Nearly a month ago, I fought the grueling Cascadian passes from my village of Manson to the end of the world that is Seattle just to share my wine at the annual Grape Cup hosted by Seattle Uncorked. A kickoff to the college football season, Grape Cup is a showdown of UW Huskies versus WSU Cougars all in the name of our philanthropic endeavors sponsoring the Washington State Farmworker Housing Trust.

Always down for some fun alum rivalry, I donned the purple and gold and got my sorority girl on.

Go Dawgs

It was a long and fearsome battle as we duked it out over four quarters. The judges did an amazing job staying unbiased and in the end it was so close.

Zebra Winos

Total for Referee scoring: Cougars beat Huskies by half a point. But owing to our supporter’s undying devotion the Huskies won fan favorite. Total for People’s Choice scoring: Huskies beat the Cougs by 1 point. Sounds like if you do a little math, the Huskies won the overall evening too. Oh oh, raise the WOOF! Go Dawgs!

-WineGirl

Today, it’s grey and rainy here in Manson, reminds me of Seattle. And it also begs the question: Why is the weather so influential and indicative of our musical selections? I certainly cannot begin pondering the answer, but will suggest that Radiohead’s Paranoid Android on the OK Computer album is exactly the inspiration I need to get motivated for pressing red wine today. In fact, the entire album is needed, since it’s hard to separate each song from the brilliant overall orchestration emanating from Thom Yorke’s genius.

Bear with me: This is the kind of album that you listen to with headphones on while walking around completing your daily activites. The album quite simply synthesizes the activities of one’s motion into a sort of soundtrack of life. I am not doing justice to describing this sensation, but I highly recommend donning your iPod and walking around your daily world. Everyone and everything begins to move with the rhythm. Birds take flight on cue, pedestrians enter crosswalks on cue, and your own personal being becomes fluid.

This will likely be on repeat while we press our Red Mountain Merlot today at The Blending Room.

Cheers,

WineGirl

We here at WineGirl Wines have been relatively quiet over the last few months; and some of you may have heard rumors. So at last, it’s time to make a public announcement: We are moving to Lake Chelan!

It’s true. We’re packing up and leaving behind our Seattle/Sammamish digs. That’s right, you heard it! We’re finally going to bring the true WineGirl and Javier experience to you in our brand new location in Manson, Washington, right off the North Shore Lake Chelan Highway 150 in the land of 300 days of sun.

In May 2010, we will open our doors wide and let the winos loose upon our new tasting room and winery facility (well new to us, not so new to Manson). Swing on by and bring your friends, so you can enjoy The Blending Room Experience.

See you soon,

WineGirl

However, just the other day my good friend Garren’s bulb flashed and has burned brightly for over a week as he hit the pavement running on a wild hair. He set out on a mission to help those less fortunate in Haiti, by directing an ad-hoc silent auction of beautiful Pacific Northwest wines and among other delectable pleasures worthy of bidding for such a fantastic cause.

My advice with a grain of salt: Get out there and do something yourself or support Garren’s charismatic efforts!

This Saturday at the Vineyard Table in Seattle. Suggested donation $25, first 50 get a free bottle of wine. Browse the silent auction collection, of which we donated 6 bottles of wine, two My Derby Wife bottles of Merlot signed by yours truly Killer Bee-otch #36 of the Rat City Rollergirls included.

Facebook Event Wine For Haiti Fundraiser

Twitter Hash Tag #wineforhaiti

Wine for Haiti Beneficiaries:

• 45% Wyclef Jean’s (a native Haitian) YELE foundation: http://yele.org/
• 45% Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
• 10% Local Seattleite Charyn Pfeuffer’s Global Citizen Project

All the Best,
WineGirl

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

The Origins of the Derby Wife
Category: Life
By Kasey Bomber, L.A. Derby Dolls
observations by Ivanna S. Pankin, Sin City Rollergirls

The tradition started in November 2003, when a load of Derby Dolls went to see the first AZRD bout and the derby wife concept was born.

Now, see, we Derby Dolls (and I imagine/KNOW a whole lot of the rest of you out there) really like to drink. Some of us have been a little further in the barrel than others, and some of us have done so on a 6 hour van trip to Phoenix. Well, my dear friend Evil E and I initiated both the world’s most ill-advised drinking contest and what was very likely the first verified pairing of derby “wives” called as such on that very trip. Yes, yes, a fifth of Jim Beam a piece is likely to not only be accompanied by many “I LOVE YOU, MAN!”s, and all kinds of wall-eyed hooey, but before those bottles got too empty we realized something.

A derby wife is quite simply this -

1. She is the one person in this whole sport of roller derby that the very instant you looked at her, you felt like you’d known her since you were a fetus. She looked just like your best friend from fifth grade, or something she did reminded you of all the things you ever liked in anyone else.
2. She is the first person you’d call if you ever need to get bailed out of jail. (Or in my case, ever need to have an entire legal crusade started in your name.)
3. She’s the one who will be holding back your hair when you puke after drinking too much, and she won’t let anyone take your picture while doing it.
4. She’ll ride in the ambulance with you when you lose a tooth, break your wrist, or tear your ACL.She’ll make you laugh the whole way to the hospital, try to steal your pain medication (lovingly), and sneak your favorite food and a beer into recovery.
5. She’ll make her actual husband understand that if he loves her, he’s gonna have to put up with you, too, no matter how many times you come over forcing him to revisit all the derby-related shows on his Tivo that you missed.
6. She may not even be your best friend in the league or the sport, but she’d be the one you know will be the first one to back you up, even if you’re dead wrong. She’ll just tell you you’ve lost your fucking mind later in private, possibly kick your ass a little bit, and then be the only one who could ever talk your hotheaded ass into some reason.

If you can find more than one derby wife who can meet those needs, then you are lucky indeed, but myself? I’m a one derby wife gal.

Kasey Bomber, LADD
Mrs. Evil E

It was a tasting for the ladies at the small wine bar in Magnolia called Swirl.

Swirl Wine Bar

Local Winemaker

Local winemaker, yours truly, and cellarmaster stud Jon arrived about 5:45PM to set up. They had a little table ready near the door for us, very cozy. We set up the Firá Chardonnay on a little ice bath and then pulled the cork on the Kamari Malbec. We also had our Bordeaux-style blend the Black Label Reserve ready for tasting, too. It was a slow start as there was a true Seattle chill to the air, but you’d think since it wasn’t raining the ladies would be out i force! Slowly but surely they began to trickle, in mostly in pairs. The first set were very happy to try a nice wine tasting and immediately ordered a bottle of the Black Label Reserve for their table. Nice! we’re on a role.

pouring wine

Then some friends from about town showed up! Now the night was getting fun. Margo & Michelle, aka Scooter, who was also my physical therapist from when I sprained my ankle in derby back in January of 2008 arrived. They were super excited to taste our wines and found the Malbec to be their fave. They both play rugby with the Seattle Women’s Rugby team as well as Dereka who too showed up with her lady Danni! Danni plays derby with me as Dee-triot and she suggested the wine rendez-vous in the first place. So it was such a treat to briefly catch up with them all!

frinze

So, it was a fantastic night and we met lots of amazing people and kindred spirits especially Rochelle and Annie of Swirl. Hope to see you all next time.

Cheers,

WG

Fanna Wrecked ‘Em’s Player Profile
Favorite Beverage : wine – cheap or spendy, I’m not picky, as long as it’s not pink.

The above player profile quote is what I turned up while searching for more info on the Derby Girl wine label of the month for November. What I knew: Derek DesVoignes is a winemaker friend of mine (or more friends with Jon, but let’s not get too technical) owning and operating the Woodinville winery Cuillin Hills. Cuillin Hills is a classic Washington micro-winery specializing in Rhône-style Syrah and producing roughly 1000 cases per year. 1000 cases per year is roughly 6 times more wine than I make.

Anyway, one day we were at his winery taking care of business, when he announces that he wants me to try the rosé he’s working on. Umm, interesting, thin-ish but most likely due to the high amount of activity surrounding what had been the day’s activities. Anyway, two weeks later Jon arrives home after a visit with Cuillin and low-and-behold he’s waving Cuillin’s newest label in the air. Without even knowing that I played roller derby, Cuilling had gone and made the first derby wine. Grrrrrr! I was angry for days! I was supposed to make the first rollergirl inspired derby wine! Me, Killer Bee-otch of Grave Danger on the Rat City Rollergirls was supposed to make the first derby wine! I’d had it in the works for months! And in my brain for years taking up space, bouncing off the walls!

Anyway, the label of the month for November is a “2-way” tie between Cuillin’s Derby Girl wine inspired by the Pink Pistols of Jet City Roller Girls:

Derby Girl Rosé

AND:

Well, Fanna Wrecked ‘Em, it is none other than Killer Bee-otch’s pleasure to bring to you a real, RED derby wine! My Derby Wife Merlot! is the original derby wine inspired by the Rat City Rollergirls! The label sports artwork by the beloved derby poster artist Krysztof Nemeth and is made by a REAL rollergirl! Not to toot my own horn, but it’s true! My label really does win label of the month, hands down, no matter what!

Toot toot! Available for public purchase November 15th, 2009!

Cheers,
Killer

Killer Bee-otch #36

Visit me and my girls here! Rat City Rollergirls

The giant movie screen had to go up too. Luckily, I remember a half hitch or two from cub scouts. There were some questionable carpentry skills displayed as well as some lucky leanings. After a couple of long nights with a pile of ropes and a cooler of beer, we had a weather resistant outdoor cinema complete with a cleverly concealed 16mm film projection booth and the proper mood lighting.

Thanks to everybody who helped pull this together.

J.H.

Also, this week Full Pull Wines selected Kamari Cabernet Franc and Firá Chardonnay to be part of its growing wine list. Full Pull specializes in offering boutique Washington wines to its followers via email. The founder of Full Pull also writes a blog called Swordfern Wines describing adventures with the fine wines of Washington.

It was an exciting week in the effort to offer WineGirl Wines’ releases to the world. Of course, you can always check out winegirlwines.com to get bottles directly from the source.

J.H.