was kind of inspired by a bottle of Priorat to think, "Well ..." In the Rocks area of the Walla Walla Valley, you have Cabernet Sauvignon growing right next to Grenache and they tend to ripen around the same time period, so she thought, a la with Priorat, maybe she could blend these together and come up with something interesting. Her first vintage was in 2012, and a really interesting blend of these two varieties. The Rocks is one of the more distinct growing regions in the Pacific Northwest. It's in the Walla Walla Valley but it's on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The soil, if you can call it that, is made up of fist-sized cobblestones from the bed of the Walla Walla River. It gives the wines this very unique profile with a lot of earth notes, a lot of savory notes, a lot of mineral notes that are either compelling. People either love them or they hate them. Elizabeth was really the first person to, in that region, to take some of these varieties and say, "Well, let's take Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon and put them together." With the 2014 vintage, she's added in a little bit of Syrah, as well. That's the first time in this wine. It's a very compelling and interesting bottle of wine, and really is the only one like it, certainly coming out of the Walla Walla Valley. Jameson Fink: Yeah. The Rocks, it's such an interesting place. If you want to make ... For me, if you want to make an argument about Terroir, Chablis comes to mind, but tasting those Rocks wines have such an interesting signature. Then, just being there, they're like, like you said, these kind of brain-sized rocks and that's the soil. It's so weird to think ... You think soil, you think dirt. You grab it in your hands and compress it. These are big rocks. [was-alt 00:19:14] the first place I ever saw being plowed by a horse. I remember I was visiting Cayuse and I was like, "Wow, there's just a giant horse there with a plow." It was pretty dramatic. It was probably planned for us because we were media but it was still pretty dramatic. Sean Sullivan: Yeah, it's a very, very fascinating growing region. To plant the vines, you literally need crowbars to kind of pry between the rocks to get the vines down in there. One of the things that's happening is the rocks are absorbing all this heat and then transmitting it in the infrared back up at the grape clusters. It gives the wines an extremely unique signature, and one that you see really almost trumps variety in that particular region, which I think is very unusual, certainly for Washington. You can detect that. I remember having a wine several years back where I thought ... It was a Syrah and I thought, "Is there some Rocks fruit in this particular wine?" I think it had 6% Rocks fruit in it but you could tell because it's such a distinctive signature. Jameson Fink: James from Syncline would be very proud of you for pointing that out. Then, we got to talk about ... This whole Rocks appellation, which is now the Rocks of Milton Freewater, I think it is, but ... Let me see if I can describe this right. This wine is made from grapes in the state of Oregon but it's ... I don't know why it's Walla Walla Valley or is it a Washington wine or what is it? I'm confused. I'm still confused and I live there. Sean Sullivan: Yeah, it's ... I think the Walla Walla Valley is a very interesting appellation in that it spans both the Washington and Oregon borders and there's extensive plantings on both sides of the appellation. That said, of the, let's say, 110 or so wineries and tasting rooms in the area, the vast, vast, vast majority of them are on the Washington side so you see a lot of wines being made in that area that are blends of fruit from the Washington and Oregon side or maybe they're all from the Oregon side but they're being vinified in a winery in Washington. It gets a little confusing in terms of whether that wine is ... It's definitely a Walla Walla Valley wine. Is it a Washington wine or is it an Oregon wine? That becomes much harder to say. I think it's more clear where the winery is. In Oregon, the Rocks are all located in Oregon. If the winery is there, it's definitely an Oregon wine. If it's a Washington winery that's using that fruit, I can tell you they will call it a Walla Walla Valley, Washington, wine. I think that can be a little bit confusing to people, certainly. Jameson Fink: Or it could be contentious, too. You're talking about is this Oregon's wine or Washington's wine. Sean Sullivan: Yeah, no, absolutely. It's something that, in ... Going back a little bit in history, where kind of all of the Walla Walla Valley wineries, or most of them, really, were on the Washington side, you look back historically, a winery like Seven Hills originally started on the Oregon side, then moved to the Washington side. As in many other areas, they were just a little bit before their time because now you're seeing wineries on the Oregon side, as well. It just gets difficult to say where do ... If a wine is 51% Washington fruit, 49% Oregon fruit, made by a Washington winery versus an Oregon winery, it's hard to say what exactly the factors are that determine where that wine is from and how that wine should be labeled. It gets more interesting, in terms of the Rocks district, where it's a sub-appellation of the Walla Walla Valley but it's all wholly located on the Oregon side of the valley. There's actually, and this is very insider baseball, to put something on the label, to put an appellation on the label, the wine needs to be what's called fully finished in the state in which that appellation lies, so wineries in the Walla Walla Valley cannot currently use the Rocks District of Milton Freewater on their label because they're in Washington, even though it's only five, 10 miles away from the Rocks district. They can't currently put that on the label. That's something the government is looking into, and hopefully we'll figure out a way around that in the future. Jameson Fink: Yeah. This is the not fun, bureaucratic side of wine. Sean Sullivan: Absolutely. Jameson Fink: But the wines are ... I guess kind of to summarize that, though, if you can find, and maybe just go to your wine shop or you're at a restaurant and just say, "I want to try a wine made with fruit from the Rocks district," I really think they are just ... There's something about them. I guess their sort of savoriness, meatiness, maybe a little gaminess is very ... It's just one of those things where you're just like, "Wow, this is really ..." When you have a line-up of Washington reds, I think it's pretty ... It has such a signature that really pops if the rest of them aren't from there. Sean Sullivan: Yes, absolutely. There are wines that, if you blind taste them in a line-up, you can absolutely point out which wines are coming from this area because they have that unique aromatic signature and also flavor signature. These wines are also a higher pH and it gives them this very soft, kind of luxurious mouthfeel, as well, which is also something that's very distinctive. Sometimes, people say, tasting these wines, like, "Wow, these wines remind me of wines from the northern Rhone," in terms of that savory aspect, but that higher pH, to me, is always kind of the tell of them being from the Rocks district, among other things. That mouthfeel that you get from these wines is very, very distinctive, as well. Jameson Fink: Yeah. Well, a lot of the blends from the Rocks district are really fascinating, and all over Washington, Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills. Like I said at the beginning, there is certainly a great Cabernet, there's great Merlot, there's great Syrah, and lots of other interesting grapes, but it's really worth exploring the blends of Washington state because there's some really exciting and unique blends being made by winemakers all over. Sean, thanks for shining a little light on some of the great wines from Washington state. Sean Sullivan: Thanks so much again for having me, Jameson. Jameson Fink: Okay. My pleasure. Thank you for listening to the "What We're Tasting" podcast, sponsored by Vivino. Wine made easy. The three wines we discussed today were Underground Wine Project 2015 Idle Hands red, Buty 2014 Columbia Rediviva Phinny Hill Vineyard red, and La Rata 2014 red. Find "What We're Tasting" on iTunes, Google Play, or wherever you find podcasts. If you liked today's episode, please give us a five star rating on iTunes, leave a comment, and tell your friends. What We're Tasting" is a Wine Enthusiast podcast. Check out Wine Enthusiast online at winemag.com.

Official Website: https://www.lawabidingbiker.com Every biker will eventually have to replace the battery on your motorcycle.  Many bikers wonder if they should get an old lead-acid or replace it with a newer lithium-ion motorcycle battery.  There are many things to consider before making this decision and we break it down for you in this podcast episode.  Good quality lithium-ion motorcycle batteries are lighter, smaller, charge faster, hold their charge longer, last longer overall, have better warranties, & often have more cold cranking amps. They are however more expensive than a lead-acid, but the cost may be well worth it. On average a lithium-ion battery costs 30% more than a lead-acid. You'll also need a lithium-ion specific battery tender.  SUPPORT US AND SHOP IN THE OFFICIAL LAW ABIDING BIKER STORE The first possible drawback to a lithium-ion is that if you let it fall to below 11 volts by accidentally leaving your headlight as an example, you may permanently damage the battery. Whereas, a lead-acid in good shape could be charged and likely recover. I drained my lithium-ion motorcycle battery to less than 1 volt and it recovered just fine, but it was rather new.  The second drawback, not really in my opinion, to a lithium-ion motorcycle battery, is that if you leave your motorcycle out in temperatures below freezing for an extended period of time, you'll have to “wake” the battery to get it cycling. This is easily done by turning your headlight on for a short period or bumping the starter a few times. Once awake, you lithium-ion goes to work fast and gives you those cold cranking amps. These are just some of the things you need to know about lithium-ion vs. lead-acid motorcycle batteries........ LEARN MORE-SEE OUR DETAILED VIDEO, ARTICLE, & RECOMMENDED BATTERIES: Motorcycle Lithium-Ion vs Lead-Acid Battery Comparison, Review & Buyers Guide New Free Video: How to Install a New Battery on Harley-Davidson-Lithium Ion or Lead Acid Sponsor-Ciro 3D CLICK HERE! Innovative products for Harley-Davidson Affordable chrome, lighting, and comfort products Ciro 3D has a passion for design and innovation  Sponsor-RickRak CLICK HERE The Ultimate Motorcycle Luggage Rack Solution Forget those messy straps and bungee cords Go strapless with a RickRak quick attach luggage system & quality bag New Patrons: John Post of Flower Mound, Texas Jay Looney of Athens, Alabama Richard Mihelitch of Milton Freewater, Oregon Stephen Cox of Redmond, WA Rob Roberts of Narre Warren South, Victoria, Australia Todd Myers of Kennewick, WA Jack Marvin of Dothan, Alabama J Kaminski of Flowery Branch, Georgia Dale Cunningham of Midvale, Utah If you appreciate the content we put out and want to make sure it keeps on coming your way then become a Patron too! There are benefits and there is no risk. Thanks to the following bikers for supporting us via a flat donation:   Leonard Conway of Midlothian, Virginia (Also a Patron) Brian Cann of Saugus, Massachusetts Martin Gavrila of Hollywood, Florida ________________________________________________________ FURTHER INFORMATION:   Official Website: http://www.LawAbidingBiker.com   Email & Voicemail: http://www.LawAbidingBiker.com/Contact   Podcast Hotline Phone: 509-731-3548   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawabidingbiker      Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawAbidingBiker

On the first episode of 2018, we catch up with Maddie Richards, Sales Director, of Rotie Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington. We talk about what makes Washington State unique and such a good value, and the relatively new AVA (wine region) of the Rocks of Milton-Freewater. Rotie was started by geologist Sean Boyd in 2007 with the first year of fruit coming from their estate vineyard in 2013. But, they're already making waves with their Rhone blends that reference the various styles coming from the Rhone, France. Check out all the good stuff here! Rotie Cellars' vineyard in the Rocks of Milton-Freewater Vineyard is a hybrid of head trained but then canopy is attached to a trellis wire. Look at those galets!

The post Leonetti pays tribute to Italian roots with new wines was written by Great Northwest Wine. MILTON-FREEWATER, Ore. – Chris Figgins knows he has a good thing going. He wants to put his own mark on his family’s famous winery while also paying tribute to his Italian heritage. Figgins, president and director of winemaking for Figgins Family Estate – including famous Leonetti Cellar – is exploring the world of heritage Italian […] The post Leonetti pays tribute to Italian roots with new wines was written by Great Northwest Wine.