I am truly lucky. Not everyone gets to say they love their job. Well I do. The rare trip to wine country is just candles on top of the icing on the cake that you do indeed get to eat.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
We flew into Seattle & headed to the tourist trap along the water to watch people throw fish, eat fried fish, and enjoy the scenery. The people in the area are included in the scenery.
A serious commitment to barrel. They hand stir the lees weekly... every barrel. F'N' crazy!
A short time later we boarded the vans and headed to the winery. Upon arrival we got a tour of the facility in which they make the white wines.
"Training"
After that we sat down down for some official training. The cool thing about the wine biz is that training is actually drinking. Ok, not really, it is tasting. I sat at the table with 15 wines in front of me, to drink them all would turn me into a frat boy, or just an ass, and probably cost me my job.
They even have trout at the winery, should've brought my rod!
So its a spit, swallow, spit, spit, spit process. Besides, the next stop was dinner at the winery, 7 courses I believe, all paired with wines of which I did drink.
The day ended at the hotel with beers and wines in the lobby bar. It was an early night, about 11pm, we had to be up early for the 4 hour drive south througt the Cascade mountains to the Columbia Valley AVA to tour the red wine facility, then Col Solare on Red Mountain, followed by another epic dinner, all paired up with great wines of which the 2001 Col Solare was my top choice.
I am lucky enough to be traveling to Napa for round two in late April. Hopefully budbreak is underway. I have only seen vineyards before budbreak and right at harverst time. Seeing all the cycles will be very educational.
One thing for me with all this is actually seeing the vineyards the AVAs, the geography and geology of the area. I guess its the same as seeing Paris, or just seeing pictures. You can never fully appreciate or even understand until you see it for yourself.
Thank you Chat. Ste. Michelle!
Oak barrels being being prepared at the cooperage we visited. Very cool.
Some amazing stain glass at Beringer Estates.
Old old hand carved barrels in the caves behind Beringer.
The award winning blend B.A. (Bad Attitude) by Brett & Andy at Chateau St Jean. We took the 5 varietals that go into the Cing Cepages and made our own blends. We won!
All the tools for the perfect blend, BA.
