28 May 2010
Spokane Weekend Wine Time May 28-31
Why whine about the weather when there is so much great wine in Spokane? Now that you’ve recovered from Spring Barrel tasting in Walla Walla, Yakima, Spokane and Lake Chelan, it is time to get out and enjoy the local wine scene. Did you know that Spokane is welcoming a brand new winery this weekend? Check out the details below. If you’re a wine lover, and I know you are, check out the “On the Radar” section for the amazing wino week for June 1-6!
Photo Credit "Sip of Spokane"
Having an event and don’t see it on the list? Email me josh@nectarcoffeeandwine.com
All Weekend
Take a tour of the local wineries. Most are open. Visit this link for hours, reviews, wine recommendations and more.
Spokane Tasting Room Tour: http://drinknectar.com/2010/01/24/spokane-wine-tour/
Enjoy great local wine at The Davenport, Left Bank Wine Bar, Niko’s Wine Bar
Final Weekend of Lone Canary at their Scott Street location: Lone Canary is moving in with Caterina Winery. Get 25% off all wine and gift shop merchandise (30% off for club members) Open Friday through Sunday, Noon to 5:00 p.m.
Arbor Crest Memorial Day Weekend Sale: Get 30% off of six bottles or more of red wine through Monday!
Friday, May 28
Music at Whitestone Winery: Enjoy the wonderful music of Colleen Rice and the wine of Whitestone from 6-9pm at 111 S. Cedar. No cover
Vino Wine Shop: Airfield Estates of Walla Walla 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: 7pm Tour of Italy (Barbera, Brunello, Borolo) Reservations requested, $15 343-2253
Saturday, May 29
Overbluff Cellars: Spokane welcomes its newest winery with Overbluff Cellars grand opening. Join them with live music from Sammy Eubanks from 1-7pm at their tasting room at 620 S. Washington. For a preview, check out the DrinkNectar interview with co-owner John Caudill.
Vino Wine Shop: Sale Wines Part 2 – 2:00-4:30pm
Rocket Market: Saturday drop in tasting with Airfield Estates winery 3-6pm; Stay for live music at 7pm from Blue Ribbon Tea Company
Sunday, May 30
Get out to a winery! – Always a handful of Spokane wineries open. Enjoy!
Arbor Crest (River Park Square Tasting Room) – Enjoy the art of Carrie Vielle “Language of a Body; Instinct over Intellect”
On the Radar
Big wine week the first week in June. Stay tuned for how you can win tickets to Taste Washington on June 6.
- June 2 – Support the fight against Cystic Fibrosis with every sip at The Melting Pot. Two packages to choose from include wine tasting and two or four courses; 5-9 p.m., Call 509.999.2195; cost is $25 or $50
- June 3 – #WAWine Taste and Tweet event. Join in your PJ’s at home or from one of the 100 locations hosting an event. All you need it Washington Wine and a computer! Follow the link for details! This is the world’s largest simultaneous tasting of Washington wine. Celebrate with us!
- June 4 – First Friday in Downtown Spokane
- June 4 – Stem and Stein event benefiting the programs of the Spokane Aids Network; Northern Quest Casino; $45 at the door. http://www.san-nw.org/events/stem_and_stein.asp
- June 5 – The Pour (benfiting Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital) at Arbor Crest. This is a great wine tasting and auction. Tickets $150 http://www.thepour.info/
- June 6 – Taste Washington at the Davenport. The year’s signature wine event with 100 wineries and local food. Tickets are $75; visit ww.tastewashington.org for details. On sale starting May 1 at Vino, Arbor Crest (RP Square), Williams Seafood, and Latah Creek Winery
- June 6 – 2010 Summer Concert Series begins at Arbor Crest
- June 18-20: Spokane Symphony Best Fest – A fantastic three night event featuring the best of Spokane Symphony, wine, beer and ice cream. Tickets are available for each night and for the full three day event. www.spokanesymphony.org
21 May 2010
Portland Porks Out – Next Stop Seattle
Guest blog post from Tamara Belgard of SipWithMe
Bacon is the new black, or so said the shirt on Cochon 555’s Master of Ceremonies. Sunday welcomed five chefs, five pigs and five winemakers to the Governor Hotel’s ballroom for Porkland’s culinary event of the year, Cochon 555. This national event pairs local wine with swine in order to promote breeding diversity and to help raise awareness for heritage breeds and family owned farms around the country.
Portland superstar chefs Naomi Pomeroy of Beast, Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon, Andy Ricker of Pok Pok, Cathy Whims of Nostrana and Jason Barwikowski of Olympic Provisions all participated in the competition for a cause to earn the coveted title “Prince/Princess of Porc,” but it was Jason Barwikowski who walked away with the crown after impressing the crowd with his nine renditions of the primal product.
Each of the five chefs was faced with the challenge of using the whole pig, head to tail, to create dishes that would delight an audience of epicureans and make 20 notable judges go hog-wild. Butcher extraordinaire Ryan Farr from Sweet Briar Farms in Eugene exhibited his talents in the exciting and somewhat disturbing “Whole Pig Breakdown Demonstration.”
Since pork and Pinot are a match made in heaven, some of Oregon’s finest wineries including Bethel Heights Vineyard, Soter Vineyards, Elk Cove Vineyards, Domaine Drouhin Oregon and Domaine Serene were on hand to share their story and pour their wines. VIPs had the priviledge of a little pre-funk Oyster and Reserve Wine celebration where creative props must be given to Anne Amie Vineyards who had a very beautifully unique pig decanter hand-blown especially for the occasion by local glass artist Justin Parker of Esque Studio.
Cochon 555 in Seattle May 23
All in all, over 750 pounds of heritage pork was served in every shape and form, from pork liver panna cotta to gold-crusted caramel tarts with chocolate dipped bacon and sea salt. Is your mouth watering yet? Feeling like you missed out? Well, you can follow that pig! This gluttonous event takes place again in Seattle on May 23 and San Francisco on June 6. The final showdown takes place at Grand Cochon on June 20, where all the Princes and Princessess of Porc with be competing for the ultimate title of Queen or King of Porc during Aspen’s Food and Wine Classic. Did someone say, “Road Trip?”
About the Author
Tamara Belgard is a freelance writer, graphic designer and social media expert living her dream in Portland, Oregon. She currently writes a wine blog called Sip with Me detailing her journey through Oregon wine and is a lover of wine, chocolate, travel, and all things culinary.
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