Wine

 This weeks PNW wine that I paired with my true crime is the Elephant Seven Winery Yellow Bird Vineyard Syrah. This Syrah has aromas of spring flowers, orange peel, and menthol. A core of crushed granite and iron with lots of briary herbs, roasted meats, black and blue fruits. Soft dusty tannins couple with a juice expressive finish. My pairing recommendation would be a good bbq’d cheeseburger. Cheers!

 This week’s PNW wine that I paired with my true crime is Cave B Estate Winery’s cave woman white. This white blend has aromas of nectarines with hints of tangerine and meyer lemon citrus, with a bit of honey dew melon as well. This wine is crisp, and finishes with notes of citrus. This is a great porch wine, and paired well with veggies and hummus. Cheers! 

 You know I had to choose something red this week for my PNW wine that I paired with my true crime...and I went with something a little different, and perfect for summer! I highly recommend the Raspberry Wine by Lopez Island Vineyards. Sourced from organic berries from the Broer’s family farm near Monroe, WA. Frozen right after harvest, the berries are then brought to Lopez, where the juice is extracted and fermented cool to bring the strongest aromas and flavors and finished with a touch of premium brandy. This food-friendly wine is a balance of fruit and acidity, and in the finish tastes like a handful of fresh berries, full of flavor, sweet but tart and refreshing. My pairing suggestion would be a nice piece of dark chocolate or cheesecake. You can’t really go wrong either way! Cheers!

This week’s PNW wine I paired with my true crime is Nefarious Cellars Consequence out of Chelan, WA. This white blend is 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Gris, 8% Riesling. Aromatics of green apple, baked pear, and candied pineapple pop out of the glass with flavors of lime zest, stone fruit and ruby red grapefruit. This is a great wine for summer sipping. If you’re looking for a fun getaway, you can visit Nefarious Cellars right on Lake Chelan, and they even have a guest house you can book on Airbnb that overlooks the vineyard and Lake Chelan. Cheers!

This week’s PNW wine I paired with my true crime is my first Idaho wine! Clearwater Canyon Cellars 2019 Merlot out of the Lewis Clark Valley. This delightfully dry merlot smells of lilac, candied plums and cranberry combine with nutmeg and anise spices in the glass. Concentrated flavors of roasted hazelnuts, maple syrup, cedar box and blueberry jam, and finishes with long velvety tannins on the palate. It was a delight! Cheers!  

 This week’s wine I paired with my true crime is Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon. I found this awesome website called reversewinesnob.com which reviews wines that won’t break the bank. I’m not a fancy person, so this was right up my alley! After reading the review for this wine, I decided I had to find myself a bottle! So here we go, Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon starts with the aroma of black cherry and plums, with lots of vanilla, a little leather, and a little cedar. With dry, juicy dark berry fruit this wine tastes smooths and silky. It ends with a dry, savory, very long and slightly tannic finish, with lingering vanilla, licorice and chocolate. Thank you the reverse wine snob for the recommendation, it was great!  

This weeks PNW wine that I paired with my true crime is Columbia Valley Winery 2017 Gradient Red Blend. This wine was sourced from the best of the best sites around Washington according to winemaker Sean Hails. The 2017 growing season was cooler than average, which caused the winery to to be patient waiting for ripeness. This resulted in harvested fruit with deeply concentrated fruit characteristics, a slightly reduced amount of acidity and supple mouth filling tannins. Tasting notes are as follows: From aroma to finish, the 2017 Columbia Winery Gradient Red Blend offers the power and presence of a classic Bordeaux-style blend. Layers of dark cherry and black olive open in the glass with hints of toasted oak and baking spice. Blending 50% Cabernet Sauvignon in the 2017 creates a solid structure, firm tannins and ample elegance. Adding 29% Merlot delivers layers of silky tannins and balance to the wine. My pairing recommendation on this one is a slice of pizza! Cheers!

This week’s local wine that I paired with my true crime is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Rocky Pond Winery out of Chelan, Washington. The vineyard is located 15 miles southwest of Lake Chelan, and the tasting notes are as follows: This wine is medium to deep ruby in color, with aromas of red currant, cedar and sweet tobacco. On the palate, warm notes of cherry cola, almond and graham cracker. It pairs well with grilled meet or portabella mushrooms. Cheers!

This week’s wine that I paired with my true crime is Two Mountain Copeland Vineyard Merlot out of the Yakima Valley. The tasting notes are as follows: Aromas of rich toasted barrel, bright vibrant Bing cherry, blackberry and coffee on the nose are followed by inviting flavors of ripe red fruits, hints of toffee and vanilla, with hints and soft integrated tannins. This one was delicious! Cheers!

 This week’s wine that I paired with my historical true crime is a 2019 Rose’ out of the Columbia Valley called And Why Am I Mr. Pink. My husband and I recently celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary...yes, we got married when we were babies...and our idea of romance these days include a kid-less trip to Costco topped off with a delicious meal. I grabbed this bottle at costco, who has never let me down before, and I was not disappointed! From the underground wine project, this Sangiovese-syrah dominant wine is pale pink with vibrant aromas of sour cherry, yellow strawberry, herb and watermelon rind lead to a medium bodied, flavorful palate balanced by a lively, puckering acidity. It was delightful, and I already have big plans to grab a few more bottles because I feel like it will pair well with a warm summer evening! Cheers! 

 This weeks local wine that I paired with my true crime is Duck Pond Chardonnay from Great Oregon Wine Co. For over 25 years, Duck Pond Cellars has been crafting estate grown natural wines in the Willamette Valley. The chardonnay is harvested from nutrient rich volcanic and sedimentary soils. With notes of lemongrass and undertones of light toasted french oak. I really liked this one! Cheer!  

This week’s local wine that I paired with my true crime is The Expedition Canoe Ridge Vineyard Red Blend out of Horse Heaven hills. Inspired by explorers Lewis and Clark, who during their 1805 expedition thought a distinctive ridge above the Columbia River resembled an overturned canoe, and this is where the Canoe Ridge Vineyard is today.  This fruit forward blend offers notes of blackberry, plum, and a kiss of cedar on the lingering finish. Cheers! 

 This week’s wine I paired with my true crime is Chateau Ste. Michelle Harvest Select Riesling. It is made in a slightly sweeter style than the Columbia Valley Riesling, but still shows classic Riesling character. It offers rich flavors of ripe peaches balanced with crisp Washington Riesling acidity. It tastes like a bowl of fruit in a glass! It pairs well with crab, mild cheeses, thai food and fresh fruit. I paired my glass with a Washington State honeycrisp apple, and it was a wonderful match! Cheers!  

This week’s wine I’ve paired with my true crime….I’m going to break my rules here for a minute, and go with 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red. Our family got bad news about our German Shepherd, Paisley at the vet this week, and our family is devastated. We adopted her from the Yakima Humane Society in 2018, and she has been the sweetest dog for our family. Anyways, I tell you this because my friend knew I was struggling and bought me this bottle of 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Red to make me feel better, and although it’s a California Wine, it does have "crime" in the title, so i’m going to count it! Also, Snoop dogg is on the label, so it just felt right. So here we go, Full and dense, with strong black & blue fruit notes up front from the Petite Sirah, complemented by bright red, slightly candied fruit in the background from the Zinfandel. The darkly toasted oak ties it all together along with a slightly sweet finish. It was delicious, and the label and bottle were very fun too! Thank you Nikki for supplying my wine of the week! Cheers!

  This weeks wine I paired with my true crime is a can of House Wine Rose' Bubbles. With crisp and elegant aromas of fresh berries, leading to lively citrus flavors on the palate. Bright, fruity and flavorful. Just the right amount of bubbles! It pairs well with sushi and soft cheeses, and I have to warn you that two cans equals an entire bottle of wine….SO WATCH OUT! Things can and DID escalate quickly! Cheers!

 This week’s PNW wine I paired with my True Crime is another delicious bottle from 14 hands winery. My neighbor gifted me the hot to trot white blend after my seven-year-old agreed to cat sit, and then the cat went MIA during a snow storm. My son and I found her safely hiding in the garage in mint condition, and I was rewarded with this spirited white wine that reveals vibrant aromas of white stone fruits and citrus, and mouth watering flavors of fresh apple, pear, and melon. This is one of my go-to wines and I have a neighbor who knows it! Cheers and thanks for listening!  

 This week’s local wine I paired with my true crime is Snoqualmie Vineyards Riesling. According to the wine maker Keith Kennison, “This Columbia Valley Riesling opens with intense aromas of golden peach and dried apricot that give way to succulent fruit flavors, with a hint of honey, and finishes with crisp, juicy acidity.” I shared this bottle with my bestie, who is a Riesling girl, and we both loved it! Cheers!  

This week’s wine that I paired with my true crime is Killer Red Syrah out of the Columbia Valley of Washington. Killer Red Syrah opens with aromas of raspberries and huckleberries with subtle notes of spice and smokiness. This leads to a broad, bright palate of wild blueberry to dark plum with hints of leather and smoky meats. The Killer Red Syrah pairs well with grilled red meats and pork along with more flavorful red sauce pastas. I’m adding flank steak to my click list right now! Cheers!

This week’s local wine that I sipped to research this horrifically sad case is Wilder Chardonnay out of the Columbia Valley. Vinted and bottled in Walla Walla, Washington. A beautifully round and balanced white, with apple and peach aromas lead to persimmon and butterscotch, finishing with orange zest. Not even going to lie, I picked this bottle up for super cheap at the grocery outlet, but man, was it tasty! Cheers!

 The wine I paired with the Ruby Ridge standoff is Gard Vinters Red Blend called "The Don". It's a cab dominate wine with heavy black fruits, herbs and spices with silky tannins and a juicy finish. The vineyard is in the Columbia Valley and is sustainably farmed. They produce their wine in Walla Walla, and have tasting rooms in Ellensburg, Walla Walla and Woodinville. I stopped by one of these tasting rooms to pick up this bottle, and I had a lovely conversation about "My Favorite Murder" with one of their employees, and she recommended "The Don", which I thoroughly enjoyed. Cheers! 

For the kidnapping case of Teekah Lewis, I paired my personal favorite red, 14 Hands Hot to trot red blend. According to their website, 14 Hands wines are inspired by the unbridled spirit of the wild horses that once freely roamed eastern Washington. For the hot to trot red blend I’ve been sipping, the tasting notes are as follows: Flavors of cherry pie, ripe berries and plums, supported by a frame of refined tannins, give way to subtle notes of baking spice on a persistent finish. It’s super tasty, and pairs well with lasagna. And now I want lasagna. Cheers! 

To take the edge off of researching the Israel Keyes case, the local wine I’ve been sipping is  A to Z Wineworks chardonnay. This wine hails from North of the Willamette Valley in Newberg, Oregon. Fresh and lively,  America's best-selling unoaked Oregon Chardonnay is full of citrus, quince (Kwins) and melon flavors offering all of the delights of food-friendly, cool climate whites. And yes, I had to google what a Kwins was. I picked up this bottle from my local Fred Meyer, and it was tasty! Cheers!