Wind River Cellars

Vineyard is pruned. Too bad I don't like tequila. The pruning itself isn't bad. As a matter of fact I kind of enjoy it. It can be a very Zen thing. The crappy part is pulling all of the vines out afterwards. This year we hired the services of a local little league baseball team who is earning money for summer travel. I'd like to thank the Rapids for hauling the vines out but it's really their parents who ended up doing all of the work.

Saturday nights winemakers dinner at the Lyle Hotel was a good time and we had the opportunity of meeting some very nice people from Portland, as well as several other couples from all around. The Lyle Hotel is right in the middle of the Klickitat winery tour so if you make a weekend out of it I highly recommend staying there.

Because the weather was so nice here yesterday, Poison Rose and I decided to take a little drive. It was nice to see that rafters are hitting the White Salmon again and Kite boarders are back on the Columbia. It's really beginning to feel like Spring.

Eighteen people have already signed up for the annual Wind River Cellars Holiday in Mexico trip. Email us for information. Only nine months until we leave. I'm already so excited I may just start packing my suit case today. I'll try to post some pics of last years event just to give you a taste of what goes on.

Check our website for upcoming events. There's always something for everyone.

You look great in a thong, Husum.

Joel

Pruning is almost finished and the vineyard will be budding in just a few weeks. Pruning season usually coincides with Lent. This year I gave up tequila for pruning season. Unlike Lent, Pruning season can end whenever you finish pruning. I chose tequila because I don't really like it. As a matter of fact I like it just slightly more than Lent, or even religion for that matter.

Next Saturday I'll be pouring wine at the Lyle Hotel for a winemaker's dinner. I'LL BE POURING THE WINE. MENTION THE BLOG AND I'LL POUR YOU MORE THAN THE OTHER GUESTS.

We had some great weather over the weekend and I enjoyed all of the visitors who came up to taste. We had the usual birthday/anniversary celebrating couples from Bonneville and Skamania resorts. Visitors of the week include dude from Portland that just finished remodeling his house and the two nice ladies from Hawaii who won the free pair of sunglasses in our first annual Wind River Cellars "Raffle the Sunglasses In the Lost and Found". I hope to post pictures of the lucky winner enjoying her new sunglasses at home.

I'm going on a bottling frenzy here in the next few weeks. If you've been up here lately you've noticed that we're getting low on a few wines. If you feel like giving me a hand just drop me a line. You can enjoy wine on the job and even go home with a little.

You're in my final four, Husum.

Joel

The pruning has begun and I managed to make a nice sized dent in the vineyard over the weekend. If you would like to come on out and hand me beers or learn to prune let me know. Also, I have vine cuttings available if you would like to start your own vineyard. Who knows, maybe someday you can have a crappy, sarcastic blog that your website designer insists you write every week.

March 24th, the Lyle Hotel will be hosting a winemaker's dinner featuring yours truly. I met with the chef last week to arrange the menu and I must say that I'm excited. If you havn't been to the Lyle Hotel in awhile you will be pleasantly suprised. The new owner/chef has turned the place around and I've heard a lot of great feedback from tasting room guests.

I had a fun weekend in the tasting room thanks to the group of Hood Riverites that scheduled a private barrel tasting in the cellar. This involves going thru all of the current releases and then going out to taste future releases that are still in the barrel. These tastings aren't for weenies. It's possible to taste over 100 wines. Just ask any of our barrel members who get to do it anytime they want.

Kris poured wine over the weekend at the Poverty Bay Wine Festival in Des Moines. Because our wines were very popular at this event, I didn't have to unload very much wines from her car, thus giving me more time to find a tie and jacket for the Lyle Hotel event on the 24th.

Next weekend is going to be warm and beautiful here in the gorge. Come on out for a visit.

You make me want to get a haircut, Husum.

Joel

Thanks to the couple from Lake O, the birthday boy from Hermiston and the anniversary celebraiting couple from Bonneville Hot Spring Resort, I had a fun weekend in the tasting room. Sorry to take so much of your time but that's how it goes when I start fetching barrel samples.

Always the explorer, I ventured out to try two new restaurants here in the Gorge. Well, truth be known, Kris took me out. In the original Bad Seed Cider house in Bingen, sits a new restaurant called "Solstice". Strong supporters of local wines, this place tossed out one of the best lunches I've ever had. We were just having lunch so I stuck to beer. I look forward to dinner there soon.

Saturday night we went to a place we've heard a lot about lately and it was as good as we were told it would be. Good River, in Mosier, has a full bar, zillions of local wines by the glass and food that will knock your !@#$% in your !@#$%%ing !@#$%. Bartender Scott was busy but was still able to entertain an intimate croud like those dudes in the movie "Cocktail".

Kris will be pouring wine this weekend at a wine festival in Des Moines. I will be holding down the fort. Come on out and we'll see what happens.

You make me blush, Husum.

Joel