It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

With Holiday Barrel behind us, we are now focusing all our attention on the upcoming holidays. So as our gift to you, we would like to offer free ground shipping on all wine purchases of six bottles or more. Stock up on all your favorites, like the new release 2009 "Artist Series" Cabernet Sauvignon, the Non-Vintage Red Wine or the 2008 "Old Vines" Cabernet Sauvignon before it sells out. Place your order today to receive your wine before Christmas. 

So grab a glass and let us bring the wine to you! 

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year!

Woody Harvest 2011

My "harvest has begun" blog quickly turned into a "harvest is finally winding down" blog with the craziness in the tasting room the past couple of weeks. But instead of giving an update and then waiting a week or two for the next, everything will come out at once. Here's the full rundown on harvest at Woodward Canyon! 

The 2011 harvest was definitely one of those hurry up and wait seasons. We were one of the first wineries in the valley, if not the first, to bring in fruit, our Estate sauvignon blanc, on September 15th.

Estate sauvignon blanc through the press

 Next in was our Estate chardonnay, harvested eleven days later, on September 26th.

Estate Chardonnay

Then our cellar crew played the waiting game until the reds and DuBrul Riesling were ready for harvest. DuBrul Riesling was harvested on October 13th and then crushed first thing the following morning. The first of the reds harvested was roughly two tons of syrah out of the Champoux Vineyard on October 14th.

Champoux Syrah

After that things picked up to a steady pace. 9.3 tons of Weinbau merlot came in on October 18th. 5.5 tons of Sagemoor cabernet and 8 tons of Woodward Canyon Estate cab franc was brought in on October 21st. And we brought in the last of our whites, a bit of Celilo chardonnay on October 22nd.

Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay

The cabernet grapes were the last of the grapes to ripen and be harvested. We brought in Champoux Vineyard cabernet sauvignon blocks 1 and 2 (typically designated for "Old Vines") on October 27th. Canoe Ridge (block 7 and 16) and Spring Creek cabernet came in October 28th. Champoux cabernet, blocks 4 and 2 lower, came in October 30th.

Champoux Vineyard Block 1

The last of the cabernet we brought in was from Les Collines and Hedges Vineyard on October 31st and November 1st and an additional 3 tons of Les Collines cabernet on November 4th.

All in all we ended up with right around 109 tons of fruit for the 2011 vintage. Both Rick and Kevin seem to be excited about the fruit we did get from this cooler, later vintage, and are excited about the wines we will see down the road.

"This vintage reminds me most of 1984 followed then by 1991 and 1993.  The wines are sure to be different but they will be good from good producers.  I believe I told someone else that the wines will be more like the wines we used to make 25 years ago; like left bank Bordeaux possibly"  - Rick Small

Day in the Woody Vineyard

So I finally made it up to the Estate Vineyard to check and see how things were progressing and just like predicted, we are anywhere from 10 days to 2 weeks behind. There weren't any signs of veraison on the cabernet franc yet, which in normal years usually starts around the first of August. Now that we've had about a week to a week and a half of consistently 85+ days of sunshine it'll be interesting to see if we catch up in the vineyard and how quickly.

Not a bad way to start the day!

Grape clusters

Great view of the valley from our vineyard

Because of the freeze last winter, we had to cut back most of our vineyard.  Everything except for the cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay was cut back to the ground and will not produce a crop this year. Earlier we let the vines grow in fairly wild and now we are going through the vineyard and thinning down to what we will use to retrain as the trunk and the cordons.

Chicken parmigiana

Since we haven’t really gotten into spring or summer weather I decided that for this month’s recipe I was going to do a staff favorite comfort food - chicken parmigiana. This one is a staple for myself and my co-workers and I would eat it once a week if I could get away with it. Lately at the winery, we have been making chicken parmesan sandwiches (or grinders as they are called in New York) a lot. So here is the recipe we use to make them.

Chicken cutlets:

4 boneless chicken breast halves (approximately 2 pounds) – have butcher thin-slice them or pound per instruction #1

2‑1/4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

1‑1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 large eggs, beaten with a fork

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup olive oil for frying (approximate)

PREPARATION:

1.) (Do only if butcher hasn't thin-sliced them.) Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper, and pound with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin until they are evenly about 1/4-inch thick.

2.) Set up a dredging station of flour, eggs, beaten with a tablespoon of grated parmesan and the breadcrumbs. Get a large sauté pan to medium on the burner. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken pieces on both sides. Coat first in the flour, patting off extra, then egg, allowing excess to drip into the bowl. Dredge in breadcrumbs. Set the chicken pieces on a plate.

3.) Heat the oil in the hot pan. When hot, add chicken cutlets, cooking to a golden brown on each side -- no more than a couple of minutes each. Set on paper towel-lined plate to drain a minute.

Pre-heat oven to 400.  Take your pieces of French bread (or other crusty bread) and place them in the oven for a few minutes until they become crispy. Top one slice of bread with a cutlet and homemade tomato sauce (see below for that recipe) and slices of mozzeralla and bake until mozzarella is melted, about five minutes. Enjoy!

Homemade tomato sauce:

2 small onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1 small carrot, chopped

2 28 oz can crushed tomatoes -- san marazanos are the best

1/4 cup red wine

basil

oregano

1 - 2 bay leaves

Salt

Pepper

Red pepper flakes

Saute veggies in olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once tender, add crushed tomatoes. Stir. Add wine. Stir. Add seasonings. Lower heat to low or simmer, and continue cooking for minimum of 30 minutes. Flavors develop best when the sauce has been on the stove for a long time, so if possible start early and allow 2- 3 hrs to cook.  

Until Mother Nature gets on board with my wishes for summer (sunshine and heat, please and thank you) I will be posting comfort food recipes in defiance. 

Spring Release 2011

We are gearing up for another busy weekend. Starting tomorrow, Friday, May 6th and running through Sunday, May 8th we will be celebrating Spring Release in our Reserve House. We will be pouring our 2009 Washington State Chardonnay, 2009 Estate Barbera, Non-Vintage Red Wine, newly released 2009 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 "Artist Series" Cabernet Sauvignon and 2008 "Old Vines" Cabernet Sauvignon ($5 tasting fee, refundable with purchase). For this weekend only, we will be offering a special library tasting of our 1998 Charbonneau Red for an additional, non-refundable, $5 tasting fee. We will also be selling a limited amount of this wine on a first come, first serve basis, limit of three bottles, no discounts available. You don't have to be present to purchase the 1998 Charbonneau, we are also taking orders over our website or phone.

Hope to see everyone in town this weekend!

Cheers!

Shari

Growth in the vineyard

Cabernet Franc buds, April 12th

I did a quick trip up to the Estate Vineyard earlier today to see how the growth in the vineyard was coming along. It's been a little over three weeks since I was up there last and things have really seemed to have taken off. The vineyard crew has gone through and pruned most of the cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. What were tiny buds, barely noticeable when I was up there the middle of April, are now full bloom buds.

Cabernet Franc buds, May 2nd

 Now we just have to be concerned about the late Spring freezes that we seem to be getting more regularly. If we can keep the buds from becoming damaged at this point we may just have a nice harvest, in sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and cabernet franc, after all.

Tomato starts in the green house

Genaro, our vineyard manager's father

On my way up to the vineyard I stopped to check out the Estate Garden that is planted just below. Genaro, Juan's father, who is a retired vineyard worker likes to spend his time in the garden taking care of things. I also stepped into our greenhouse to take a look at the tomato plant starts. Because of the cool spring the starts are a little smaller than they were last year. We're hoping for a bit of warm weather so they can catch up before we transplant them outside. 

On the way back to the winery, I stopped to take a couple of pictures and came across a kestrel falcon that had been injured. Concerned about the other birds of prey in the area, I had Juan help me catch him and then took him to Animal Clinic East, in Walla Walla. They did an initial evaluation on him and then sent him on a shuttle to Blue Mountain Wildlife in Pendleton, Oregon where they specialize in the care and treatment of injured or orphaned animals, specifically birds of prey. I spoke with Lynne this afternoon and our kestrel is doing fine. She hopes to bring him back to the Estate Vineyard to release him back to the wild sometime this week.

 

 

 

 

 

Field trip to the Estate Vineyard with Rick Small

 

Last week I got a chance to leave my office and head up to our Estate Vineyard with Rick to check out the vineyard and get his thoughts on the upcoming 2011 vintage. Because the 2010 vintage was such a late one with a fairly substantial freeze the middle of November, we lost a lot of the vines for the later ripening varietals.

Here's some pictures. 

Sauvignon Blanc buds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick looking over the sauvignon blanc block

Rick getting a closer look at the sauvignon blanc buds

sauvignon blanc buds

cabernet sauvignon cut back due to winter damage

Brussel sprout and bacon recipe

If any of you know me, outside of work, then you know that I have been on this brussel sprout kick lately. I can't seem to get enough of them. Whether I'm roasting them, sauteing them with bacon or cooking them with pasta, they have become a large part of my diet in the past two weeks. I guess it just goes to show me that my mother really did know what she was talking, about all those years ago, when she kept telling me to eat my brussel sprouts because I would love them one day. 

This is one of my new favorite recipes. I’ve tweaked it a bit from the recipe found on the ZaZu Restaurant and Farm page. ZaZu is a sustainable restaurant down in the heart of the Sonoma wine country. Last time I was in California I happened to stumble across this place. A cute little find with wonderful food and a surprise find of our 2007 “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon on their wine list!

Brussel sprouts and bacon salad

4 ounces pepper bacon, cut into chunks

4 cups brussel sprouts, cut off the ends and quarter or shred them

1 shallot, minced

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 apple, diced

3 tablespoons roasted, peeled and roughly chopped hazelnuts

1 tablespoon quality extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons gorgonzola

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large sauté pan on medium high heat, cook the bacon until browned, roughly five to ten minutes. Add the brussel sprouts and cook until tender, I usually toss with the bacon in the drippings and then cover and let steam for ten minutes or so. Add the shallots and open up their fragrance, about 1 minute. Take off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar, apples, hazelnuts, gorgonzola and extra virgin oil and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I ended up pairing this dish with our 2009 Estate Reserve Chardonnay.

Enjoy!

Shari

Sustainability

Sustainability is best defined as the capacity to endure and to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It integrates three main goals - environmental health (minimal and safe chemical use), economic profitability (being profitable), and social and economic equity (being a good neighbor and employer).

With people paying attention to labels such as sustainable, organic and biodynamic, wineries are starting to incorporate these practices into their every day farming. We, at Woodward Canyon Winery, have been utilizing sustainable practices at the winery and in our Estate Vineyard for years. In fact, Rick was one of the pioneers in the Walla Walla Valley when it comes to sustainable farming. 

In 2004, Woodward Canyon was a founding member of VINEA, the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers Sustainable Trust. VINEA is an organization made up of volunteer winegrowers and wineries that have embraced the concept of “ecologically sound, economically viable and socially supportive.” VINEA has also partnered with Oregon LIVE for third party certification. LIVE is a not-for-profit organization that provides education and certification for vineyards.

In February of 2008, after a two year certification process with VINEA and LIVE, we were certified sustainable by the International Organisation for Biological Control. The IOBC was established in 1955 to promote the use of sustainable, environmentally safe, economically feasible and socially acceptable control methods of pests and diseases of agricultural and forestry crops. This organization sets the protocols from which LIVE draws its standards. Additionally, LIVE applies with the IOBC for international endorsement each year.  

Here are just a few ways that we are sustainable at the winery and in the vineyard.

• Up in the vineyard we utilize all organic fertilizers and chemicals. We also re-introduce natural cover crops back into the vineyard and hillside as we try to prevent erosion. We use drip system watering to help reduce the amount of water that is wasted to evaporation.

• At the winery we are using eco-friendly wine bottles for roughly 90% of all our wines. These bottles are lighter, take less energy to produce and are less expensive to ship both when empty and filled. We have also joined forces with the Walla Walla Wine Alliance and ReCORK by Amorim in recycling all of our used corks. We’ve also offer a location where our customers are able to drop off used corks for recycling.

• And the socially supportive runs true for all the employees. Everyone receives sick and vacation leave, along with medical and other benefits.  Family is always stressed to come first no matter what. And if you’re from the Walla Walla Valley you’ve probably heard about our pizza lunches, which we’ll sometimes whip together for the employees or other events. For me, pizza lunches are one of my favorite perks to working at Woodward Canyon, though the access to good wine isn’t too bad either!

We will always strive to be sustainable at the winery, however I’m curious what your thoughts are on the whole sustainable movement? When you’re looking for that bottle of wine for dinner - does wine with the ‘sustainably farmed’ or ‘organically farmed’ label entice you to buy?

Slow cooked braised beef over cheesy polenta

It’s that time of the year where I typically want something fairly hearty and delicious but without a lot of effort. My friend gave me this fantastic crock pot recipe, that I’ve used a couple of times already, and it fits the bill perfectly. As long as you plan the evening before, prep time is around 30 minutes for everything and cook time is 20 minutes for the polenta and 12+ hours for the meat. 

Slow cooked, braised beef -

Rump roast – want a cut of meat that has a little bit of fat on it or it will turn out too dry.

1 – carrot, roughly chopped

1 – medium onion, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 can diced or crushed tomatoes

1 bottle of cabernet sauvignon, or other big red with tannins

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 bay leaves

½ tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cheesy polenta –

4 cups water

1 ½ cups cornmeal

4 oz mascarpone

 4 oz bleu or gorgonzola cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by warming the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat.  Rub the roast with salt and pepper and brown in the pan - don’t cook all the way, just long enough for the sides to brown, roughly five minutes. While you’re waiting, chop the carrot, onion and garlic and put aside. Once the meat is done browning move it to the crock pot and cover with the chopped vegetables and canned tomatoes. Then pour the red wine over the meat until it’s fully covered. Turn the crock pot on low and cover. I usually start the meat process the night before I’m going to eat it, typically right before I go to bed.

When you go to plate the meat after cooking, usually ten to twelve hours later, the meat is so tender it will just fall apart. Remove and discard the bay leaves. If you’d like a thicker sauce pull some of the liquid and vegetables out of the crock pot and blend it with either a submersion blender or in a regular blender (be careful not to put too much hot liquid in or you could blow a lid).

For the polenta, you’ll need to start about 20 to 30 minutes before you’d like to eat. Add one and a half cups cornmeal to four cups of water and bring to a boil, adding the cornmeal before the water boils helps keep the lumps to a minimum. Once it starts to boil, turn down the temperature to low and simmer, while stirring, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Once the polenta is thickened, remove from the stove and add the mascarpone, bleu cheese and salt and pepper for a little flavor. I add the salt after the bleu since bleu can be salty in its own and you don’t want to add too much.

I usually just plate the polenta and scoop the beef on top with a little sauce. I paired this with our new 2009 Estate Barbera and it turned out wonderfully. Enjoy!

Upcoming Events

Looking ahead at the calendar and February and March are going to be busy months for the winery. Kevin, Rick, Darcey and Thomas will all be out doing events throughout the Pacific Northwest. Check out the list and find the one closest to you! Rick, Darcey, Thomas and Kevin always enjoy catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.

• February 23rd - Ponti Seafood Grill wine dinner with Rick Small at 6:30. Five course menu with wine pairings, $95 per guest (tax and gratuity excluded). Call 206-284-3000 or click here for reservations. 
• February 28th - Taste Walla Walla in Portland at the Venue Pearl. Trade tasting 1:30 - 3:30 pm and consumer tasting from 5:30 - 7:30. Advance tickets are $50 for one or $90 for a pair or $65 at the door. To purchase tickets click here. For details please visit www.wallawallawine.com/taste or call the office, 509-526-3117. 
• February 28th - Lumiere wine dinner with national sales manager, Thomas Woodley, in Vancouver, BC. $95 per person, seats are going fast so please call 604-739-8185 to reserve. For details, please visit them online.
• March 13th - Taste Walla Walla consumer tasting in Seattle at Sodo Park from 4:30 - 7:00 PM. Advance tickets are $50 for one or $90 for a pair or $65 at the door. To purchase tickets click here. For details please visit www.wallawallawine.com/taste or call the office, 509-526-3117.
• March 14th - Taste Walla Walla trade tasting in Seattle at Sodo Park. Limit access trade from 11:30 - 1:00, open trade from 1:30 - 3:30. Trade admittance is open to qualified trade and media. A valid business card will be required at registration. Non-trade attendees will be turned away. To register go here.
• March 26th - From 10:00 - 4:00 The Seminars at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center will feature wine experts from around the industry leading in-depth explorations of Washington wine. Click for more details and/or to purchase tickets.
• March 27th - Taste Washington in Seattle at Qwest Field Event Center. VIP tasting from 2:00 - 4:00 with general admission tasting staring at 4:00 and going through 7:00. For more information go to the Taste Washington website. 

If you can't make it to one of these events, don't forget that Spring Release Weekend is the weekend of May 6th and 7th. Watch for an e-newsletter in the next month or so letting you know what to expect and the wines that we'll be releasing.

Hope to see everyone soon!

Cheers!

Shari

Lowden Flood 2011

Know the saying, there are no such things as a dull moment? Well that seems to ring especially true at the winery. Last Monday we arrived to a lake in what use to be our parking lot, production buildings and back yard. The little irrigation ditch behind the winery breached in the night and water flowed everywhere!

Rick, Kevin and the cellar crew went into damage control mode and started diverting water right away.  We're lucky that we keep everyone on pallets and didn't lose any wine. It could have been much worse! I guess this is what I get when I start wishing for warm weather in the middle of winter with snow all the way down the Blues.