Sips on the Road: Oregon Unwine'd - Portland, OR

 As I walked into the first ever Oregon Unwine’d event at the Left Bank Annex (@leftbankannex) in Portland, I must have looked like a combination of a kid in a candy store and a deer in the headlights. I had no idea where to even start. My journey in wine has so far kept me very much in Washington (save for a few trips here and there) and Oregon is a region I have not had a chance to really explore. I can honestly say I think I can count on just two hands how many of the 100 wineries in attendance I had tasted before. This created a unique opportunity for me as I set about my tasting: no bias. Since I hadn’t really explored the regions of Oregon wine country at all, I really had no preference when it came to one area over another. I started making the rounds starting first in tasting whites and rosés and quickly realized that Oregon knows a little somethin’ somethin’ about rosé. Rosé of Pinot noir to be more precise. This already light grape transforms beautifully into a crisp, dry, and very appealing rosé. I knew just a few wineries into my tasting what my focus for this event and my post was going to be about. And so, without further ado, the best of rosé at this year’s Unwine’d event (in alphabetical order)!

Taste Washington 2012 - CenturyLink Events Center - Seattle, WA

Once again, Taste Washington proved that it reigns supreme as THE wine event in the state. While some were skeptical of this year’s new two-day format, the worries were unwarranted. Both the crowds and winemakers alike seemed to very much enjoy the new version of Taste Washington. Over two days this past weekend, over 4,000 glasses were used and an estimated 200,000 wine pours were given out to tasters. The seminars also had a big draw this year, with standing room only crowds in several of them. I took in the sips and bites on Sunday afternoon, and as always, came away with a few new favorites. I try to make it a goal to try as many new wines as possible, and I was excited to try a few brands I had previously never heard of. So what were my favorites? Read on!

Upcoming Event: Taste Washington 2012 - CenturyLink Field Events Center, Seattle

It's that time of year again folks, Taste Washington (@TasteWashington) is upon us once again! This event continues to set the standard for Washington wine events and this year, the Washington State Wine Commission has teamed up with Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) to put on the food and wine event of the year. Big changes this year: the event is TWO days instead of its traditional single day tasting format. Both the tasting and the seminars have been spaced between the two days. Previously, the seminars were all held on Saturday and the Grand Taste held Sunday, but this new format offers more time for tasting, and a better chance to sit on on one of the educational wine seminars.

So here's the scoop on the happenings:

Movin' on up.. to include BEER! Plus Upcoming Seattle Area Events...

With the recent relocation of a friend of mine from San Diego to Seattle, the idea was brought forth to add a guest contributor to Sips & the City. Until now I've focused solely on wine, and I'll continue to do that. The change will come as the talented Ally Long (@AllyDrinksBeer) begins to contribute some beer related posts from time to time! She wants an outlet to put her Journalism degree to good use, I like diversified content, and a lot of wine drinkers are beer drinkers too, so what the heck; let's go for it! Look for posts from Ally coming soon...

Also: there are several fun events coming up in March and April that are worth mentioning. Since SATC will now include some beer related content, I included those as well:

3/30 to 3/31/12 - Hop Scotch, Fremont Studios, Seattle

3/31/12 - Washington Cask Brewers Festival, Seattle Center, Seattle

3/31 to 4/1/12 - Taste Washington!, Century Link Field Event Center, Seattle

4/11/12 - Sexy Syrah, Salty's on Alki, Seattle

4/21 to 4/22/12 - Passport to Woodinville, Woodinville area wineries, Woodinville

There are also a LOT of great tastings happening at local wine shops on a daily basis, so keep your eyes open for those. The above events are some of the larger ones coming up that are likely to sell out in advance, so get your tickets early!