Wind River Cellars

I was pouring wine in my sleep last night. That's how busy we were Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tasting room guests were treated to a dozen varieties, barrel samples and plenty of smart-ass wit while Mark served up gourmet brauts on the BBQ. Thanks to everyone who came out. Visitors of the weekend include the Family from Bend, the nice couple from Chicago, the three guys from Ohio and the van full of exotic dancers from Vegas. (Oh wait, that was in my sleep last night too.)

SUMMER IS HERE! Put your fun group together, give me a call and I'll fire up the BBQ. I promise to make it memorable.

Be classy Husum!

It's the calm before the storm and we're getting ready for a very busy weekend. Rumor has it that there will be a guest chef here Saturday and Sunday serving up some killer BBQ.

We just recieved our new line of WRC sportswear for women. (The mens haven't shown up yet.) Anybody that knows me knows how fashion savy I am. I've made many a woman cry for wearing white after Labor Day. One even tried to tell me that it was "Winter white". Anyway, these new items are hot and just in time for summer. Okay, I'm scaring myself. How 'bout them Mariners.

Here's a little fashion tip:
When you're wearing your favorite "Members Only" jacket, always push the sleeves up to your elbows. This look will not only turn a lot of heads, but it will give you the confidence to go into that corporate meeting and knock 'em dead.

See you all this weekend!

Joel
Fashion Guru

Huge weekend!
I went to Seattle to do an in-store tasting/bottle signing at State Vines in Duvall, WA. This was what these events should be like. Scores of people coming in to, not only visit a very friendly wine shop that sells only Washington wine, but also come out to a very social weekly gathering. Duvall, which is a beautiful 15 minute drive from Redmond, is home to a great community that includes galleries, restaurants, antique shops and one of my top 3 or 4 favorite wine shops. Don't plan a weekend around visiting Duvall. There isn't world class white water, post-card waterfalls, golfing, scenic hiking and so on. (Boy, wouldn't that be a cool place!) But if you want to put the top down, grab a date, and go for a drive, this is your town. (Guys, don't think that I'm being a girly man. You can hang out at Jasper's BBQ and enjoy several beers and watch the game while your date explores the boutique places that dates like to explore.) Anyway, thanks Duvall. I can't wait to come back.

Next weekend is the busiest weekend of the year for us in the tasting room. Though it's busy, Memorial weekend is festive. This year I will be assisted by special guests who are ENTERTAINERS. You will have a blast. Unfortunately, Kris and the kids will be in Bend for a baseball weekend. GO RAPIDS!

If you've got something to say you can reach me at joel@windrivercellars.com.

Hang on tight.

Joel

100 degrees? Are you kidding me? I had to dig through the bag of dirty clothes that I brought back from Mexico in January, just to find a pair of shorts. "Hey, cool! I found 200 pesos."

I can't believe Memorial weekend is almost here. If you've ever been in our tasting room during this particular weekend, you know how crazy it is. I expect TONS of visitors if this past weekend is any indication. Hey! You three people from Miami...That was fun and I'm glad you came in. I also enjoyed the four people from Wisconsin.

Don't let this next bit of information get out. My email address is joel@windrivercellars.com. Drop me a line if you want to hang out. It will have to be here of course, but it will still be hanging out.

If you've taken photos here at the winery I'd love to see them. If they're good and not too naughty, I will post them. If they are naughty I might still post them.

Have A Husum Day!

Joel

I hope everyone called their mother on Mother's Day. I didn't. I love Mom to death but I got so busy that by the time I sat down to dial it was 10:30 pm. I'm positive that I thought of her a million times today but if I remembered to call her then I would have to call my dad on Father's Day and that would set a precedent. All of a sudden I would be labeled as the perfect son. Who can live with that hype? Anyway, they both know I love them.

This was one of those weekends when only fun people showed up to the tasting room. There were lots of them and I enjoyed everyone. (Sometimes people will come in unprepared for the "festive" atmosphere.) I enjoyed the couple from Germany and the couple from Portland with the 4 month-old baby. Boy, could that baby throw back the Syrah!

Next weekend I'm doing a tasting in Duval, WA. It's a great wineshop just outside of Redmond. If I have to leave the Gorge, it might as well be doing a tasting at one of the best supporters of Washington wine.

Thanks to everyone who came out Saturday night to see my band in Hood River. Sorry if you had to wait in line but you all should have been there earlier.

Have A Husum Day,

Joel

Wednesday before Mother's Day. The weather is beautiful but I have a lot to do. 2005 Gewurztraminer and 2005 Pinot Gris are getting ready to be bottled and I'm excited about both. Bring Mom up for a tank sample this weekend.

We are experiencing record numbers of visitors so far this year. The weekends have been busy and fun. Mother's Day weekend is always fun. Usually lots of people bringing mom up for a tasting or people who are relieved that they don't have to hang out with their mom all day. With or without mom, I look forward to you visiting. The weather should be awesome and there is a great band playing downtown Hood River Saturday night at the River City Saloon.

Please contact us and give us ideas on what events you would like to see us host. If you have a good idea we might try it. If you have a dumb idea, we'll post it on the website and tell everybody it was your dumb idea. Then you'll know what it's like to be me.

What a crazy day it was yesterday in the tasting room. We had visitors from morning until closing and a lot of wine went out the dooor. I was blessed to have the company of Mark Fitzgerald from Fiztgerald's Fine Wines in Camas. If you live in that area check out his wine shop. It's definitely one of my favorites. We enjoyed BBQ grilled pizza and a Walla Walla Cab Sauv.
Mark told me about a malt beverage called "beer". It made me very curious so after dinner we went down to our local tavern and tried a pitcher of it. It was delicious and refreshing. I suggest you all try it sometime.
Today the weather is not so great but at least I can get some work done. If you come for a visit bring me some beer. I would like to try it again.

Once again the weather is to blame for my lack of productivity in the winery. Today I had to disguise a white water kayaking trip with my 6 year-old, Adam, as a wine delivery in Stevenson.
Though Adam and I were both bummed out that my older son Connor wasn't with us, we both agreed that being on the water was more fun than labeling wine bottles.

If anybody is interested in rafting the White Salmon river, this is a perfect time to do it. The river is at my favorite level right now and anyone of our LOCAL rafting companies are ready to give you a Husum thrill.

This is going to be a great weekend. You should get in your car and come out for a visit. That will give me a reason to put on my favorite red dress. It's the same dress that I threaten to pick my kids up at school in if they don't behave.

Feel free to drop me an email.

joel@windrivercellars.com

I forgot to mention that the Bad Seed Cider House down in Bingen is opening up this weekend. As many of you know, we outgrew the old location and found a larger building two blocks down the street. We're now next to Chips Tavern. I understand that they have beer at Chips. I don't touch the stuff myself but I do love the refreshing taste of Bad Seed Hard Cider.

www.badseedcider.com

Wednesday morning and it's absolutely beautiful again. It's hard to get anything done in the winery when the weather is this nice. I'm forming a new non profit organization to raise money for wine growing regions that are ugly. Some of the money can go towards buying trees for Walla Walla and mountains for Tri-Cities. I think the Willamette Valley can get buy with just a huge umbrella. That is not a dig on the wines that come from those regions, but everybody knows that this is the most beautiful growing appellation in the United States.

If you're planning a visit soon, email ahead. It's been a few weeks since I've barrel tasted and I always look forward to doing it with other people.

Cheers.

My wife must be crazy to let me have a blog at windrivercellars.com. Anyone that knows me or has been to the winery knows that I'm full of crap most of the time and rarely serious. This blog will certainly reflect that.

My thanks to the hundreds of people that showed up for our "Fungi with the Fun Guy" mushroom festival last Saturday. In the future I can see it rival our Chili Cook-Off and Pet Portrait days. If you have any ideas for an event please share it with us. I suggested a "Sit around and drink beer all day" event but Kris didn't go for it.

Please visit us soon.

Joel