Label of the Month: LotM February
It has been three months since my last Label of the Month post! How am I going to make it up to you? How about a positive prognostication for the imminence of Spring? February’s Label of the Month is dedicated to Phil and his ground dwelling colleagues. I’ll raise a glass of this sweet, red groundhog wine to Phil for 125 years of hard work pulling off a shadow-free morning (and predicting an early end to winter). Good on ya mate! Keep up the good work, and we’ll see you next year. Is it true, you ask? Yes, it’s a real label, and the prognostication? Well, let’s...
Read MoreLotM for October
It’s that time of year again for another Label of the Month. This month’s label is brought to you by my stoopendously funny girlfriend Shaina inspired by her recent trip to Kelowna, BC. Blasted Church Vineyards is another in the line-up of “modern wineries,” by which I mean keen, out-of-the-box marketing strategies applied to a product becoming increasingly commoditized. In an attempt (successful I might add) to differentiate themselves, Blasted Church have developed seriously fun labels in line with their dynamite church theme. From their website: The plan called for...
Read MoreLotM for September
So, once upon a time, a sassy 18 year old girl was working at an Italian restaurant awaiting her acceptance letter to the University of Washington. A regular sitting at the bar inquired about her University status and she confirmed that she had yet to hear anything. As the kind and helpful regular that he was, he suggested that she register with the local community college since classes were about to start in three weeks. Woah! Hang on a minute! Now we all know community colleges do great things, but she had already spent her time at a community college, not to mention a year at the...
Read MoreLotM for August
This month’s label was inspired by a conversation with a customer about Nefarious Cellars. Now, I get really excited about great wine, great wine making and great wine stories, and this label delivers on all of the above. 2002 Nonni and Zing Willamette Valley Pinot Noir according to their website: …we started a label called Nonni and Zing. It was a small project of about 250 cases annually and was made entirely from fruit sourced from the Dundee Hills AVA. That was a good time. The label features a jester with bright red pompoms on his top. The Nefarious jester can still be...
Read MoreLabel of the Month: LotM – July
July’s Label of the Month is a choice from our new home of Lake Chelan. It’s a tribute to the wineries and grape growers of the area that have worked to establish the Lake Chelan region as a unique wine destination. One of the most unique wineries in the valley is Hard Row to Hoe. As they say on their website, the “name celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of a man who ran a row boat taxi service on Lake Chelan in the 1930’s ferrying miners by rowboat to a brothel located at Point Lovely.” That theme extends from their name to their tasting room, their label...
Read MoreLabel of the Month – LotM June (Updated)
A man named Ron came into The Blending Room last week. I thought I recognized him from somewhere. An older gentleman, bald on top, but a very well manicured white beard on the bottom. He looked as if perhaps he had forgotten his top hat home. He was very kind, but direct almost a little gruff. I knew I was in good hands when he began delving into his wine background. Turns out he retired only to find himself Chief Taster at Columbia Winery for over eight years. Columbia Winery was the first winery I ever visited. I was 16, maybe I just turned 16. My boyfriend and I were celebrating my...
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