VIDEO – The story behind Otis Kenyon Wine

Video after the break

Stephen Kenyon, Muriel’s father, grew up knowing that his grandfather, James Otis Kenyon, had passed away long before he was born.  To his surprise, Stephen found James alive and well nearly 50 years after he had disappeared from the Kenyon family, with a remarkable story to tell.

James never discussed the incident — when he was convicted of arson — that alienated him from his family.  Stephen and his … Continue Reading

Judges see clearly, award Russell Creek ‘best in show’

Had it been left to Russell Creek Winery owner Larry Krivoshein to learn about his best-in-show win from last weekend’s Tri-Cities Wine Festival in the headlines, things might have been a little tricky.

The longtime-funeral-home-director-turned-winemaker has a hard time seeing the small print these days because of macular degeneration.

But if conventional wisdom holds that the other senses become more acute when one begins to fail, it might explain a bit about Krivoshein’s nose for wine and how he keeps racking up wins for his varietals.

“I don’t know how he does it,” marveled his son, Scott Krivoshein, a Walla Walla financial planning consultant. “I don’t have the nose to tell if something’s going bad or if it needs more oak. But it’s fun to watch him do it.”

Russell Creek’s 2008 Sangiovese was the grand-prize winner during the 32nd annual Tri-Cities Wine Festival, where … Continue Reading

Dusted Valley heats up in Walla Walla appellation

Road Trip Washington Wine aims to harvest higher profile, more sales

A group of wine buyers with very deep pockets visited the area Monday as part of an annual tour aimed at increasing the state’s profile with major purchasers.

The Washington Wine Commission brought 43 buyers from around the country, with more than $750 million of annual wine purchasing power as a group, to the area on a leg of Road Trip Washington Wine, which is in its third year.

The five-day trip also includes visits to Seattle, Tri-Cities, the Yakima Valley and Woodinville.

The program allows wine buyers from across the country to see vineyards and participate in winemaking activities in Washington. The group visited four vineyards and 11 wineries in the Walla Walla region.

“Road Trip Washington Wine is a very hands-on experience for our guests. In the vineyards, they’ll be picking grapes and … Continue Reading

The Bank & Grill Catering Company – Paul Freeman, owner

Traditionally one of the most popular seats in a restaurant, the Chef’s Table offers the diner an opportunity to talk to the chef one-on-one — to discover his or her favorite local hangouts, predilections and food philosophies — while enjoying a specially prepared dish.

When paul Freeman was a boy, his father, a longtime cattle and timber baron, took to calling his young son “Rooster Rock” in honor of the youngster’s trademark cocky strut. Now a successful chef and caterer with more than 15 years of culinary experience under his shiny belt buckle, this real-life cowboy has combined his boyhood confidence with a grownup passion for food to create The Bank & Grill Catering Company.

I’m meeting Freeman at his latest culinary outpost, a restaurant situated in a historic 1906 bank building on Main Street in Milton-Freewater. The walls of the cozy dining room are dotted with Western-themed artwork created by Freeman’s sister, Patricia Freeman-Martin. It is here that the Pendleton native is taking his catering business to the next, more stationary, level, establishing a new hub for his mobile grilling empire.

Parked outside the building is Freeman’s modern-day chuck wagon, emblazoned with a logo of grill marks and … Continue Reading

Gourmet food, a glass of wine and classical music

About 15 miles west of town, in what seemed like an oasis in the middle of acres of dry wheat stubble, close to 170 people sat around beautifully landscaped grounds that surround a picturesque pond, enjoying each other’s company and looking a lot like a modern-day version of Georges Seurat‘s famous painting about a Sunday afternoon in the park.

But it was Friday. And instead of a public park, it was Waterbrook Winery. And unlike the painting, the sights, smells, tastes and especially sounds were a real and new experience for the dozens of guests who attended the first Unstrung: An Evening of Unfettered Music.

“It was a different kind of event. Symphony and wine, you don’t see that at a lot of wineries. I think it is a perfect mix,” said Dana Erwin of Walla Walla.

Tasting Room Manager Ron Williams couldn’t agree more, but then again it was his idea to mix classical music with the park-like setting, food and wine.

“Crazy idea. I just wanted to do something that had not been tried before and something that really took advantage of our property,” Williams said.

So on Friday afternoon Williams was busy readying the grounds for a series of concerts by 25 members of the Tri-Cities-based … Continue Reading

Time for recipes that call for blueberries of happiness

The cool wet spring might have slowed the ripening of Oregon blueberries this year, but the appeal of the tasty fruit is picking up steam locally and internationally.

The arrival of warm weather is heating up the harvest of what could be a record-setting crop this year, allowing the industry to keep up with growing demand. Fresh berries are still a hit in Japan, but have great potential in the fast-growing economy of India and possibly South Korea.

“Blueberries remain the popular superfood in Asia,” said Amanda Welker, international trade manager with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. “The health benefits are notorious and the flavor profile fits the Asian palate well. While blueberries have been popular in eastern Asia for quite some time, Indian consumers are … Continue Reading

A Sense of Place: Marcus Whitman Hotel

If you have ever read any articles about wine, you may have come across the word, “terroir.” Terroir is a French word that loosely translates into “a sense of place.”

The word acknowledges agriculture sites in the same region that share similar soil, weather and even farming techniques that contribute to the qualities of the crops.

Chef Bear Ullman has created his “sense of place” that is unique to the historical corner of Second Avenue and Rose Street in downtown Walla Walla. The Chef’s Table at the Marcus Whitman Hotel is where Chef Bear can be found sharing his very special terroir with others. It is a culinary adventure as Chef Bear’s guests make a connection to the terroir and terrain of the Walla Walla Valley through his “Sense of Place” dining event.

This epicurean experience offers an opportunity to learn about the innovative local partnerships that bring the best of … Continue Reading

The Chef’s Table – ‘Some Like it Hot’ at Thai Ploy Restaurant

I’m a big fan of Thai food. While living in Seattle, I found a certain comfort in always being just a few steps away from the sweet, savory and fresh flavors found in the city’s countless Thai restaurants. Now that I’m a full-time Walla Walla resident, you can probably guess how I feel to have, once again, a choice of Thai cafés in my own backyard. Who says you can’t have it all?

Behind the walls of its unassuming brick facade, Thai Ploy restaurant consistently serves a variety of traditional Thai dishes in a large, colorful dining room adorned with rich wood paneling and traditional Thai artwork. From exotic soups, salads and noodle dishes to spicy curry and seafood entrees, Thai Ploy’s menu conveniently bridges the nearly 8,000-mile divide between … Continue Reading

Wine Bloggers Conference Walla Walla wrap up

The 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference has wrapped up and now we take a moment to sift through the various Tweets and blog posts to bring you a post-conference collection of thoughts and impressions of our lovely little town.

The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin had this post-conference story:

Michael Davidson, Tourism Walla Walla executive director, said today he was very impressed with organizational work done by the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance.

Overall the event “was just phenomenal and it was just a great showcase opportunity for us,” Davidson said. “I think it was a great opportunity for Walla Walla and a great opportunity for Washington state.”

The Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman, Catie, of Through The Walla Walla Grapevine:

Most of all, I am overwhelmed with spirit and friendship. It is the energy from the collaborative spirit and … Continue Reading

Tweets from the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference.

As a few hundred wine bloggers descend on Walla Walla, you can keep track of what’s going on from the comfort of your home or work or wherever you are.

We’re tracking the Twitter conversations using #WBC10 hashtag. Even if you don’t have a Twitter account you can visit this page frequently to see what happens when you mix 300 or so wine bloggers with small town Walla Walla.

… Continue Reading