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Preview of Wines at the 2018 Happy Retreat Wine & Jazz Festival

Jun 5, 2018 | Concerts & Live Music, News & Announcements, Wine & Jazz Festival

Who is ready for some warmer and drier weather? We are DEFINITELY ready to kick off summer with some good food, good friends, and good wine! Here is a sampling of what you’ll find at the Wine and Jazz Festival NEXT Saturday (6/9). We hope you will join us!

Erath 2014 Oregon Pinot Gris
Erath has been working with this grape variety for more than two decades. The style of their Pinot Gris shows purity of fruit, balance and wonderful acidity in an unadulterated “no wood, no malolactic” style. the goal is to make a lively, approachable white wine that is food-friendly and indicative of the cooler growing conditions in Oregon. Samplers may find a luscious and fruit-forward wine, with aromas of ripe pear, key lime, fragrant gardenia, cantaloupe, pineapple kumquat or honey. It has a lengthy and satisfying finish.

Chateau Ste Michelle 2016 Dry Riesling
Their winemaker chooses select lots of Riesling to create this elegant, dry Riesling. A cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks preserves the freshness and bright fruit qualities of this wine. This is a dry, refreshing style Riesling with beautiful fruit flavors, crisp acidity, and an elegant finish. This is an incredibly versatile food wine, pairing particularly with oysters.

14 Hands 2016 Pinot Gris
The 2016 vintage experienced the best of both worlds with a hot spring and early summer. A cooler than normal end of the ripening season allowed the wines to have ripeness, yet maintain freshness and elegance. 2016 saw very favorable growing conditions, producing wines with nicely resolved tannins and maturity. This crisp, refreshing Pinot Gris offers aromas of fresh melon and green apple followed by flavors of pear and honeysuckle. Pair this wine with your favorite seafood dish.

14 Hands Hot to Trot White Blend
Grapes were sourced from vineyards throughout eastern Washington, fed directly to press, then fermented for 14-20 days in temperature- controlled stainless steel tanks. Each variety was fermented separately and the final blend was created just weeks prior to bottling. This is a blend of predominately Chardonnay with Riesling and small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Pinot Gris. This vibrant white blend sports apple, pear and melon aromas complemented by citrus and floral notes. Ripe white fruit flavors are repeated on the palate, joined by hints of sweet lemon and balanced by crisp acidity, ending with a juicy finish.

If by chance it’s a bit on the cool side on June 9, we have plenty of red wines to warm you right up. Here’s a peek at two of them…..

Apothic Red
This masterful blend of intense fruit flavors creates a truly unique experience. Zinfandel lends notes of dark fruit and subtle spice, while Merlot and Syrah give Apothic Red a decadent, smooth mouthfeel. They are complimented by Cabernet Sauvignon which gives a firm structure and bold flavors. All of the varietals combine to offer layers of black cherry and dark fruits that are enhanced by soft vanilla and mocha, finally giving way to an ultra-smooth mouthfeel and finish.

Alamos 2015 Malbec
The exceptional wines of Alamos epitomize the adventurous spirit of Argentina’s high altitude winegrowing. Vines are grown in the shadow of the Andes Mountains at 3000-5000 feet where intense sunlight, cool evening temperatures translate into Argentina’s hallmark varieties. This is a blend of 90% Malbec, 6% Syrah, and 4% Bonarda.