Seasons of Wine – Enjoying the Wine Lifestyle Year-round

Posted in Lifestyle by Admin
Dec 30 2010
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As we step forward into 2011, it seems months and months away before we can attend the annual outdoor wine events. Weather is often a deterrent from enjoying our outdoor activities and we tend to hide out in our warm home, drinking hot coffee and waiting for our Netflix deliveries. In a few weeks we will drive up to Chateau Ste. Michelle to pick up our wine selections from our VRC membership. It has been a while since we have visited and the bottles multiply rather quickly. It is always exciting taking advantage of the wine tasting and then traveling home with our bottles clanging together in the back seat. The holidays are now winding down and as I thought of the many events we will be attending in the new year, it occurred to me how much we are missing as we wait for the season to change.

 Wineries have lots to offer year-round. Living out the wine lifestyle is not dependent on favorable weather conditions.

 

 Winter

December and January in wine country are unique in that there are simply no crowds to contend with. If you’re looking to visit particularly popular wineries, and you want to avoid groups of tourists and crowded restaurants (not to mention crowded wine tours), these two winter months are ideal for you. There is a certain beauty to the vineyards during these months, as the trellises normally supporting live vines will be all but completely bare. It isn’t that the vines are “dead” — they are simply dormant. For proof that even the dormant winter months can be beautiful, schedule your trip to wine country in December or January — as an added bonus, you may often be the only visitor to certain wineries. This provides a unique opportunity to ask questions and broaden your knowledge of wine. It is also a great time to bring friends and family and share a more intimate setting.

In February, you may begin to see a few more wine enthusiasts popping up here and there. Vines will still be dormant, although the trellises will not appear as bare because of wildflowers just starting to pop up among the vines.

 

 Spring

In March and April, the tourist season will have truly begun. For one thing, the temperatures will have evened out, allowing for more time outdoors. Also, the wildflowers that can be found everywhere in the wine country are blooming while the vines in the vineyards are awakening and budding. Expect decent crowds when you visit the more touristy spots, though small wineries and out of the way locations will still be pretty bare.

 

Late Spring through Summer

From May to the end of August is the serious tourist season for the wineries. Weekends will bring heavy crowds — not necessarily a bad thing. If you want to meet likeminded people and don’t mind waiting a bit for a table at your favorite winery restaurant, this warm (even hot) season can be quite the vacation spot. During this time, the vines are budding and showing grapes, and people’s minds turn to the coming harvest, talking about the recent weather, the amount of rain, and how they feel the new crop will turn out. This is the most “exciting” time to visit the wine country, and certainly the most crowded.

Fall

September through October is harvest time — a unique time to visit wine country if you’re a fan of viticulture. Depending on what part of the wine country you’re in, you could pull into a winery at its busiest, or maybe you’ve just missed the harvest but can still see the process finishing up. Grape harvest season begins about mid-August and ends about mid-October. The actual harvest time depends on the grape variety and location of the vineyard. Most vineyards offer tours and tastings year-round, but late summer to mid-fall is the best time to visit most wineries and experience a “taste” of the wine making process.

November in wine country is similar to December and January, except that wildflowers and vines are just starting to lose their vegetation. The beautiful golden colors of falling leaves make for a romantic getaway, and another great photo opportunity for wine country tourists. Crowds will have fallen off considerably, but so will wine production, so if that is what you want to see, you must arrive in wine country earlier in the year.

No matter when you decide to visit, wine country is a unique destination for wine lovers;  and for those of us who call ourselves wine enthusiasts, it is a kind of Mecca. Here’s hoping you visit wine country, no matter what month you decide to take your vacation. Just don’t forget to bring a camera (and designated driver).

Thanks for a fantastic 2010!

Jona and Joel
Big Fat Wine
http://bigfatwine.com/

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Tagged as: Big Fat Wine, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Family, Friends, Grapes, Lifestyle, red wine, Restaurant, Tasting, Washington, Wine Club, wine lifestyle, wine lover, Wine Tasting

Wine and Song at Chopstix Piano Bar in Tacoma

Posted in Family, Friends, Lifestyle, Restaurants, Review by Admin
Oct 19 2010
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My brother and his wife invited us out to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary at Chopstix in Tacoma, WA. Since it is located near Cork (one of our favourite wine bars) and Jazzbones on 6th Avenue, we knew right where it was located.

Given its close proximity to Cork, I probably never would have ventured inside,  expecting  just a mellow candle lit place to listen to Burt Bacharach (not that there’s anything wrong with that). What a fun place to bring your friends and family! I am still astonished at how packed this place was at midnight and happy to hear they actually stay open until 2am on Saturday night. Admittedly, we were not raising our hands to volunteer our talents upfront, but if you bring an open mind, some drink money and a few crazy friends, you won’t be disappointed. They played a variety of tunes from Bon Jovi to Neil Diamond and yes, even some Beastie Boys. The food was not inexpensive but fairly priced. I had the “New York State of Mind” and the rest had the “Seafood Mornay”. Great tasting dinner but the portions left us wanting more. Perhaps that is best considering our “American Style” appetites. The waitstaff was very friendly and instictively knew when we wanted attention.

Not being a wine-centric bar, I was not expecting much, but one of the house reds was really enjoyable. The Sycamore Lane Cabernet is a foodservice-only wine made by the Trinchero Family Estates in California. An enticing aroma of red cherries and vanilla with herbal tones really enhanced everything we had for dinner. It was medium bodied with light tannins and well balanced. We were pleasantly surprised and thirsty! Luckily, we didn’t partake in more than a few glasses, otherwise we would have been up on the piano strutting to “Blue Suede Shoes” or something equally revealing! Maybe next time.

Chopstix – Tacoma
2702 6th Avenue
Tacoma, WA 98406

253.627.7555
tacomainfo@chopstixpianobar.com

General Manager – Jasmine Baker

Here is just a sample of what you can expect at Chopstix in Tacoma!

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Proposition 1100 – Washington State says goodbye to the Prohibition era…

Posted in Information, Lifestyle by Admin
Sep 24 2010
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Researching both proposition 1100 and 1105 has been a task with all of the rhetoric being thrown at us through mainstream media. The below article, well written I might add, solidified our support for 1100. Please read this article as well as the hundreds of interpretations and viewpoints you have access to and make your informed decision. It is definitely an exciting time for the State of Washington!

(the following article was found on the Washington State Wire website)

Booze Initiatives Aren’t Just About Liquor Stores

It’s Really a Big-Money Fight Over National Control of Alcohol Distribution

By Erik Smith

Staff writer/ Washington State Wire

OLYMPIA, July 7.—If you take a quick look at the two liquor-store initiatives headed for this year’s ballot, you might get the idea they’re all about liquor stores.

Those are the parts that get people’s attention. Initiatives 1100 and 1105 would both close the Washington-state liquor stores and allow hard liquor sales in supermarkets and other retail outlets. No more booze at twice the price. No more shopping restricted to bankers’ hours. Getting rid of the liquor stores might have been a slam-dunk proposition, if only one of them had submitted enough signatures and there hadn’t been a second initiative to confuse the issue.

The liquor stores are really the only point they have in common. There’s another monopoly at stake, and it explains why there are two competing initiatives that appear to deal with the same subject. Big retailers, led by Washington-based Costco Wholesale, hope to overturn nearly eight decades of law and tradition that have guaranteed distributors a big cut of the nation’s beer, wine and hard-liquor business – worth $167 billion in 2008, according to federal statistics. The distributors are just as eager to make sure their position is maintained.

It helps explain why Costco put up nearly $1 million to get I-1100 to the ballot this year. It also explains why two of the nation’s biggest liquor distributors leapt in when it appeared Costco would succeed. At the last possible second they launched a $2 million petition drive, paying unheard-of amounts to signature gatherers, and they turned in enough signatures on the deadline day last week to ensure that I-1105 would appear on the ballot at the same time. Their measure would preserve distributors’ place in the universe.

What’s at stake is a national distribution system for alcoholic beverages that operates in every state of the union, requiring manufacturers to sell to distributors and requiring retailers, bars and restaurants to buy from them. The battle in this state really is a national watershed – if Costco wins here, the movement could spread. And while the state is distracted by the liquor-store issue, there’s a bigger question involved. Does it make sense to maintain a restrictive system that has reigned since the repeal of Prohibition, or is it time to let the free market rule?

A Bold Deregulation Measure

There are really two monopolies that would be dismantled by I-1100. The first is the one all Washington residents know and understand. Since 1934 the state has maintained strict control over the sale of hard liquor, requiring that all hard liquor sales go through the state’s system of liquor stores. Washington is one of 18 such “control states.” The other 32 are “open,” as in California, where gin and whiskey have their own sections in every supermarket and brave souls can purchase Albertson’s-brand vodka if they dare.

The other monopoly is one that is invisible to anyone who isn’t in the business of selling alcoholic beverages. When Prohibition was repealed, every state adopted some form of what is called the “three-tier system.” It means that distributors provide a buffer between producers and end-sellers, and all sales have to go through them. There are a few exceptions to the rule. Winemakers have been successful in some states in winning permission for mail-order sales; some small brewers are allowed to deal directly with sellers and to sell their own wares in brewpubs. And in control states like Washington, the state controls hard-liquor sales while bulk sales of beer and wine are still funneled through distributors.

The most striking thing about I-1100 isn’t the liquor-store issue. Closure of Washington’s liquor stores has been debated by lawmakers in this state for years, and the pressure has gotten stronger every time. This year lawmakers sympathetic to the state-employee unions only barely managed to block a privatization bill, and if the initiatives fail, the proposal’s backers say it is sure to come back next year.

What is most remarkable about the ballot measure is that it would do away with distributor control. Distributors would not be handed the hard-liquor business, as they have been in every other open state. The initiative also would eliminate the rules that force beer and wine sales to go through them. Washington would wind up with the least restrictive set of distribution rules in the country.

That’s really what the fuss is all about.

Roots in the Past

The three-tier system was established because of a set of concerns that really don’t exist anymore, and you have to know a little about the mood at the turn of the last century to understand how it came about. Alcohol use was seen as one of the country’s most pressing problems; temperance crusaders stormed taverns with their hatchets, and a largely rural and religion-based anti-alcohol movement coalesced with urban good-government reformers right about the time women were being granted the vote in one state after another. The result was Prohibition, and history records how well that worked.

When it was repealed, there were still many who regarded alcohol producers in about the same light as drug pushers are today. The way they saw it, one of the big causes of public drunkenness and alcoholism was marketing. The manufacturers owned bars and taverns; they entered into exclusive marketing arrangements with others. They extended credit, paid for fixtures, and did everything they could to make money.

The three-tier system was designed to stop it. No tier of the business was supposed to have an ownership stake in any other. Congress allowed every state to devise its own alcohol laws, and every one of them adopted some form of the system. There were a few side-benefits, too – by going through distributors, states found it easier to collect taxes, and the tightly regulated system made it easier to keep out organized crime.

And so the system continued to the present day, even as other social ills moved to center stage – drugs, gangs, racism, sexism, melting polar ice caps. America’s unique alcohol-distribution system became a quiet fact of life. Pieces of the system have come under challenge as the Internet has made every other aspect of business more efficient, allowing customers to deal directly with producers. That’s a particular issue in wine sales, where small wineries often complain they have trouble getting distributors to carry their products.

But what’s happening in Washington is a full-bore frontal assault. And it forces the distributors, now a firmly established segment of the alcohol business, to defend their protected status.

Holding the Line in Washington

Initiative 1105 is being backed by two major liquor distributors – Young’s Market Company of Los Angeles and The Odom Corporation, a Bellevue-based beverage distributor that operates in partnership with Southern Wine and Spirits, the nation’s largest liquor distributor. Neither returned a call for this story.

But one of the most articulate defenders of the current system is Craig Wolf, president of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America in Washington, D.C. Wolf is watching the situation in Washington closely.

“Because of the power of Costco, it is a trend that could be of nationwide scope,” he said. “If they’re successful there, they will take it elsewhere, and it could spread across the country.”

Privatization of the state’s liquor stores is really a “subsidiary issue,” he said. The distribution is the real prize.

The system that has evolved over the last seven decades has done the job that was originally intended, Wolf said. It prevented manufacturer control of the business. But over time, other advantages emerged. Distributors make the market more efficient, he said. They give merchants more choices, he said, and give producers access to a national market. In states like Washington, where volume discounts are prohibited, all merchants pay the same price and no one has an advantage.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the situation at the turn of the last century and today is that a few discount chains now are more powerful than the manufacturers, he said. If big-box retailers like Costco and Wal-Mart are allowed to go to manufacturers directly and negotiate their own prices, they’ll force the price down on the few lines that they carry, and smaller merchants will pay higher prices as a result.

Yes, the middlemen add a markup. But the experience of other countries shows what happens when market forces are unrestrained, he said. In England, alcoholic beverages are sold as a loss-leader by some discount chains, and the result has been a spike in alcohol consumption.

“Nobody I’m aware of in the alcohol industry other than Wal-Mart and Costco thinks it’s a good idea to have alcohol sold cheaper than water,” he said. “You don’t want to have the same market rules for alcohol as every other product. It’s not jeans, it’s not chain saws, it’s not books. We saw what happened in 1918 when the market was unregulated, and it could happen again.”

Why Not Free Trade?

The way Costco and other big retailers see it, the alcohol laws are something like the long-discarded fair-trade laws that once prohibited stores from discounting – a government-imposed restraint of trade that boosts one segment of business over another. Washington has become the battleground because Costco is based in Issaquah, and because this state’s rules are among the most restrictive in the country. The warehouse chain maintains that the distribution rules are archaic and anti-competitive, and that alcoholic beverages ought to be sold like any other commodity, in line with modern business practices. Among other things, that means retailers ought to be able to deal directly with manufacturers, they ought to be able to negotiate volume discounts and credit terms, and they ought to be able to manage their own warehousing and distribution. All are prohibited under Washington law.

Costco has been trying to overturn the rules for years. It sued the state in 2004 and ultimately lost the battle four years later in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. It turned to the Legislature in 2009, but amid heavy lobbying from distributors and small retailers it won only modest changes to distribution rules. By going directly to voters, Costco has its best shot at getting something done. As for getting rid of the state liquor stores – the most visible element of the initiative and perhaps the most appealing element for voters – that’s a new issue this year.

Joel Benoliel, chief legal officer for the warehouse chain, said Costco didn’t start the fight. The chain got involved when it was widely rumored that the distributors would run a liquor-store privatization initiative that protected the middlemen. So it put its money and its muscle behind an initiative already filed by a third party, a group calling itself Modernize Washington. “We’re not doing this because of its national significance,” he said. “But other states might think it is a model to follow. One by one, every one of them is going to look at how they maintain state monopolies on alcohol products. The question is how long is the public going to put up with it?”

The conflict is all about breaking the monopoly power of the distributors, he said. Nothing in 1100 prevents them from operating, and if the market demands their services, they’ll survive. And there’s something a little funny about the distributors calling the big retailers bullies, he said. They’re the ones who have the power now. He notes that even though Washington wineries have the ability under state law to deal directly with in-state retailers, none of them have been willing to do it. Producers are scared to death that distributors will drop them in other states, he said.

“The best defense is to point your finger and accuse your opponent of doing exactly what you’re doing,” he said. “We’re not the bullies here.”

But that’s sort of par for the course, Benoliel said. He said he expects efforts to muddy the issue in the coming campaign. Why else would there be two initiatives?

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Vineyards – post 1

Posted in Lifestyle, Vineyard by Admin
Sep 10 2010
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We are adding a page for vineyards.   Here are the first few featured vineyard links.   Keep your eyes open for new pages being added all the time!

BellaGrace Vineyards
Website: www.bellagracevineyards.com

Chandler Reach Vineyards
Website: www.chandlerreach.com

Blenheim Vineyards
Website: www.blenheimvineyards.com

Fess Parker Vineyards
Website: www.fessparker.com

Beaux Frères Vineyard
Website: www.beauxfreres.com

Ciccone Vineyard and Winery
Website: www.cicconevineyards.com

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Tagged as: amador county, beaux freres, bellagrace, BFW, Big Fat Wine, Blenheim Vineyards, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, California, chandler reach, chardonnay, charlottesville, chehalem valley, ciccone, confessions on a dance floor, Dave Matthews, davy crockett, dechaunac, dolcetto, elm valley, european varietals, Fess Parker, foch, gewurztraminer, Grapes, Madonna, malbec, maryland, merlot, michael etzel, muscat, newberg, Oregon, pinot blanc, pinot grigio, pinot noir, primitivo, red wine, rhone, ribbon ridge, riesling, robert parker jr, santa ynez valley, shenandoah valley, silvio ciccone, traverse bay, Vineyard, Washington, white wine, willakenzie soils, willamette valley, wine advocate, Winery, Wines, Yakima Valley, yamhill county, zinfandel

Nick at Night

Posted in Jona, Lifestyle, Tasting bar by Jona
Aug 16 2010
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We have been trying to hit as many new clubs, tasting rooms and wine bars as possible, but after a long hot (95 degrees at our house) Saturday we just wanted to sit down in an air-conditioned comfortable spot for a bite to eat and a glass (or 6) of wine.

Cork! A Wine Bar in Tacoma was our first thought.  I know that we have talked about this place before so I won’t go into all the fall-de-rall.  Cork! never seems to disappoint.    Nick is friendly and knowledgeable and just plain nice to be around.  The staff is always present but doesn’t hover.  The cheese plate hit the spot (you have to try the Oregon Bleu with the Root One Sauvignon Blanc).   We talked, we laughed, we drank, we ate… when we walked outside it was around 10:30 and it was still wonderfully warm… this is the life!

I have a feeling that this is the kind of place where you would feel comfortable whether this was your first tasting/wine bar or your 100th.  I highly suggest this place.  According to their website they have FREE tastings on Thursdays.  We may have to re-think our weekend focus for tastings.   Cork! has quickly become one of our favorites.  Stop by and tell Nick that Big Fat Wine sent you. While you’re there check out their awesome wine flight carriers, of all the places we have been these are the coolest we have seen.  I want one BAD!  Maybe next time we’re in we will sneak a snapshot and have one made… hmmm…

UPDATE: I found the flight carriers. Check this out!

By the way if you see a frizzy headed old hippy chick it’s probably me so come on over and say hi. And if it’s not me don’t worry about it us old hippy chicks are pretty friendly.

As Always,
Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!


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Wine Health 101: How to keep wine cool during a Seattle heatwave

Posted in Information, Lifestyle, Seattle, Wines by Admin
Aug 12 2010
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Summer in the Pacific Northwest has finally come! It feels like winter lasts for 8 long months around here. That isn’t an exaggeration considering that Seattle only averages 58 sunny days a year. As for the rest of Seattle’s days, we average 226 cloudy days and 81 partly cloudy days. Of all those days, we get 155 days of rain a year.

Our recent “heat wave” has brought us all into a blissful state of uplifted spirits and a constant party atmosphere (while it lasts). Since we aren’t used to hot weather, it has also brought us to our neighborhood hardware stores seeking out air conditioners and portable fans. Admittedly, I didn’t know what the abbreviation “A/C” was until I was 18 years old while in a rental car in Honolulu. While we try to find ways of keeping cool and comfortable, let’s not forget that our pets and wines need some help coping with the heat as well.

(The title of this post is a variation of the title of a great article by Maureen Finn at Examiner.com regarding pet health concerns during the hot summer months. Don’t forget your furry friends!)

Most importantly, get (keep) your wine collection out of the heat!

When it comes to storing and serving wine, temperature, which is often ignored, can bring the best and worst out in a bottle of wine. High temperature (>65ºF) causes the wine to age prematurely, thus losing its flavor and balance. When chilled too cold, the wine also loses its flavor and aromas. Keep the wines away from sunlight and heat exposure; store them in cellars, wine fridge, and or temperature controlled rooms (thanks to Jona, we now store our wine in the basement). Wide fluctuation in temperature will damage the wine and the cork. Ideal range of temperature for storing red wine is 50-55ºF or 10-16ºC. White wines can be stored at lower range down to around 45ºF.

The wine serving temperature chart below from BetterTastingWine.com recommends serving temperature for varietals. In the meantime, enjoy your summer and think twice before complaining about how hot it is. The sun will disappear soon enough!

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August is Washington Wine Month

Posted in Jona, Lifestyle, Wines by Admin
Aug 08 2010
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Hurray,  It’s August.  Warm weather and discounts on wine… Heaven.

It’s time to stock up. Throughout August Washington liquor stores, specialty shops and grocery stores are promoting Washington wines by offering some really nice discounts.  They are also offering some wines, this month only, that they don’t normally carry so the selection is really impressive.

Bob Woehler, the dean of Northwest wine writers, takes us on a tour of what to buy during Washington Wine Month at Washington State Liquor Stores.

We are planning to take Mr. Woehler’s advice and fill up a shopping cart.

Here is the information from the Washington State Liquor Control Board website:

July 28, 2010

(OLYMPIA) – Washington State wines are showcased in state liquor stores during Washington Wine Month. Each August, state liquor stores broaden and diversify the selection of Washington wines and feature displays surrounding the annual theme.

This year’s theme “Washington Wines… Our Passion, Your Pleasure” celebrates the unique Washington climates producing some of the very best in grapes and wines known around the world. This is the 26th Washington Wine Month celebrated by state liquor stores.

Washington’s liquor stores sell more wine in August than in any other month except December. A listing of featured Washington Wine Month wines is available here.

The Washington State wine industry continues to enjoy dramatic growth, approaching 700 wineries statewide.

Washington Wine Commission executive director Robin Pollard adds, “Our industry continues to draw critical acclaim the world over, and Washington Wine Month is a fantastic opportunity for people to experience the quality and diversity of Washington State wines right here in our own backyard.”

As good citizens, we are going to do our part to support our Washington government and BUY WINE!  Is this a great state, or what?

As Always,
Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

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Tagged as: 3H, bag in a box, Barnard Griffin, BFW, Big Fat Wine, Blend, Bob Woehler, boxed wine, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Crest, Discount wine, Domaine Ste Michelle, gewurztraminer, Grand Estates, H3, Hogue, horizons edge, Horse Heaven Hills, ice wine, instant gratification, kestrel, kiona vineyards, Lady in Red, Lady in White, late harvest, Les Amis, Maison De Padgett, merlot, Petite Sirah, Port, riesling, savignon blanc, seafood, seeing white, Sleeping Giant, sparkling wine, steppe cellars, stimson, syrah, Thurston Wolfe, tulip, Two Vine, Vin Du Lac, Washington, washington hills, Wines, Zephyr Ridge

Vino Bello Wine Bar

Posted in Joel, Lifestyle, Music, Tasting, Tasting bar, Wines by Admin
Aug 01 2010
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The weekends have been so perfect here lately, that’s rare. When the sun shines, we look for the biggest wave, leap in and paddle to our hearts content metaphorically speaking. Scheduling as many activities as we can into two days isn’t difficult, actually following through is!

Saturday, we ventured into Burien. Jona grew up was raised in that area but we never seem to visit often. Some good friends mentioned a wine bar there few years ago and we’ve been meaning to go, so off we went. Vino Bello!, It had such a cool name it had to be great, and it was. 152nd in Burien is actually quite quaint nowadays. The little shops and eateries bring a certain charm to the block and it was an awesome summer evening to walk hand in hand down the sidewalk.

Vino Bello Wine Bar was a gem! Bottles and local art  lined the walls and the music was pleasantly unique. We have often discussed the ambiance in wine bars and that we would really  appreciate some music that didn’t make us feel like our parents.  Led Zeppelin played at a socialable level in the background, rock and wine make a perfect combination.  Plus, we enjoyed the tasting, “Wines of Argentina”. These were great big tastes!

The one that stood out for us both was the Tomero Petite Verdot Reserva 2006. The Tomero Wines are made in Argentina and named for the TOMERO. The TOMERO became a part of the vineyard livelihood in 1883 and his presence continues today. His job is the distribution of irrigation water in those vineyards which, by law, are entitled to use the river water.  The TOMERO is hired by the landowners, and his job is to open and close the “Toma De Agua” (water intake channel) of each estate according to the number of water hours assigned.

This wine is reportedly aged in French Oak for 15 months and its  color is a deep dark purplish  black.  Nicely balanced would be an understatement, and quite honestly, that is what made this wine stand out. Full-bodied red with black plum and blackberry aromas.  Very  concentrated but not heavy. Perfect for beefs of all varieties.

We highly recommend Vino Bello in Burien.  We plan on returning soon and taking friends and family with us. The service was perfect! They were there when we needed them and they kept us in their vision in case we had that thirsty look in our eyes. Like I said before, the music was great and it made the wine and evening that much more pleasurable and complete. We ended up keeping our tasting to one hour because we wanted to go get dinner. We could have stayed later but trying to find a good meal after 10pm in Washington is a challenge to say the least. Does everyone really go to bed that early? Can’t we just stay up a little while longer?

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