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Ever since meeting Linda and Don Mercer on last November’s trip to New Zealand wineries, we’ve looked for an opportunity to visit them in Prosser. The opportunity came the last week of September. We were in Portland anxiously awaiting the arrival of our second grand child. This time it is a girl. Our plan was to fly out to Portland, Oregon from the East Coast in late September then be in Portland when Clara decides to put in an appearance.
We also wanted to visit wineries and Prosser has a concentration of wineries to visit. Last year we made it to Seattle, Woodinville and Walla Walla. On Monday we’re stopping in Hood River to visit three tasting rooms on the Oregon side of the Columbia River. Then from Tuesday through Friday we’ll visit several of the wineries in and near Prosser.
Another expectation is to visit Eric and Lori of Aprés Vin. They own a grape seed oil company and specialize in varietal grape seed oils and infused varietal grape seed oils. We have cooked with these oils for a couple years and enjoy the aromas and tastes. Since we are launching a new companion website in January about cheese, wine vinegar and olive & grape seed oils, the trip will give us an excellent opportunity to see the process from pumice after pressing the wine or juice to oil extraction. This isn’t our first encounter with grape seed oil. Our first indoctrination came at Joseph’s Estate Wines in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Dr. Joseph Pohorly makes grape seed oil from grape seeds and touts the medicinal value of the oil. Both Joseph’s Estates and Aprés Vin also make grape flour. Aprés Vin makes varietal grape flour. Wine enthusiasts can enjoy a Merlot with a dish cooked in Merlot grape seed oil and a bread made with Merlot flour. Many other varietal oils and flours are also available.
Another interest are the wineries grouped close together near the Prosser airport. We visited several wineries grouped close together near the airport in Walla Walla. The wineries near the Prosser airport call their area Vintner’s Village with one structure called the Winemaker’s loft. We are looking forward to writing about the village and loft.
Cheers,
Terry
What’s in a Name?
I took interest in the recent Virginia LOVE champagne for wineries. Few wineries took part in the contest and the big winner was Blenheim Winery in Charlottesville. Actually they garnered over 3,000 votes during the one-day contest while other wineries gathered between 5 and a couple hundred votes. It was an overwhelming victory that prompted some to write that Blenheim Winery won because Dave Matthews, owner, asked people to vote for it. Comments were curious. Obviously Dave Matthews has some name recognition even though one voter asked who was he. As far as the winery goes, unless someone told you the winery was owned by Dave Mathews you may never know.
A visit to the winery is wonderful. A large glass floor permits visitors to observe the winery operations below. The tasting counters are against a glass wall overlooking vineyards. Throughout the tasting room there is little if any evidence that the owner is the Dave Matthews of the Dave Mathews Band. You’ll notice some of his artwork on some wine bottle labels, but only if you knew that Dave is also an artist.
There are other wineries that are named for famous people. Often the rich and famous are not afraid to use their name for the winery. Think Gretzky in Ontario. That winery has name recognition and if it were allowed in the Virginia contest it could easily have managed thousands of votes simply for those who love “the Great One.” Another winery with name recognition is Francis Ford Coppola Winery. The director has many wine enthusiasts who order his wines. Name recognition helps in a popularity contest.
Was the Virginia Love contest a popularity contest? Perhaps, but on the other side Blenheim Winery has a wonderful tasting room and is visitor friendly. Although the winery is owned by Dave Matthews, he doesn’t use his fame to influence the winemaking at Blenheim. He simply told the winemaker to make the best wine she can. Blenheim won the contest and that’s OK.
Cheers,
Terry