I certainly didn’t expect the personalized Washington Wine Country specialty license plate that I applied for on the first day they were available — Dec. 16, 2022 — to arrive in time for Christmas. So its July 30, 2023 arrival to my mailbox received a celebration. Yeah, the process took more than seven months, but I’m tickled to be driving around as a … [Read more...] about A Vine Start: My winding road to a WA Wine Country license plate
Product reviews
The Wine Knows: Wine-related Movies with Industry Intrigue
The dark days of winter tend to inspire doubleheaders at my house — well, more like a matinee followed by a movie night — since it’s neither sunny nor warm enough yet in the Pacific Northwest for me to spend time outside. And while Oscar season is a time to explore new cinematic stories, it also leads me to revisit some of my favorite movies, regardless of their award … [Read more...] about The Wine Knows: Wine-related Movies with Industry Intrigue
Salty fries and old Spätlese; the ’99 Bottles’ that made Andre Mack a somm
In 99 Bottles, A Black Sheep’s Guide to Wine - André Hueston Mack, a celebrated sommelier and winemaker, boils down the highs and lows of his storied career into 99 bottles that made him pause along the way. Within the autobiographical tasting notes Mack introduces and explains concepts that are essential to anyone’s wine education. He writes conversationally, referencing … [Read more...] about Salty fries and old Spätlese; the ’99 Bottles’ that made Andre Mack a somm
Kickstarter fans raise toast to Liberty Bottleworks near Yakima
https://youtu.be/FKm27KSw-F0 UNION GAP, Wash. — They didn’t really need the help of Backer No. 1221 because with a week to go Liberty Bottleworks in Union Gap, Wash., near Yakima is just a few drops from attaining Kickstarter funding to manufacture what's billed as the first double-walled tumbler made in the United States. The all-or-nothing project on Kickstarter officially … [Read more...] about Kickstarter fans raise toast to Liberty Bottleworks near Yakima
‘Drink Me Now: 150 Cocktails for Any Emergency’ packs a punch
I’m usually generally disappointed with cocktail recipe books. They typically have a handful of useful recipes that a person would actually make, and the rest of the recipes either require obscure ingredients or components that you must Google before you can begin to shop for them. Drink Me Now is different. Consider it your cocktail assistant, no matter how new or … [Read more...] about ‘Drink Me Now: 150 Cocktails for Any Emergency’ packs a punch