Hello and Happy New Year!
We are rolling right on past Christmas and it is already the new year. The grapes are all pressed and barreled; we have even gotten through the first racking. We bought a bigger tank this year for our Riesling since we ran out of the 2009 vintage in August and are squeaking by with a few cases left from 2007. Wine is such a personal thing for most of us, just when we think we know what we like or don’t like, we find something can come along and challenge us. Apparently this is what the Cloud Nine does for many people. They will tell you they don’t drink whites, especially Rieslings, and then someone else will tell them, "you gotta try this” - next thing they know they are buying 3 cabs, 4 Eclipse and 2 Riesling. There are no absolutes.

We are all on a wine journey, our own odyssey if you will, to find our perfect wine. This really never ends since you continue to grow along this trail. George and I love to try new things but like to come back to our own tried and true loves. With this in mind, we are sharing with you some of our newest creations and some of our tried and true loves. Our newest vintage of 2008 has been wonderful and they are all terrific, but for me the Merlot is just a standout. I don’t know if it is because this is the first year we have done a standalone Merlot or if it is just far more exquisite.

Next we are sharing what is left of the Golden Pearl, Viognier. This will be the end of the 2009 vintage but we will have the 2010 completed hopefully by mid-March. Our tried and true for this shipment will be the Cab from 2007 which is still my all-time favorite. This wine just gets smoother and smoother……………..

For all of you red fans we have the Petite Sirah as this one is my second favorite. We did not make a Petite Sirah in 2008 and I don’t remember why. Maybe because we wanted to try doing the Merlot instead. As you all know we sometimes have a hard time saying no to grapes which is why we have so many varietals. We love to experiment with all that is offered in Washington.

For all of you who have asked for more of the Petit Verdot, we are, sadly, out of this but will have more next year. This was dedicated to you, our devoted Palate Club members and supporters who make this all possible, so thank you!

So here's wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and wine-filled 2011!

Linda

We've Got Grapes!
We finally made a trip to Zillah for grapes! Everything has been a bit delayed this year. Actually, I think that every year but it really is delayed this year. It's the anticipation for it all to get started, it seems this time of year rolls around and I can't wait to take the first trip to Eastern Washington. Ask me in a few trips how I feel about it... We now have Syrah underway, just one ton so just a single bin right now but we are receiving emails of other grapes ripening as well. These are the smallest Syrah grapes I've ever seen, should be very concentrated wine. If you want to see what it looks like while it is fermenting join us here on the weekends for a little tasting and wine making. We are always open 2 to 5 Saturdays and Sundays.

Upcoming Events
We have a few things going on outside the winery, but the big thing coming up right now at the winery is the Prisoner Release which is set for November 20th. I get more excited about this every year. It is so fun and such a wonderful party that we already have people calling to ask when it is. It is going to be bigger than ever before. And all those Prisoners? They are really behaving themselves and I am certain they will be released for good behavior just in time for their big party.

We will be at Island Lumber on Vashon for their 6th Annual Ladies Night which is Monday November 8th. If you have never been to this, you gotta go, it is a crazy night of price slashing and grabbing good deals! There will be food and we'll be pouring lots of wine!

We'll also be doing an event called the Antiques Quest and Wine at the Glass Museum on October 30th. This is one way to get into the Glass Museum if you've always meant to go but never quite got around to it. Sometimes that's how it happens for me, so if you can relate to this, join me for a bit of wine, music, food, antiques and a wonderful time. To see all the events we'll be hosting or attending, just visit our website at http://www.palousewinery.com/.

I hope this fall season finds you all well, and at some point in time, finds you at Palouse Winery.

Cheers!
Linda