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Jenkins-Estates-Chocolate-Fantasy
What Does A Groundhog Have To Do With Wine?
Really, nothing….
Well, it is February and the Groundhog did see his shadow but you would not think there will be six more weeks of winter here ….sun is out, birds are VERY BUSY, buds are big and fat on the camellia and rhodies and there are daffs and iris about three inches up!
But the really big news for us is that we have expanded the Tasting Room. I am amazed that we have attracted so many wonderful people that we’ve needed to expand for the second time in eighteen months. Consider this a BIG Thank You to everyone who steps through our doors. Here is the new bar….another big step
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We’re in a going out mood, too, and next week on February 10th, we are pouring at The Chocolate Fantasy at the Jenkins Estate in Beaverton. This is an annual event loaded with fabulous chocolate confections, great jewelry and inventive gifts for Valentine’s Day love giving and getting. And, of course, wine. We are pouring near our new best friends from Peace of Cake Balls who make the delicious and beautiful cake balls with our Mingle and ’09 Pinot Noir that we serve in the Tasting Room. I have them by the dozens and Jim indulges in them obviously thinking I won’t notice that there are two or six or more missing from the stockpile! That’s probably what I should give him as a Valentine’s present, his own personal stock.
Then, the next night, February 11th, we are pouring wine at Influence Music Hall in Hillsboro for the inaugural storytelling series called Are You Sitting Comfortably. I am especially excited about this because I am telling a story. This is modeled after the storytelling group in Seattle, A Guide To Visitors, (where, immodestly, I might add I won first prize three times….) and that is modeled after The Moth. We are also pouring wine for the evening. http://www.tvartists.org/
The really big news is that we will debut our 2010 Pinot Noir that weekend – complete with a Chocolate Fountain so you can pair wonderful tastes with wonderful tastes. This sweet, young wine has a distinct strawberry taste and a lovely, fruity nose.
All that said, one more tidbit, this the edible kind. My good friend David Stalder in Las Vegas created a recipe he calls Chicken Mingle using, guess what, our Mingle! I’ve adapted it for salmon and happily post both versions for you in our Food Pairings tab. Thank you, David! Yum.
Holly and Jim Witte
THIS JUST IN! Our 2009 Pinot Gris took a Bronze Medal and the 2009 Riesling a Silver in the Northwest Wine Summit.
We are so excited since this is a highly respected wine competition. You can bet we will be featuring those two stars in the Tasting Room. Here's what's happening for the rest of the month:
INTRODUCING OUR 2010 MINGLE!
A Blooming Hill Vineyard … Our Inspiration
Some days, standing at a particular spot in the vineyard where the light spills across the slope of Blooming Hill, it is possible to believe the world has just begun and life is full of promise. The soft sound of a breeze rustling the vines, the warm touch of sun on emerging fruit, sky as far off as anyone can see beyond the hills reminds us that there may be nothing quite so wonderful as the simple pleasures given us by nature. At A Blooming Hill Vineyard, we revel in the gift of working the land every day and that we are rewarded with its simple and elegant bounty.
This is our gift to you in every bottle of A Blooming Hill Vineyard wines.
Holly and Jim
We got married in 2006 under a beautiful teahouse that Jim built for us. We've known each other for over 40 years … Holly was a not very good secretary to Jim way back in New York in the television production business. Jim was known as "The Myth" for all he was able to accomplish. He ran a scrappy new company that was involved in such notables as Sesame Street and The Electric Company, many of the Central Park Concerts – from Barbra Streisand to George Shearing. Jim was even business manager for KISS! Holly spent her life raising money for good works and writing.
In 2006, after a lot of life had intervened (ask us, we'll tell you), a mutual friend threw his Cupid's darts and urged us to have lunch. We were both living in the Pacific Northwest by then, although 200 miles apart; Holly - a city girl, Jim - a farm boy. Holly drove down to Oregon, had a lovely lunch, drove home and told Jim he was terrific but geographically undesirable.
Jim was persistent….and, suddenly, there we were standing in a beautiful spot in the Willamette Valley getting married! It really is romantic owning a vineyard! Now we are a wedding destination.
