http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine U-B coverage of local winerys and places to eat. Tue, 06 May 2008 16:24:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Paul Gregutt Wine adviser This coming Saturday afternoon the South Seattle Artisan Wineries (Cadence, Fall Line, :Nota Bene and O•S) will “Celebrate Spring” with a four-winery open house from 1 to 5 p.m. They are all relatively small boutiques, family-owned and operated, and they craft (mostly) red wines of exceptional character and ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/05/06/wine-adviser-may-6/ Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Q. I wonder if you could answer a borderline etiquette question regarding corkage fees. I made reservations for 10 at a new restaurant that had not yet obtained a liquor license. I asked if we could bring in our own wine since they could not sell us any. ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/05/01/wine-qa-may-1/ Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Novelty Hill Winery, whose sleek, modern, well-appointed production facility and tasting room shares space (and winemaking) with Mike Januik’s winery in Woodinville, has quickly earned a place on the short list of Washington’s best value wines — and best wines, period. Novelty Hill made its first wines in 2000, ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/04/29/wine-adviser-april-29/ By Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Last week I wrote about Argentine malbecs and struggled to whittle several dozen excellent bottles down to just a single case. This week I want to follow up with some more of these noteworthy wines. “Malbec,” I am assured by virtually every wine distributor I speak to, “is ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/04/22/wine-adviser-april-22/ By Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Q: I have been drinking white wines (white zin, Champagne, rieslings) for a long time. I would like to start trying red wines, but I don’t know where to start. I know I do not like cabernets. A: The switch from white to red can ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/04/10/wine-qa-april-10/ By Paul Gregutt Wine adviser I have many friends in the wine business, and many more who just love wine. And I’ve noticed that, while the wine biz folks get all wrapped up in trying to out-maneuver each other — hunting for the most rare and obscure, the highest-rated and the least-known ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/04/10/wine-adviser-april-8/ Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Q. My question is on Vintage Charts. Robert Parker makes one as does Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast. Though they all cover Washington wines (almost like an afterthought), there doesn’t seem to be any consistency. Which one of the vintage charts do you think is the most accurate ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/04/03/wine-qa-april-3/ By Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Taste Washington weekend is just ahead, with a full day of seminars on Saturday, and a wine-and-food-a-thon Sunday. It’s the unofficial kick-off event to a spring full of new releases and specials in the hundreds of tasting rooms scattered around the state. I urge you to grab ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/04/02/272/ Paul Gregutt Wine adviser Q. What’s the difference (if any) between syrah and petite sirah? A.  Big difference. Syrah (also called shiraz) is a peppery red wine grape that provides the core of most great wines from the Rhone Valley of France. It’s widely grown in Australia and has also made a name for ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/03/28/wine-qa-march-27/ By Paul Gregutt Wine adviser We have reached a moment in the modern history of the Washington wine industry where some of the veteran winemakers are at the height of their long careers. They are making wines with confidence and style. Their decades of work have taught them a great deal about ... http://blogs.ublabs.org/wineanddine/2008/03/26/wine-adviser-march-25/