Weekend wine wrap-up for Jan 16, 2015
Krista Smark, co-owner of Krystal’s Champagne Lounge in Camas, is hosting a reservation-only Champagne 101 event this Saturday, Jan 17th.
This weekend:
- Emanar Cellars —Thursday, January 15th is the deadline to pay the Spanish Wine Country tour deposit of $900 per person. Join Richard and Mar September 19-30 as they take an intimate group on a comprehensive tour of Mar’s home country. Learn about Spanish wines and much more.
- Cellar 55 Tasting Room – Fri, Jan 16 – Cellar 55 plays host to Denison Cellars’ 2012 Pinot Noir lineup. Come out and taste what all the talk’s about. Wine Spectator has rated their 2012 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 points and Harvey Steinman raves about the 2012 Johnson Ridge Pinot Noir predicting prime drinking from 2016-2022.
- Krystal’s Champagne Lounge – Sat, Jan 17—Hosting a Champagne 101 class. I don’t know if there are seats left but with Dan and Krista’s bubbles experience, it’s sure to be an evening well-spent. Six French Champagnes appropriately paired with light bites.
- English Estate Winery – Sat, Jan 17 the Loafing Shed will host Sew Sisters, a local company up-cycling sweaters into sweater dresses to support Facing Homelessness in Seattle.
Upcoming events:
- Volcano Views and Brews – Tues, Jan 20–The Mount St Helens Institute presents a different topic hosted on the third Tuesday of every month at Loowit Brewing Company in Vancouver and the third Thursday of every month by Hop-N-Grape in Longview unless otherwise noted on Facebook. Folks are encouraged to come around 5 pm for dinner, drinks and mingling. Presentation begins at 6:30 pm. It’s a unique way to get your drink on and learn something in the process. Oct-May (excluding Dec).
- Drink This! Vancouver – Fri, Jan 24 is the next date for this popular event where participants take to the walkable streets of downtown Vancouver to enjoy an ever-rotating list of businesses offering locally-made beverages at special prices. From wine to craft cocktails, beer to cider, it’s a great time.
- Hello Vancouver! – Wed, Jan 28 at 7 pm the historic Kiggins Theatre presents Hello Vancouver! a live talk show that’s been going on for a while now. Buy a glass of wine (Francis Ford Coppola, of course) or beer in their fabulous retro-style upstairs bar and sink in for what’s sure to be a night of hilarity and craziness. Recommended PG-13. Doors open at 6 pm.
- The Portland Seafood and Wine Festival – Fri, Jan 30 & Sat, Jan 31–Dubbed as a family-friendly venue with activities to entertain the kiddos, this will satisfy your seafood craving in the heart of the city in the midst of Dungeness crab season. Over 50 Oregon wineries will be represented as well as some craft beers.
- Burnt Bridge Cellars–Sun, Feb 8 at 5 pm a benefit for Our House will be hosted. This is a ticketed barrel tasting and Spanish tapas-influenced event to benefit this Portland-based HIV/AIDS care facility. Purchase tickets ($90/person) at www.ourhouseofportland.org or by calling (503) 736-9276.
- Clark County wineries – Fri, Feb 13-Sun, Feb 15 Clark County wineries are already making plans for the annual wine and chocolate tour. Mark your calendars for an opportunity to ‘sweet talk your sweetheart.’
This weekend:
Downtown
Brewed – Carrying a selection of Columbia and Willamette Valley wines, the folks at Brewed are well-educated on the choices available. Also available are mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and an occasional, seasonally-inspired adult beverage like Irish coffee. Current wine offerings include several from Locati Cellars, Charles Smith’s earthy Boom Boom Syrah, AniChe Cellars’ Barbariccia which is a sangiovese blend and the ever-sassy Naked Winery’s Penetration Cabernet Sauvignon and Foreplay Chardonnay.
Burnt Bridge Cellars – Enjoy award-winning wine at Vancouver’s only urban winery. David and Mark source their grapes from Eastern Washington and are particular about their wine competitions. 2014 and 2015 brought high praise from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Normal tasting room hours Sat, Sun noon-5 pm. Open every First Friday from 4-8 pm with wine, live music and small bites by Class Cooking. See top of post for Feb 8 event.
My pups, Challenge and Baby Girl, chose to spend their birthday at dog-friendly Cellar 55 Tasting Room. Okay, I might have had some say in it.
Cellar 55 Tasting Room – Fri, Jan 16 – Cellar 55 plays host to Denison Cellars’ 2012 Pinot Noir lineup. Come out and taste what all the talk’s about. Wine Spectator has rated their 2012 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 points and Harvey Steinman raves about the 2012 Johnson Ridge Pinot Noir predicting prime drinking from 2016-2022. Live music most Fridays from 6:30-8:30 pm with a food vendor. Come enjoy their fantastic Eastern Washington and Walla Walla wines by the glass or bottle. Displaying local art and featuring special happy hours four days a week. Open at noon Wed-Sun.
Charlie’s Bistro – Recently changed to Charlie’s Bodega Tapas & Whiskey Bar. Haven’t been in so no idea what the deal is. Hopefully they still have live music every Friday night and some of the same great deals for wine lovers (Monday-50% off all bottles of wine $50 and under. Plus, Saturday is always Flight Night from 4-10 pm). Open Mon-Sat.
East Fork Cellars – Closed for the winter season but look for them to be open for First Friday events until they officially re-open on March 21 for the Vancouver Farmers Market season. Housed in the historic Old Slocum House. Gallery 360 —inside East Fork Cellars—is open Wed-Sun noon-5 p.m.
Evergreen Wine Cellar – Pam hosts weekly wine tastings for $5 per person. Typically on Friday or Saturday, contact her to be placed on her e-mail blast for up-to-date event notices. She also has the largest selection of sparklings in Clark County (80 at last count) and holds extensive knowledge on food pairings to help more occasions be elevated to special ones.
The Grant House –Recently changed live music to Tues and Wed only with happy hour extended to 6 pm. Cozy up in this circa 1849 space with an extensive wines-by-the-bottle list and stay for dinner in “Vancouver’s oldest dining room” located on Officer’s Row.
La Bottega– Sat, Feb 14 – Planning a special Valentine’s Day menu by reservation only. Terrific casual Italian dining with a wine list to complement each flavor profile. Tuesday night wines under $50 are 50% off and wines over $50 are discounted $25. Excellent way to enjoy some premium wines with their locally-focused menu. Wine tasting every Wednesday night from 5-7 pm. $12 includes four tastings and antipasti. Bottles available for take away.
Latte da Coffeehouse & Wine Bar – Thurs, Jan 29 from 5-7 pm Scott is hosting his next wine tasting in the intimate and inviting wine bar. Latte da recently extended hours in the wine bar to focus on some unique restaurant wines paired with a wine-friendly appetizer menu. Now open ’til 10 pm Thur-Sat. Bonus: All wines are available to purchase by the bottle for take away.
Niche Wine Bar – Features: 30+ pours available six days a week and a staff who knows their wine all in a relaxed atmosphere with walls decorated in local artists’ work. An inventory of over 160 bottles also available to take away. Live entertainment every Saturday night.
Willem’s on Main – LOVED my roasted butternut squash speatzle on a recent visit and my husband’s smoked brisket atop a potato cake was happily devoured, as well. Ron and Cathy were terrific and it always makes me happy to see Bateaux Cellars’ wine and ports on a wine list. Excellent happy hour Tues-Sat from 4:30-6 pm to enjoy with their carefully-prepared wine list, 50% off bottles under $40 on Tuesdays. With the recent addition of spirits they now have brunch cocktails like Grapefruit Gin Fizz.
North Vancouver
Salmon wontons, red snapper fish tacos, and hummus platter at Farrar’s Bistro. The weather might not tempt you outside right now but the menu’s visit-worthy year round.
Farrar’s Bistro – Updates in the bar turned out nice. If you haven’t been to this great Felida neighborhood restaurant that touts ‘comfort food with a flair’ as its motto (I.e. patty melt on rye, beef wellington with a brandy peppercorn sauce), it’s time to check it out. Happy hour 3:30-6 pm. Complement some small plates with a velvety cabernet sauvignon or herbaceous sauvignon blanc.
Fred Meyer Salmon Creek – Fri & Sat from 3-6 pm wine steward, Kent Gallegos, routinely pairs two wines with Murray’s cheeses. Weather and season dictate his selections.
Hudson’s Bar and Grill – A largely Washington, Oregon and California-inspired wine list with a selection of three by-the-bottle wines rotated on a monthly basis. Inside the Heathman Lodge near Westfield Shopping Center, enjoy a glass of Washington Chardonnay with a plate of sautéed mussels or a glass of Barnard Griffin Cabernet Merlot with a meatloaf sandwich while warming up fireside under the massive Northwest logs during ‘Hudson’s Hour’ from 4-6 pm.
Total Wine & More – Every Fri, 4-8 pm, Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm complimentary wine tastings are offered at this beverage store located by Westfield Shopping Mall. Tasting beer and spirits, as well. Check out their calendar for upcoming special event tastings and classes which may include a fee.
Fred Meyer Orchards – Fri, 2-5 pm & Sat, 1-5 pm wine steward, Shawn Martin, hosts a two to three-wine tasting that he pairs with Murray’s cheeses and focuses on lesser-known wines to broaden his customers’ wine catalog.
Village Vineyard – This beautiful winery is currently closed for winter break (although their bed and breakfast is still accepting reservation). Stop by for a tasting and stay for a glass of wine in their lovingly-appointed living room when they re-open on Valentine’s weekend. Folks are invited to bring munchies to snack on while enjoying some adult down time. Normal tasting room hours: Sat noon-6 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm.
North County
Confluence Vineyards and Winery – Gearing up for the county-wide Wine, Chocolates & Roses Valentine’s weekend tour. Open this Sat & Sun noon-5 pm tasting the bold and beautiful Rhone and Bordeaux reds Confluence is known for.. Occasional live music in their festively-decorated and heated tent. Sat-Sun noon-5 pm.
Koi Pond Cellars – Live music every Saturday night from 6-8 pm and vin chaud glasses continue to be featured. Come taste new releases-a 2013 sauvignon blanc and 2012 merlot. Mural and artwork by resident artist, Micah Boylan, grace the walls. Happy hour Wed & Thur from 4-7 pm. Open Wed-Sun.
Gougér Cellars – Sun, Jan 18 – Gary is a Seahawks fan so he’ll be showing his love with the game on at noon in the tasting room. Fri, Jan 23 – Gary is hosting another Sharon’s Paint and Pour event. I was at the last one and it was a lot of fun! Come paint a vintage wine poster with a friend, spouse or otherwise while drinking wine, enjoying some of Gary’s great nibbles and finishing off the evening with his non-alcoholic ice creams. Look for a winery expansion in 2015. Tasting room open Wed-Sun.
Bethany Vineyard – Tasting their consistently elegant wines Fri and Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm., With Bethany’s current wine list of 21 offerings, you’d be hard-pressed not to find a bottle for every palate. A couple of my favs are Walt’s 2013 3 Dog White and 2012 259th St. Cuvée.
Three Brothers Vineyard – Winemaker, Dan Andersen, was recently featured here. In the midst of a winter wine sale including his 2010 Brethren Cuvée—an amazing buy at 3 for $50. Tasting hours Fri 1-6 pm, Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm.
Pomeroy Cellars – Thurs, Jan 15 – Thursday happy hour. Enjoy $4.75 glass pours with a spaghetti dinner-for-purchase from 5-9 pm. Come try Dan’s terrific line-up including his rhubarb or cherry wine. I’m a big fan of his Log House Red NV (non vintage). Open Thur, Sat and Sun.
Moulton Falls Winery – Live music by some of the area’s best musicians each Fri and Sat from 6-9 pm as well as Friday happy hour from 4-9pm ($5 on select glasses of wine) and pasta dinners available for purchase on Saturday nights in addition to their wood-fired pizza options. I tried their seasonally-inspired glühwein (German-inspired hot spiced wine) in December ($4 on Sundays) and it is a cozy blanket in a mug, to be sure.
Heisen House Vineyards – Closed for the month of January. Look for them to re-open Sat, Feb 7th. Normal hours: Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm.
Olequa Cellars – Wine maker, Brian Tansy, has a current lineup of 6 wines. His charming tasting room is open Sat, Jan 10 and Sat, Jan 24 this month. He also welcomes private tastings of his beautiful boutique wines.
Battle Ground Produce – The owner of Battle Ground Produce, Loren, knows his wine and enjoys offering complimentary tastings to customers most Fridays from 4-7 pm. Andreas, Rayne and Scott pour with insight, passion and friendly banter. There’s usually something for the beer lover, as well.
The chalkboard in Rusty Grape Vineyards’ newly-revamped tasting room only hints at all that’s going on at the Grape.
Rusty Grape Vineyards – Sun, Jan 18 playing the Seahawks vs Packers game at noon. They’ve also added paninis and wood-fired truffle chips to their menu and this month’s featured Wednesday charity continues to be Rock Solid Teen Center. Live music Wed-Sat from 7-9 pm. Check out their seasonally-appropriate Chocolate Syrah Port, sipping chocolate and vin chaud. The tasting room has undergone a lot of remodeling but open for business through it all. Wednesday is 2 wood-fired pizzas for $15. Thursday brings Thirsty Thursday from 4:3-6:30 pm with special prices on wines, beer and food and Sunday they do it again from noon-3 pm. Fridays in January are Free Dinner Friday while supplies last with a $20 wine purchase. Something’s always going on at the Grape. Open Wed-Sun.
Emanar Cellars – Be entertained by local guitarists from 6-8 pm this Fri and Sat while enjoying two new Spanish reds in their ever-expanding line-up. This weekends’ local wine spotlight is Koi Pond’s Geisha Red. Open Thur-Sat from 4-9 pm. Today is the deadline to pay a deposit and secure a spot on Richard & Mar’s fall Spanish Wine Country tour. See top of post for details.
Pasta GiGi’s – Kathy’s always creating a new appetizer or weekly entrée special to pair with their pleasing wine list. Inspired, fresh Italian food with a passionate wine staff like Lindsey, Kathryn and Brodie is a sure-fire pairing.
C’est La Vie Crêperie – Effective Jan 9th C’est la vie added a weekly FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL HOUR from 4 -8 pm. With Keri’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust diploma and impressive culinary skills it’s worth checking out. Wine-O Wednesday is marked by $1 off mimosas, spritzers and wines by the glass. Keri gives people an excuse to drink wine with the most important meal of the day – breakfast. Perfectly-flavored mimosas with such inspirations as double crème Brie and French onion soup Friday. Très bon. Open Tue-Sat 9 am-3 pm with additional hours from 4-8 pm on Fridays.
East County
Vinotopia – Located inside Cascade Park’s Cinetopia, Vinotopia has received Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence for the last five years. Aside from the dizzying array of wines by the bottle, guests can enjoy ½ off bottles of wines on Wednesdays and tastes or glasses of wine from a selection of over 100 daily. Pair that with their Tightwad Tuesday pasta buffet or live music from 6-10 pm every Sat in their dining room and you have a no-fail date night.
BevMo! – Fri 4-7 pm & Sat 2-5 pm, 5 tastings, always complimentary unless otherwise indicated. Presiding over the pouring could be the very pleasant and cheerful, Anna, accompanied by manager, Kristin. Low key, comfortable atmosphere.
Whole Foods – Hit and miss on whether wine will be tasted on a weekend, Whole Foods features beer or wine tastings Sat from 1-4 pm. Also tasting on Friday evenings from 4-8 pm but it’s typically beer-focused.
New Seasons Market – Wine and cheese pairings from 4-6 pm every Fri in January as well as Sat, Jan 17 – Hawkins Cellar at 2 pm.
Fred Meyer Fisher’s Landing – Every Fri & Sat from 2-5 pm wine steward, Ernie Jones, aims for two tastings with occasional Murray’s cheese pairings.
Roots Restaurant & Bar– The medium tannins and dark fruit characteristics of a Diseno malbec would pair nicely with their Carlton Farms pork chop accented with a black currant demi-glace . From Cakebread to Domaine Drouhin to L’Ecole, you’d be hard-pressed to choose wrong and from 3-6 pm Mon-Fri and 9-11 pm Fri-Sat, pair your selection with locally-inspired happy hour bites.
Come check out up-cycled creations made by Leslie McMillian and her sister, Dana Williams, at English Estate Winery this Sat, Jan 17th.
English Estate Winery – Hosting a dinner every Friday night with local, live music that begins at 6 pm. On Sat, Jan 17 the Loafing Shed will host Sew Sisters, a local company up-cycling sweaters into sweater dresses to support Facing Homelessness in Seattle. Sat, Feb 14—Celebrating Valentine’s weekend along with the other Clark County wineries but also hosting a reservation-only prime rib or stuffed chicken dinner along with live music by local musician Wade Hendrix. The only winery open Monday from 4:30-7 pm with $5 glasses of wine to start your week off right.
Birch Street Uptown Lounge – The Sunday night wine flight has been put on hold through January but, rumor has it, February will see its return with the addition of Monday night, as well. Until then, come out and enjoy this classic-style wine and cocktail lounge with live torch singers every Fri and Sat night beginning at 8 pm. You might even hear Santana or Diana Ross’s keyboardist. It’s been know to happen!
Krystal’s Champagne Lounge – Sat, Jan 17—Hosting a Champagne 101 class. I don’t know if there are seats left but with Dan and Krista’s bubbles experience, it’s sure to be an evening well-spent. Six French Champagnes appropriately paired with light bites. Look for a few changes at Krystal’s in 2015 including a thoughtful selection of spirits. Enjoy sparklings from California, high-end Champagnes by the glass, wine and beer paired with an artisan cheese plate or charcuterie platter. Open Tues-Sat.
The Puffin Café floats along the port in Washougal. They have a limited and, quite frankly, not great wine selection but this place is seriously the North Bank’s answer to Margaritaville. The crew is just terrific. The menu is full of culinary surprises and who doesn’t want to feel an island vibe in the middle of winter (with toasty indoor seating, of course).
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Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.