Rias Baixas Albarino Coaxes Summer to Stay
Audio issues at about the 5 minute mark…darn gremlins With summer winding down, it was time to head to the cellar for something magical, something that could beckon the yellow orb to make an extended presence well into October. Rumor has it that there are magical powers in Rias Baixas. Each September the mythical creature Albariños stumbles from its cave, shaking off the prior evening’s rager to make a proclamation on the extended season. One wine glass, and the warm nights are cut short for crisp cool evenings. Two wine glasses (probably from seeing double), and the warm rays of […]
Winery Tweets Their Newest Release
When releasing a wine, what are the typical process flows? PR to media – check. Email to mailing list – check. Save the date card to mailing list – check. Tasting room party – check. Send dozens of wine writers some samples and have a tweet up? Desert Wind Winery recently released their 2009 Ora (white blend) and utilized relationship marketing to engage writers and influencers virtually. Not everyone had the capacity to go to their beautiful Prosser, WA tasting room, so Amber and Greg Fries send the wine to the people. The result, nearly 500 conversations between 77 people. […]
Episode #89 Northwest Cellars
Need a custom label for a wedding, non-profit event, business gift or product launch? Kirkland based, Northwest Cellars provides award winning wine with personalized labels! Founder Bob Delf spent 30 years in the software industry and worked as a CEO at three different companies. Bob’s passion for wine, keen business sense, and unique business model came together with wine makers Dave Moore and Robert Smasne to form Northwest Cellars in 2004. Bob and his wife Kathleen do all the blending work to bring their creation to market. I was introduced to Northwest Cellars initially on Twitter. Bob participated in […]
My First Trip to Greece for Wine
Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fertility. Legend tells us that Dionysus was the only Greek god born of a mortal parent, Semele. Known for his dual personality, Dionysus could bring erotic passion and happiness along with rage and madness. During his wandering, Dionysus taught people across the regions how to cultivate wine. It’s curious or coincidence that even 6000 years ago in the mythology of the Greeks, wine was a significant part of Mount Olympus. Wine in Greece dates back to 4500 BC and is considered to be the second oldest wine production in the world (central […]
Episode #56 Desert Wind Whites
Viognier and Semillon may not be grapes you are very familiar with, but I can assure you that with summer coming, consider these worthwhile reasons to stray from your Sauv Blanc and Rose. A Southwest oasis in the desert of central Washington, Desert Wind Winery was born out of a need for more fruit variety at Duck Pond Cellars (Dundee Oregon). In the early 90’s Duck Pond began planting the 480 acres located on the Wahluke Slope, East of Yakima and West of Tri-Cities. In 2001winemaker Greg Fries presented the first release of Desert Wind Winery. Seeing the phenomenal […]