A Week in Review

I have just had one of the busiest, but most fun weeks filled with wine events around Western Washington. Since there are so many, I am going to do just a recap of each one...

#1 - this is not a Fidelitas event, but was one of my favorite things from the past week. If you have not gone already, do visit the Thursday evening Farmer's Market at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Unique vendors, chef demonstrations, live music in the amphitheater, yummy food and reasonably priced wine from the SAM Taste crew. So much fun.

Braised greens panini with sweet onions and a wheat berry salad, along with Oregon Pinot Gris and a view of the band below.

#2 - Pour on the Plaza at El Gaucho Bellevue: this is a great event in it's second year. Last year it was drizzling and cold all day. This year, it was HOT. People loved the Fidelitas Optu White, which I was keeping on ice. Red Mountain Red is always hard to turn down, but didn't compliment the heat as well. This has consistently been an event with some hand-picked, top wineries from Washington and Oregon. I would definitely recommend attending next year.

#3 - Red Mountain AVA Tasting at DeLille Cellars: this was technically a trade tasting for restaurant folks, distributors and wine buyers. The wineries pouring are all part of the Red Mountain AVA Alliance, and were pouring their best wines from Red Mountain. It was a great opportunity for people to taste the unique characteristics that come from Red Mountain terroir. We showcased the Red Mountain Red, Ciel du Cheval Cab, and Red Mountain Cab Franc. Again, the weather was WARM for showcasing red wines, but I think everyone had a great time.Just before the event began - the beautiful tents at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville.

#4 - WINE CLUB PARTY! We had our annual club event for Seattle-area wine club members on Wednesday evening at the Palace Ballroom. Top Fidelitas wines, Tom Douglas tacos, and a few of our closest Fidelitas fans...it was a great night. I don't have any pictures (guess I was running too much!) but remember seeing a few people with cameras. If you have any shots of the night, send them along!

#5 - Auction of Washington Wines Barrel Auction and Picnic with the Winemakers: finally the weather cooled a bit and made for a very comfortable evening at Chateau Ste Michelle. We featured samples from the barrel of our 2009 vintage of Red Mountain Merlot (to be released spring 2012) and poured tastes of our 2007 Red Mountain Merlot (released last April). It was really fun for people to taste these two wines side by side. Bidders competed to wine a case of the 2009 vintage, to be shipped to them in two years. By the end of the evening, our five cases of future wine made $3250 for Children's Hospital.

A pouring table filled with barrel samples, current releases and...Jag?

The final barrel auction winning bids are up on the board.

Needless to say, I am excited for a quieter week ahead...

Next big events to come: Winemaker Dinner with Charlie at Bin 20 in Pasco on August 25th, Optu Vertical Dinner at the winery on September 17th (sold out!), club shipment to go out September 20th, Crush Weekend (details TBD) September 24 - 26.

Fidelitas Tasting Party

As much as I enjoy working with wine submissions, website updates and product development, my favorite part of my job is working with our club members. These are the people who remind me why I do all of the other things. They are the ones that I have fun with, and ultimately, share my passion for Fidelitas with. There are tons of things that I do for and with our members (one member wrote the most flattering post on her blog, Northwest Cork and Fork) but one of the most fun is to host private tastings with our wines.

Earlier this month, a few members invited me into their home to for a tasting of Fidelitas wines paired with food. It was really fun for me, because they requested that the menu be mainly vegetarian, which is how I usually eat. These are long time members (club number 4!) who invited several of their friends, including some other Fidelitas fans (numbers 19 and 28!!!). Below are a few photos of the evening...

She's not a member yet, but after tasting the Champoux Cabernet, I think she will be!

Dara (who is always willing to help at a party) with a platter of raspberry fudge brownies. I always state that I don't believe in the "red wine and chocolate" concept, but I am really trying to find a recipe that will make me change my mind. I may fiddle with this one a bit more and then share it.

Our hosts! David is originally from BC and so generously sent us home with some amazing Okanagan wines: Burrowing Owl and Osoyoos Larose.