LivingSocial.com is the best source of deals among the social group-buying websites. There is a rapid expansion in 9 new markets in November alone, bringing the total markets to 111 around the world with more than 10 million subscribers. We will likely see travel deals not only from wine country in Napa and Sonoma but also from wine regions around the US, like Washington, Oregon, Virginia, New York and many other emerging regions. As their expansion goes global, hopefully we will also see travel deals in winecation destinations in Italy, France, Spain and Australia.

LivingSocial Escapes is the best place to find one-of-a-kind travel packages to places you love, have been dying to try, or ones that will surprise you.   So sign up for LivingSocial Escapes and start receiving your social adventure deals to great winecation destinations.

Want a Free Deal? If you have large social network of friends and if you get three of your friends to buy yours is free.

Happy Holiday’s to everyone!

Cheers,

Rich Janshen

Winecation Expert

I don’t know about you but when I think of Idaho, I think spuds; potatoes, french fries and tater tots, heck even their license plates say “famous potatoes” right? Before we ventured off to Boise I needed to do a little homework on the wineries in the region and I discovered that Idaho had recently received their first AVA certification, The Snake River Valley Wine-SRVW. What I also discovered was prior to prohibition; Caldwell Idaho was the first area in the Northwest to grow wine grapes, thanks to early German settlers. So why did Idaho take so long to bounce back from the prohibition days in terms of a wine growing region? I got the answer from one of the founders of the region, but more on that in a bit.

I will admit I knew Idaho had producing wineries like St Chappelle and Sawtooth, largely because I had seen them on the shelf. Hey I like to fly-fish, so you would have thought I might have at least once picked up the Sawtooth label out of the sale rack at my local grocer and brought it home…Nope…..Remember “famous for tater tots” not wine.

So as we ventured out into the SRVW country on the hunt for our first of three stops, you could have asked me to close my eyes, spin around three times and click my Nike soles together and say Red Mountain, Red Mountain, Red Mountain and viola I would have believed I was in Red Mountain or any number of Washington AVA’s. My GPS (My Wife) led us right to our first stop, Sawtooth Winery. On the way here we passed no one on the roads, its January so I expected it to be slow, but unfortunately when we arrived a tour bus had beaten us to our destination. Thankfully the bus was only half full and our wait was short. After negotiating our tasting fee to taste all The Main Line reds and the Reserve reds we were off and swirling. We started with their ’05 Merlot and it was full of berry and the tannins were smooth and finish had some staying power. I could feel myself warming up to Idaho wines as first tasting was above my expectations, next up was a Tempranillo that was good and ’05 Syrah that not only tasted great, but it earned a ride home with me. Overall impression, the Sawtooth Winery would be a stunning venue in the summer with million dollar views and their wines had good structure, fruit and showed all the signs that the winemaker here had skills and a vineyard that was yielding great fruit.

On the way to our next stop, my wife starts laughing as she reads the map. She points out, there is a road ahead called Chicken Dinner Rd! I was a bit in disbelief, but sure enough there it was Chicken Dinner Rd. Well this led to a number of jokes, laughter and funny thoughts of good cross roads names as we headed to our next destination Koenig Winery & Distillery. Then I hit the brakes and sure enough the people who live on this road have a sense of humor, we were at the cross roads of….. Drumstick Lane and Chicken Dinner Rd!

Koenig Winery & Distillery is a great winery located on The Sunny Slope looking over the Owynee Mountains and the Snake River. As we entered we walked past the tank room and the distillery equipment and upstairs to their tasting room. Their staff was great and friendly and gave us a history lesson on the winery and how they came about making wine and spirits. We tasted our way through the reds and we really enjoyed the ’06 Cab Sav for $20, it displayed hints of coffee and black fruits and fine tannins that finish without a bite or chaulkiness. The ’07 Syrah had a great balance of spice and cherry and was a Syrah that would hold up to any of the $20 Washington Syrahs. We also really liked the ’06 Cuvee Amelia Reserve Syrah $50, this is a big wine that tasted well now and would only get better after cellaring for a few years.

After tasting the reds I was eager to taste the vodka they were offering, on this day they were tasting the Huckleberry Vodka. I am not spirits guy and I will make no claims to knowing any more about vodkas other than I love a good lemon drop. Koenig’s vodka was smooth and the huckleberry flavor was fantastic, it also earned a ride home.

Our last stop was a recommendation from staff at Koenig Winery, Bitner Vineyards and as our luck would have it there was a tour bus here. This bus was full, a 50^th birthday party, so it was very crowded in the tasting room. The group was very friendly and partying like 50 yr old rock stars legends. We mingled like we were with them and struck up a conversation with a member of the party. He introduced us to the winemaker Ron Bitner, who as I learned is one of the founders of the wine region. Ron was the second producer of grapes in the state and is managing some of the oldest blocks, 1981. In 2007 Ron and Mary ventured into producing wine under their own label in addition to making to growing grapes.

Bitner’s wines were outstanding and Ron is a very interesting character, a world re-known entomologist, father of Idaho wine country and an overall nice guy. I could have talked with Ron about his history in wine and Australia for a couple hours. Truly what a boutique winery is all about, small production focused on the quality. Mary Bitner also recently opened a B&B for guests who wish to stay in Idaho wine country. When I travel to wine country I always find a winery or two that is a must stop every time I visit, and Bitner Winery has made that list.

So why is the wine industry emerging from Idaho now? Well evidently the politics in Idaho are heavily controlled by a couple religious parties in the state and they had a strict restrictions on the production and distribution of alcohol. Well an economic impact study was done in a few years back and this study revealed that under these strict regulations this industry was generating $30 million dollars annually to the region. There was an ah ha moment I was told ……and well let’s put it this way the regulations slackened and wine region was off to the races tripling in size over the last 3 years with rumors of many more wineries coming soon.

There were many wineries to visit in SRVW country, but some were open by appointment only. There is an emergence of wineries happening in the Eagle and Boise areas as well. Do your research before you visit. This region is emerging fast and geographically located near the 3^rd largest city in the NW and an airport served by Alaska Air and SouthWest Airlines ( 1hr 20min flight). If you enjoy traveling thru wine country the Snake River Valley Wine region should be on your list of destinations to visit, lots of sunshine, easy quick access to all areas of the region, a recreation mecca, great places to eat, and wine makers who have a passion for making great wine all adding up to a great Winecation experience.

Valentine’s Sweethearts Package
Packages available February 5-14, 2010

Lodging for two, dinner and breakfast in McMenamins Pub and a bottle of Edgefield Sparkling wine and flutes. Guests must be 21 and over.

$135–$225 per couple

Book your reservations online
or call (888) 472-8427 or (503) 472-8427.

SPECIAL ONE-NIGHT-ONLY VALENTINE PACKAGE
Saturday, February 13, 6 p.m.

This exclusive one-night-only package includes a guestroom for two, surprise Valentine amenities in your room and a gourmet, four-course dinner with hosted McMenamins ales, wines and spirits, all followed by breakfast in the pub the following morning.

Rates starting at $245 per couple, 21 and over

Please email to make your reservations for this package. Guests will be charged for the full price of the package on February 1, 2010; at that point, it becomes non-refundable.

This is on my bucket list, how about yours? Making Love in a Vineyard! I have traveled to a number of wine regions around the world and my thought is one should heed caution prior to venturing into the vineyard with your best Barry White rendition of “Let’s get it on” with your special person. If you are contemplating crossing this off your bucket list then please choose your wine region carefully.

• Barossa Valley, Australia? Absolutely beautiful wine country but isn’t Australia home to 8 out 10 of the world’s deadliest snakes? Not to mention there is the possibility of getting attacked by Kangaroos.
  
• How about Italy? Piedmont, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terra the challenge here will be the terrain, steep slopes and being caught by the owner. But a good choice! Just make sure the owner is not a Harley riding member of the Hell’s Angels, a winecation story for another time.
  

How about closer to home,

• K Vintners, Walla Walla Wine Country? Bring your self-inflating mattress the stones are very large in this rocky soil.
  
• Rattlesnake Hills? Again snakes…
  

I have a great suggestion and yes you can safely cross this off your bucket list.

How about Horse Heaven Hills aka H3? Alexandria Nicole Cellars has a beautiful vineyard called Destiny Ridge in H3 with a view of the Columbia River and they offer a glamping package that would be perfect for plugging in your IPod and cranking up Barry or a little Journey. For you camping princesses ANC’s tents have Persian carpets, down duvets and even electricity and running water. The local area offers activities including fishing, bike riding, horseback riding, kayaking, hikes and wildlife watching and yes getting it on vineyard style.  For more information contact them at (509) 786-3497 and visit their website at www.ancglamping.com.

Cheers,

Have a great Valentine’s Day

Rich

Some Themed wine ideas for your Valentine’s Day

Shameless Hussey- Hard Row to Hoe

Lady in Red | Kestrel Wines

Seduction | Obrien Estate Wines

Meditrina | Sokol Blosser

Evil Twin | Gorman Winery

Naked Gewurztraminer | Snoqualmie Winery

Cleavage Creek | A great cause for breast cancer

Marilyn Wines | The velvet collection

Rose the Riveter | Olympic Cellars

Mad HouseWife Chardonay | Mad Housewife Cellars

Wild Thing | Zerba Cellars

Gnarly Head Zin | Gnarly Head Cellars

Chez Quah | The Rouge (coming soon)

New to Woodinville Wine Country the 3 Big O’s! From my virtual perch, Tully’s on Hollywood Hill, I have watched as the roundabout construction continued in Wine Country, it’s been a bit like the scene out of the movie “When Harry Met Sally” when Meg Ryan is having lunch at the table with Billy Crystal. I have caught myself laughing out loud saying “O look at that idiot!”, “O did you see that!” as I watch people navigate this new traffic junction called a Roundabout. It not that difficult people! And if you find yourself confused, just fake it like Meg Ryan, go around again until you figure out which direction you are headed. Maybe an roundabout explanation will help.

A roundabout is one of several types of circular road junctions or intersections at which traffic is slowed down and enters a one-way stream around a central island. Roundabouts are fairly new to the US with the first one installed in Summerland Nevada in 1990, so unless you have traveled to Europe or other countries where they are common place you might find yourself a bit confused as to how to navigate this intersection. I have maneuvered through many of them while traveling in winecation in Europe and Australia and I just love them because they keep you moving to the next wine destination!

Let me explain why this I think this is good for Woodinville Wine Country. Have you ever been to Napa Valley? Have you tried navigating Hwy 29 thru Napa Valley? It is a traffic nightmare on the weekends that rivals SFO traffic. Your Napa wine tasting options are to plan visits that zig-zag your way to the Silverado Trail and back to Hwy 29 to visit a decent number of wineries during your stay or stay on Hwy 29 and spend 30min driving 3 miles. Well, Woodinville’s SR202 is getting a huge amount of traffic already and the Wine Village has technically not even started yet. These three roundabouts will be huge in accommodating the future growth of traffic and will leave people with the urge to return to Woodinville Wine Country because they could easily get around and enjoy their wine tasting experience.

Here is a list I created from what I have seen people do numerous times from my virtual office at Tully’s.

Top 5 things not to do in a Roundabout:

#5 When you enter the roundabout it’s a yield, if no one is coming around don’t stop, if you are confused fake it go around again, otherwise it creates a backup quickly.

#4 If you see semi-truck or tour bus in or entering the roundabout Do Not Enter, give them the right away large vehicles barely fit, there is not room for you, remember you have several cases of Washington wine in the car you don’t want smashed!

#3 Don’t forget to use your signal, lets people know you are intentions.

#2 Don’t freak out and panic drive onto the center ring of pavers, This looks to be a sidewalk! This spring it may be filled with wine tasters walking between the wineries in the Hollywood Hills area and if you make me dive for the shrubs with my wine glass we are going to have words.

#1 Don’t turn left onto the roundabout! It’s a counter clockwise roundabout! Follow the signs on the ground or the posts if you miss those then it might be time for a new driver.

Enjoy your time in Woodinville Wine Country 2010 looks to be a great year in wine. Thank you for visiting, please be responsible and don’t drink and drive, designate a driver.

Rich Janshen

Winecation.com

A Winecation to get Jacked about!!!!

Jackopierce at the beautiful C.Donatiello Winery in Healdsburg/Sonoma- Northern California Wine Country
May 14, 2010

Second Show just added for May 14^th!!  Hurry and book your tickets  May 15th Show is SOLD OUT

**as of 1/4/10 over one third of the tickets are sold Tickets are priced at $149.00

Tickets include a complimentary glass of C. Donatiello’s award winning Pinot Noir or Chardonnay upon arrival.

Tickets also include:
-an authentic wine country dinner served by “The Paella Guy” (as seen defeating Bobby Flay on Food Network)
-a digital download of the show
-wine discounts and a gift bag (a $50+ value)

Jackopierce will play on the back porch of the winery’s cottage as the sun is setting across Mt. St. Helena.

With it’s countless vineyards, beautiful rolling hills, winding country roads, warm days and cool nights – Healdsburg is one the most beautiful towns in California. Add in a picturesque downtown (complete with town square), world class boutique hotels, shops and restaurants, Lake Sonoma and the Russian River – and you have one of the most sought after destinations in the world.

+Shipping costs cover ticket handling. All tickets will be at will call.

Book your C.Donatiello Winery Concert tickets here!

Listen to Jackopearce

9 must-see vineyards along Wine Road 290 in Texas Hill Country |  Dallas Morning News

Highway 290 flirts with the Pedernales River for 40 miles in the Hill Country, offering a taste of the oak-studded landscape and the wines for which Texas is becoming famous.

1. Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve 2005 95pts $27

(Was one of the first Wineries my wife and I visited many years ago in the late 80′s, Great location in Paterson WA)

26. Cayuse Syrah Walla Walla Valley Cailloux Vineyard 2006 95pts $65

33. Novelty Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2006 92pts $25

(Worked the bottling line in 1986 for Mike Januik, at Stewart Vineyards, you are making some great juice! Congrats!)

36. Efeste Syrah Red Mountain Ceidleigh 2006 93pts $29

(On the list to visit for St Nicks for sure now!)

38. Ch Ste. Michelle Cabernet HHH Canoe Ridge Estate 2006 92pts $28

60. Spring Valley Uriah Walla Walla Valley 2006 93pts $50

66. Barnard Griffin Riesling Columbia Valley 2008 90pts $8

72. The Magnificent Wine Company Syrah Columbia Valley 2006 91pts $20

74. Waterbrook Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve 2006 91pts $22

Congrats to all the Washington Wineries who made the list.

Thanks Wine Spectator

Cheers!