Wondering which wines go with oysters? Wonder no more. The judges of the 2010 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition recently sipped their way through 167 West Coast vintages to find the top oyster wines.
With so many wineries on the West Coast, having local wines to go with West Coast oysters seemed a fundamental need, said Bill Taylor, president of the competition's sponsor, Taylor Shellfish Farms of Shelton.
Wineries from California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington were invited to submit their best "oyster wines," typically dry, crisp, clean finishing wines that don't get in the way of the next oyster, a vibrant combination of sweetness, minerals and the sea.
It took a week for five preliminary judges to narrow the entries to 30 and then to 20 finalists. Those wines were judged by 34 oyster-loving wine and food professionals, first in Los Angeles, then San Francisco and finally at Seattle's Anthony's at Shilshole Bay. Only those wines every judge rated as a superior oyster wine made the Top 10 List.
"Not many wines go with oysters," said Lane Hoss, vice president of marketing for Anthony's Restaurants, in a news release. "That's why we're thankful for this competition. Oysters are becoming more popular. We wait for the results every year."
The top Washington wines are: Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, CMS White 2008 and Columbia 2008 Pinot Gris.
The Oregon wines are: Acrobat 2008 Pinot Gris, Anne Amie 2009 Pinot Gris, Anne Amie Cuvée A, 2009 Müller-Thurgau and King Estate 2008 Pinot Gris.
For more information on the competition and the full list of winners, go to www.oysterwine.com.
Sunshine and Wine
YAKIMA -- Celebrate the food and wine of the Yakima Valley at the annual Sunshine and Wine festival from 1 to 5 p.m. June 26 at State Fair Park, 1301 S. Fair Ave.
The cost is $60 in advance, $65 at the door. Admission includes savory tidbits from local restaurants, samples of vintages from wineries and brews gathered from around the state.
For tickets, call 509-248-7160.
For more information, go to www.sunshineandwine.com.
New read
The book: Great Party Dips by Peggy Fallon.
Cost: $17.
Best for: 70 inspired dips -- hot and cold, spicy and not, savory and sweet. Fallon has included tips, color photos and instructions for making your own tortilla chips, won ton crisps and crostini.
*Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com. To receive a recipe via e-mail each Tuesday register at tricityherald. com and click on newsletters. If you already are registered, click on edit account and newsletters to select Recipe of the Week. This exclusive recipe does not appear in the newspaper.
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Wine and dine in Washington's Yakima Valley
Wine and dine in Washington's Yakima Valley
PROSSER -- An adventurous crowd of foodies surrounded me at the Desert Wind Winery's long dining table. As we started in on the fried green tomatoes, we noticed a garnish nobody recognized: what looked like little yellow cherries topped by tiny corn-husk winglets. The little wings were swept back as if part of our salad course was ready to join the kestrels soaring over the nearby Horse Heaven Hills.
Was that husk edible or not? Should we ask?
"I already ate mine," confided Sheila, a Seattleite sitting next to me.
Northwest embraces new, unusual white varieties
Northwest embraces new, unusual white varieties
Throughout its history, the Northwest has been about exploration, and we continue that tradition with our wines. We are not a region that drinks just chardonnay, riesling and pinot gris. We are a region that embraces new and unusual grape varieties.
In the Northwest, we have so many small-production varieties to try. Muscat in its various forms has been grown here for more than a half-century, and many newer German grapes developed in the past 100 years have been planted in some quantity in British Columbia.
Today, we look at some of the unusual varieties, and we encourage you to search them out and see what you think. Almost all of these will need to be purchased directly from the winery, though check with your favorite wine merchant to see if they can order them for you.
Highlights offered from Idaho Wine Competition
Highlights offered from Idaho Wine Competition
Despite the Gem State's rich agricultural history, Idaho wines rarely get the respect they deserve. Perhaps this is because of the region's famous potatoes. Just as likely, it's because the industry is still a toddler compared with its West Coast peers.
In fact, Idaho wine has roots that go back to the mid-1800s, but Prohibition extinguished the nascent industry, and wine grapes weren't planted again until the 1970s, when Ste. Chapelle in Caldwell opened its doors.
Today, Ste. Chapelle is the state's largest and most successful producer, and the Idaho wine industry is starting to gain traction, thanks to more than 40 producers and a high-energy and professional staff running the state wine commission.
WINE: Tickets available for 33rd Tri-Cities Wine Festival
WINE: Tickets available for 33rd Tri-Cities Wine Festival
Tickets for the 33rd Tri-Cities Wine Festival, among the oldest wine events in the Pacific Northwest, are now available.
All events will be Nov. 4-5 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. The Tri-Cities Wine Society stages the festival, which is capped by the Saturday night public tasting of the wines judged in the competition. Results from the professional judging of Northwest wines are announced throughout the evening.
More than 100 wineries and 400 wines are expected to enter in the competition, and most will be poured for the public. It is Washington state's longest-running wine competition. Tickets for the public tasting are $70.
WINE: Richland winery wins top award in California competition
WINE: Richland winery wins top award in California competition
Barnard Griffin started off 2012 right with an unprecedented award for its Rosé of Sangiovese. The wine from the 2011 vintage won a gold medal and the sweepstakes for top pink wine of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
This is the seventh consecutive year the Richland winery has won gold or better for its Rosé of Sangiovese.
Owner/winemaker Rob Griffin expressed surprise at the award because winter damage forced him to change vineyard sources last year.
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