Sip Northwest, Summer 2014

SIPNORTHWEST COM RIGHT PHOTO BY AMY JOHNSON BEST NORTHWEST BBQ RED What to Sip When You Grill I love Syrah for BBQ and the TWO VINTNERS MAYS DISCOVERY 35 is rocking bright black fruits spice game smoked meat and violets Its ridiculous with any grilled meat Chris Tanghe Aragona Seattle Just what you want when your hands are all sticky with sauce SOUTHARD COLUMBIA VALLEY RED 15 72 percent Syrah and 28 percent Zinfandel Blackberry bramble fruit Goes to the edge but doesnt jump Ted Seifert Seifert Jones Wine Merchants Bellingham WA I enjoy drinking Gamay Noir with smoked meats from our new BBQ restaurant Storrs Smokehouse Try the BRICK HOUSE YEAR OF THE DRAGON GAMAY NOIR 29 the CHEHALEM RIDGECREST VINEYARDS GAMAY NOIR 24 or the EVENING LAND GAMAY NOIR 25 Jessica Bagley The Painted Lady Restaurant and Storrs Smokehouse Newberg OR Id love some slightly chilled Merlot aside my rich tangy BBQ sauce Try the CHATEAU STE MICHELLE MERLOT 15 or OROFINO RED BRIDGE MERLOT 25 Jason Yamasaki Chambar Vancouver NORTHWEST WHITES FOR SALAD Lovely Whites for Garden Salads W T Vintners is making a great GRÜNER VELTLINER 20 from Columbia Gorge that works really well with a wide range of veggies I like it with chicories Chris Tanghe Aragona Seattle The HELIOTERRA MELON DE BOURGOGNE 19 Heres the skinny on this wine There is not a lot of this grape planted locally and thankfully it ended up in the right hands It is however a get it now wine I am a fan of Annes Hubatch wines in general but this gem is nearly perfect You can throw an oyster in there as well Will Prouty Division Wines Portland Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc I think this is one of the most underrated grapes in the Northwest Its delicious with all sorts of food and packs a lot more avor and acid than Pinot Gris Im particularly enjoying the BETHEL HEIGHTS PINOT BLANC 18 David Speer Ambonnay Bar Portland Aromatic whites from British Columbias Okanagan Valley are often on the menu with my summer salads SPERLING VINEYARDS MARKET WHITE 17 is a delicate blend of Pinot Blanc and two Germanic varietals named Bacchus and Perle With aromas and avors of red apple lime apricot and ginger its a consistent crowd pleaser and friendly food pairing partner Emily Walker YEW seafood bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver Vancouver PICNIC BASKET PAIRING What to Pack for the Impromptu Picnic Olympic Provisions charcuterie Kurtwood Farms Dinahs Cheese and a bottle of SOTERS SPARKLING ROSÉ 62 and Im happy to take a nap in the sun Chris Tanghe Aragona Seattle TRUST ROSÉ COLUMBIA VALLEY 18 Cabernet Franc shows o a little dry herbs with true watermelon coming along for the ride Not a bone dry style makes it a perfect choice with fried chicken Or the ANNE AMIE MÜLLER THURGAU 15 This multi generational crowd pleaser is a fruit cocktail delight Fresh peach avors make it a go to for Dungeness crab salad Ted Seifert Seifert Jones Wine Merchants Bellingham WA My favorite picnic basket snack is a homemade curried tuna salad needle thin pickled carrots fresh green grapes and crunchy rye toasts The best bottles to tote alongside are aromatic yet acid driven white wines Try NICHOL NINE MILE WHITE 20 or SOKOL BLOSSER EVOLUTION WHITE BLEND 15 Jason Yamasaki Chambar Vancouver MONTINORE BOREALIS 16 This is the wine to pair with the picnic companion that embraces the opportunity to leave the house with one agenda adventure With someone who would rather get lost with you than navigate with Siri Make sure the basket includes fresh fruit and some decadent cheeses and watch this aromatic wine meander through tropical avors into exotic through the orchard and nish with zesty freshness Cut me a slice Will Prouty Division Wines Portland Wine and Food