Wine Camp 2015: Part 1
We just returned from our Wine Camp 2015 trip, and what a grand time we had. This year, 29 friends who also happen to be customers traveled with us to Walla Walla for two days of all things wine. We visited (what were for us) new wineries and also spent time with old friends. For the two nights we stayed with our good friends at the Marcus Whitman downtown. As always, the hotel did a fabulous job of hosting our large group, we highly recommend it as a place to stay when touring Washington wine country.
We started our adventure with a tasting at a winery just two vintages in. J & J Vintners is located at the airport in the new "incubator" section on Piper Lane. For those of you not familiar with this part of the airport/winery complex, it is a bit off the "beaten path" so mapping directions before you head there is a good idea. Co-owners and co-winemakers Jeremy and Jody are making quite a name for themselves, receiving a 93 point score from the Wine Spectator on their first submission, their 2012 les Collines Vineyard Syrah. There are only a few wines to taste at J & J as they are quickly selling through their tiny production of 800 cases, a real testament to the quality of the wine they are producing in their nascent new careers.
After our first palate conditioning tasting with Jeremy and Jody, we walked just next door to Palencia Winery for one of the best events of our trip. Owner/winemaker Victor Palencia was kind enough to agree to host our group for a combination art class and tasting. The class was taught by local artist and teacher Pam Asher, who did a masterful job of teaching some very inexperienced painters. Our biggest and best surprise of the class was seeing how much folks enjoyed it and really embraced the learning and painting.
For those of you who have not yet heard of Palencia, this is another trip that is well worth it. Victor has honed his skills as the man behind the scenes at many large wineries that you no doubt would recognize. He has been director of winemaking for several of these very large programs in Washington state for some time, and his portfolio is truly impressive. Now with Palencia, he gets to craft his own wine, with his name on the label. His Monarcha and Palencia wines are truly impressive, and his breadth of experience shows through in every bottle. Victor will be here in North Idaho during the first quarter of 2016 for a wine dinner and tasting, stay tuned for the specifics.
After a brief rest back at the Marcus Whitman, we concluded our first day of camp at the Kontos Winery tasting room, just steps from the hotel. Co-owner and co-winemaker Cameron Kontos hosted us for a winemaker dinner set up on the side deck of the tasting room. The smoke and dust from the windstorm last Saturday had cleared, and it was a spectacular evening in Walla Walla for an outdoor wine dinner. What a night! Cameron entertained us with many family stories that span generations, as his "clan" dates back to the mid-1860s in Walla Walla, so the history is truly impressive. Cameron's family is also behind Fort Walla Walla Cellars, where his dad is at the helm as owner/winemaker.
The wines were every bit as impressive as the family history. We tasted four, three reds and a white. The white sadly was sold out, but even with only the three remaining wines (the 2011 Merlot, red blend Alatus and 2010 Cabernet), Kontos was among the leaders in bottles sold to our guests. A testament to not only how good the wines are, but to a fabulous late summer evening in wine country with a gracious and talented host.
We will talk more next week about this wonderful trip to wine country, and all of our day two fun. Based on the time we had, there will no doubt be another Wine Camp next year. If we can match the great and generous group of winemakers that we scheduled this year, it will be quite the time. Stay tuned for those details next year.
If there is a topic you would like to read about, or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.
George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop decor shop by Costco in Coeur d'Alene. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles and other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.