June 30, 2005
Watch their dust
The votes are in, and it's official: the new "winery to watch" is Dusted Valley Vintners, owned by two newcomers to Walla Walla.
Dusted Valley was anointed by a media and trade panel in advance of the annual WAVE (Washington Arriving Vintner’s Event) held last weekend in Benton City.
Dusted Valley’s story is a familiar one: a lifelong love of wine, a dream of owning a winery, and seizing the opportunity to turn the dream into reality.
What's different here is that the players are two brothers-in-law, Corey Braunel and Chad Johnson, who married sisters from Wisconsin’s dairyland. Having discovered over a ten-year period that they also shared a love of wine (as well as a professional background in related medical fields), they found themselves in Walla Walla over Memorial Day weekend in 2003.
“It was as if we’d been struck by lightning,” recalls Corey, 30. “By Labor Day, we’d packed up and moved the family from Madison to eastern Washington.” Chad, 34, didn’t have quite as far to travel; he already lived in Vancouver.
They originally hired Steve Lessard of Whitman Cellars to make their first vintage of 1,000 cases, all from purchased fruit. In 2004, Lessard became a consultant; Corey and Chad are co-winemakers.
The Dusted Valley Vintners 2004 “Old Vines” Chardonnay was also singled out by consumers at the WAVE tasting. Hand picked and whole cluster pressed, then barrel-fermented in neutral French oak, the wine did not undergo a secondary malolactic fermentation, thus retaining fruit flavors, racy acidity and natural balance. A total of 400 cases were produced; retail price is $20.
“It’s a dream come true,” Corey said of the WAVE award.
Nineteen new wineries—in their first or second vintage—participated in this year’s event, which was held at the Hedges Cellars Family Estate on Red Mountain.
Trade and media representatives had a preview of the 2005 event but the result of the voting wasn't announced until after the WAVE tasting. Cornichon, having been out of town, out on the town in Chicago, as it happens, missed the tasting. Just found out about all this. Cute story, no?
June 29, 2005
Pep Rally Protest
Like Fort Bragg, Belltown was decked out for the Presidential pep talk, but my Happy Hour glass is half-empty and filled with bile.
Iraq as the crucible of 9/11 terrorism? No greater calling than military service? Our would-be Recruiter-in-Chief seems incapable of an argument devoid of moral obfuscation.
Doused with salsa, smothered in cheese, soothed with sour cream or redolent of curry, the glib words from the screen can't disguise the taste of rotten meat.
Got news for you, George: it's not just our enemies who believe that American society is decadent.
June 27, 2005
Wild & Crazy
Kyeong Han, the owner of Belltown's Wild Fish, is making good on his promise to deliver "creative, contemporary" Asian food.
Best example of Han's unorthodox approach is his Dim Sum lunch. Literally translated as "touch your heart," traditional Cantonese dim sum are steamed dumplings, served two or three to a plate from a cart pushed through the dining room. But at Wild Fish, it's something else entirely: an Asian version of the hot Seattle trend of "small plates."
There are $4.50 choices like yakisoba with seafood, salmon teriyaki and Japanese calamari tempura; $3.50 choices like Age Dashi Tofu, Japanese egg roll, and salmon sushi; $2.50 choices like rice, edamame and green tea ice cream. Order any two and you get a bowl of miso and a salad as well.
There's also an astonishingly good sushi bento box for $11 with six pieces of fish, half a tuna roll and half a California roll. Loved it! And I thought I knew all about dim sum. Gulp!