Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Night Cap: Eola Hills, Port Style Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oregon 2007 LBV

Posted on November 28, 2013 by waywardwine

With Turkey Day winding down, the family leaving, and dirty dishes at bay: you only have room for this.

Last Thursday’s Dry Riesling kicked winter in the ear. Today, Wayward Wine turns once more to that stalwart of winter-bound, fireside drinks: Port.

Years ago, we featured Warre’s Late Bottle Vintage 2000 Port (here). Neither a cheap, young Ruby, nor an expensive, age-able Vintage: their LBV forged a middle path into Portuguese fortified wine. Its sultry balance of spice, fruit, alcohol, and readiness reminded us of a belly dancer.

But can Oregon pull off the same trick? Continue reading →

Posted in Dessert, Port | Tagged Applegate Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Eola Hills, Eola Hills Wine Cellars, Indiana Jones, Oregon, pinot noir, Portugal, Thanksgiving, Vintage Port, Warre, Willamette Valley Vineyards | Leave a comment

Winter White Wine: Dry Riesling, Canoe Ridge, Snipes Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington 2007

Posted on November 21, 2013 by waywardwine

Frost paints the earth silver. Thermostats shrink. Chill seeps through windows.

Instead of turning to robust reds for comfort, Wayward Wine will steer you from conformity. A huge Cabernet would crush your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmans goose. Instead, share the season’s cold snap and turn to a rich winter white.

This Thursday, our palates race to the highest elevations in Washington State. The grapes in question grew an average of 1,300 feet above sea level. They come from wine’s newest fringes: Horse Heaven Hills and Rattlesnake Hills, regions certified only in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Continue reading →

Posted in EMPTIED BOTTLES, Riesling, White | Tagged Alsace, bread pudding, Canoe Ridge, Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Canoe Ridge Vineyards, Cascade Mountain, Christmas, Germany, Horse Heaven Hills, Jean Claude Van Damme, Matzo ball soup, Paul Gregutt, Rattlesnake Hills, riesling, Stag's Leap, Thanksgiving, Volvo, Vosges Mountains, Washington, Wine Enthusiast | 4 Comments

A FOODLESS WINE FEAST OF PENFOLDS #MWWC5

Posted on November 14, 2013 by waywardwine

No greater feast of wine befits this Monthly Wine Writing Challenge (MWWC5):

It is 7:48 am. I should be in bed. Instead, work has me walking into a conference room. No one told me why. My waxen eyes fall on some bottles:

“Hmm, eight Penfolds for breakfast. Nothing like big, Australian reds instead of waffles. Sorry liver.”

But beyond this glass regiment, at the table’s end, sits a decanter and a bottle.

Grange. Bin 95. 2008.

Oh yes.

But before Penfolds’ big turkey, an hour of lecture drags on like the NFL Pre-Game Show: informative but missing the point of turkey day. Finally, the feast begins with “appetizers”: Continue reading →