Portland’s winter can stretch on like wet asphalt, with no discernable horizon in sight. Like the Inuit, who have numerous words for snow, we in the Pacific Northwest have a vast lexicon for rain. When I feel that underneath my layers of Gore-tex and fleece I am sprouting vestigial gills, I yearn for a place in Portland where the cement skies of winter do not loom overhead like a tenement ceiling. I yearn for food that seems to be filled with light- flavors that transport me south, across the equator to the Southern Hemisphere. For there it is summer when the light is at its most anemic here. And, like Portland in the summer, I imagine sidewalks lined with cafes. Humanity milling about. Guitar music drifting from an open door. Laughter spilling onto the street. I grew up on Florida’s…
Congratulations to Assistant Winemaker, Andy Gribskov, and his wife, Jill, on their beautiful new baby girl! Welcome, Molly!
It’s that time again! Pallets of empty bottles are stacked and waiting to be filled. Our wine is in tank and ready to go into the empty bottles. The boys from Bravo Bottling have rolled into town in their shiny trucks and we’ll be labeling our 2007 Cuvee A and 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot noir this week and all our 2008 white wines next week! The webcam is up again and we’ve moved it closer to the action! If you liked the episode of “I Love Lucy” where all sorts of mayhem broke loose, then you might HAVE to make Anne Amie your station for the next few weeks while we bottle and label. Click on the photo of Lucy and Ethel to take you to the webcam. Remember, our webcam only works with Internet Explorer and you must have…
The Japanese LOVE their version of the plum or “ume”, pronounced, “ew-may”. The two most common forms are pickled (ume-boshi) and fermented into wine (ume-shu).
For foreigners, pickled ume or ume-boshi is something you’ll likely try at least once, it’s part of the foreigner hazing. If you didn’t grow up on ume-boshi, you’ll cringe at the salty, bitter creation (but eventually learn to love it, like me!).
Fortunately the wine is MUCH more pleasant, divine really. It’s a great, affordable dessert wine, perfect for any occasion. As you and your friends polish off a bottle, have fun eating the fermented plums at the bottom, but watch out for the pit! The most marketed brand is Choya. Resist the urge to buy the cheaper brand made in China, it is NOT very good. If you’re looking for some indication of taste, it’s somewhere between a peach and plum.
I had the pleasure of visiting and ultimately living in Japan for several years. I even tried some homemade ume-shu made by a Junior High School teacher, it was incredible. I recall he had a 5, 10 and 15 year old batch, if only I were that successful in home brewing…
Cheers!
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Continue reading about Dessert Wine the Japanese Way, Choya Ume-shu
This Saturday marks Oregon’s 150th year of statehood and we’re celebrating in more ways than one. The Willamette Valley Wineries Association has organized 150 Days of Wine in the Willamette Valley. Starting Valentine’s Day Weekend and extending through Labor Day Weekend you can visit wineries and tasting rooms for special birthday events and activities. For more on the 150 Days of Wine and a calendar of events, visit http://www.willamettewines.com/oregon150/index.shtm. At Anne Amie we’ll be celebrating by Blogging the Love about our favorite places to eat and drink in Oregon. Find out where the locals go when they want the very best our great state has to offer. How do we love thee Oregon? We’ll be counting the ways…
With Hollywood awards season in full swing, I’ll admit to disliking these shows. And not just because given my wife’s profession (Entertainment journalist, now Entertainment Webtrix) I have not been able to watch one with her for the last fifteen years as she’s always working.
No, my main problem is that most awards of this nature [...]
To really taste and enjoy your wine to the fullest, you need to smell it! As you know, taste is 75% from smell. Unfortunately the Winter time is an ongoing battle with the cold and flu, and it’s gotten worse in recent years. For me getting a cold is a cruel, cruel trick, not only do I feel crummy, but I can’t drink or enjoy my wine!
I’m proud to say this year, I am COLD FREE (so far)! Believe it or not, I don’t live in a bubble, in fact, I have three germ carrying children in daycare and work in a converted warehouse surrounded by other sick people. So what do I owe my newfound wellness? I’ve become a very vocal proponent and user of Ayr Saline Rinse bottles. A simple squeeze bottle where you mix a small amount of salt and warm water. I’ve used everything from simple table salt to kosher salt and even sea salt. Simply mix, tilt head and squeeze in one nostril and let it run out the other; it’s a modern day netty pot. Without getting too graphic, you’ll be surprised what you’re able to flush out. I do this once in the morning and again at night.
So why let cold and flu season get in the way of your next wine tasting. Give nasal flushing a try, it’s easier than you think and you’ll be healthier for it.
Cheers!
