"Crazy runs a horse

          Crazy through the forest

               Autumn leaves sparkle"

                                Vinny McKee

This picture was taken on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 15, 2014:  this is what is called the "fingering out" stage of pear bloom, which means that full bloom is not too far away.  It's a particularly beautiful time here in our "orchard garden", and we like to share this time with you via our "Blossom Tours".  Winemaker Charlie hooks up the ol' blue tractor (a 1950's vintage Fordson) to the orchard trailer and takes y Read more...

We really must tell you about the Malbec...

... as it has just received recognition which we feel it truly deserves:

          PLATINUM:  Consumer Wine Awards, Lodi, CA

To put this in perspective:  only seventeen wines in the competition were awarded platinum.

Warm Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake (with Wedge Mountain Roses & Rubies ~ Raspberry Dessert Wine)

The beauty of this cake is that the frosting is baked in the same pan with the batter. When the cake is inverted onto a cake plate a few minutes after baking, it is bathed, miraculously, with frosting. Although this cake is best served warm, it is also delicious at room temperature.

From the "Pens of Friends", tasting notes for our 2012 Chardonnay:

From our "wine taster extraordinaire" Kelly, here are the first tasting notes for our 2012 Chardonnay, made with grapes from the Ancient Lakes of Washington AVA near Quincy, Washington.

Nose: Honey, almond, vanilla.

Mouth: Vanilla, soft oak, crisp apple, kiwi, melon, citrus. Very dry.

Would pair wonderfully with: Sharp or bleu cheeses, veal piccata, pesto salmon, margherita pizza.

Wineries in Poland...  After our much-too-short trip to Poland with our Italian friends Giovanni and Marirosa, I wish I could say that we had managed to visit some (yes, they do exist!).  However, the day that we had hoped to find Adoria Vineyards in southwest Poland  (does anyone know the owner, Mike Whitney?  He went to Bellingham High School...), was the very day that Giovanni and Marirosa's little Puegot decided to take a break and spend a few hours relaxing in a Puegot shop in  Czerstakowa. Read more...

April has whispered and run away, and May is singing merrily along...  The "Blossom Tours" were a great success:  Charlie enjoyed giving our visitors a first-hand look at the beauty of the orchard in full bloom, as they rode on a trailer behind the Ol' Blue Tractor.  (Or, for one-couple tours, the "Wedgemobile" was pressed into service, much to the delight of some of our guests.)

In "honor" of the fact that April has become "Pear Month" in Leavenworth, we decided to post a pear recipe from our good friends Alex and Joanne Saliby, Leavenworth, WA:   "peared", of course, with either our 2010 Syrah, or our 2010 Cabernet Franc..

Lamb Tagine (Lamb Stew) With Pears, "Peared" with Wedge Mountain Syrah or Wedge Mountain Cab Franc

(from Joanne Saliby)

Ingredients

Wow! The new website is up and running!! Somehow, it just felt "right" that the first blog on our new website should be about the new website. Who knows what might show up here at some later date? Words From The Winemaker, Recipes, General Musings -- you just never know! Right now we are just excited that our new website gives us the ability to share more with you.