Unable to attend Taste Washington in Spokane? Curious about the event so you can attend next year? Live outside of Spokane and just want to see what’s happening? Check out Taste Washington TV. I’ll be broadcasting live at various times Sunday, June 6 from 6:00 – 8:00pm. Stay tuned and don’t turn that dial! Check back on Tuesday, June 8 for a full recap of all the activities!

Video chat rooms at Ustream

Tops from Taste Washington

This weekend I had the privilege of attending Taste Washington on behalf of my DrinkNectar.com wine blog. It was an honor to represent the East Side (of WA) and to help the Washington Wine Commission with their first ever WWTV series of events. I have to give MAD PROPS to Yashar Shayan for all his work in orchestrating the technology and herding cats (wine bloggers / writers / nerds/winos). 15 interviews and a few seminars are available at the Taste WA UStream Channel. Scroll down to see the two DrinkNectar exclusives!

For my wife and me, the event consisted of the seminars on Saturday, six hours of tasting on Sunday, and then a topless wino’s gone wild party at Purple Restaurant (okay, everyone’s tops stayed on). I’ll be giving a full write up of the experiences that should come out Wednesday or Thursday, but in the meantime, here is a fun list of my most memorable experiences!

Meeting the Twitterati

I can’t even begin to count the number of “friends” that I met in real life for the first time. Because of Twitter, it was like I already knew everyone I met. The meetings were exuberant and full of hugs! Some notables (my apologies if I forget any) @wawinereport, @clivity @winomagazine @bricksofwine @divatink @shona425 @nwtotemcellars @sojengirl @sojencellars @winefoot @writeforwine @tomcwark @pmabray @deniseslattery @chefmangna @decanterbanter @wabrokers @nicoleevents @tarynmiller @dearcheri @yasharseattle @hardrow@winepeeps @czcellars @watastingroom @seattlewinegal and more!

Killer Wine

I’ll go in more detail on Saturday’s seminar tastings where I got to taste amazing wine from Gramercy Cellars, Cote Bonneville, and Col Solare in the full wrap up. During the grand tasting Sunday, there were probably over 1000 wines to taste. We probably tasted (and spit) close to 75 different wines. During tastings like this there are several good wines, but here are the five that stick in my mind!

K Vintners – Motor City Kitty; 2007 Syrah ($30)

Pepperbridge – Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($55)

Nodland Cellars – Private Blend 2005 ($35)

Betz Family Winery– Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($65)

NW Totem Cellars – Late Harvest Viognier 2006 ($28)

Food to Dine For

Picazo 7Seventeen – Chef Mangana was serving an amazing Lamb Chop and the chocolate dessert goodie was heavenly (wish I knew more about what made it so great)

An Affair to Remember

Hotel Max Seattle – Swank, sleek, urban, artsy, and beautiful come to mind when describing the Hotel Max. Factor in the comfy room, city views, and central location – this is a must stop. “Dear Hotel Max, thank you for sleeping with me.”

Legends and Stars

I consider myself lucky to have spent a few hours with Paul Mabray, of VinTank fame and Tom Wark of, well…of Tom Wark fame. Not only do I feel like I got a masters course in marketing and wine business, my head was spinning with ideas on how to conquer the world.

It was also amazing to meet the one and only Barbara Evans.  Yep, I met Barb…oh, sorry… Seattle Wine Gal (@seattlewinegal for you Twitteraddicts). She is everything you think she is…over the top, smart, intense, fun, and pretty. Don’t underestimate her, she is always thinking, watching and observing. I learned a ton from the brief moments we had to chat during the TasteWA wrap party. She knows her Social Media stuff. Thanks Barb for the ideas and inspiration!

Wine Gods

 My interview with Jarrod of Alexandria Nicole Cellars

My Interview with Jean-Michele of Pepperbridge

DrinkNectar is excited to be invited to Taste Washington in Seattle this weekend. I’ll be a part of the new live video stream. Can’t make it to Taste Washington in Seattle this weekend? Have no fear – stay tuned to TWTV for all your seminar, interviews, and vino news during the event. The live video stream is below.

Here is a schedule:

Saturday 10:45 – Food and Wine Pairing with Tom Douglas

Saturday Noon – 1:00 – Various interviews (tentative)

Saturday 1:45 – Mighty Malbec with Sean Sullivan

Sunday 4:00 (ish) to 7:00 pm - Various winemaker interviews

I want to thank Yashar Shayan and the Washington Wine Commission for asking DrinkNectar to be a part of the event. I also owe huge props to Hotel Max for co-sponsoring my trip. If you’re staying in Seattle, make Hotel Max your first choice.

Tips for Enjoying Taste Washington

• Have a gameplan. Wineries bring a limited supply of juice. The top wineries are often very busy and you could run the risk of catching them when they are out. If you’re keen on trying some Quilceda Creek, Leonetti or Long Shadows Family you better get to the table early.
• Hydrate early and often. The combination of tasting, walking, talking, indoor lights, etc can be a recipe for dehydration. Drink water!
• Eat. Nothing says “wino wimp” faster than someone who can’t hold their juice. Tastings of this grand scale are intimidating. You’re not going to be able to taste them all, but working your way through 30-50 wineries on an empty stomach is a disaster waiting to happen.
• Spit. Don’t be afraid to spit. The enjoyment of wine is the swirl, sniff, and sip. After 10-20 small one ounce pours, you’ll be tipsy even if you’re hydrated and have a full tummy.
• Socialize. Some of the best times at events like this don’t come from drinking wine, they come from interacting with and learning from the wine maker and their staff.

If you’re not able to make it to Taste Washington this weekend, consider coming to the Spokane event on June 6 - DrinkNectar will be there too!