What lies beneath
We are just finalizing our winter/spring schedule of tastings and wine dinners, and it promises to be another great lineup of winemakers! More about the full schedule later for now I want to draw your attention to just one of the events. On Thursday, March 9 we will be holding a winemaker dinner with Bob Bertheau the head winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle; we will follow up the dinner with a tasting here at the shop on Friday, March 10.
These events are notable as Ste. Michelle is not only the largest winery by a factor in the Northwest; it is one of the largest in all of the country. Throw in other projects and joint ventures in all parts of the far flung globe and their operations rank among the biggest in the world wide wine industry. I can sense some readers glazing over and still others muttering under their breath, “Bigger isn’t necessarily better.” You know what you are right it isn’t but when looking at Ste. Michelle and contemplating spending an evening of food and wine with Mr. Bertheau it pays to look at what lies beneath.
Virtually every wine region from the Northwest to California to new and old world appellations alike you will find similar wine groups. Those that were some of the first established, and those that through strategic focus grew big. Of course they have the mega brands that are on the shelf of every big box store and grocery on the planet. Yes I know yawn, but in most every case and especially Ste. Michelle in that big “book” of business and brands there are some really cool wines!
On Thursday, March 9 and Friday, March 10 those are the wines we will be exploring, with a guide in Bob with tremendous experience in all aspects of the wine business, who brings a truly global perspective, the likes of which we have not experienced at many of our events. Two of the wines I am most excited to try are the Tenet Rhone wines. The Tenet wines are predominantly Syrah, one is made in Washington, while the other is made in France and one of them The Pundit from Washington secured a spot in the Wine Spectator top 100 last year. Impressive indeed!
Together with the Ste. Michelle vineyard designates, the Artists Series Meritage and the 50th Anniversary Cabernet it will be an impressive showing of the assortment Ste. Michelle has lying beneath the larger brands we see more regularly in the aforementioned big box world. As always we will partner with our good friends at Fleur de Sel in Post Falls, the events should not be missed.
As for the remainder of our winter/spring schedule we will be hosting our first ever Brewer’s dinner in February on the 16th when we welcome Crooked Fence Brewing from Boise to town. The evening should be special as our great partners at Fleur de Sel explore their own beer side! We will follow the dinner up with at tasting here at the shop on Friday the 17th.
Join us in April on the 27th for a winemaker dinner and 28th for a tasting with Rombauer Vineyards from Napa. These events have been foreshadowed a bit since our meetings with folks from the winery some months ago. While 2 of their wines are not my favorites they craft several others that are truly impressive. Any chance we can spend some time with a producer of this caliber that hales from the seminal area for the U.S. wine industry we are going to make it happen, it will be special.
Because of our long stretch between our March and April dates we will also be welcoming 5 Star Cellars from Walla Walla for a tasting only on Saturday, April 8. 5 Star is an interesting story for me personally. I was not always a fan, but as the winemaking has matured and oak is playing less of a role I have found the wines to be delicious, another fun Saturday!
We will book dinners and tasting for May and June still, and in fact had I waited a week or so we would likely have the names. My excitement though with welcoming Bob Bertheau to town won out. For all of these events check out our website for more details and updates www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. As many of you know these events sell out quickly so feel welcome to secure your spots now via email info@thedinnerpartyshop.com or by calling us here at the shop (208) 765-5653. We hope to see you at some or all of our dinners and tastings.
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.
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George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and table top décor shop located by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George 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. Be sure and check out our weekly blog at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com/home/blog-2. You can get all of these articles as well as other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.