For the last several months, wines have been making their way to the field in the hopes of being called up to the big time. Each wine gets time in the cages and time on the field to show their stuff. To qualify the wine must be widely distributed (within my local area), and purchased for under $10. The competition has been fierce and we are nearing the end of tryouts before finalizing the team. The scouts tell me that the final roster will be published in the next few days.

Why tryouts? Why under $10? In my opinion, this is the most volatile price range for quality. It is also a common price range that non wine snobs shop in. The need for quality trusted wines under $10 is there. While 40+ wines have tried out for the team, most have struck out and been sent back to the minor leagues. Soon, you’ll have a team of nine starters and three alternates that you can bring to the table without fear!

 Prior to opening day, I made my pre-season predictions regarding the MLB season.

AL Predictions / Current Standings

• East: Prediction Red Sox / Actual: Yankees (but there is still hope)
• Central: Prediction Twins / Actual White Sox (Twins 3.5 games out)
• West: Prediction Texas / Actual Texas
• Wild Card: Prediction Mariners / Actual Tampa Bay (sadly Mariners have cashed in their chips)

NL Predictions / Current Standings

• East: Prediction Florida Marlins / Actual: Braves (Marlins 10 games out)
• Central: Prediction St Louis / Actual: Cincinnati (Cardinals in the hunt)
• West: Prediction Arizona Diamondbacks / Actual: San Diego Padres (Diamondbacks one of the worst teams in baseball)
• Wildcard: Prediction Phillies / Actual: Dodgers (but Phillies are in the hunt)

The Final Tryouts

2008 Waterbrook Melange Blanc

• The Stuff: 30% Riesling, 20% Gewürztraminer, 15% Viognier, 10% Sauv Blanc, 10% Chardonnay, 10$ Pinot Gris, 5% Muscat; 4000 cases made; 12.2%ABV; 1.4% residual sugar 
• The Swirl: Very light pale, nearly clear with a hint of beautiful honey highlights 
• The Sniff: Taken by surprise with the abundant perfume, sweet honey, peach and lychee fruit. A fantastic aroma that keeps you coming back for one more sniff before you sip. 
• The Sip: Not knowing the blend, I would have pegged this for a Riesling. The distinctive Riesling / Gewurz flavors come through but are contrasted with a nice mouth coating of the Chardonnay and the floral components to the Viognier. The wine is amazingly complex for the price point and delivers great off dry sweetness balanced by medium acidity.  
• The Score: At only $15 retail, this is an amazing value. I love the nice subtle honey flavors that balance well with the wet stone minerality. I score this wine a solid 3+/5 

Sadly the Waterbrook Melange was disqualified from the Under $10 Team for being overpriced. At the time of tryouts, it was assumed that this wine could be purchased for $10. Upon further investigation the officials have declared Melange Blanc intelligible for consideration.

2008 Gozzo Malbec $10

• The Stuff: 100% Malbec from Mendozza Argentina; 6 months in new French oak, 14.2%ABV
• The Swirl: Beautiful rich purple with hints of bright amethyst around the edges. Light seems to dance off the glass.
• The Sniff: Hints of woody evergreen that make way for bright red fruits and subtle spice. Slightly under-ripe red fruit comes out as well.
• The Sip: Great big gobs of red berry wash across your tongue and give way to subtle blueberry undertones. The mid-palate is a little fleeting but the back end structure is no push over. Medium body and good finish make this a very pleasant value.
• The Score: At $10, I would buy this wine again. Perfect burger or pizza wine. The wine presents enough layers of flavor to be mistaken for twice the price. Easily score this wine a 3/5

2008 J.Lohr Estate Syrah $10

• The Stuff: 93% Syrah, 3% Petite Sirah, 3% Grenache, 1% other red; Paso Robles AVA; 14 months in 25% new French and American oak; 13.4%ABV 
• The Swirl: Cloudy deep purple color that presents about 80% opaque.  
• The Sniff: Aromas of boysenberry, toasted almonds, and dark red fruit on the nose. Very aromatic and full with subtle notes of campfire. 
• The Sip: Medium bodied Syrah that is slightly thin on the front but opens up nicely to dark red fruit, hints of smoke and a beautiful long velvet finish. An easy sipping Syrah that will have you wanting more. 
• The Score: Retail is $15 but I scored this wine for only $10. At that price this well balanced, nicely flavored Syrah scores a 3+/5 and will be a definite re-buy. 

Nestled in the foothills of Mount Spokane is a family of gnomes that is hard at work making bubbles. These bubbles are enjoyed across the state and beyond to celebrate life’s precious moments. If you look closely you can catch a glimpse of the curious creatures as they work their magic to turn an ordinary bottle of wine into something sparkling and full of life.

Mountain Dome was born in 1984 and was named after the Geodesic dome that was built shortly after the Manz family moved to the area in 1980. Situated on 85 acres in Northeast Spokane, Mountain Dome was started by Michael and Pat Manz. The 9500 square foot production facility and 4,000 square foot dome were built by the family. Dr. Michael Manz was a child psychologist at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital until his passing in 2006. Manz built a legacy that lives through Mountain Dome and through the Children’s Hospital’s BEST program. Erik Manz, along with his uncle John Mueller carry on Michael’s legacy of celebrating life with every glass. “I love being a part of people’s celebrations,” says Erik, “every day you’re alive is worth celebrating.” Still a true family operation, each family member is represented on the label of gnomes.

Retail sales began at Mountain Dome in 1992 with their 1988 vintage. For 18 years, Mountain Dome has been the only ‘bubble maker’ in Spokane. They also sparkle wine for other wineries like Townshend, Lone Canary, and Arbor Crest. Mountain Dome makes sparkling wine in the méthode champenoise style. With this method the bubbles for more complex wines are produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle. As the name suggests, this is used for the production of Champagne and other quality sparkling wines, but is slightly more expensive (and well worth it). The process is very involved and Erik is hands on from riddling (turning of the bottles) to a special freezing machine that assists with removing the lees before disgorging.

The current line-up at Mountain Dome includes their non-vintage “gnome” label, non-vintage dry sparkling rose, vintage sparkling and their elegant Cuvee Forte. Each wine contains the traditional champagne grapes using approximately 66% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay all from Washington vineyards. With case production of about 3000 each year Mountain Dome is the state’s second largest bubble maker (behind Chateau St. Michelle). Erik is excited to be releasing a Blanc de Blanc (sparkling wine using 100% Chardonnay) in the Fall. The winery is open Saturday and Sunday from 11-4pm. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the beautiful view from the outdoor patio. If you’re lucky you may catch a glimpse of those magical bubble making gnomes in action.

The Stats:

• 16315 E Temple Rd
• Open 11-4 Sat-Sun
• 509.928.BRUT
• www.mountaindome.com
• Facebook/MountainDome

Mountain Dome has two external tasting rooms. The first is located at 906 W. 2^nd in Downtown Spokane and the other is located in Seattle’s Pike’s Place area 1924 Post Alley.

The NectarView

Mountain Dome Brut Rose – NV

• The Stuff: 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay fermented and aged in neutral oak barrels, skin contact for 10 hours, 1.2% residual sugar, 12%ABV
• The Swirl: Very pale salmon color with hints of orange. Bubbles are medium size and quickly move to the top of the glass
• The Sniff: Subtle yeast and strawberry aroma with a hint of smoked bacon. Lively aromas, if you’re not too careful, the bubbles may tickle your nose
• The Sip: A wonderful delight in the mouth with a soft berry flavor that is graced by a firm body that indicates that this wine would pair well with all kinds of food. There is a great added layer of fruit that comes from the short time with the skins.
• The Score: At $25, this may not be an everyday bubbly for me, but I love the balance of fruit, a touch of sweetness for an off dry flavor and a fantastic acidity that cleanses the palate. 3+/5

Red wine goes great with grilling! Burgers, dogs, sausage, steak…most of the common summertime grilling treats are screaming for big full bodied red wine.  Do you want to break out your 78’ Cabernet or 100 year old vine Zinfandel when the wine will probably end up in a red plastic cup? Life may be too short to drink bad wine, but there are times when good value wine is needed! We can’t drink $175 bottles of Opus One every night can we?

These are the wines for you. Three Zin, under Ten ($10). They won’t break the bank, but are they drinkable? To explore the value in the “all American varietal,” we venture to the place where the grape gained prominence…California. With 10% of California’s crop planted to Zinfandel (sadly most used for sugary sweet White Zinfandel), the big bold red grape can provide powerful fruit and a sassy spice that work well for BBQ (and pizza).

The NectarView

2006 XYZin Zinfandel

• The Stuff: 100% Zinfandel from various California vineyards; aged in new and used American, French and Hungarian oak barrels for 10 months; 14.3%ABV; 23,000 cases produced 
• The Swirl: A presentation of plum colored cola with browning occurring toward the edges.
• The Sniff: Semi-sour raspberry aromas laced with hints of lavender and cloves
• The Sip: The XYZin has some moderately complex layers of flavor that open up nicely to include a dark strawberry, baking spice and cocoa. Reminiscent of a canned strawberry pie filling with hints of sour berry. Good finish with a lingering flavor of pepper spice and nutmeg.
• The Score: Retail on this wine is $16 for the newer vintages, picked up the 06 for $10 at a local wine store. At that price the XYZin is good value that competes well with other value priced Zinfandel from Cline, Dancing Bull, and Seven Deadly Zins. 3/5

Cellar Tracker Score 87 points (8 reviews)

2008 BOHO Vineyards Octavin 3L Zinfandel

• The Stuff: Wine maker David George showcases his 100% California Zinfandel in a ready to drink now 3L Octavin Home Wine Bar. The wine is said to stay fresh for up to six weeks in the patent pending bladder; 13.5% ABV; 20,000 cases produced.
• The Swirl: Dark inky plum color that is about 80% opaque. Wine seems thin in viscosity and has watery edges.
• The Sniff: Very restrained nose with subtle aroma of dried cherry
• The Sip: A somewhat thin presentation of dark berry fruits on the palate. The mouth feel seems round without being flabby. A single dimension wine that is neither off nor dynamic. Lacking in layers of fruit but balanced in flavor and finish.
• The Score: Coming in at $6 per “bottle” the BOHO is certainly a drinkable wine when in need of a larger quantity. If you’re headed camping, having a wedding, or throwing a party, the BOHO Zin would do well to satisfy the average wine drinker. 3-/5

A review on JenniferReview.com – It’s an Octo-box!

2008 Dynamite Zinfandel

• The Stuff: 78% Zinfandel, 8% Primitivo, 7% Merlot and 7% Petite Sirah from Mendocino and Lake County; Aged 10 months in 15% new oak (combination of American, French and Hungarian); 13.8%ABV
• The Swirl: Medium dark plum with slight brightness of cherries. The wine is about 60% opaque
• The Sniff: Medium aromas of blueberry and cocoa are initially present with a  mild presentation of black pepper
• The Sip: The Dynamite Zinfandel is new world jam flavors of blackberry and dark cherry fruits. A subtle woody evergreen tree pokes through that reminds me of Christmas. This wine has a good firm grip on the back end and would hold up well to a BBQ steak or spicy burger.
• The Score: At $10, the Dynamite Zin is a fair value but doesn’t hold up as well against other California Zin in this price range. 3-/5

Cellar Tracker Score 87 points (1 review)

Fancy yourself a social media guru? Think you know it all when it comes to implementing a successful social media strategy? Are you a business or brand, just now thinking of taking a bite out of Twitter and Facebook? Quick Bites (Rick Bakas, Baldwin Press 2010) book has something for everyone.

I first met Rick Bakas in November 2009 when I jumped into blogging. Being the new kid to the playground I knew enough to watch the other kids to see who was an influencer, who was a bully and who the popular kids were. I quickly saw how Rick used social media to engage people in his work with the St. Supery brand. In fact, this very concept is bite number 61 in the book, “Engage Influencers.”

“Find people on social media sites that align with your brand who can become brand ambassadors…” (There is more to it, but I’ll let you discover it yourself)

Rick was even kind enough to provide a quote for an article I was writing. I misspelled his name in the article and to make matters worse, I did it again about a month later by misspelling his title. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I reached out and offered my genuine apology. Rick was gracious to forgive.

Forward the clock several months into the future, Rick announces the launch of his new book, Quick Bites 75 Savory Tips for Social Media Success, on May 6 during one of his signature Twitter tasting events. I immediately ordered the book. Why? Why would I order a book, having very little knowledge of what its contents would be?

1. I know Rick and I’ve seen him in action. Whether you agree with his approach or not, he is seeing results.
2. He has a track record of success. From his days at NIKE to working on accounts like the Denver Broncos and Oregon State University, Rick has shown he knows a thing or two about branding.
3. Trust. Over the month’s I’ve grown to trust that Rick’s message through twitter was consistent, sincere and engaging.

When you receive the book, be prepared…it is not something you necessarily sit down and read like a self help book or novel. In fact, it’s only 80 half sized pages in length. This is a book of aha moments, reminders, and behavior motivators. I would venture to guess that even the majority of the top “gurus” out there could be reminded of a few things.

I’m going through a crisis of action with my brand as I work through the next steps of leveraging momentum for business ideas. I have to say, I keep a copy of Quick Bites next to my PC just as a friendly reminder. Whether it’s from the seemingly no brainer #8 “Don’t be a Spammer,” to the ouch reminder #24, “Be Humble,” I’ve been inspired to create a more consistent brand and message with every bite that I digest.

Quick Bites is a cookbook full of ingredients to be successful using Social Media. I highly recommend it for anyone serious about developing their brand using Twitter, Facebook and other social tools. If you’re a business that doesn’t know a tweet from a twit, consider this your first bites to chew on. One important reminder that crosses over from cooking to social media is the last item in the book:

Know When to Turn It Off

Just like in cooking if you forget to turn it off, you’ll end up burning out and ruining the whole thing.

• Quick Bites 75 Savory Tips for Social Media Success is available for $14.99 at http://QuickBitesBook.com –
• Learn more on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/QuickBitesBook
• or at http://justbrand.me/

What do you do with your leftover wine bottles? Do they make their way to the uninspired recycle bin awaiting their fate in a fiery furnace?  Maybe you’re like me and save a few of your memorable bottles and they adorn the tops of your kitchen cabinet. I still have the bottle of wine that we were drinking when I proposed to my wife. Sometimes I save bottles just so my wine rack doesn’t look so defeated. Many bottles are beautiful works of art and that glass has to be useful for something other than being reincarnated as…gasp…a beer bottle.

Here are 7 creative uses for your wine bottles. I would love to hear of anything fun that you do. Please share in the comments if you’ve done any of these or if you have other inspiring ideas to share with the readers here. Not only is it hip to go ‘green,’ the wine bottle makes for an elegant decoration.

From the Vine to the Flower

Creative angled cuts with a glass cutter and you have yourself a decorative vase.

Stemware without the Stem

A simple cut with a glass cutter and some edge finishing gives new life to wine bottles.

Shine A Light Outside

A few simple items from the hardware store, some premade ceramic wine glass torch toppers, and some fuel and you have yourself a creative outdoor torch.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Wine

Cut a hole in the bottom, fill with a short strand of Christmas lights and you have yourself a fun lighting solution.

Grand Lighting Solution

This industrious crafter could build a unique lighting solution that is sure to be a show stopper and conversation starter.

For the Builder

Take an old glass table top and add wine bottle punts for some new artsy loft flare.

A Work of Living Art

An alternate take on the outdoor lamp, use some ordinary hardware items to create a work of wine wall art .

BONUS: For the Over Indulging Wino

This Christmas tree is made entirely of wine bottles. I bet there was a severe hangover after that party!

The sun has finally decided to arrive for summer. Better to make a dramatic entrance to the party than to never show up at all. I know you’re dying to get out and explore, shop, go boating and more. While you’re enjoying the beautiful Inland Northwest, put some of these amazing wine events on the list. This is my 24^th week of putting this list together and it is obvious that Spokane wine is bursting at the barrels with 17 wineries open (and one more on the way). There is bound to be at least one you haven’t tried.

All Weekend 

Take a tour of the local wineries. Most are open. Visit this link for hours, reviews, wine recommendations and more. http://drinknectar.com/2010/01/24/spokane-wine-tour/  

• This week’s highlight is Robert Karl. Located just off Division on Pacific is the tasting room and production facility for one of Spokane’s greatest treasures. They’ll be open Friday and Saturday until 5pm. Try their Rose, perfect for summer.

 Enjoy great local wine at The Davenport, Left Bank Wine Bar, Niko’s Wine Bar

Friday, July 9

Second Friday Art Walk: Ever walked through the beautiful streets of Coeur d’Alene on a warm summer night? The smell of the lake and the cool breeze make for a magical time. Enjoy the sights and sounds for the Second Friday Art Walk from 5-8pm

Vino Wine Shop: Wine tasting with Owen Roe 3:00-5:30pm

Davenport Hotel: Live music from 8pm – midnight

Left Bank Wine Bar: Live music every Friday starting at 8pm, no cover

Rocket Market: Get the dirt on biodynamic wine. 7-9 wines, cheese and bread; 7PM $15 343-2253

Saturday, July 10

Vino Wine: Saturday wine tasting through the July sale wines 2-4:30

Rocket Market: Saturday drop in tasting from 3-6pm with Three Horse Rance

Rocket Market: Live music at 7pm from acoustic pop musician Ron Greene

Sunday, July 11

Get out to a winery! – Always a handful of Spokane wineries open. Enjoy! Call first because of the holiday. (Trezzi, Townshend, Lone Canary, Mountain Dome and Caterina are open)

Arbor Crest Summer Concert Series – 18 piece band Men of Rhythm will perform 5:30 to dusk; $5 cover

On the Radar

• NEW Thursday’s on the Patio at Arbor Crest 5:30-7:30
• Grande Ronde Storm the Cellar Celebration – The annual celebration in honor of Bastille Day, Grande Ronde has specials on their Cellar Red and Cellar White blends. This year a very small release of Star View (a blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, and Malbec). Only 25 cases of this wine are being released. The event is from 5-8pm at their 906 W 2^nd Tasting Room. Call 455.8161 to reserve your spot. $10 includes tasting and food.
• Latah Creek 28^th Anniversary Celebration – Mike Conway started Latah Creek in 1982. Celebrate all weekend, July 16-18, with fantastic deals and events at their tasting room in the Valley.
• Whitestone Winery – Annual Cajun and Cab in the vineyard – July 24 (tickets are 1/2 sold out) Contact the winery for details. 838.2427
• The Wine Soiree - Thursday, September 9 at Beacon Hill, the Spokane Symphony Associates presents an enchanting evening with the Kathleen Cavender Band