I started at Gorman and had splash of The Bully with a nice plate of pasta prepared by Italiannissimo. Baer was offering a 2003 and 2007 Ursa, both were good, but that 2003 was wonderful. At Sparkman I had a barrel sample of a port style wine, only one barrel I believe. Guardian gave us Candy Bacon with the ChalkLine. I did manage to get the recipe for the Candy Bacon if you are interested

Candy Bacon or Pig Candy 

 
1 lb. of sliced Apple wood smoked bacon (suggestion Nueske’s from The Butcher Shop Café) 
2 cups of brown sugar 
2 Tablespoons of Chinese 5 spice 
1 Tablespoon of Smoked paprika 

Mix sugar and spices together in a large zip lock bag. Working in batches of 5-6 slices shake raw bacon in the bag and place on a silpat lined or foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350* or until bubbly and desired crispness is reached. Remove sheets from oven and allow to cool for no more than 2 minutes, using tongs place bacon on drying racks.

My final stop was at Stevens Winery where Tim put on what looked like a jet pack but it dispensed his Malbec. He dispensed Malbec to disco lights and music. Video

Silver Lake Winery – Fri, Oct 8th – 4-7 – Wine Like a Girl Happy Hour

Matthews Estate – Fri, Oct 8th – 6-8:30 – After Hours at Matthews

Challenger Ridge – Sat, Oct 9th – 11-5 – Harvest and Crush Party

Tefft Cellars – Sat, Oct 9th – Crush Festival at the Winery

Covington Cellars – Sat, Oct 9th – 6:30pm – Winemaker Dinner

Molbaks Garden Center – Sat, Oct 9th – 2-4 – Celebrate Woodinville Wines

Northwest Totem Cellars – Sat, Oct 9th – noon-4 – A MUST Taste Event

Alder Ridge – Sat, Oct 9th – noon-5 – The Market at Alder Ridge

Anton Ville – Sat & Sun, Oct 9th & 10th – 1-5 – Cheese Pairings

Covington Cellars – Sun, Oct 10th – noon-5 – Reserve Release Party

Stevens Winery – Sun, Oct 10th – 4:30-7:30 – Si Harvest Party

Matthews Estate – Mon, Oct 11th – 6:30pm – Cooking Class with Chef Bobby Moore

Italianissimo Ristorante – Wed, Oct 13th – 5-7:30 – Wine Wednesday with DiStefano Winery

Village Wines – Wed, Oct 13th – 5-8 – Girls Night Out for Charity benefitting Wellspring Family Services

Columbia Winery – Wed, Oct 13th – 6:30-8:30 – Wine Basics Class

Alder Ridge – Thur, Oct 14th – 6-9 – Corks and Paint Party

I just received info that the Grape Killers are having a holiday event. Who are the Grape Killers? It’s Mark Ryan Winery, Stevens Winery, Baer Winery, Sparkman Cellars, Gorman Winery, Guardian Cellars, and Darby Winery.

The Grape Killers present…… “Holiday in the Hood 2010.”

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 – 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Kick off the holidays with the Killer party of the season! Join Woodinville’s premier wineries for an exclusive night of the best wine Woodinville has to offer, along with food pairings and special surprises. Whether you’re trying to avoid a family function, sneak out of a boring no-booze office party or get all your gift shopping done early – this is the event for you. Thursday December 2nd, 2010. 5:00 – 9:00 pm.

Grape Killers will be pouring current selections as well as some soon to be released and blasts from the past. Our wines will also be available for retail purchase at each winery, including some rare ones out of the cellars and libraries. This is a great way to finish that vertical or buy a special holiday gift. Space is limited. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased in advance by clicking the tickets to the right. For those that wish to risk it, you may purchase tickets at the wineries the night of the event until they run out.

The Holiday in the Hood party will take place at each winery’s warehouse.

Did you miss the 1st Grape Killers event? Did you have so much fun the first time you are ready to do it all again?  Join the Grape Killers in Woodinville on Thursday, September 17th, 6pm – 9pm, at Willows Lodge for the second VIP evening.  One last night out for the winemakers before they are knee-deep in harvest.

Each of the seven – Woodinville’s coolest young wineries – Mark Ryan Winery, Stevens Winery, Baer Winery, Sparkman Cellars, Gorman Winery, Guardian Cellars, and Darby Winery -will be pouring wines paired with delicious bites from the Barking Frog.  The wines will also be available for retail purchase, including some rare ones out of the cellars and libraries.  Space is limited.  Tickets are $50 and must be purchased in advance.

Winery participants are: Adams Bench, Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Anton Ville Winery, Baer Winery, Betz Family Winery, J. Bookwalter Tasting Studio, Brian Carter Cellars, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Winery, Covington Cellars, Cuillin Hills Cellars, Darby Winery, DeLille Cellars, Des Voigne Cellars, DiStefano Winery, Edmonds Winery, Efeste, Gordon Brothers Tasting Room, Gorman Winery, Guardian Cellars, Hestia Cellars, Hollywood Hill Vineyards, Januik Winery, JM Cellars, Mark Ryan Winery, Matthews Estate, Novelty Hill Winery, NW Totem Cellars, Page Cellars, Patterson Cellars/Washington Wine Company, Pomum Cellars, Red Sky Winery, Ross Andrew Winery, Silver Lake Winery, Sparkman Cellars, Stevens Winery, Vine & Sun, William Church Winery, Woodhouse Family Cellars, XSV Winery, & Redhook Brewery.

Woodinville Winemakers and Brewmasters Triathlon 2009

Where:  Across from Willows Lodge on the Sammamish Trial (see attached course map)

When:  Wednesday, July 22^nd with the race starting at 5:00 p.m.

Who:  All Woodinville Wineries and Breweries are invited to participate.  Money raised by the event will go directly to The Mitochondrial Research Guild of Seattle helping kids who are fighting Mitochondrial disease.

What:  This will be a fun and unique triathlon.  The Triathlon is a team event and will include a running stage (roughly 1.5 miles up and down Pipeline Hill), a bicycling stage (roughly five miles total), and a final stage featuring the owner or winemaker/brewmaster paddling any non-motorized water craft roughly ¼ mile upstream on the Sammamish Slew in front of the Willows Lodge, and finishing behind Willows and Redhook near the “bonding structure”. 

There is a $100 entrance fee for each of the teams participating and the fee covers tee shirts and entrance to the after party for each team member.      

The rules:  There really are no rules. 

Each team will need to supply your own bicycle(s) and non-motorized water craft (including mandatory life jackets).  You should have both the bicycle(s) and non-motorized water craft to the transition tent on the Sammamish trail by 4:00 p.m. on race day.  The Triathlon will start at 5:00 at the south east Willows Lodge gate.  Each team will have team shirts (we will provide the shirts), a baton, a winery badge with the wineries name, and a crowd of supporters cheering them on.  We are selling special invitation tickets to individuals to witness the event and attend the after-race party at JM (the cost for a pair of tickets is $250 and the proceeds will go to the Mito Guild). 

The after-race party will start around 6:00 p.m. and we will be shuttling guests up to JM via shuttle buses from the Redhook parking area.  Each winery will hopefully bring a magnum or two, and it should be a great evening.  We will wrap up the party at around 10:00 p.m. with the last shuttle leaving JM at 10:30. 

I hope everyone is looking forward to the event and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. 

Cheers,

I want to thank Willows Lodge and Redhook for their outstanding support of this event.  If we have a great time and raise a bunch of money for a very worthy cause, I am hopeful this will become an annual event. 

Steven’s Winery winemaker dinner is Monday, February 2nd @ Daniel’s Broiler Leschi on Lake Washington. It will be upstairs in their private dinner room and will be really small and intimate, only 16 people around one table.
The price should be around $100 (plus tax and gratuity) with all our wines. If you’re an XY fan don’t miss this one. Please call 206-329-4191 for reservations and details.