On July 17, one of our favorite places to visit in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Mission Hill Family Estate, kicked off its Reserve Concert Series, which will feature noted jazz artists and highly acclaimed Canadian operatic and symphony performers throughout the summer.

According to a press release, “The concerts afford a unique opportunity to enjoy a live performance in an unrivalled natural setting. The outdoor amphitheatre provides a stunning view of the Monashee Mountains and Lake Okanagan, sure to enchant audiences on a fine summer evening.”

The Midsummer Magic Okanagan Symphony Gala, celebrating the OSO’s 50th anniversary, kicked off the summer music series. On August 7, musician Wil Campa will perform his unique blend of Afro-Cuban jazz music. On Labour Day Weekend–Friday September 3–Juno award-winning jazz guitarist Jesse Cook will look to repeat his previous 2008 sold-out show at the winery. The finale to the season is a benefit concert on September 18 by the Canadian Tenors with their eclectic mix of classical and contemporary pop, in support of Voices for Bulembu, a Vancouver-based charity doing transformational work in Africa.

Special pre-concert dinner packages to celebrate the cultural festivities will be offered at the Terrace Restaurant, which offers guests breathtaking vistas of the vineyards and lake and has been honored as one of the Top-Five Winery Restaurants in the world. Gourmet fare and Mission Hill’s award winning wines will also be available for sale in the Wine Shop. Save-the-date and more information for the concerts are on the winery website.

Also as part of the summer celebration, Mission Hill is introducing a late-afternoon “Tastes of the Estate” small-plate, shared-experience menu. Complementing this will be a new Affinities Tour, with guided tours of the winery grounds, Estate Varietal Kitchen Garden, underground barrel cellar, and sampling a Tastes-of-the-Estate dish along with wine pairing. The Terrace Restaurant’s innovative cuisine is prepared by up-and-coming young Chef Riley Bennett under the direction of Executive Winery Chef Matthew Batey. Riley was a finalist in the recent Bocuse d’Or Culinary Competition in Toronto. Riley continues Mission Hill’s Cuisine du Terroir philosophy, a seasonal and regional approach to dining that is meticulously crafted around the wines and local artisanal ingredients.

Also scheduled for this season is the winery’s popular Sommelier Saturdays classes, led by the Sommelier team of Jesse Harnden, Mike Lee, and Brent Belanger. These fun and informative tastings help hone taste buds and refine palates with a comparative tasting of Mission Hill wines alongside international counterparts of various regions and styles.

All in all, there are many opportunities to taste and enjoy Mission Hill Family Estate on your next visit to the Okanagan!

Kerry Sear, executive chef at ART Restaurant & Lounge, is known about town for his amazing sliders—vegetarian, beef, and salmon—that he originated while still chef/owner of Cascadia restaurant and now serves during ART’s super-popular (and incredibly reasonably priced) happy-hour (Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

But during our recent remodel, when the offer of dinner at the new Bin on the Lake (BotL—get it?) followed by an overnight stay at the Woodmark Hotel on Kirkland’s Carillon Point was especially welcome, the media types around the table all agreed we had found a worthy contender.

Executive Chef Scott Lents’ amazing Scallops P.L.T. (layered with prosciutto, Bibb lettuce, and cured tomato and served on puffy, fluffy, housemade brioche buns gently kissed with garlic aïoli and topped by a leaf of fresh basil) are a revelation. The plumpest, most prime Diver sea–its edges wrapped in a fine layer of prosciutto, was seared and caramelized to golden-brown perfection. Non-pork eaters (such a yours truly) can ask for the P.L.T. without the P, no problemo.

We enjoyed the P.L.T. almost as much on a subsequent visit, and our table mate (who had never experienced them, but had enjoyed chef Kerry’s iteration) agreed they were grand.

Deception Pass on Whidbey Island

If you’re in search of new adventures this summer (and who isn’t?!?!), then look no further than Washington State Tourism’s new online forum.

A recent press release from the good folks at Washington State Tourism touts the group’s newly launched “Excellent Washington State Adventures” Web site, which features the new online forum–”Excellent Washington State Adventures”–where travelers share their favorite destinations and experiences around the Evergreen State.

Inn at SageCliffe near George, Washington

“We Washingtonians love our state, and love to share it with others.That makes Washingtonians some of the best travel guides to help visitors discover the best places and activities across the state,” said Marsha Massey, Executive Director for Washington State Tourism. “We hope residents and visitors alike will want to log on and share their trip memories, and in turn inspire others to plan a trip and experience the wealth of travel adventures our great state has to offer.”

Visitors to the Excellent Washington Adventures site will find a wealth of trip suggestions and personal stories about destinations around the state, such as Mount St. Helens, camping on the Olympic Peninsula, and exploring the Bavarian town of Leavenworth.

The site helps travelers plan trips to Washington by inspiring them through the experiences of Washingtonians and past travelers who have posted stories, recommendations, and photos. Travelers can browse for adventures based on “top rated,” or by category, such as “Wine and Cuisine,” “Arts, Culture and Heritage,” “Beaches” or “Family Fun.

Sharing your own adventures on the site is as easy as creating a profile and uploading photos and memories, the press release concludes.

On Friday and Saturday, July 30 and 31, you can wine and dine in the pines at Suncadia, a year-round mountain resort community located just 90 minutes east of Seattle. The third-annual Wine in the Pines event invites guests to enjoy a superior array of Northwest wines and cuisine while unwinding amidst Suncadia’s natural beauty.

Above and below are some shots we’ve taken on several memorable visits to the lofty Grand-Lodge-inspired resort. 

“We are delighted to continue a regional tradition with this year’s Wine in the Pines,” said Andrew Wilson, executive chef and director of food and beverage at Suncadia. “With the participation of award-winning wineries, an exceptional selection of food and live entertainment throughout the weekend, Wine in the Pines once again promises to be a highlight of the summer season.”

Suncadia Lodge’s outstanding Pan-Seared Swift Water Trout with Haricots Verts and Almond Brown Butter served at Portals restaurant

This year’s festival boasts more than 30 participating wineries and a packed schedule of events. The complete schedule of festivities is as follows:

Friday, July 30, 2010
2 - 5 p.m.
Winemaker’s Reception - Theo’s Chocolates, Glondo’s Sausages, Beecher’s Cheese and Efeste Wines are presented at Wine in the Pines’ kick-off reception held in the Great Room at the Lodge. Free for resort guests.
6 - 9 p.m.
Wine in the Pines Preview Night - Held at the Suncadia Village Amphitheater, this event features a casual crab feed and outdoor reception with Northwest winemakers, along with VIP seating for the evening’s Summer Nights in the Village concert. Cost: $50.
7 p.m.
Summer Nights in the Village with Handful of Luvin’ - Friday night’s free concert is sponsored by the Suncadia Fund for Community Enhancement and is part of Suncadia’s summer concert series.

Saturday, July 31, 2010
12 - 2:15 p.m.
Wine in the Pines Workshops - Four entertaining and educational workshops offer guests the opportunity to learn more about wine and winemaking from regional experts. Cost: $35
12 - 1 p.m. - Rhone Blending
Sean Gilbert of Gilbert Cellars will lead a Rhone-blending class giving attendees the chance to create their own blend from Gilbert’s barrel samples.
12 - 1 p.m. - Cabernet & Terroir
Tony Rynders of Swiftwater Cellars will lead a wine-tasting tour through three of Washington’s top American Viticultural Areas (Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills and Walla Walla).
1:15 - 2:15 p.m. - Malbec Mania
Sommelier David LeClaire, founder of Seattle Uncorked!, the Northwest’s largest wine club, will hold a discussion on the growing popularity of the Malbec grape.
1:15 - 2:15 p.m. - Aging Wines
Sommelier Tim O’Brien of Salty’s on Alki will present on how wines age, which wines age well and why certain wines age better than others.
4:30 - 7 p.m.
Wine in the Pines Grand Gala Tasting - Participating wineries and culinary delights provided by Theo’s Chocolates, Picasso 717, Lentines and Suncadia will be highlighted at this elegant tasting event. Cost: $65.
8 - 10 p.m.
Wine in the Pines Winemasters’ Dinner, “The Pacific Northwest Collection” - Suncadia’s Executive Chef Andrew Wilson and special guest chefs from Sunriver Resort, Skamania Lodge and Swiftwater Cellars collaborate to create a magnificent five-course meal. Winemakers will be seated at each table, and an auction of overnight packages and dream getaways will be held to benefit the Education Foundation for Cle Elum-Roslyn (www.cleelumedfoundation.org). Cost: $125 per person or $240 per couple.

Tickets to Suncadia’s Wine in the Pines events are available online at www.ticketweb.com. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door for each event. For more information about Wine in the Pines or to make reservations with Suncadia, please visit www.suncadia.com or call (866) 904-6301.

For the first time ever, our friends Mimi and Adam, owners of Portland, Oregon-based The Wine & Spirit Archive, will offer the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Intermediate Certificate in Wine & Spirits course in Seattle.

“This is the first time we’ve attempted to offer the course in its ‘extended’ format (this is how we offer the course in Portland),” Mimi wrote in an e-mail. “If you know anyone who might be interested, please feel free to pass along.”

So here you go, Mimi. And here you go readers.

By the way, a quick word of endorsement. . .several years back, Spencer and I took the WSET Intermediate course here in Seattle in a two-day (whirlwind!) format and can recommend it highly.

Details:

WSET Intermediate Certificate in Wine & Spirits - Summer 2010

The WSET offers comprehensive wine training for wine industry professionals, those seeking to enter the trade, as well as enthusiasts seeking to expand their knowledge of wine and spirits. Join us for this rigorous eight-week course and take your knowledge of wine to the next level.

WSET Certification Programs are widely recognized as the world’s most respected wine certification courses and are increasingly seen as essential credentials for those working in the global wine industry.

What This Course Covers

Lectures and discussions cover grape varieties, key wine regions and the styles of wines they produce. Wine tasting is part of every session and students will learn to professionally evaluate wines using the WSET Systematic Approach to tasting. Weekly reading assignments and review questions complement this in-class work and aid in preparation for the exam.

When and Where

This course is held on Monday nights, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., beginning July 12 and ending August 30. A certification exam is administered in the course’s final session. The course will be held at Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle Community College, 6000 16th Ave SW.

Tuition Costs

The cost of the course is $675, which includes all study materials, exam fees, and course certificate. Payment plans are available.

For More Information / To Register

Contact The Wine & Spirit Archive
www.wineandspiritarchive.com
cheers@wineandspiritarchive.com
503-764-7698

As many of us are trying to eat more consciously, choosing local, seasonal, and sustainable foods to add to our healthy diets, wine drinkers are also beginning to ask where the grapes in the bottle are sourced and how they are grown.

Enter the long-running (28 years!) Pink Door restaurant in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, which is highlighting a whopping half of its 129-bottle wine list with a coded sun asterisk to denote sustainably farmed, organic, or biodynamic wine producers!

This collection has been developed over several years and is proving to be the central theme of The Pink Door’s wine program.

Here are just a few of the sustainably farmed or biodynamically grown wines to note:

· Semillon/Sauvignon/Muscadel 2008 Buty; Columbia Valley
· Grenache 2006 Quivira; Wine Creek Ranch; Sonoma
· Pinot Gris Reserve 2008 Cooper Mountain; Willamette Valley, Oregon
· La Segreta Bianco 2007 Grecanico/Chardonnay/Viognier; Planeta; Sicilia
· Barolo 2005 Vietti; Castiglione; Piemonte
· Teroldego Rotaliano 2007 Foradori; Trentino

Thanks to Pink Door founder/owner Jackie Roberts (a.k.a., “La Padrona”) for her forward-thinking commitment to sustainable wine drinking and making it easier for all of us to make sensible choices.

Just in time for spring’s arrival, my colleague Natalie MacLean has compiled a thought-provoking list of wines for  ”green” foods, such as asparagus, peppers, and peas, not to mention other fresh vegetables that we’ll enjoy in the coming months. Natalie is an independent and award-winning journalist who is author of the bestselling “Red, White, and Drunk All Over,” and also edits one of the largest wine sites on the Web,

“Green foods are the problem children of the wine world,” Natalie says. “But as a stubborn hedonist, I’ve found some terrific wines to drink with them.”

So forthwith, here are Natalie’s suggested “green” food-and-wine matches.

•Spring Asparagus: Gruner Veltliner

•Field greens salad: Riesling

•Tomatoes: Pinot Noir

• Green peppers: Sparkling Wine

• Grilled veggies: Rosé

•Green peas: Sauvignon Blanc

•Spinach-and-bacon salad: Merlot

•Artichokes: Verdicchio

Thanks, Nat!

In a culinary sense, Portland has recently become known as one of the United States’ most cutting-edge cities. Of course, we Northwesterners have known that all along.

In late April, our neighbors to the south proved their expertise to the rest of the world when they pulled out all their food, wine, and hospitality stops as they welcomed the International Association of Culinary Professionals 32nd Annual Conference.

Among many memorable moments was a tour of biodynamic and sustainable vineyards in the Willamette Valley. The vines were just undergoing bud break (pictured above) and the air was full of fresh scent of the earth reawakening after a long winter.

The wines we sampled–Oregon’s famed Pinot Gris, Blanc, and Noir, as well as Dijon-clone Chardonnay–were all drinking exceptionally well even in spite of negative early-on reports by national wine writers about the 2007 vintage. The photo above shows the dried herbs (such as stinging nettle and valerian) as well as the cow’s horns filled with compost that biodynamic farmers plant in the fields during certain times of the year (depending on the moon’s cycles) to create healthy soil.

In addition to outstanding wines from Soter Vineyards, Montinore Estate, and Anne Amie Vineyards, we were treated to a “snout-to-tail lunch” offered up by Thistle restaurant located in nearby McMinnville. This über-local “Modern American resto” (which sources most everything it serves from within a 35-mile radius and changes its menu daily) was a delight for some, while somewhat of a nightmare for non-pork eaters in the crowd (including yours truly).

Here is the poor animal’s head just waiting to be devoured.

And here’s its heart, blithely draped over the most beautiful farm-fresh local eggs (I ate two of those sans the pork!).

Luckily, in addition to the carefully coddled eggs, there were slabs of a nummy triple-cream cheese on the table, as well as a perfectly dressed salad of baby greens and a platter of pickled veggies and cornichons, so the more faint of heart of us among didn’t go hungry.

Here’s a shot of the complete groaning board, which one of the hosts described as a spread “like something from King Henry the VIII’s table.” You can see all my fellow foodies scurrying around the table trying to find the best camera angles. No doubt some of them, like Spencer, had been in Delores Custer’s food-styling class earlier in the week.

Dessert was the coup de grace for all to enjoy. . .a dense almond polenta cake with a crown of unsweetened whipped cream. Wish I’d saved enough room for two slices of that.

Back in November, I wrote a story about a little grappa maker striking it big just across the lake from Seattle in Woodinville, Washington.

Happy to report that last month, Soft Tail Spirits launched another enticing craft liquor–Vodka.

According to Soft Tail’s co-owner and distiller, Dennis Roberts, “It’s taken us almost a year but I can finally say that Western Washington has its first locally produced Vodka since Prohibition. We opened our doors with Grappa in April of 2009 and Grappa will always be our signature spirit. Now we are proud to announce the release of our Soft Tail Vodka.

“Our Vodka has been given the most scrutiny thus far; we attempted the pot-still method and weren’t pleased with the results. That led to purchasing a new Vodka still designed specifically for our needs.”

Robertson says he attempted a number of wheat-based Vodkas and didn’t care for the results. That led to the question, “What other resource from Washington State can we make vodka from?”

He claims the most obvious source was also the most recognizable–the apple.

“We have found that the Washington apple offers unique and higher-quality sugars for the distillation of Vodka than the more traditional potato or grain bases do,” Robertson says. “Through the multiple-distillation process, the apple flavors are gone and what’s left is a crisp, clean, and fresh premium Vodka that’s dangerously smooth.”

So go taste for yourself. Soft Tail Spirits’ tasting room is open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00 pm. Soft Tail Spirits 80-proof Vodka sells for $28.00 for a 750-ml bottle.

My colleague Natalie MacLean, an independent and award-winning journalist who is author of the bestselling “Red, White, and Drunk All Over” and also edits one of the largest wine sites on the Web, has just launched a new mobile application for iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry, Droid, and other smartphones. Developed by Cerado, this app builds on the success of her Drinks Matcher and includes all the pairings in the original app, plus thousands of wine reviews, recipes, articles, blog posts, glossary definitions, cellar journal, and winery directory.

And best news? This fabu new app is free!

According to Nat’s press release:

“With the Nat Decants Mobile App, you can find the right wines, whether you’re in a restaurant or at the liquor store restocking. It’s like having a sommelier in your pocket.”

Features of the new Nat Decants Free Mobile App include:

- Find 380,000 professionally tested food and wine pairings (not generated by computer algorithm)
- Access thousands of wine reviews by an independent journalist
- Search the reviews by winery, price, score, region, grape, vintage, food match
- Track your wines in your virtual cellar and add your own journal notes and scores
- Search a directory of 10,000+ wineries to buy wine or plan a visit
- Find thousands of tasty, tested recipes for every wine
- Get wine savvy with articles, glossary definitions, and blog posts
- Share on Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail with friends

To get the free Nat Decants Mobile App visit:

www.nataliemaclean.com/mobileapp

On the page above, click on the words iPod or iPhone under the iPhone image to go to the iTunes store for the app. The direct link is:

http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/nat-decants/id353052386?mt=8

For BlackBerry, Droid, Nexus One, Nokia, Palm Pre and other smartphones, click on those words under the BlackBerry phone image. The direct link is:

http://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobile