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WINE TALK BLOGby Salty's Sommelier Tim O'Brien [ Email ] December 2007Win a B&B in Tuscany at Russo wine dinner.SEATTLE – Italian Chef Roberto Russo will give
away three nights bed and breakfast for two at Parco Fiorito,
his Tuscan villa, Passed Appetizers – Pancetta-Wrapped Dates and Bananas by Chef Russo; Salmon Carpaccio with Arugula by Columbia Chef Dana Cress; Seafood Crudo by Redondo Chef Gabriel Cabrera 1st – Tagliatelle with Chickpeas and Shrimp by Russo Appetizers are served at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. in private dining rooms, Tuesday, January 15. Cost is $125 (all inclusive). Call (206) 937-1085 by Friday, January 11, for reservations. Seating is limited. (Go to www.parcofiorito.it for more on Russo and Parco Fiorito.) King Estate Winery dinner in Portland.
The dinner is $115 per person (includes gratuity). Call (503) 288-4444 today as seating is limited. Visit www.kingestate.com more on the King Estate Winery. November 2007Pairing champagne and oysters.We are not the first to pair Champagne and oysters. They are two rambunctious role models of classic culinary combinations. They are the Fred and Ginger of appetizers as they dance across your palette with amazing grace. My research for our oyster festival reminded me how beautifully Champagne complements a wide spectrum of flavors and foods. The high level of acid and the stimulating effervescence combine to restore and enliven your palette for the next bite. All three Salty's will feature Domaine Ste. Michelle's Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine. It is called "sparkling wine" since it can't be labeled Champagne unless it's made in the Champagne region of France. Oysters by the dozen or one at a time, sparkling wine by the bottle or by the glass, now is the time to pop into Salty's! If you are searching for an all-purpose answer to the food-pairing question then look to Champagne. The irony about Champagne food pairings is that the traditional sweet white wedding cake with sugary frosting is the single worst food-wine pairing for champagne -- but everyone is afraid to tell the bride. The story goes that Dom Pierre Pérignon, a Benedictine monk, invented champagne. That is more folklore than fact but he was devoted to improving his wine and his experiments helped greatly with the evolution of Champagne as we know it today. It was part accident and part miracle. Serendipity deserves a large measure of the credit for the miracle that is Champagne. The method is an amazing blend of science and art that leaves your head spinning with complexity. All you need to know right now is that Salty's Sommeliers have selected Domaine Ste. Michelle's Blanc de Blanc as our official "oyster wine." The subtle light and fresh flavors of oysters require a wine with the attributes of champagne. It will complement your oysters whether you enjoy them on the half shell or with Chef Gabriel Cabrera's Deep-Fried Oysters on The Half Shell featured in November. One of my favorite pairings is buttered popcorn with Champagne. The bubbles and the high acid in the wine cut through the oil, butter and salt and restore your taste buds to crave for another handful of popcorn. It works even better with fried oysters. What's your favorite pairings? Email me at tobrien@saltys.com. Make Oyster Festival reservations at www.saltys.com/reservations today. Italian Chef Russo wine dinner at Alki; hear about new cookbook.
I decided that it was not fair to ask one winemaker to compete with five chefs. Instead I have assembled an all-star lineup of Washington wines to pair with the culinary creations on that moonlit night. These will be wines that have jumped out of the glass and imprinted themselves in my memory and on my wine scorecard. I don't actually have a scorecard but I do have my favorites and I intend to share them. I have tasted over five-hundred Washington wines year to date. It was a labor of love in most cases. Sign up for your place at the table as we reveal the wines that rose to the top of a very large and impressive field. I have selected a Sauvignon Blanc, a Viognier, a Merlot, a Cabernet, a classic Bordeaux blend, a Pinot Noir and a Port. I'm calling them my Magnificent Seven! I'll pair them with five courses. Here's the menu: The Menu Passed Appetizers 1st - Tagliatelle with Chickpeas and Shrimp by Russo Appetizers will be served at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. in Alki Private Dining Rooms, Tuesday January 15. Cost is $125 (all inclusive). Please call (206) 937-1085 by Friday, January 11, for reservations. Seating is limited. (Visit www.parcofiorito.it for more on Russo's Tuscan villa.) October 2007Portland winemaker's dinner features Gallo Family Vineyards.PORTLAND – The only American winery to be named "International Winery of the Year" three times – 1998, 2001 and 2002 – is featured at a wine dinner at Salty's in Portland Friday, November 2. E&J Gallo Winery ranks among the world's most award-winning wineries. Rich with history, it was founded in Modesto, California, in 1933 by two brothers, Ernest and Julio, following the repeal of Prohibition. Today the winery is the largest family-owned winery in the States. The recent introduction of the Gallo Family Vineyards brand featured at Salty's dinner in November recognizes the nearly 75 years of involvement of the Gallo family in the wine business (13 members of the family's second- and third-generation work for the company) and their promise to consumers to deliver the best quality wine for the value. (See www.gallofamilyvineyards.com for more on their wines.) "Join us as we celebrate the legacy of the Gallo family with exclusive limited production wines," says Portland Sommelier Jason Ludlow. Winemakers' Ambassador Megan Stockton will host the dinner with the menu by Portland Chef Dana Cress:
Download a PDF of the Gallo Family Vineyards Portland Wine Dinner menu. Price is $105 all-inclusive. Dinner is at 7 p.m. Call (503) 288-4444 for reservations. Seating is limited. Save November 10 and 11 for Portland's Northwest Food and Wine Festival. Columbia Chef Dana Cress will prepare Grilled House-Smoked Salmon for guests at the bar to share (times are 4:30, 6:30, and 8:30 p.m.). Buy tickets at www.nwfoodandwinefestival.com and help raise funds for the Oregon Food Bank.
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The MenuON ARRIVAL FIRST COURSE SECOND COURSE THIRD COURSE FOURTH COURSE FIFTH COURSE |
The wine dinner is set for Tuesday, March 20. Appetizers are served at 6:30 p.m. with dinner at 7:00 p.m. The cost is $95, excluding tax and gratuity. Please call (206) 937-1085 by Friday, March 16, for reservations. Seating is limited.
See more at http://www.threeriverswinery.com
http://www.wallawallawine.com
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-latest-vintage
http://wine.appellationamerica.com
See Gregutt's article at http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com
SEATTLE AND PORTLAND – We are going to knock the socks off our guests in March with a reward of $25 to anyone who sips Washington wine. The quality of the fruit from Washington vineyards is attracting winemakers from all over the world, like bees to honey. I am an enthusiastic disciple because my search for outstanding wine so often leads me to my home state. March brings us fresh halibut and a kaleidoscope of preparations by our Chefs who want to transport you across the galaxy of flavors and textures into Halibut Heaven. My challenge was to find the one wine that could serve as escort or, better yet, as tour director for your fantastic voyage. I found it, however, this time it was not Washington but France that provided the perfect complement to Alaskan halibut. You should not be surprised because Burgundy, France, is the birthplace of the Chardonnay grape producing wines that sell for more than $200 a bottle wholesale.
Here is a wine with enough character and vigor to be versatile and yet with perfect balance and elegance to accentuate the delicate qualities of fresh halibut. Although I like Chardonnays they are often difficult to pair with food because their typically oaky flavors and high alcohol take you on side-trips that swim upstream, against the flow of the food. If you've never had a white Burgundy (Chardonnay) from France you are in for a treat. When I tasted this wine I thought it would cost around $50 a bottle. Olivier Leflaive's Bourgogne Blanc "Les Sétilles" 2005 will illuminate your mind and your soul with an understanding of great wine. It is flawless alone and spectacular with halibut.
If Chardonnay is not your choice then let one of our Washington wines be your copilot to Halibut Heaven. See more on this heavenly wine at http://www.olivier-leflaive.com/sommaire.php3?lang=en (this is the English version).
Winemaker Holly Turner of Three Rivers Winery
and I have set March 20 for a Winemaker's Dinner at Salty's on Alki
featuring the Walla Walla winery. In a recent Seattle Times article,
Paul Gregutt called Holly Turner "One of a small
number of winemakers who seem to have a built-in gift for balance and
complexity."
Her wines have been a favorite of our guests since she took over in
2002. My toughest task will be to decide which of her many excellent
wines we will feature at the dinner. See
more at Seattle Times.
Sokol
Blosser wine dinners at Portland Salty's.PORTLAND – In 1971, when Bill and Susan Sokol Blosser planted their first vines in the Dundee Hills, there was no Oregon wine industry. Now Dundee, in the heart of the Willamette Valley, is the epicenter of Oregon Pinot Noir. Still family owned, with the second generation taking the helm, Sokol Blosser farms 72 acres, crafting wines with a sense of place. You can experience their elegant, seductive estate wines at two Portland Salty's winemaker's dinners in January. Alex Sokol Blosser and Lee Medina will host two dinners featuring five courses of fresh, local food paired with Sokol Blosser wines. Susan Sokol Blosser will make a guest appearance at one of the dinners (see following story).
"I chose Sokol Blosser because of our strong relationship and their reputation in the wine community," says Portland Beverage Manager Jason Ludlow. "Not only does our staff know their family (they host our Valentine's event annually), but also we especially like that they run their business as we do Salty's, going the extra mile with unbridled passion."
Sokol Blosser farms organically and views all buying and building through the lens of The Natural Step, a science-based systems framework for sustainable business practices. Examples would be using cork because it's a renewable resource and remodeling offices with sustainable products. Sokol Blosser's underground barrel cellar became the first in the country to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's prestigious LEED certification.
Wines featured at the two wine dinners include Pinot Noir, the grape at the heart of Sokol Blosser, a seductive grape that pulls you back to the glass, evokes thought and presents subtle texture and complexity. The commitment behind the passion means careful handwork on each vine, hand harvesting and fermentation in small lots, and aging 16 months in small French oak barrels from 14 different cooperages.
You can't be serious all the time. Sokol Blosser makes wines that help you kick back and enjoy life. Their proprietary wines, Evolution and Meditrina, also featured at the dinners, are spirited, whimsical, and a delicious way to relax and laugh with a group of friends. Evolution's mantra says it all: Chill. Pour. Sip. Chill. At Salty's. In January.
1st Course
Sokol Blosser Pinot Gris '05
Trio of Tapas, Sweet Gorgonzola & Lobster Fritters, Cured Hamachi
with a Lemon-Coriander Vinaigrette, Lamb-Stuffed Piquollo Peppers
2nd Course
Sokol Blosser "Evolution" 10th Edition (Non Vintage)
Smoked Dungeness Crab & Wild Greens
3rd Course
Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir Dundee Hills '04
Classic French Onion Soup
4th Course
Sokol Blosser "Meditrina" (Non Vintage)
Braised Veal Chop, Roasted Tomato & Chanterelles, Finished with
Sauce Italienne
5th Course
Sokol Blosser Late Harvest Riesling '05
Caramel Mousse in a Hazelnut Cookie Basket, Marionberries & Poached
Pears
Call (503) 288-4444 with your reservation soon because there are only 20 seats each at two evenings, Thursday and Friday, January 25 and 26. The cost is $95 (all inclusive). See http://www.sokolblosser.com for more about the winery.
Meet
wine pioneer and industry icon Susan Sokol Blosser,
the author of At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, An
Industry, and Life, at Salty's wine dinner Thursday, January 25.
She'll be here to tell us about her moving, evocative memoir, which
tells the inspirational story of one woman's journey to success in an
industry run mostly by men. She recounts how she fell in love with a
vineyard, learned how to run it, and ultimately achieved her vision
of producing Pinot Noirs to rival those of Burgundy.
"Susan started out writing a memoir. She ended up telling her layered and rich story of arriving in Oregon more than 35 years ago as an idealistic wife, planting a vineyard in Dundee Hills, creating one of Oregon's first and most widely respected wineries and raising a family – all this while thriving in the mostly male-dominated wine industry and eventually becoming president of Sokol Blosser winery. As another feather in her cap, Susan's world-class and delicious wines, along with the vineyard-winery operations, have just achieved full USDA organic certification," says Mina Williams, editor of www.nwstir.com.
An intimate family story, At Home in the Vineyard gives a candid insider's view of Oregon's flourishing wine industry. Sokol Blosser begins her narrative in the 1970s, when, as a young, idealistic wife, she helped her husband make his wild idea of planting a vineyard in the Dundee Hills become a reality. By the book's final pages, she has become president of Sokol Blosser Winery, widely respected for gaining national visibility and for producing world-class wines, especially the elusive Pinot Noir. Along the way, Sokol Blosser tells how she learned to do everything from driving a tractor and managing a picking crew to selling Oregon wine in Manhattan. She also shares some special accomplishments: how she instituted values of environmental sustainability and social responsibility at the vineyard, integrated family and business life, and successfully brought the second generation on board.
If you can't make it into Salty's wine dinner, buy a copy of the book personally inscribed by Sokol Blosser at http://sokolblosser.com/mercantool/mtool.pl?command=productpage_show&product=163 for $24.95.
with two single sessions of the hammam (Turkish bath), spa treatment
and relaxing room. You will want to join him at Salty's on Alki, Tuesday,
January 15, for his third annual Under the Alki Moon wine dinner.
He will introduce his new cookbook Good Ciao
with collaborator Kathryn Kingen, Salty's co-owner.
"It is sure to be an amazing evening," says Salty's Sommelier Tim
O'Brien, who has assembled an all-star lineup of Washington
wines – Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet, classic Bordeaux
blend, Pinot Noir and Port – to pair with these culinary creations:
PORTLAND
– A family-owned, organic winery is bringing their award-winning
Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris to Salty's in Portland for a wine dinner.
King Estate Winery, located on a certified organic
estate southwest of Eugene, is home to orchards, gardens, a traditional
cottage and acres of rolling vineyards. A majestic winery reflecting
the tradition of a French chateau, it was founded in 1991 by the King
family. They are committed to producing Oregon wines of exceptional
quality using sustainable farming methods, meticulous fruit selection,
impeccable winemaking practices and judicious blending. The location
is a stone's throw south of the Willamette Valley but close enough to
the Oregon coast to be influenced by maritime weather. "Their Oregon
terroir is perfect for the wines we're pairing with Chef Dana
Cress's dishes," says Portland Sommelier Jason Ludlow.
Here's the menu of five courses served Friday, January 25 at 7 p.m.:
SEATTLE
- Our third annual Alki Moon extravaganza dinner Tuesday, January 15,
offers the unbeatable format of a Salty's chef for every course plus
a Roberto Russo signature dish with all his Italian
passion and flair. Russo also introduces his new cookbook Good Ciao
with collaborator Kathryn Kingen, Salty's co-owner.
It is sure to be an amazing evening. 
Under the Alki Moon
SEATTLE
AND PORTLAND – All over Europe along the Mediterranean, the summertime
beverage of choice is Rosé. At all Salty's along the waterfront,
you will find the Official Wine of Summer is none other than Rosé!
When summer heat arrives and bakes you right out of your kitchen, it's
time to head to the Salty's nearest to you – a Great Escape not
unlike those on the Mediterranean. We have a remedy that will beat the
heat. Our Sommeliers have anointed Waterbrook Sangiovese Rosé
as Salty's Official Wine of Summer. We offer this Walla Walla
wine to you by the glass or the bottle. We sought out something chilled
but soft on the palate, fruity but not sweet and with enough acid to
stand up to the vibrant personality of Chef Dana's Watermelon Barbecue-Roasted
Wild Salmon featured at all Salty's in July. Pinot Noir is great with
salmon but room-temperature reds don't appeal when the room exceeds
75 degrees Fahrenheit. A well-constructed Rosé is one of the
most versatile wines, especially with seafood. 
Another
signature cocktail recently found itself featured as "Drink of the Week"
in The Ranger.* Writer Brad Allen says, "I'd dropped by Salty's
at Redondo Beach, an old favorite, comfortable waterfront joint that's
hard as hell to get to – at 6:30 p.m. on a Friday looking for
a roll in the sand as they say. The Jimmy Buffet-loving weekend crowd
had yet to show up for their pop guitarist fix in the lounge (8:30 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday), and I felt like the barroom version of the old man
who stops by for the blue plate special. The lounge was surprisingly
young. Cocktail! My choice – the Wild Berry Sling
made with Beefeater Gin, blackberry brandy, blackberries, orange juice,
lemonade, and cranberry – was a delicious pounder-size drink that
gave me a quick relief …." 
Why
do they rate so highly? Witness Tree Vineyard wines are 100%
estate bottled with grapes grown on their own vineyard (first planted
in 1982). They produce only 5,000 to 6,000 cases annually with minimal
handling. They are located in a distinctly beneficial microclimate in
the Eola-Amity Hills District AVA (a sub-appellation
of the Willamette Valley AVA). The vineyard benefits from a southeasterly
exposure allowing it to warm early in the day. A protective ridgeline
to the west and favorable climate facilitates fruit ripening. Cellarmaster
Mark Pape says it so well, "Our wines are the ultimate
expression of the earth from which they were born." On top of all that,
Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Steven Westby's experience,
knowledge and talent over the last 12 years established an enduring
path to awarding-winning wines. He has even developed his own label
"Elemental Cellars" with the grapes originating from
the Yamhill-Carlton District AVA (another sub-appellation
of the Willamette Valley AVA) but produced at Witness Tree Vineyard.
I like to say that halibut challenges the imagination of the chef. It
arrives at the most opportune time, spring, when gardens are beginning
to offer up nature's finest fresh flavors. Salty's May dish of herb-crusted
halibut is a great example of fresh flavors adding a unique zing to
the perfectly flakey flesh of halibut. I suggest Sauvignon Blanc
from New Zealand. I hope you get the chance to try a number of our halibut
preparations as they change weekly. The endless variety makes it difficult
to suggest a single wine. Your best bet is to follow the wine suggestion
we include with entrées on our Market Sheet. When in doubt order
your favorite or let our knowledgeable staff recommend a wine that our
guests have raved about. See you on our Funshine decks!
Investors
are arriving from all parts of the world because they too, are curious
and eager. They have tasted the efforts of our pioneer winemakers and
they see opportunity and potential. It is amazing to consider how young
the region's wine industry is. Thirty years is equivalent to a centimeter
on the timeline of wine. Starting a winery or planting a vineyard is
a very risky and expensive proposition. The financial return is delayed
for years waiting for vines to mature and wine to age gracefully in
expensive oak barrels. Despite of all this the wine industry is growing
rapidly, showing no signs of slowing down. Exciting times for sure and
the best is yet to come. 
Adding
to this thriving viticulture is the enthusiasm of Holly Turner,
the winemaker for Three Rivers Winery, which is Salty's
Sommelier Tim O'Brien's selection for Alki's next wine
dinner. Why "three" rivers? The name Three Rivers represents the three
most prominent rivers in the two Appellations from which the winery
sources its grapes: the Columbia, Snake, and Walla Walla Rivers. (The
Columbia Valley Appellation includes the subappellation Walla Walla.)
