Thursday was one of those days where neither I, nor my wife, knew what to do with ourselves.  So after a few hours at the office, I came home and we decided to embark on back-to-back wine tasting escapades – since we spent the previous day doing the same thing!  I guess you can’t argue with success right?  If it worked yesterday and it isn’t broken…why fix it?

Stop number one was Longship Cellars in downtown Richland.  Mr. Don Welch was our host on this fine day.  Don’s son Kyle Welch is the winemaker, and he and his wife Cassie (as well as Don and his wife Shawn) collaboratively own and operate this outstanding winery!  I’ve been enjoying Longship wines essentially since Kyle started crafting wines under his Longship label in about 2013/2014.  The Tempranillo is always a sure hit, but today…the Petite Sirah really killed it!  While still a young wine (2017) it is very approachable and really delicious.  We enjoyed our tasting and ended up walking away with a bottle of the 2017 Invader Tempranillo and a bottle of the 2017 Petite Sirah!  Longship Cellars rules!

Stop number two was Hedges Family Estate Winery up on Red Mountain, in Benton City.  The winery grounds are simply gorgeous, and it’s always a treat for my wife as she roams the grounds with her camera, soaking in a photographer’s dream!  Striking the “Arnold” pose in the vineyard just came naturally to my chiseled, wine-crafted physique!  The glass sculptured art in the yard appeared to be “Chihuly”-like, and the grapes were undergoing Veraison as well.  Our tasting included two red blends and a Syrah.  As a bonus, we were offered a Port style wine (RMF Cuvée) that I really enjoyed.  We walked away with one of these bottles to support my cigar habit!

Final stop was J. Bookwalter.  We were in need of some fine food, and my wife was craving a Cadillac Margarita over rocks, so we had a fabulous dinner after a nice day of wine tasting.  Hors d’oeuvres included bacon wrapped dates and grilled cauliflower “wings”!  They were delicious.  My wife had the baked halibut and I had the prime rib eye (not on the menu).  It was soooo nice getting a piece of meat that was actually cooked medium rare, as ordered!  Nicely done Bookwalter chef!