So I’ve had some time to fully digest what was presented at the Virtual Wine Media Conference. I had a few key takeaways that I’m going to summarize here. I need to up my photo game. From lighting to composition, I need to up my game. Period. I spent a fair amount of money on […]
Pinot Noir
The Universal Language of Wine: Ā Fullerton Wines

“Great wine speaks profoundly, a universal language transcending any one culture.” ~The Fullerton Family Have you ever heard of Fullerton Wines? If you haven’t, they are a small producer of elegantly crafted Pinot Noir and Chardonny based out of Beaverton, OR. The story of Fullerton Wines goes back to 1969. When 14 year old Eric […]
FareStart Dinner in Pictures #IFBC15
In the months leading up to IFBC, the Facebook group for attendees and alumni was buzzing with excitement. And who wouldn’t be excited? IFBC is one of the best conferences there is! One of the topics of conversation was a dinner at FareStart. The idea behind FareStart is really awesome. They train adults who are […]
Summer of RosƩ: 2014 Blakeslee RosƩ of Pinot Noir
āSummer of what?ā You ask. RosĆ©. Duh. My goal is to provide you, my dear readers, with a new rosĆ© to seek out and try. Hence, the titleā¦Summer of RosĆ©. I will forewarn you, some of the wines are only available through the tasting rooms. I will do my best to provide you with the […]
Kudos Wines – An affordable and great introduction to Oregon Wines
According to Merriam Webster, the word “kudos” means “praise or respect that you get because of something you have done or achieved”. For Laurent Montalieu, this word takes a new meaning. Providing quality wine at affordable prices is always a key way to introduce folks to new wines and regions. With nothing over $35 a […]
A Day in the Willamette Valley Part III: LennƩ
Part I here Part II here When you talk to Steve Lutz about LennĆ©, you will hear him say two things. First, he will tell you, like a proud father, that his grapes grow in the worst soil in Yamhill County. Why is it the worst? The soil at LennĆ© is peavine, and according to […]
A Day in the Willamette Valley Part II: J Wrigley
Part I is here. After enjoying the views and the wines at Youngberg Hill, our next stop was J Wrigley. Owned by John and Jody Wrigley, the winery is located on 200 acres outside of Sheridan, OR. While a majority of that 200 acres isn’t currently suitable for vineyard land, it is certainly in the […]
A Day In the Willamette Valley: Youngberg Hill
I live within an hour of the Willamette Valley. Being so close, you’d think I would spend plenty of time down there, exploring wineries, meeting the producers and consuming plenty of delicious Pinot Noir. And I do…but I, like everyone else, get stuck in a rut. I don’t take the time to truly explore the […]
A Thanksgiving Wine Primer
Thanksgiving is, by a foodie standard, the orgasmic holiday. Everyone stresses the perfect turkey, the perfect sides, the perfect desserts and the holy grail…the perfect wine pairings. The typical Thanksgiving dinner has a myriad of flavors. Turkey. Mashed potatoes. Green bean casserole. Macaroni and cheese (that may just be my family…). Stuffing/dressing. Cranberry sauce. An […]
Caymus 40th Anniversary Tasting
Through a stroke of genius, and happening to constantly praise them via Twitter for having the best wine selection when it comes to Washington wine, I was invited to participate in a tasting and webcast at Total Wine & More on June 14th. This tasting happened to be the Caymus 40th Anniversary tasting. Knowing that […]