Foothills Magazine Sept-Oct 2012

oothillsThe Wine issue

Wenatchee u LeavenWorth u cheLan u and aLL of north centraL Washington

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InsideThe Methow’s Marvels / Chasing Stars

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September-October 2012

2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards

Editor’s Letter

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I’m sitting on my patio at the end of a postcard-perfect August day — the breeze just strong enough to keep the mosquitoes at bay — drinking a glass of Cascadia Winery’s Apple Wine. The day’s last glow is fading about an hour after the sun has set behind the hill overlooking

my backyard. My wife Noemi is next to me, enjoying the same wine, and our two girls are in bed fighting to stay awake. Thankfully, they lose the battle after a few short minutes.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. Yes, that’s the line from the Louis Armstrong song, but it applies in this case — the company is outstanding, the chilled wine refreshingly perfect for this occasion. Heck, even my lawn looks good tonight.

At work the next day, I’m curious to see what judges from the 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards thought of the Apple Wine, so I check the results sheet to see how it fared. It’s not on the list of medal-winners. I check again. Still not there.

I spend the next 10 minutes second-guessing my affinity for Cascadia’s wine before giving up. While I respect the views of the eight individuals who sat in on this year’s judging, I don’t rely entirely on their collective views. Their judgments are valid, but not the sole source of determining which wine I pour into my glass at the end of the day.

It’s kinda like the movie I adore but critics rake in their reviews. Their stinging words don’t change how I feel about Beverly Hills Chihuahua (just kidding ... sorta).

Seriously, I’m no expert when it comes to wine — I’m the last person to ask if I can taste the hint of black licorice or leather — but I do know what I like. I’m the only expert about what I like.

So when you look at the list of this year’s Wine Awards results inside this issue, read the reviews and hail the winners, but keep an open mind about the whole thing. It’s OK if your favorite local Syrah is a bronze winner, instead of a gold winner. Or your favorite fruit wine isn’t on the list of winners.

In the end, our tastes are our tastes, regardless of what others think.

Marco Martinez, editor

Beauty is on the Palate of the Drinker

Foothills2 September / October 2012

Publisherrufus Woods

[email protected]

Managing editorCal Fitzsimmons(509) 665-1176

[email protected]

EditorMarco Martinez(509) 664-7149

[email protected]

Advertising sales managerWendy dalPez(509) 661-5221

[email protected]

Special publications managerMichelle Jeffers(509) 661-5226

[email protected]

DesignJared Johnson

Staff writersMike irwindee riggs

rick steigmeyer

Staff photographersMike Bonnicksen

don seabrook

Contributing editorruss Hemphill

Foothills Magazine is published bi-monthly by World Publishing, 14 N. Mission st.,

Wenatchee, WA, 98801.

subscriptions: $21 annuallysend check or money order to:

Foothills, subscriptions14 N. Mission st., Wenatchee, WA, 98801 or email [email protected]

Copyright 2012 with all rights reserved. reproduction in whole or part is prohibited

without written permission.

oothillsA Bi-MoNtHly liFEstylE MAgAziNE

ABout NortH CENtrAl WAsHiNgtoN

On the cover: Winning wines from the 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards: Wedge Mountain Winery (Best Dessert), Icicle Ridge Winery (Best in Show, Best White) and Chateau Faire le Pont Winery (Best Red).Kathryn Stevens photo FoothillsSeptember / October 2012 3

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Sharon Altaras has a deteriorating Z28 Camaro sitting in her garage. The freelance writer and soon-to-be mommy hopes to one day fulfill her dream of restoring the car. For now, she’ll live vicariously through stories of other worthy North Central Washington vehicles. You can check out her past and current writing projects at americanroad.us and nommom.com.

M.K. Resk cannot sit idle for long. Consequently, she is a Wenatchee-based writer, teacher, performer, volunteer, athlete and traveler. For more on her current projects and escapades, visit her at freespiritedfreelancer.wordpress.com.

Mike Bonnicksen has been a photographer at The Wenatchee World since 1984. When not behind a camera working, Mike can often be found enjoying the region’s beauty and the world in general in the form of hiking, biking, motorcycling and scuba diving.

Kathryn Stevens can’t imagine life without a camera. She says the thrill of capturing “the moment” through her lens is as exciting as ever. She loves getting to know the region’s people and telling their stories through her images.

Steve Maher, a former editor and reporter at The Wenatchee World, is an avid long-distance runner, cyclist, hiker and skier. He also enjoys keeping tabs on the local art and music scene.

Give Mike Irwin a reason to go and he’s gone. The Wenatchee World reporter and blogger loves to wander the area’s towns and back roads in search of the odd and interesting.

Rick Steigmeyer is an amateur vintner who enjoys writing about wine, food and local entertainment on his Winemaker’s Journal blog at wenatcheeworld.com. He’s been a World reporter since 1989.

Writing about unique homes is a joy for Dee Riggs. She likes exploring the thought process that goes into building or remodeling a home. The University of Washington graduate has worked at The Wenatchee World since 1977.

Frank Cone is a freelance photographer based out of Wenatchee. His work mainly focuses on the outdoors but he enjoys new subjects and likes to explore different photographic techniques. Frank is married and has two children, Evan and Erin.

Donni Reddington works as a Registered Nurse at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. When she’s not working, she’s out playing in the beautiful Cascade mountains.

Contributors Contents

6 3 Reasons We ♥Autumn delivers the goods

8 Fast 5Some of the area’s finest stop-and-see highlights

10 Daily

DriverCorky Elliott

makes ’65 Ford his own

12 OvernighterSome of best shots found beyond daytrip territory

14 Methow Magic

Places to play, stay & eat this fall in the Methow Valley


CorrectionInformation about Miller Orchards Fruit Stand was incorrect on Page 41 of the July-August issue. Here is the correct information:Miller Orchards Fruit Stand7206 Highway 97, Peshastin, 1.1 miles from Highway 2/97 junctionHours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., April through NovemberOwners: Rich and Teri Miller, Rachel MillerInfo: 548-7865, [email protected], millerorchards.com

20 Familiar, DeliciousGarlini’s Pasta del Sol, Tuscan Sangria are top notch

22 Celestial showStars put on dazzling show if you take time to look

26 The Buzz

Beekeepers continue time-honored tradition

30 Texting ... Mayor Kuntz

Clyde was a high school golfer/rocker

32 Top FlightArea wineries make haul in North Central Washington Wine Awards

58 Eureka!Prospectors work area creeks, rivers for flecks of gold

FoothillsSeptember / October 2012 5

3 reasons we♥♥

♥ Oktoberfest Just mention of this annual

Leavenworth festival and visions of the St. Pauli’s Girl pop to mind. That’s one thing — umm, or is that two things? — in its favor. Here’s another: this event has an official beer stein. How cool is that!? Oktoberfest cranks up the Bavarian Village’s oompahmeter over three weekends. Each weekend, there’s a parade, a keg-tapping ceremony, a kid’s area and plenty of oompah and polka music, with bands from the U.S. Canada and Germany. The festival also provides some of the year’s best people-watching, with a mostly amusing mix of tourists who want to have a good time and tourists who REALLY want to have a good time.

— Marco Martinez

Stephanie Fry

Taking a stroll along Riverfront Park in Wenatchee. Don Seabrook

Autumn

Friday Night LightsWhen there’s a slight chill in the air, it’s

time.When we start hearing marching band

practice — the drumlines pounding and the brass sections blowing — on our way around town, we know it’s time.

When the team sprints through the tunnel and demolishes the cheerleaders’ hand-made sign, it’s definitely time for Friday night football.

High school football is near and dear to North Central Washington’s collective heart, and few events get the blood flowing and the adrenaline pumping like a Friday night battle between local rivals.

The crowds are electric, the air smells of steamed hot dogs and popcorn, and the action on the field is state-tournament caliber.

On a fall Friday night, where else would any sane person be?

— Brian Adamowsky

ColorsThe different shades of red, orange and yellow are nature’s version of a fireworks

show each fall. Some of the more obvious — and well-traveled — show routes include Tumwater Canyon, Blewett Pass and Chumstick Highway between Leavenworth and Plain. You could also head up the Entiat Valley toward Silver Falls or even further north is Baldy Pass, which provides sweeping vistas of larch trees between Winthrop and Conconully. If you have a high-clearance vehicle, try the drive between Beehive Reservoir south of Wenatchee over to Blewett Pass. Closer to home, check out the two-block stretch of Pioneer Drive south of Wenatchee’s Triangle Park that is spectacular in the fall. Or you can go for a casual stroll along the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail, where you can find a few stretches of trail where the fall colors really pop.

— Marco Martinez

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2

3 Don Seabrook

Wenatchee vs. Eastmont.

F

♥

What’s not to like about Leavenworth’s Oktoberfest?


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Seeds of knowledge Here’s all the dirt, just three words, on

how to raise the most lush and colorful gardens possible in our arid area — Community Education Garden. Dig it? Designed and planted by our local WSU Master Gardeners, the one-and-a-half acre plot at the Washington State University Tree Fruit Research Center (Springwater and Western avenues) features flowers, grasses, trees and various turfs that actually thrive on climatic extremes of hot summers, cold winters and, for some of us, lukewarm cultivation skills. The project’s goal is nothing short of providing you the know-how for a colorful garden year-round, say the Masters themselves. Visit soon — it’s bloomin’ terrific.

Va-va-va-vroomShe always had nice bumpers and

probably purred like a kitten if you treated her right. Now, even with her butt in the air, she gets appreciative stares. We’re talkin’ Chevy — 1957, tail fins, bright red, shined chrome, smooth lines — and we’re talkin’ classic. Make that Bob’s Classic Brass & Brew, the downtown Wenatchee restaurant that sports more than one wheeled beauty up in the sky. (Also: a Cadillac on a pole out front.) But it’s that ’57 Chevy poking through the restaurant’s roof that seems almost mystical — half here, half hidden — emerging seductively from another era, her undercarriage as sexy as ever.

Young gardener Jahden Hansen, 9, of Wenatchee gets a close look at blooming echinacea at Wenatchee’s Community Education Garden.

See The Sites

In the wheelhouse Smart placement of the pilot house

from the original Lady of the Lake means you wannabe swabbies can squint-n-conjure powering through Lake Chelan’s westerly chop in the 1940s. The 60-year-old, 65-foot-long Lady was salvaged in 2001,

but wisdom prevailed and the pilot house was saved. The wooden structure, complete with captain’s wheel, was restored and mounted in 2008 to overlook the Chelan River

at the foot of the lake near the Riverwalk Pavilion. Today, kids and perky seniors climb around the railed and elevated monument, just itchin’ to get inside and give that wheel a spin. Not happening. Spirits steer that ghost boat now.

Here’s the scoop Cashmere’s skyline boasts one of the tallest, most intricate — and therefore coolest

— historical structures in the region. The three-story Burbank Homestead Waterwheel, better known as the Capt. Stoffel Waterwheel, stands at river’s edge behind the Cashmere Museum & Pioneer Village, 600 Cotlets Way. The 115-year-old wood, steel and concrete wheel once lifted Wenatchee River water 20 feet to irrigate an orchard in Monitor. The wheel’s made of parts from the Northstar, a Columbia River sternwheeler, salvaged by Capt. Paul Stoffel and reshaped by his pioneer ingenuity. Threatened by high water in 1973, the wheel was lifted by a twin-rotor logging helicopter and flown to its present site. It’s now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Courtesy of Robin Gillham and Jay Morrison

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Fast Five By Mike irwin


Clickety-clack That big hulking choo-choo at the center of Locomotive Park should definitely chug

to the top of your whistle-stop tour of Wenatchee’s must-see sights. The Great Northern 1147 steam locomotive, 110 years old this year, and its accompanying tender car weigh 129 tons, stretch nearly 70 feet long and lug a boxcar-full of history. It woo-woo’ed through the Leavenworth-Wenatchee areas up till the mid-1940s, when diesel engines replaced steam, and even ran the Wenatchee-Oroville route for awhile. Legend says Ol’ 1147 set a record on that route by hauling the longest train ever for its class. Now, the Wenatchee Riverfront Railway group and other community organizations help keep it on-track as a favorite attraction.

See The SitesEdition

5

F


Wenatchee’s Corky Elliott has the take-it-in-stride demeanor of someone

who’s spent a lifetime working on and driving old cars. It’s a polished patience that comes from losing power in the middle of the road, removing parts encrusted with motor oil and fighting rusted bolts.

Late last spring, the now-retired school counselor finished rebuilding and restoring a 1965 Ford pickup with a bored 300 cubic-inch engine and four-speed transmission. Although beautiful, don’t expect to see the truck at shows.

“I’d rather drive it every day,” says

Elliott, 69.He’s been working on cars since he

was 14 or 15. His father, Gene Elliott, owned a gas station on the corner of Ninth Street and Wenatchee Avenue called Gene’s Ninth Street Service.

After serving in the U.S. Navy during Vietnam, Elliott returned to Wenatchee and opened his own gas station, Corky’s Cut-Rate, near Memorial Park.

In his late-20s he enrolled at Wenatchee Valley College, continuing to Central Washington University, and obtaining a master’s degree from Portland State University.

He bought his ’65 pickup in 1991. “It

was just a stock old Ford truck, ordinary,” he says. “Two years later, the engine went out, so I parked it behind the house.

“Last year, I decided I’ve either got to get rid of it or fix it up and drive it.”

Elliott brought the truck into his shop, lowered it, took the emblems off and filled in the holes. He also “frenched” the tail lights, sinking them back into the body of the truck an inch-and-a-half.

Each modification was made as the idea occurred to him.

One day, Elliott was sitting in a recliner in front of the wood stove in his shop, looking at the tailgate he’d removed.

“It said F O R D, and you know my

Wheels of Wonder story By Sharon altaraS photos By mike BonnickSen

Cork’s RideCorky Elliott customized the lettering on the tailgate of his 1965 Ford. “It’s not a show car, it’s a daily driver,” says Elliott, “I can get in it anywhere, anytime, and it just puts a smile on my face.” The dashboard is seen opposite lower right.

Wenatchee man brings new life to ’65 Ford

nickname — Cork. I only had to change the last letter and the first letter. I don’t know why I did it, but I couldn’t resist,” he says.

After grinding and welding a new identity for the truck — he basically used pieces from a second tailgate to create his modified lettering — he had it painted a stock Ford blue by a friend. Another friend helped him rebuild a six-cylinder engine for it.

“I do some work for somebody and somebody does some work for me and no money ever changes hands. That’s a good thing. That’s how it works between friends.”

Elliott regularly has his morning coffee at Bob’s Classic Brass & Brew on Second Street in Wenatchee with about a half-dozen car-loving buddies.

There’s a good chance you’ll spy the truck there.

His wife, Carleen Elliott, drives a 2008 Ford Taurus, but you won’t see Corky Elliott running to the grocery store in it.

“Most of the guys who end up with them perfect, they don’t take them anywhere. They end up taking them in a closed trailer and backing them out to show them,” says Elliott, who also owns 1935 and 1953 Fords.

He recalls driving his 1935 Ford in a caravan of classic cars to a show near Waterville a couple years back.

“The wind was blowing like crazy and there was dust. All these cars started flashing their lights and wanting to turn around. There were three of us that went on to the show because that’s what old cars are about — driving. And that’s the way we see it,” he says.

“I never considered a newer car for a commuter. You can make an older car so it’s reliable and dependable. I’d much rather drive an old, cool car than something new.” F


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I typically do day hikes and not many overnight hikes. I admit that I like coming home to a comfy bed after a long day on

the trail.But it’s necessary, sometimes, to do an

overnight to get into further-out destinations. Case in point: I had a few days off over the

Fourth of July holiday, so I decided to spend a couple of nights making the trip from Rainy Pass on the North Cascades Highway and hiking down to Bridge Creek camp in the Stehekin Valley.

The warm weather brought

swift, high-water crossings, but none presented too difficult a challenge.

I chose this hike because it’s one of the earliest trails to be snow-free in the area, and sure enough, I only had small sections of snow for about the first mile or so, then it disappeared after I was below about 4,000 feet.

I had a great time, and I suspect I’ll be doing more overnighters.

On the trail

A bee prepares to land on a chocolate lily.

An interesting bug and plant sit along the trail between Rainy Pass and Bridge Creek camp in North Cascades National Park.

Two different colors of paintbrush along the trail.

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A bee prepares to land on a chocolate lily.

A butterfly gets nectar from a flower along the now-abandoned Stehekin River Road.

Wildflowers are plentiful.

A flower comes up between rocks along the trail.


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Fiery amber and copper leaves rustle in the brisk breeze, the hazy sun sinks into matte pleats

of periwinkle mountains. Ah, fall in the Methow Valley.

I slip into my locally grown and built Adirondack chair, sipping locally roasted Blue Star coffee, munching on locally grown produce. It doesn’t get any more down-to-earth than this. My thoughts leap to the grassy meadow before me. Nature provides instant meditation as deer graze and birds sing. Then the sweet-sour pine-tinged evening air tickles my senses back to

reality, which is not so different from my peaceful daydream. Mazama has that effect on a person.

The Methow Valley is everything you want it to be — the old-fashioned family trip of days gone by, the western fantasy of yesteryear, new-fangled upscale version of the rustic, backcountry wilderness adventure.

The valley offers three unique towns replete with their own individual identities. Visitors will find abundant recreational activities, inventively fresh foods and unique, comfortable lodging options ranging from efficient,

economic campsites to rolling huts, cabins and even upscale resorts. Choose your own adventure!

TwispSurrounded by flashier tourist

attractions, Twisp retains a friendly, old-timey, inviting vibe. A visit to popular Twisp River Pub is like a scene out of Cheers. If you’re a local, everyone knows your name. If you’re just passing through, you won’t leave a stranger.

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Plenty of cabins, traditional motels, and campsites are available nearby, too. Try family-friendly Methow Suites Bed and Breakfast, which features a playground and s’mores by the fire pit. Or camp along a nice stretch of the Methow River at Riverbend RV Park.

PLAY — Twisp’s downtown shops retain an air of the past along with an eye toward the future. Fantastic metal jewelry can be found at Peligro Studio; local artists are showcased at Confluence Art Gallery. Have fun with food and crafts (like the duct tape wallet guy) at the Saturday Farmers’ Market and try handmade cheese at nearby Sunny Pine Farm. Watch community theater at MERC Playhouse or wile away the miles on the endless local bike and hike trails.

EAT — Glover Street Market offers upscale organic food and produce, plus an outstanding fresh food and juice

bar offering healthy Asian-inspired meals such as lettuce wraps, rice bowls and seaweed noodles. Don’t miss the delectable Shamrock smoothie.

Other good dining options include Twisp River Pub’s fare and baked goods like white chocolate ginger cookies, carrot cake muffins and ultimate seed bars at Cinnamon Twisp Bakery.

WinthropUp the road a bit from Twisp stands

the chic cowboy town of Winthrop. Its main street could easily pass for a western movie set. The place oozes with charm and true grit. Old school and urban cowboys alike will feel at home here.

STAY — Options abound. For family fun and space try River Run Inn or Sun Mountain Lodge. Groups might prefer clean, economical Cascade Condominiums. For tranquility within walking distance of downtown, try River’s Edge Resort. Or if you want to truly get away from it all, hike in and out

Twisp River Suites is the newest option for travelers in the Methow.

Confluence Gallery & Art Center in Twisp showcases local artists who create pieces in a variety of mediums.

The Wall of Chocolate at Winthrop Motors will satisfy even the sweetest of sweet tooths.

Mary Resk

The beer sampler at Old Schoolhouse Brewery in Winthrop covers a wide range of the beer drinker’s palate.



of the backcountry Rendezvous Huts.PLAY — Shop at Retro Pony,

Winthrop Motors and the glass shop for fun finds and an authentic feel. Stop by Methow Cycle and Sport for bike rentals and tips on recreational offerings. Since Winthrop is the birthplace of smoke jumping, a visit to the North Cascade Smokejumper Base is an uncommon opportunity not to be missed. For other educational offerings, visit the fish hatchery and the western museum. If you’re an early bird, get a bird’s-eye view from Morning Glory Hot Air Balloons which operates through October. Kayak, canoe, raft or try your hand at fly fishing when the water is still warm enough to enter.

EAT — Down-home saloons offer both culinary and atmospheric flavor. Old Schoolhouse Brewery pours its own delicious beer and often has live bands performing on a riverfront deck. Stop by Three Fingered Jacks for stick-to-your-ribs breakfasts like Prime Rib Hash and Chicken Fried Steak, or come later in the day for a game of pool and hearty dinner. If wine’s more your pour, try Lost River Winery down the street. Find great Mexican food at Carlos 1800, Paco’s Tacos and Java Man. Arrowleaf Bistro and Rocking Horse Bakery offer gourmet cuisine and gourmet goodies. In a region where people care and know deeply about their food, learn more at the Sunday Farmers’ Market, watch roasters at nearby Blue Star Coffee, and tour the Methow Valley Ciderhouse and Orchard.

MazamaLittle Mazama sits literally at the

end of the road for several months in the winter, when the North Cascades Highway gets pummeled with too much snow. If Twisp is like Cheers, Mazama is Northern Exposure. This mountain playground is an ideal base for backcountry adventures, quiet cabin getaways and anyone interested in getting in touch with nature. Fall is idyllic here, with no crowds and incredible foliage worthy of a mention in the New York Times.

STAY — The Rolling Huts complex provides two unique valley options: huts and tents. The simple huts are cushier than camping and provide a no-frills way to sleep in the woods and take in the view. A bed, kitchenette, sitting area, deck, roof and outhouse are provided. Oh and rest easy — the hut won’t move while you’re asleep. If tents are more your speed, try glamping (glamorous camping), Rolling Hut-style. New this season is a mini-camp of oversized tents with provided cots, plus clean shower, bathroom, cooking and picnic facilities — even the requisite campfire circle. It’s the perfect site for a family reunion or girls’ or guys’ weekend getaway.

Private cabins, the delightful Freestone Inn, cozy Mazama Country Inn and excellent North Cascades Basecamp round out an array of relaxing lodging alternatives suitable to a variety of tastes and budgets.

PLAY — Before the snow comes, the enormous MVSTA cross-country ski trail system offers great terrain for hiking or running. Hill seekers can tackle Harts Pass, a favorite of North Cascades Heli operator Paul Butler. He and other locals also recommend a hike up Goat Wall to visit with local character and lookout host, Lightning Bill. Circle up the horses or mountain bikes to cover more of the pristine wilderness terrain. Aaron Lee at Early Winters Outfitting puts horse trips together. The friendly folks at brand-new Goat’s Beard Mountain Supplies provide mountain bike, road bike, and watercraft rentals. Check out favorite ride Angel’s Staircase and bring your stamina! Or rule the road bike and be king of the hill at Washington Pass. Then cool down at Pearrygin Lake State Park for some leisurely kayaking or stand-up paddling. Or stay home one day to hone your artistic skills at an autumn watercolor or photography workshop offered by North Cascades Basecamp.

EAT — The eclectic Mazama Store is filled with bites of local flavor like honey, Mueslix bars, Blue Star coffee, and emmer faro from Bluebird Grain Farms. Stock up here for food, toiletries and souvenirs. You can even grab a six-pack of beer after a hike and split it with friends at their indoor and outdoor seating. Kelly’s Irish Pub at Rolling Huts offers a cozy, European atmosphere for casual meals, or enjoy an upscale rustic experience at the Freestone Inn’s dining room.

If you’re tempted to abscond to the woods instead of returning to the realities of daily life, don’t feel alone. This valley has a special charm about it. Many a visitor has eventually become a permanent resident. Crisp days, vibrant leaf changes, and quirky events like Christmas at the End of the Road, the Methow Valley Rodeo and Winthrop Auto Rallye keep the Methow Valley interesting to visit in the fall. But regardless what time of year you visit, the Methow Valley has a way of making you feel like you’re home, even if you’ve never been there before.

Methow Cycle and Sport in Winthrop is a one-stop shop for information and recreation equipment.

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Unlike any other!

Why they call it Cloudy Pass, he’ll never know.

But there Keith Mackie was two summers ago, laying on his back in a sleeping bag, with nothing between him and the darkest sky imaginable, dumbstruck at the sights above.

At 6,400 feet in the North Cascades, with no ambient light whatsoever, it

was as if he had been granted his own personal key to the celestial heavens.

Dark nebulas. Planets. Globular clusters.

Thousands of stars. Or a million stars. Who knows.

“It was astounding, overwhelming really,” says Mackie, a Portland psychologist who has backpacked in the

Cascades off and on for 30 years. “You’re high up at that spot. But it seemed like I could touch the stars.”

Truth be told, though, he could have been at Lake Wenatchee that night. Or Mission Peak. Or somewhere in the Methow.

Often taken for granted by longtime residents, the eastern slopes of the North

NCW recreation Story By steve maher photoS By frank cone

Owning the

CelestialHeavens

This photo was taken about 4.5 miles up Mountain Home Road, looking north toward Leavenworth, between 1:30 and 2 a.m.

Cascades offer some of the best star-gazing spots in the United States. The region is absent a big urban area so there is little light pollution. The drier climate means fewer clouds and particles in the air. And the mountains and foothills provide a stepladder for people on moonless nights.

Compare that to Seattle, where rain abounds and there is no such thing as a real dark night.

That’s a fact the Seattle Astronomical Society knows all too well. The group


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has been holding its annual “star party” since the 1980s — this year’s party was in mid-July — not on the west side of the Cascades, but instead at Table Mountain, located just south of Blewett Pass.

“The east side of the Cascade range blocks a lot of moist or wet air from getting over the mountains,” says Peter Lind of the Apple Valley Astronomers club in Wenatchee. “Therefore humidity in the air is low and does not affect the atmosphere as much. Atmospheric disturbance is the biggest problem for astronomers as most of the objects we look at are far away and very low light levels.”

Star-struck denizensAs anyone who has lived or visited

North Central Washington knows, there is often nothing between you and a pitch-black sky — summer or winter.

The only clouds are clouds of stars.Wenatchee’s Adam Headley has

been star-struck since he was a young kid, when he first began to ponder “the wonder of what could be out there.” Today, he is a student at the Wenatchee Tech Center and feels such a personal connection to the stars and planets that he wants to be an astrophysicist someday.

The one place you’ll find Headley most evenings isn’t anywhere near a TV or a computer. If he isn’t peering through his telescope, he’s outside somewhere in NCW, taking in all that rests above.

“I like going up to the mountains and seeing the sky really clear,” the 17-year-old says. “I really have a passion for it.”

Headley says he’s visited Badger

Mountain several times to star-gaze.Another good spot: In the mountains

southwest of Leavenworth, says Headley. “Last summer, I went hiking in the dark up there, and I could see the Milky Way and the whole band of the Milky Way,” he says. “It really was amazing.”

One place — perhaps the only place in NCW — not conducive to star-gazing is Wenatchee itself, where light pollution interferes.

“Power is so inexpensive that people and businesses tend to leave lights on all the time,” Lind says. “We have a very bright light dome over Wenatchee, probably the brightest for a city of this size.”

But take a short drive — Lind favors Badger Mountain, as well as the Blewett Pass area — and the darkness returns.

“Any place where you can get up high, with a broader view of the sky, is good,” says Ralph Dawes, who teaches astronomy and earth sciences at Wenatchee Valley College.

And for those who have the time and the means, an overnight hiking trip in the North Cascades can flat out be intoxicating.

“It always helps to get up higher,” Dawes says. “There will be so many stars, you can hardly find the ones you’re familiar with.”

In other words, no need for a telescopes or binoculars.

But that’s what comes when you’re granted that key to the celestial heavens. It can take quite a bit of time to absorb all that is above.

“I was almost blinded that night,” Mackie recalls of the night spent at Cloudy Pass in the Cascades. “It took me awhile to really absorb what I was seeing. It puts your own life in perspective.”

The Snow Lakes trailhead is another good spot for stargazing.

A star-gazer’s mantraDitch civilization.Find clear weather.Seek darkness.Climb a hill or mountainside.Stop and absorb.

— Steve Maher

Astronomy websitesApple Valley Astronomers: avastronomy.com/index

Table Mountain Star Party: tmspa.com


Seattle Astronomical Society: seattleastro.org

Yakima Astronomical Society: perr.com/yvac.html

Central Washington University Astronomy Club: cwu.edu/~astroclb

International Dark-Sky Association: www.darksky.org F


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Orchardist Travis Fox is worried that the world’s bees are disappearing.

“Bees are like canaries used to be in coal mines,” the Cashmere man says. Fox thinks the creatures might be acting as a sentinel for a major environmental concern. “The bees are not doing well,” he adds.

Fox is caught between roles in a bee-dependent world. Bees are needed to pollinate his crops. Yet in order to maximize production, many area orchardists utilize chemicals that could be harming the very bees needed for crop survival. “It’s a double-edged sword relying on them and yet trying to grow fruit and survive,” he says.

good stuff Story By M.k. Resk photoS By kathRyn stevens

Travis Fox inspects a honeycomb built by one of his colonies.

The Buzz on BeesThese pollinators play a vital role in NCW orchards — but many hives are threatened by a deadly disorder



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Bees are vanishing at an alarming rate, and no one is quite sure why. Amateur and professional beekeepers alike have experienced the recent worldwide bee decimation known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Entire colonies go missing overnight, leaving only the queen and a few dead carcasses behind.

Since CCD was first identified in the U.S. in 2006, tens of billions of bees have been affected. Many theories have circulated, from cell phone usage to viruses to pesticides. The reason for honeybee deaths is hotly debated and still under investigation.

While research continues and bees dwindle, beekeepers have been forced to change their practices in order for necessary crop pollination to continue. Some commercial beekeepers transport their limited numbers of bees from state to state or even from other countries during the growing season. Such substantial changes are costly and stressful.

Fox is careful to point out that a lot of today’s chemicals are better than they used to be. He says his colleagues are doing interesting and creative things to work toward a solution. His own concern for the collapse of bees coupled with his lifelong fascination in the creatures led him to become a beekeeper.

“I’m learning as I go,” says Fox. “They’re teaching me, the bees are. I just sit there and watch a lot of times.” He is especially impressed when the bees swarm. “They’re so docile, kind of like us after Thanksgiving dinner. They are engorged with honey and don’t want to do anything. They’re like, ‘leave me alone with my queen,’ ” he says.

Fox chose to build a natural type of hive similar to those bees would build themselves. “A lot of the stuff they do is amazing to me — how they build their hives, communicate with each other, survive,” he says. “As long as you remain calm and stand still, the bees leave you alone,” he adds. Even Fox’s 5-year old son helps out now, having learned that when he acts calmly, the bees let him be.

More than just a cliché, the birds and

the bees are vital to our food facts of life. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, roughly one in every three bites we eat benefits directly or indirectly from honeybee pollination. Locally, honeybees pollinate apples, pears, cherries, melons, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, alfalfa and buckwheat, among others, says Jake Russell, president of the Wenatchee Valley Beekeepers’ Association (WVBA).

Anne McDermit of East Wenatchee dabbled in beekeeping with her grandfather as a kid but started in earnest just last year. She calls bees “absolutely remarkable creatures,” and marvels at how “the queen figures out how many workers she’ll need and produces more eggs for summer and then tapers off in fall. She rules the roost, and they’re loyal to her.”

Though her beekeeping endeavors started out successfully last season, McDermit has faced hurdles, too. This

spring, her bees died suddenly. Now she must wait for a swarm to start anew.

Enthusiastic new beekeeper Paul Molenaar of Malaga experienced similar misfortune. After successfully establishing his hives last year, Molenaar’s bees abruptly vanished in December.

Both beekeepers were emotional about the loss of their bees. The bees’ constant hum all day as they worked was soothing for McDermit and Molenaar. When the buzzing stopped, they said the sudden silence was deafening.

Ophthalmologist Jim Britt has been keeping bees for 15 years, the last five in Stehekin. He divides his time between working in Wenatchee and living in Stehekin. He has three of his own hives in Stehekin.

Britt came to beekeeping in an unusual manner. In 2000, he was on a ladder at home and found himself peering into a giant hornet nest. He’d always had a phobia of bees and other stinging bugs, and he wound up falling and breaking his arm. After the incident, a friend gave him a beehive as a joke. Britt overcame his phobia eventually and a new pastime was born.

Stehekin is “isolated and like an island,” Britt says. “It’s kind of like beekeeping in the olden days.”

Though he does not purport to have A honey bee crawls on Fox’s finger.

Fox decided to start keeping bees after hearing about Colony Collapse Disorder. He did research and found out there is no single cause, but a confluence of factors.


a complete understanding of CCD, he notes that since he moved his bees to Stehekin, he’s had fewer problems with disease, and he’s found they winter-over better. He doesn’t use pesticides there, whereas he needed to when his bees were kept in Wenatchee.

Britt’s biggest bee worries have shifted now that the bees are uplake. Instead of disease, the pervasion of yellow jackets and hornets are his biggest worries now, along with the omnipresent danger of bears.

Britt says that without bees, the food supply would be in jeopardy. There are not enough native pollinators and bees’ pollination skills are important. “The honey,” he says, “is a nice bonus.”

He and his family enjoy tasting local honey wherever they travel. Britt is amazed at how different the flavors can be based on local factors. He describes Wenatchee honey as very fruity due to the abundance of fruit trees. By contrast, Stehekin’s honey evokes a smoky, almost fireweed flavor due to recent forest fires.

When asked what kind of temperament it takes to keep bees, Britt responded, “do you mean temperament of the humans or the bees?” He says anyone can do it; it’s just important to find the right type of bees. He advises using Italian bees if you’re in a neighborhood. They are usually so calm that he often doesn’t even need to wear a protective suit to handle them.

Bee food.

Ways to helpIf you’re not inclined to keep bees, there are several other ways you can help honeybees.

“Most importantly,” states the WVBA’s Jake Russell, “plant pollen- and nectar-producing plants in your yard. They are not only great for the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, but many will produce beautiful flowers and some will produce fruits, nuts, or seeds that can help feed other animals like birds, squirrels and deer.”

Another option is to allow a beekeeper to place a few colonies on your property. Russell suggests contacting the Wenatchee chapter of the Washington State Native Plant Society, a WSU Master Gardener or the Wenatchee Valley Beekeepers’ Association (Facebook) for more information. The WVBA offers a Master Beekeeper certification program. The apprentice course costs only $10 and teaches the basics of beekeeping. F


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CLOSEDMONDAYS

Frank Kuntz was elected Wenatchee’s

mayor in November 2011. As mayor he immediately had to deal with a default on the bonds used to build the Town Toyota Center arena. After lobbying the Legislature, Wenatchee was able to increase its sales tax and put an additional regional sales tax on the ballot which was eventually approved by voters and saved the center and the city from bankruptcy. Then, Kuntz had to deal with a big budget shortfall that led to the loss of jobs in the police and fire departments, as well as at the museum. He is a lifelong Wenatchee resident, having grown up in a family with eight siblings. He also runs his own accounting office, specializing in tax law. This entire interview was by text message. Words in brackets were not part of the original texts.

Texting...offbeat By cal Fitzsimmons

FrankKuntz

It’s been a rather

uneventful first year as

mayor for you. Is there

something you can do

to make the rest of your

term more interesting?

Not sure. Perhaps limits for the mayor

so you can only serve one term. Feels like I’ve

been doing this for more than seven months.

Do you prefer “Mr. Mayor,” “your honor” or

perhaps some other name city employees have for you?

I prefer Frank. I get called my high

school nickname sometimes (Clyde).

The formal stuff drives me crazy but

I know it’s part of the job. I prefer

casual. [I’m] getting ready to meet

with city bond lawyers and I’m

wearing khaki shorts and a golf shirt. I

much prefer that to slacks and a sports coat.

Bond lawyers are known for being wild and crazy, so don’t let them lead you astray. You were a star on the (Wenatchee High School) golf team in 1981. Could Frank today beat the Frank, or “Clyde,” who rocked out to Rick Springfield and Blondie?

It was AC/DC for me and Foreigner. I am a better golfer now than I was then. I was looking at some old photos last week and saw a photo of the old golf team with me, Peter Fraley (PFD lawyer) and Dan Johnston (local chiropractor). We were third in state that year.

Geeze, you shot a 78 at regionals that year, so you must be ready for the tour. Anyway, I suppose you’ve learned dirty deeds are not done dirt cheap. So what musician or band do you like most now?

Hell’s Bells was better. Driving over [to Spokane that day] it was Jimmy Buffet. Steve Miller Band (his parents and my parents were friends back in Texas) and Kenny Chesney. Also, whatever my kids put on that I can tolerate.

Future mayor


So sorry. Another source told me you text a lot. How many people have sent you texts during this interview?

My son Brady and that’s it. A bunch of emails from both offices which I have not read yet. This iPhone makes lots of noises that I am still getting used to.

I vote you #1

dad ... btw,

vega outa gas

I’ll resist a Take the Money and Run comment. Oops. Back in high school maybe they called you Clyde but your family called you “Babe Magnet.” Were you oddly wealthy as a teen or what’s that all about?

You’re quite a joker, aren’t you. I was not a chick magnet in high school. I ask a few girls out and they mostly told me to “fly like an eagle.” I then tried a little “abracadabra” but that did not work either. My first car was a 1963 Buick and then when I went to college I got a Chevy Vega station wagon. [I] took it to UW and with all the rain it leaked. I had to bail the water out in order to drive it.

I trust my source on that, pal. So moving on, did you dream of being an accountant as a child or was it more traditional kid stuff like a fireman or policeman?

I had no idea what I wanted to do. My dad was an attorney and that sounded OK but I was not interested in the additional schooling. Being a tax accountant you are basically practicing law (tax law) without being a lawyer, so it fit for me.

Vega wagon confirms the magnet thing, by the way. What’s the last movie you saw at a theater and how many stars would you give it out of five?

Don’t go to many movies. Went to Horrible Bosses last summer. My client was the director. I am biased but I give it a 10.

Out of five stars, very impressive. As the fifth child out of nine did you have any middle child issues or maybe remembering everyone’s name issues?

Check your sources. I am six out of nine. Not sure about middle child issues. Just had to be creative at dinner time to make sure you got what you wanted. Names were easy. Birthdays were hard.

Assuming your term limits

idea fizzles, what are the odds right

now you’ll run for re-election?

50-50. It’s a hard job. I will

know more in three years.

What makes Wenatchee a

special place?

We step up and do what’s

needed when times

get tough. We help

each other out. It’s

a beautiful place to

live. I would not live

anywhere else.

♥♥

♥


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Gewürztraminer has long been touted as one of Washington’s gee-whiz wonderful wines, made from a grape

that no place else grows better and that few people can spell or pronounce.

Judges for the 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards thought Icicle Ridge Winery’s 2011 The Blondes Gewürztraminer was a shining example of what can be done with the fragrant, white wine grape. They awarded it a gold medal, naming it Best White Wine and Best of Show. Icicle Ridge also won awards for its 2010 Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Ice Wine, another of the winery’s specialties.

Louie and Judy Wagoner have been serving and selling Icicle Ridge wines from their luxurious log home overlooking a pond, vineyards, the winding Wenatchee River and snow-capped peaks of the Cascades since they opened their winery in 2002.

With a full slate of outdoor summer concerts, the winery is one of the Wenatchee Valley’s most visited wineries and truly a destination equal to its fine wines. The winery is surrounded by the pear orchard that the Wagoners have operated since 1972.

Son-in-law Don Wood has taken over winemaking duties from Louie in recent years, producing an eclectic mix of fragrant whites,

robust reds, rare ice wines and even some easy-drinking fruit and wine blends. The winery produces about 6,000 cases annually, nearly all of it sold at the winery.

The Blondes is so named for Louie and Judy’s three daughters, said Wood, a co-owner of Icicle Ridge. Although many of Icicle Ridge’s wines are made from estate-grown grapes, the Gewürztraminer is made from Columbia Valley AVA grapes grown near Grandview.

“We think of it as Washington’s ‘sleeper white.’ It has beautiful character,” said Wood.

“There’s been such a demand, we developed a wine club especially for that wine,” said Rachel Strand, the winery’s marketing director. It’s called The Blondes Club, of course.

The ownership group of Icicle Ridge Winery includes Don Wood, left, and wife Kristen Wood (right) and her mother and father, Judy and Lou Wagoner. The vehicles behind are inspirations for different wines they make.

Winner: Best in Show,

Best White, Gold2011 The Blondes Gewürztraminer

Winner: 2 Bronze

Story By rick steigmeyer photoS By kathryn stevens

Gee Whiz, Good Golly!

Gerwürztraminer wins Best of Show

F


Gee Whiz, Good Golly!

Stacy Moody pours Best of Show-winner The Blondes Gewürztraminer for a customer at Icicle Ridge Winery.


Michael RaderCity: KennewickProfession: Financial adviser for Merrill LynchWine experience/

credentials: Has worked with Wine Press Northwest on their judging events for the past five years, second year judging the North Central Washington Wine Awards, judged Idaho Wine Competition twice, served on Wine Press Northwest’s tasting panel

Winnie AlbergCity: EllensburgProfession: Professional wine judgeWine experience/credentials: Degree

in anthropology from Central Washington University. Family owns Stillwater Creek Vineyard LLC, a 300-acre vineyard in Royal City, where she served as marketing and sales director for 10 years. Owns Agronomics LLC, a company that serves private companies, including business planning development, branding, and the sales and marketing of agricultural products. Member of Wine Press Northwest magazine’s tasting panel and a founding roundtable member of the Zino Society. Has professionally judged many wine competitions, including Washington State Wine Competition, Idaho Wine Competition, Platinum Wine Judging Competition and the Northwest Wine Summit

David SeaverCity: RichlandProfession: Scientist, decision analysis and risk management (retired)

Wine experience/credentials: Member of the Wine Press Northwest tasting panel, tasting hundreds of new-release Northwest (British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon

and Washington) wines every year and also participating in Wine Press Northwest peer reviews of specific wine varietals and categories of wine. Has judged wines in regional competitions such as Greatest of the Grape (Umpqua Valley) in Idaho, Yakima Valley Red Wine and Chocolate, and St. Joseph’s Art and Wine Festival.

Barb RobertsonCity: WenatcheeProfession: Restaurateur and account manager for Sysco food service

Wine experience/credentials: WSET Advanced Certification and Diploma coursework. Has worked in Northwest wine industry for more than 10 years, including distribution, sales, production and marketing

Daniel M. CarrCity: East WenatcheeProfession: Chef, restaurateurWine experience/credentials: Has

worked with wine sales in restaurants since 1978. Awards include Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recipient since 1998; Wine Spectator “Best of” Award of Excellence recipient 2009, 2010 and 2011; Washington Wine Restaurant Awards; Winemaker’s Choice award 2009; and Washington Wine Grand Award 2011. Listed In Sommelier Guide to Restaurants in America

Amy MummaCity: EllensburgProfession: Director, Institute of Wine, Beverages and Gastronomy, Central

Washington UniversityWine experience/credentials: Founder and director of the CWU World Wine program, named International Professional

Wine Woman in Paris in 2005 and 2006, named Western Innovator 2008 by Capital Press, national and international wine judge, chief judge for wine, beer, spirits at the International Beverage Exposition and Competition in Shenzen, China, written numerous books and articles for the wine industry, freelance writer for Vineyard and Winery Management, North American correspondent for Wine Lovers Bordeaux, MBA in wine from the University of Bordeaux Business School, France, diploma of Wine Studies and Sensory Analysis from the Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon, France, Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London

Franklin PangraziCity: EllensburgProfession: Program assistant, Central Washington University wine, beer programs

Wine experience/credentials: Bachelor’s degree in hospitality from Washington State University, worked in beverage management for several restaurants in Las Vegas, former restaurant manager, former tasting room manager

Alan KropfCity: Napa Valley, CaliforniaProfession: Beverage Magazine Publisher, Mutineer Magazine

Wine experience/credentials: Advanced Certificate of Wine and Spirits from Wine and Spirit Education Trust; Certified Sommelier though Court of Master Sommeliers; Selected by Forbes Magazine as one of the world’s top 30 business leaders under the age of 30 in food and beverage, 2011; selected by Wine & Spirits Magazine as one of the world’s top 30 beverage professionals under the age of 30, 2011

The Judges



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Judging for the North Central Washington Wine Awards took place June 14 at the Confluence

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its professional crew of moderators and back-room staff led the judging.

It was a double-blind judging, with the eight judges knowing nothing about the wines in front of them. Judges were split evenly into

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How Judging Works


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judging was complete.The back-room staff, led by

Hank and Nancy Sauer labeled glasses, opened bottles, decanted red wines, delivered flights of wine to judges, washed glasses and kept judges supplied with plates of palate-neutral snacks and water.

Each wine was judged on its own merits, with every wine capable of winning a gold medal if it lived up to judges’ expectations.

Judges kept notes on a scorecard and gave each wine a rating: gold, silver, bronze or no medal. When judges completed tasting a flight, they handed their score sheets to the moderator who would tabulate results. If all four judges agreed on scoring for a wine, then the scoring would reflect their consensus without conversation. If judges were split on scoring, then the moderator would lead a discussion about the merits of the wine, with the judge or judges with the higher scoring explaining their view. Sometimes that swayed the lower-scoring judge(s) to improve their score, but not in all cases.

There were multiple golds in some categories, while others did not have a wine that judges believed merited gold.

From the 216 total entries, judges awarded 18 gold, 71 silver and 63 bronze medals. The percentage of winners in each category falls in line with other large competitions, said Perdue, Wine Press Northwest editor-in-chief.

Mike Bonnicksen

Judges take notes during tasting. After most flights, they discuss the merits of each wine.

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With a name like Roses and Rubies, you expect something rather

magnificent when you sip Wedge Mountain Winery’s premier dessert wine. Judges at the North Central Washington Wine Awards were dazzled by the wine, giving it a gold medal for the second year in a row. This year, judges also took it a notch higher, naming it the competition’s Best Dessert Wine.

One of NCW’s smallest wineries, Wedge Mountain is a hidden gem

nestled deep in a Wenatchee River-bordered pear orchard between Dryden and Peshastin. Owners Charlie and Mary Ann McKee produce only about 1,000 cases of wine annually and only 187 cases of Roses and Rubies, bottled in 375 ml size only.

Mary Ann McKee wasn’t too surprised when told their Roses and Rubies wine had done so well. “That wine has won a lot of awards. It’s yummy.”

The wine is made from 100 percent Washington state raspberries. Charlie uses natural fermenting techniques

Story By rick Steigmeyer

Winner: Best Dessert, Gold

Roses and Rubies

Winner: 1 Bronze

Sweet from Wedge Mountain

Treat


Kathryn Stevens

Charlie and Mary Ann McKee’s Wedge Mountain Winery is surrounded by a pear orchard between Peshastin and Dryden. NCW Wine Awards judges selected the couple’s Roses and Rubies wine, left, as Best Dessert Wine.

rather than added spirts to boost alcohol to 18 percent while preserving its brilliant ruby color, fresh-picked raspberry aroma and sweet-tart taste.

Wedge Mountain wines — mostly reds — are perennial winners at competitions. One of the earliest NCW wineries, Wedge Mountain started on the McKee ranch in 2001, but the winery’s roots took hold long before. Charlie developed his winemaking skills when he was a U.S. Marine stationed in Naples, Italy, in the mid-1950s. He continued making wine as an amateur through his years as an hydroelectric engineer for Chelan County PUD. Awards won in amateur competitions led him to formalize his winemaking education with classes at University of California at Davis and Walla Walla Community College.

Wedge Mountain specializes in jammy, full-bodied reds including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Lemberger and Malbec. The winery also has a Dry Riesling, a Pinot Grigio and a Tawny Port in addition to Roses and Rubies. Grapes are sourced from the Columbia Valley, Red Mountain and Ancient Lakes growing areas.

“We try to get really good grapes and let the grapes express themselves,” said Mary Ann McKee. “We try to keep it simple and natural.” F


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Chateau Faire Le Pont once again proved the truth of its self-tout as a producer of “ultra

premium” wines. The winery scored another strong showing in the North Central Washington Wine Awards this year.

The Wenatchee winery’s 2008 Wahluke Slope Cabernet Franc won a gold medal and was picked Best Red in this year’s competition among more than 200 NCW wines. The winery also won gold for its 2008 Wahluke

Slope Reserve Milbrandt Vineyard Syrah and silver awards for five other red wines.

The awards are a convincing follow to last year’s inaugural NCW Wine Awards, when Chateau Faire Le Pont was one of the major medal winners. The winery was the first winner of the Platinum Winemakers Circle for its gold-medal haul in last year’s NCW Wine Awards.

Doug Brazil, general manager and winemaker, said his goal has been

Winner: Best Red, Gold

2008 Cabernet Franc

Winner: Gold

2008 Reserve Milbrandt Vineyard Syrah

Winner: 5 Silver, 2 Bronze

Story By rick steigmeyer

Chateau Faire Le Pont

Scores Again


Kathryn Stevens

Chateau Faire Le Pont owners Debé and Doug Brazil. Chateau Faire Le Pont’s two gold-medal winners in the 2012 NCW Wine Awards: 2008 Reserve Milbrandt Vineyards Syrah and 2008 Cabernet Franc, which judges selected as the Best Red in the competition.

to produce “world-class” wines. A former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, Brazil fell in love with wines and started taking courses in winemaking while working in Europe. With his wife Debé, he partnered with investors to start their dream winery in a historic brick fruit warehouse in Olds Station in 2004. Debé markets the wine and runs the winery’s tasting room, restaurant, gift store and event center.

The key to making fine wines is balance and good raw product, said Doug.

The gentlest possible processes are used at every stage of production to ensure maximum extraction and intense flavor in his wines, he said. Perfect balance of fruit and alcohol, acid, tannin and texture is achieved through artful barreling and blending. Grapes are sourced from the Wahluke Slope, Ancient Lakes, Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima wine growing regions.

The winery produces between 3,000 and 3,500 cases annually, but plans are to gradually expand to about 7,000 cases. F


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Jones of Washington has been attracting medals like an industrial strength magnet for the past year

or so.The medal count continued to

climb with the winery’s showing at the 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards. Judges awarded Jones of Washington four gold, nine silver and two bronze medals during the regional competition June 14.

Jones also received a Platinum Winemakers Circle award for its

strong showing in this year’s contest.The winery was also a big winner

at last year’s NCW Wine Awards, the 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Awards, 2012 Seattle Wine Awards and other prestigious competitions. Wine Press NW named Jones of Washington its Washington Winery of the Year for 2012.

“It’s been crazy,” said Allan Williams, the winery’s director of sales and marketing. “We had such an amazing year last year but this

Winner: Platinum

Winemakers Circle award

Winner: 4 Gold

2011 Pinot Gris2008 Barrel Select

2011 Riesling2011 Sauvignon Blanc

Winner: 9 Silver, 4 Bronze


Awards Keep Coming

for Jones of Washington


Kathryn Stevens

Victor Palencia, winemaker at Jones of Washington winery, tastes wine in the Jones of Washington tasting room. Jones of Washington’s Gold Medal winners in the 2012 NCW Wine Awards: 2011 Estate Riesling, 2011 Estate Pinot Gris, 2011 Sauvignon Blanc and 2008 Barrel Select red blend.

has been even better. We’re already out of some of our wines. It’s been remarkable.”

Playing no small part in the success has been the winery’s talented young winemaker, Victor Palencia. Just 27, he worked in vineyards and wineries with his migrant farm worker family from a young age, later earning a degree in winemaking from Walla Walla Community College.

The Jack Jones family farms more than 1,600 acres of grapes in the Quincy and Mattawa areas. Those grapes and more from other Columbia Basin growers are made into wine under Palencia’s direction at J&S Crushing, a Mattawa bulk wine plant owned by Jack Jones and Dick Shaw. Palencia and vineyards manager Greg Jones pick out the “best of the best” from the Jones’ vineyards for the Jones of Washington wines. Williams said they plan to double production of most of their whites to keep up with growing demand. Total production of all wines next year will be more than 10,000 cases. F


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Their winery may be young, but Butch and Jerry Milbrandt know a thing or two about

growing grapes and making wine in the Columbia Basin.

The two brothers moved to Quincy from Oregon as youngsters when their parents bought 160 acres for $40 an acre in the early 1950s. The two have been working various aspects of the family farm ever since, growing alfalfa, corn, wheat, vegetables, apples and potatoes. They planted their first grapes in 1997 and haven’t stopped.

Today, the Milbrandts have a dozen vineyards totaling nearly 2,000 acres scattered between Mattawa and Quincy in the Wahluke Slope and Ancient Lakes regions of the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area. They’re expanding a vineyard near George and planting a new 160-acre vineyard along Highway 28 west of Quincy. The vineyards produce grapes for more than 20 other wineries in the state, including Chateau Ste. Michelle the state’s largest winery.

In 2005, Butch oversaw construction

of Wahluke Wine Co., a custom crush operation, and Milbrandt Vineyards, the family’s own winery, near Mattawa. Milbrandt Vineyards produced about 8,000 cases of wine in 2007, its first year of marketing. That modest venture quickly increased to 50,000 cases last year, making it the largest NCW winery and a major player in the state. Increasing volume of the Milbrandt wines requires more of their vineyard production, said Butch Milbrandt. The winery sources some of its grapes from 30 other wine producers in the Wahluke and Ancient Lakes areas.

The Milbrandts believe the region’s moderate temperatures, low rainfall and sandy soils are ideal for growing wine grapes.

Judges for the North Central Washington Wine Awards were in agreement. Milbrandt wines won four gold and two silver medals in the annual competition, sponsored by Foothills Magazine. Gold medals were awarded to the 2009 Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Clifton Vineyards Estates Mourvedre, 2009 Northridge Vineyard

Winner: Platinum

Winemakers Circle award

Winner: 4 Gold

2009 Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

2009 Clifton Vineyards Estates Mourvedre

2009 Northridge Vineyard Estates

Petite Sirah2011 Traditions Riesling

Winner: 2 Silver


Growing Fast at Milbrandt


Mike Bonnicksen

Butch Milbrandt, left, co-owner of Milbrandt Winery, and head winemaker Joshua Maloney, right. Milbrandt had four gold-medal winners: 2009 Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Clifton Vineyards Estates Mourvedre, 2009 Northridge Vineyard Estates Petite Sirah, and 2011 Traditions Riesling.

Estates Petite Syrah and 2011 Traditions Riesling. Its 2011 Traditions Pinot Gris and 2011 Traditions Rose won silver medals. Several other award-winning wines made by other NCW wineries were sourced from Milbrandt vineyards.

Milbrandt Winery is also recipient of the Platinum Winemakers Circle Award given by the NCW Wine Awards for exceptional showing in the competition.

Head winemaker Joshua Maloney released more than 20 different Milbrandt wines at three price levels for this year, from fruity, aromatic chardonnay and riesling to berry-rich, bold Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Mourvedre. Maloney, who left Chateau Ste. Michelle last year to take over the Milbrandt director of wine position from Gordy Hill, said he is excited to be working with grapes from vineyards that can produce wines with pure fruit aromas and great texture.

“We started growing grapes for other wineries. When we saw how well those wines were doing with the name of our vineyards on their bottles, we thought we should start making our own wine,” Butch Milbrandt said. It didn’t turn out to be quite as easy as they expected, but sales have increased about 20 percent every year. Awards and great scores from some wine magazines helped increase sales last year by 35 percent, he said.

Wine will continue to be a rapidly growing industry for Washington for many years, he said. Expect Milbrandt Vineyards to be at the forefront of that growth. F


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Grapes grown in sun-drenched Grant County, Wash., Grapes grown in sun-drenched Grant County, Wash., Grapes grown in sun-drenched Grant County, Wash., Grapes grown in sun-drenched Grant County, Wash., Grapes grown in sun-drenched Grant County, Wash.,

become some of Washington State’s most impressive become some of Washington State’s most impressive become some of Washington State’s most impressive become some of Washington State’s most impressive become some of Washington State’s most impressive become some of Washington State’s most impressive become some of Washington State’s most impressive

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White Heron Cellars

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Category: GewürztraminerBest in Show, Best White

Icicle Ridge Winery 2011 The Blondes Gewürztraminer $23.50

Judges’ comments: This Peshastin winery is making some of the region’s best wines, and this Gewürztraminer is a classic. It shows off classic aromas and flavors of lychee, spice, flowers and minerality, along with luscious notes of pears that give way to an incredibly long finish. Share this with friends and family at your Thanksgiving table this fall, as it will pair perfectly with dark turkey meat.

Winery: 8977 North Road, Peshastin; (509) 548-7019Winery tasting room open noon to 5 p.m. dailyA Taste of Icicle Ridge Winery tasting room: 821 Front St.,

Suite B, Leavenworth; (509) 548-6156; tasting 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with wine flights from 6 to 9 p.m.

icicleridgewinery.com

Category: DessertBest Dessert

Wedge Mountain Roses & Rubies $25

Judges’ comments: Owner/winemaker Charlie McKee annually produces one of the most delicious dessert wines in Washington. This raspberry wine reaches 18 percent alcohol using a process called continuous fermentation. It’s pure and delicious with plenty of sweetness. This wine also won a gold medal in last year’s competition.

Tasting room open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday

9534 Saunders Road, Peshastin(509) 548-7068; wedgemountainwinery.com

Category: Cabernet FrancBest Red

Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Cabernet Franc $39.99

Judges’ comments: Chateau Faire le Pont is making some of the best wines in North Central Washington, and it proved this by crafting the top red wine of this year’s competition. We loved this wine for its rich aromas of chocolate-covered cherries and cedar, followed by superb flavors of blackberries, raspberries and dark chocolate. It is a perfect wine to pair with braised meats.

Tasting room open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

1 Vineyard Way, Wenatchee(509) 667-9463; fairelepont.com

Category: Cabernet SauvignonMilbrandt Vineyards 2009 Estates

Cabernet Sauvignon $24.99

Judges’ comments: The Milbrandt brothers have been growing some of Washington’s top grapes since the 1990s, and their decision to launch a winery a few years later has paid off handsomely. This superb Cab opens with luscious aromas of blackberries, leather and bacon fat, followed by bold yet elegant flavors of dark, ripe plums and berries. It’s beautifully balanced with full flavors and firm tannins.

Tasting room open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily508 Cabernet Court, Prosser(509) 788-0030; milbrandtvineyards.com

Icicle Ridge Winery 2011 The Blondes Gewurztraminer

Wedge Mountain NV Roses & Rubies

Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Cabernet Franc

Milbrandt Vineyards 2009 Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

Gold medals

Foothills Magazine is proud to introduce a new award this year that recognizes wineries that set the gold standard in the North Central Washington Wine Awards.

The Platinum Winemakers Circle award is given this year to Jones of Washington and Milbrandt Vineyards. Foothills is also awarding the honor retroactively to Chateau Faire Le Pont for its outstanding showing in the inaugural 2011 NCW Wine Awards.

Platinum Winemakers Circle2011

Chateau Faire Le Pont

2012Jones of WashingtonMilbrandt Vineyards



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Category: ChardonnayVin du Lac 2011 Barrel Select

Chardonnay $19.99

Judges’ comments: Larry Lehmbecker launched his winery on the north shore of Lake Chelan in 2002 and quickly established himself as one of the top winemakers in the entire Pacific Northwest. His speciality is in reds, so we are delighted with this world-class white wine. This Chardonnay reveals some oak with aromas of butter along with apples and cardamom. On the palate, it shines with well-integrated flavors of tropical fruit, including pineapple and guava, all of which gives way to a lengthy finish.

Tasting room open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday

105 Highway 150, Chelan(509) 682-2882; vindulac.com

Category: Other RedMilbrandt Vineyards 2009 Clifton

Vineyards Estates Mourvèdre $27.99

Judges’ comments: Mourvèdre is best known in France’s Rhône Valley, but it’s still a relatively new grape in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re unfamiliar with Mourvèdre’s qualities, consider this bottling from Milbrandt as a standard bearer. It opens with aromas of chocolate, black cherries and black pepper, followed by big, long, smooth flavors of chocolate-covered dried cherries. It all comes together in a lengthy finish.


Category: Other WhiteMalaga Springs Winery 2011 Chenin

Blanc $14

Judges’ comments: Chenin Blanc is a rare grape in Washington, though it is a classic variety in its native France. Thus, we are delighted when we come across one as delicious as this from a winery south of Wenatchee. It opens with aromas of oranges and white flowers, followed by lush flavors of peaches and Golden Delicious apples. It’s all backed with crisp, food-friendly acidity.

Tasting room open noon to 5 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday or by appointment

3450 Cathedral Rock Road, Malaga(509) 679-0152malagaspringswinery.com

Category: Pinot GrisJones of Washington 2011 Pinot Gris

$13.99

Judges’ comments: Oregon is more famous for Pinot Gris, but Washington makes nearly as much, and it has become a favorite with wine lovers. This is a superb example that reminds us of an Italian Pinot Grigio style. It opens with inviting aromas of pineapples and grapefruit zest, followed by beautifully balanced flavors of tropical fruit and bright citrus. Pair this with steamed clams.

Tasting room open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Monday from Memorial Day through Labor Day and noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday from Labor Day through Memorial Day

2101 F St. S.W., Quincy(509) 787-8108; jonesofwashington.com

Category: Pinot NoirBenson Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir $26

Judges’ comments: Pinot Noir is a rare wine in Washington, which is typically too warm for the red grape. However, the somewhat cooler north shore of Lake Chelan is proving to be a sweet spot for the variety, and this is a great example. It reveals classic aromas of mushrooms, earth, plums and violets, followed by smooth, elegant flavors of cherries and raspberries. Pair with grilled pork tenderloin.

Tasting room open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.754 Winesap Ave., Manson(509) 687-0313; bensonvineyards.com

Category: Red BlendBenson Vineyards 2009 Rhythm $28

Judges’ comments: Winemaker Scott Benson crafted this red blend from estate grapes using Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s an elegant wine with lightly toasted aromas that include black currants and moist earth, followed by rich, dark flavors of blackberries, ripe plums and dark chocolate. It provides a beautifully long finish and will pair well with tenderloin with no sauce.

Tasting room open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.754 Winesap Ave., Manson(509) 687-0313; bensonvineyards.com

Benson Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir

Vin du Lac 2011 Barrel Select Chardonnay

Milbrandt Vineyards 2009 Clifton Vineyards

Estates Mourvèdre

Malaga Springs Winery 2011 Chenin Blanc

Jones of Washington 2011 Pinot Gris

Benson Vineyards 2009 Rhythm

Gold medals


Jones of Washington 2008 Barrel Select $24.99

Judges’ comments: Winemaker Victor Palencia has crafted a red wine in the style of a Super Tuscan, with the majority of this bottling using Sangiovese, as well as a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. It opens with a nice blend of smokiness, cherries and pipe tobacco, along with complex flavors of black cherries, ripe raspberries, a hint of cranberries and dark chocolate, all beautifully balanced.



Stemilt Creek Winery 2006 Stemilt Hill $16

Judges’ comments: Stemilt Creek has crafted a red blend that is dominated by Merlot (55 percent) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40 percent), as well as a touch of Syrah. It’s a classic wine that shows off a bit of complex maturity in the aromas, followed by flavors of dark fruit, Aussie-style black licorice and mint. It is beautifully balanced and will continue to drink well for at least a half-decade more.

Wenatchee tasting room: 110 N. Wenatchee Ave., (509) 665-3485; open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday

Leavenworth tasting room: 617 Front St., (509) 888-5357, open noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; stemiltcreekwinery.com

Stemilt Creek Winery 2006 Stemilt Hill

Jones of Washington 2008 Barrel Select


Home Wine making & BreWingThe only place in town to get your supplies!

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See the fabulous features of DeWils Cabinets at our showroom.

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A Book For All Seasons20 years of independent book selling

703 Hwy. 2 • Leavenworth, WA [email protected] / www.abookforallseasons.com

Friday, Sept. 28 7-9 pm at Barn Beach ReserveJohn de Graaf: Stop Chasing Growth and Start Pursuing Happiness (Presentation)

Saturday, Sept. 29 2-4 pm at the BookstoreJohn de Graaf: What is the Economy For, Anyway? (Book-signing)See our website for many more events happening this fall!

Stemilt Creek Winery 2007 A Day’s Work $26

Judges’ comments: Winemaker Jan Mathison has crafted a classic Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. On the nose, it reveals complex aromas of black olives, black currants and dark chocolate, followed by smooth and elegant flavors of ripe dark berries and black pepper. Yet this wine is all about balance, with superb acidity, approachable tannins and delicious fruit.

Wenatchee tasting room: 110 N. Wenatchee Ave., (509) 665-3485; open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday

Leavenworth tasting room: 617 Front St., (509) 888-5357, open noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday

stemiltcreekwinery.com

Category: RieslingJones of Washington 2011 Riesling $13.99

Judges’ comments: Winemaker Victor Palencia has crafted a white wine that reminds us of a classic Alsatian Riesling. It is fresh and balanced throughout, with great acidity and steely fruit. This is loaded with aromas and flavors of Fuji apples, Asian pears and limes. It’s a perfect wine to enjoy with scallops or Dungeness crab.



Milbrandt Vineyards 2011 Traditions Riesling $12.99

Judges’ comments: The Milbrandts grow Riesling for Chateau Ste. Michelle’s top wines, so they know a thing or two about how to get the most out of the grape. And that knowledge and hard work translate to a delicious and superb white wine in this bottling. This shows off some of the best of the variety, with aromas of crisp apples and pears, followed by flavors of lemons and nectarines backed with exotic spices. Pair this with linguine in a cream sauce.


Category: Sauvignon BlancJones of Washington

2011 Sauvignon Blanc $16.99

Judges’ comments: This Wahluke Slope winery — with a tasting room in Quincy — is Wine Press Northwest’s 2012 Washington Winery of the Year, and it shows why in the North Central Wine Awards with four gold medals and nine silvers. This Sauvignon Blanc opens with exotic aromas of tropical fruit and hollyhock, followed by plush flavors of melons, lemongrass, limes and lemons. It is loaded with bright, seafood-friendly acidity. A great example of the variety.



Category: SyrahChateau Faire le Pont

2008 Reserve Milbrandt Vineyard Syrah $29.99

Judges’ comments: Chateau Faire le Pont brings in top grapes from the warm Wahluke Slope to produce one of the best Syrahs in North Central Washington. It opens with classic aromas, with exotic spices and dark, ripe fruit. On the palate, it reveals flavors of juicy blackberries, black plums and a jammy finish.

Tasting room open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

1 Vineyard Way, Wenatchee(509) 667-9463; fairelepont.com

Dutch John’s Wines 2008 Sara Syrah $25.95

Judges’ comments: Dutch John Galler established one of Washington’s first wineries in the late 1800s. Today, Galler is honored by Cashmere winemaker George Valison, and we think Dutch John would be especially proud of this effort, which opens with aromas of cherries, chocolate and roasted meat, followed by elegant flavors of rhubarb pie, red plums and raspberries. Pair this with a slice of lamb roast.

Tasting room open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday or by appointment

107 Mission Ave., Cashmere(509) 264-1612, (206) 612-8244; dutchjohnwines.com

Stemilt Creek Winery 2007 A Day’s Work

Milbrandt Vineyards 2011 Traditions Riesling

Jones of Washington 2011 Riesling

Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Reserve Milbrandt

Vineyard Syrah

Jones of Washington 2011 Sauvignon Blanc

Gold medals


Category: Other RedMilbrandt Vineyards

2009 Northridge Vineyard Estates Petite Sirah $27.99

Judges’ comments: Washington is just beginning to find what California has known for many years: Petite Sirah is a stunning grape. And the Milbrandt brothers are quick learners. This is a powerful red wine with elegant aromas of inky black currants and leather, followed by bold yet sleek flavors of plums, black cherries, Marionberries and spices. It has superb length and surprisingly approachable tannins. This is a perfect wine for grilled meats.


Milbrandt Vineyards 2009 Northridge Vineyard

Estates Petite Sirah

Dutch John’s Wines 2008 Sara Syrah

Mike Bonnicksen

Judging for the 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards took place June 14 at the Confluence Technology Center in Olds Station. Regional wineries submitted more than 200 wines for judging.


Request a FREE Ag Tourism Driving Map!www.visitwashingtonfarms.com • Phone: 509.433.1054

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Silver medalS

Category: Cabernet FrancCopper Mountain Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Franc $24.99

coppermountainvineyards.com

Jones of WA 2008 Cabernet Franc $16.99jonesofwashington.com

Stemilt Creek Winery 2007 Transforming Traditions Cabernet Franc $28

stemiltcreekwinery.com

Vin du Lac 2010 Barrel Select Cabernet Franc $39.99vindulac.com

Category: Cabernet SauvignonBoudreaux Cellars 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $100

boudreauxcellars.com

Foxy Roxy Wines 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon $22foxyroxywines.com

Ginkgo Forest Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $18ginkgowinery.com

Jones of Washington 2009 Jack’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $29.99

jonesofwashington.com

Saint Laurent Estate Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignonsaintlaurent.net

Category: ChardonnaySwakane Winery 2011 Unoaked Chardonnay $18

swakanewinery.com

Category: DessertGinkgo Forest Winery 2011 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer $28

ginkgowinery.com

Jones of Washington 2011 Late Harvest Riesling $19.99jonesofwashington.com1

Category: GewürztraminerCave B Estate 2011 Gewürztraminer $22

caveb.com

Category: MalbecChateau Faire le Pont 2008 Malbec $39.99

fairelepont.com

Jones of WA 2009 Reserve Malbec $29.99jonesofwashington.com

Malaga Springs Winery 2009 Malbec $24malagaspringswinery.com

Napeequa Vintners 2008 Malbec $32napeequa.com

Vin du Lac 2009 Barrel Select Malbec $44.99vindulac.com

Category: MerlotOkanogan Estate & Vineyards 2008 Merlot $14.99

okanoganwine.com

Rio Vista 2009 Estate Merlot $28riovistawines.com

Saint Laurent Estate Winery 2008 Merlotsaintlaurent.net

Category: Other RedCave B Estate 2009 Petit Verdot $35

caveb.com

Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Mourvedre $39.99fairelepont.com

Jones of Washington 2008 Reserve Petite Sirah $29.99jonesofwashington.com

Category: Pinot GrisMilbrandt Vineyards 2011 Traditions Pinot Gris $12.99

milbrandtvineyards.com

Category: Pinot NoirChateau Faire le Pont 2009 Pinot Noir $29.99

fairelepont.com

Lake Chelan Winery 2009 Pinot Noir $32lakechelanwinery.com

Category: Red BlendBeaumont Cellars 2010 Babcock Ridge Red $23

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Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Tre Amore $38.99fairelepont.com

CR Sandidge 2009 Caris $29crsandidgewines.com

CR Sandidge 2009 Whistle Punk $20crsandidgewines.com

Foxy Roxy Wines 2008 Vixen $20foxyroxywines.com

Ginkgo Forest Winery 2008 Ginkgo Red $14ginkgowinery.com

Lake Chelan Winery 2008 Maximum M5 $45lakechelanwinery.com

Martin-Scott Winery 2009 Cole’s Collage $20martinscottwinery.com

Martin-Scott Winery 2008 Raven Ridge Red $24martinscottwinery.com

Napeequa Vintners 2008 SLR $28napeequa.com

Napeequa Vintners 2008 Trailhead “Garland Peak” $29napeequa.com

Rio Vista 2009 Loony Red Estate $25riovistawines.com

Ryan Patrick Vineyards 2009 Rock Island Red $20ryanpatrickvineyards.com

Saint Laurent Estate Winery 2008 La Bohemesaintlaurent.net

Stemilt Creek Winery 2007 Boss Lady $24stemiltcreekwinery.com

Stemilt Creek Winery 2007 Caring Passion $17stemiltcreekwinery.com

Category: RieslingCave B Estate 2010 Riesling $22

caveb.com

Ryan Patrick Vineyards 2011 Ryan’s Riesling $10ryanpatrickvineyards.com

Saint Laurent Estate Winery 2010 Rieslingsaintlaurent.net

Tunnel Hill Winery 2011 Estate Riesling $16.95tunnelhillwinery.com

Vin du Lac 2010 Lehm Riesling $19.99vindulac.com

Category: RoséMilbrandt Vineyards 2011 Traditions Rosé $12.99

milbrandtvineyards.com

Malaga Springs Winery 2011 Sangiovese Rosé $17malagaspringswinery.com

Jones of Washington 2011 Rosé Syrah $13.99jonesofwashington.com

Category: SangioveseBenson Vineyards 2009 Sangiovese $29

bensonvineyards.com

Jones of WA 2008 Sangiovese $16.99jonesofwashington.com

Category: SyrahBeaumont Cellars 2010 Syrah $24

beaumontcellars.com

Benson Vineyards 2008 Syrah $29bensonvineyards.com

Cave B Estate 2010 Syrah $25caveb.com

Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Syrah $24.99fairelepont.com

Dutch John’s Wines 2008 Riverbend Vineyard Syrah $19.95dutchjohnwines.com

Jones of Washington 2009 Reserve Syrah $29.99jonesofwashington.com

Jones of Washington 2009 Syrah $16.99jonesofwashington.com

Lake Chelan Winery 2009 Rivers Bend Estate Syrah $35lakechelanwinery.com

Martin-Scott Winery 2008 Syrah $22martinscottwinery.com

Neppel Cellars 2009 Syrah $28

Ryan Patrick Vineyards 2009 Syrah $30ryanpatrickvineyards.com

Saint Laurent Estate Winery 2008 Syrah $18saintlaurent.net

Silvara Vineyards 2009 Syrah $28silvarawine.com

Silvara Vineyards 2008 Syrah $28silvarawine.com

Tunnel Hill Winery 2009 Syrahtunnelhillwinery.com

Vin du Lac 2009 Barrel Select Syrah $27.99vindulac.com

Wapato Point Cellars 2008 Cougar Ridge Reserve Syrah $36wapatopointcellars.com

Category: White BlendStemilt Creek Winery 2011 Sweet Adelaide $12

stemiltcreekwinery.com FoothillsSeptember / October 2012 53

The Taber Family invites you to visit and taste their

handcrafted Okanogan Valley wines.

Tasting Room Open Daily 9am-5pm

Off-Season by AppointmentCopper Mountain Vineyards

33349 Highway 97(509) 476-2762

www.coppermountainvineyards.com

Our Prices Are A Steal!120 N. Wenatchee Ave.

509-670-8522www.facebook.com/winethiefstore

THEWINETHIEF

• Wine tastings• Wine by the glass• Small production

& specialty wines• Special events

Congratulations toall of our NCW Wineries!

Wenatchee’s PremierWine Shop!

bronze medalS

Category: Cabernet FrancCave B Estate 2009 Cabernet Franc $28

caveb.com

Jones of Washington 2009 Cabernet Franc $16.99jonesofwashington.com

Category: Cabernet SauvignonChelan Estate Winery 2006 CE Vineyards

Sillwater Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $25chelanestatewinery.com

Dutch John’s Wines 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $17.95dutchjohnwines.com

Icicle Ridge Winery 2010 Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $55

icicleridgewinery.com

Jones of Washington 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon $16.99jonesofwashington.com

Malaga Springs Winery 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon $23malagaspringswinery.com

Neppel Cellars 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon $25

Rio Vista 2009 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $25riovistawines.com

Silvara Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $26silvarawine.com

Stemilt Creek Winery 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $24stemiltcreekwinery.com

Swakane Winery 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $26swakanewinery.com

Wedge Mountain 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $28wedgemountainwinery.com

Category: ChardonnayJones of Washington 2011 Chardonnay $16.99


Category: DessertChateau Faire le Pont

2009 Commander’s Reserve Port Dessert $42.99fairelepont.com

Ginkgo Forest Winery NV Raspberry Sensationginkgowinery.com

Icicle Ridge Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Ice Wine $65icicleridgewinery.com

Napeequa Vintners 2009 Primitivo $34napeequa.com

Category: MalbecBeaumont Cellars 2010 Malbec

beaumontcellars.com

Cave B Estate 2010 Malbec $35caveb.com

Ginkgo Forest Winery 2009 Malbecginkgowinery.com

Kyra Wines 2010 Malbec $25kyrawines.com

Lake Chelan Winery 2009 Malbec $35lakechelanwinery.com

Martin-Scott Winery 2009 Malbec $26martinscottwinery.com

Category: MerlotCave B Estate 2009 Merlot $25

caveb.com

Wapato Point Cellars 2008 Reserve Merlot $36wapatopointcellars.com

Category: Other RedBeaumont Cellars 2010 Petit Verdot $25

beaumontcellars.com

Beaumont Cellars 2010 Zinfandel $22beaumontcellars.com

Cave B Estate 2010 Tempranillo $28caveb.com

Ginkgo Forest Winery 2009 Barbera $20ginkgowinery.com

Rio Vista 2010 Barbera $28riovistawines.com

Swakane Winery NV Sangria Red Berry $24swakanewinery.com

Category: Other WhiteEagle Creek Winery 2010 Adler Weiss $21

eaglecreekwinery.com

Tunnel Hill Winery 2011 Camino $16.95 tunnelhillwinery.com

Category: Pinot NoirGinkgo Forest Winery 2009 Pinot Noir

ginkgowinery.com

Tunnel Hill Winery 2010 Estate Pinot Noir $24.95tunnelhillwinery.com

Vin du Lac 2010 Red Cafe Pinot Noir $19.99vindulac.com

Vin du Lac 2010 Lehm Pinot Noir $45vindulac.com

Wapato Point Cellars 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir $36 wapatopointcellars.com



Horan Estates WineryTasting Room

Open Friday & Saturday,Noon to 5:00 pm

207 Mission Ave. Suite DCashmere, Washington 98815

509-679-8705 or 509-860-0662 www.horanestateswinery.com

Mention this adto receive

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With this ad and a purchase of $200 or more, get a bottle of Crayelle Cellars or Waterville wine.

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509-787-8108

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C. R. Sandidge Wines, Inc.

“Wines ofSupreme Elegance”

Tasting RoomLocation:

145 Wapato Way,Suite 1

Manson WA509.682.3704

bronze medalS

Category: Pinot GrigioMartin-Scott Winery 2011 Pinot Grigio $14

martinscottwinery.com

Okanogan Estate & Vineyards 2009 Pinot Grigio $12.99okanoganwine.com

Vin du Lac 2010 Lehm Pinot Gris $19.99vindulac.com

Category: Red BlendCave B Estate 2009 Cuvee du Soleil $48

caveb.com

Chateau Faire le Pont 2008 Provence $34.99fairelepont.com

Dutch John’s Wines 2007 Great Northern Red $21.95dutchjohnwines.com

Dutch John’s Wines 2008 Colockum Red $26.95dutchjohnwines.com

Frenchman Hills Winery 2006 Red $27frenchmanhillswine.net

Horan Estate Vineyards 2007 HVH $22horanestateswinery.com

Swakane Winery NV Swakane $26swakanewinery.com

Category: RieslingCrayelle Cellars 2009 Dry Riesling $15

crayellecellars.com

Eagle Creek Winery 2009 White Riesling $19eaglecreekwinery.com

Ginkgo Forest Winery 2011 Riesling $15ginkgowinery.com

Category: RoséTunnel Hill Winery 2011 Pinot Noir Rosé $19.95

tunnelhillwinery.com

Category: Sauvignon BlancCave B Estate 2011 Sauvignon Blanc $20

caveb.com

Category: SyrahCopper Mountain Vineyards 2007 Syrah $17.99

coppermountainvineyards.com

Crayelle Cellars 2009 Syrah $25crayellecellars.com

Frenchman Hills Winery 2006 Syrah $35frenchmanhillswine.net

Ginkgo Forest Winery 2008 Syrahginkgowinery.com

Lost River Winery 2008 Syrah $24lostriverwinery.com

Wine Girl Wines/The Blending Room 2010 Fira Syrah $25winegirlwines.com

Category: ViognierJones of Washington 2011 Viognier $16.99


Martin-Scott Winery 2011 Viognier $14martinscottwinery.com

Tunnel Hill Winery 2011 Viognier $18.95tunnelhillwinery.com

Mike BonnicksenFoothills56 September / October 2012


Green Fees Week Week Day End

9 Holes $10 $12 Junior (under 18) $8 $10Extra 9 same day $5 $5Cart Rental 1 person $10 $10Cart Rental Addl. Person $5 $5Club Rental (pull cart incl.) $10 $10Pull Cart Rental $5 $5Trail Fee Daily $2 $3Trail Fee Annual $75 Included

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celebrates the growing wine community in

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Congratulations toall the medal winners!

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT CLOSEDAugust 5th

The Wenatchee Valley Medical Center Emergency Department will close and redirect you to Central Washington Hospital while the Urgent Care Center will open in its place. Our Urgent Care Center provides convenient, high quality, low cost family health care when you need prompt medical

attention for non-emergencies.

SeizureChest painPossible strokeShortness of breath

Central Washington Hospital1201 South Miller St.

(509) 662-1511OPEN: 24/7

emergency dept.

when to visit:when to visit/call 911:Sprains, strainsFracturesMinor burnsFlu or cold symptomsSore throat and feverEaracheStings or bitesWork-related injuries

Wenatchee Valley Medical Center820 North Chelan Ave.

(509) 663-8711OPEN: 8 AM - 8 PM 7 days a week

urgent care center

Severe burns or wounds Pregnancy complicationsRequiring an ambulanceLife threatening problems

You spot the speck in the mud sloshing around the pan. You tilt the pan once or twice,

giving it a good swirl and making sure nothing important gets washed out. The sparkle settles in the black sand and remains.

You take a closer look. It’s yellow. It glints.

You know what that means.Eureka!

ncw recreation Story By steve maher photoS By frank cone

The hit-and-miss proposition of gold panning requires some patience.The Gold

That GrippethYou won’t make out like a ’49er and saunter away with a leather pouch full of gold. Nor will you have the chance to drink it all away in a saloon. But you’ll still catch ‘The Fever.’


Gold on the Wenatchee!The Mother Lode!Well, most assuredly not the Mother

Lode. But your enthusiasm — and that of all the fellow prospectors around you — is to be excused.

“It’s gold fever,” says East Wenatchee’s Tom Little, president of the North Central Washington Prospectors Association. “When you’re down there and you first see it sparkling, and the sun is hitting it just right, well, I get the fever, too.”

The infliction is spreading. Fueled by rising prices — gold was selling for about $1,600 per ounce in early August — prospecting is on the rise on the Wenatchee River and its tributaries.

The North Central Washington Prospectors Association has seen membership grow from 180 to 245 over the past nine months. Longtime prospectors say they’ve never seen so many people on the main stem Wenatchee and its creeks giving it a go as they have the past few years.

Just don’t expect to sneak away in the

dusk and open a Swiss bank account the next day. Almost everyone is an amateur. And for good reason.

“Some have it in their mind they’re going to go into that creek and strike it rich, but no, that’s not going to happen,” Little says. “It’s a hobby. You do it as a hobby.”

Figuring out the puzzleThat hobby can take three forms.

Most start with panning and then, if the interest grows, turn to sluicing. Only the truly dedicated eventually end up dredging and buying the expensive equipment that goes with that.

For the uninitiated, here is what the three entail:

Panning is just that, dumping some muck in a pan, adding water and using it to sort out large rocks and dirt. Other essential tools include a shovel and brushes.

Sluicing involves sticking what looks like a washboard in the water, scooping sand onto it and allowing water to wash

over and trap gold flakes on the board.Dredging is essentially an underwater

vacuum. A hose is used to suck material from a creek or river bottom and the material is then deposited on a sluice.

All three methods depend on the time-honored natural path gold takes as it makes its way from mountains and slopes into the creeks and rivers.

Man and Nature also determine what activity occurs when. Panning and sluicing can only be done — effectively at least — until the spring or early summer runoff dissipates. By law, and in a bid to protect fish, dredging can only be

You will find gold prospectors who work in pairs or small groups, as well as those who prefer to work alone.


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done on the Wenatchee River in July and doesn’t start elsewhere until Aug. 1 each year. People can dredge until February of the following year, but most pack up in October or November once the weather turns.

Brian and Ana Bailey, a Wenatchee couple in their 20s, first tried prospecting a year ago this summer, just before they got married. They hit Peshastin Creek, turned up a few flecks of gold, and were sold. By fall, they had given up panning and started using a sluice box.

“It was the idea that got us,” Brian says. “It’s just like fishing. It’s a matter of going down by the water and doing something repetitively and forgetting about everything else.”

Ana Bailey compares gold prospecting to working a puzzle. Seek out an area where the creek increases in speed, then decreases, in an hour-glass formation. The gold will pass through the narrow stretch but not go far once the water pools up. The same goes for anywhere the water flows over a rock, roots or mossy areas — spots where gold can get

hooked under, she says. Keep in mind, too, that gold tends to take the shortest route around corners.

Another issue is location. Claims are not allowed on the Wenatchee River’s main stem, so it’s open to anyone and is a good place for newbies to get wet. The creeks that flow into the river, though, are a different story, with numerous claims filed with the federal government throughout the basin.

Take a drive on some of the U.S. Forest Service roads off Highway 97 and you’ll spot numerous signs on trees heralding a claim.

The NCW Prospectors Association, for example, has five claims, totaling about 100 acres, between Dryden and Blewett Pass. Another group, the Bedrock Club of Puyallup, has several more in the Scotty Creek and Shaser Creek areas.

Ana Bailey says she and her husband generally stay on the Wenatchee and not its creeks. “It’s hard to work around all those claims. It’s hard to know if you are on one or not,” she says.

There’s gold up tharA similar predicament was faced by

the old-time miners who invaded the Cascades in the late 1800s.

In those days, though, a step on the wrong ground might be met with the barrel of a gun.

Whenever word leaked about a strike, the prospectors would scurry to that location, putting up canvas tents and rough-hewn cabins as quickly as they dipped their pans into the creek bed or crushed a pile of ore.

In some places, such as the long-gone town of Blewett, a store, post office and hotel followed.

Commercial gold mining continued up until the 1950s when the state rebuilt Highway 97, eliminating more than 200 hairpin curves.

Today, underneath the tree canopy and hidden from easy view, one can still stumble across old mine shafts and mill foundations. The NCW Prospectors Association’s newest claim, the Banjo, has remnants of an ancient cabin and

It doesn’t take a lot of gear to look for gold, but the right gear makes the process a lot easier.


what apparently was a spot to wash minerals from rock and clay.

Place names still provide a nod to the rich and wild past, however.

For instance, Ingalls Creek, which flows into Peshastin Creek about 7 miles from the intersection of highways 97 and 2, is named for a U.S. Cavalry captain who claimed to have found gold in the Mount Stuart Range in the 1860s.

“The whole area was heavily into mining,” Little says. “If you’re a history buff, it’s really interesting.”

The ‘Fever’ remainsThe big rush is long gone, but people

still find gold on the Wenatchee and its tributaries.

“There have been many times when I felt I was in California,” Brian Bailey says. “You get down to bedrock. There are 40 specks there. And that feels good, but they are just specks. It takes something like 40,000 specks to make up an ounce. But the cool thing is that it could include the biggest speck you’ve ever found. That’s what makes it fun.”

Specks, yes. Chunks, no.“Nuggets are not common,” Little

says. “I’ve heard old-timers say they’ve gone 15 years between nuggets.”

But some things don’t change. Gold fever, for example.

“It’s a treasure hunt. You’re literally doing a treasure hunt,” says Bailey. “You can kind of read where the good stuff is going to be. And then you find it, and it’s yours. It’s free. It’s gold!”

“If you’re doing it right, you’re always going to get gold. And there is no question when you find it. You’ll know.”

Eureka!

Prospectors post signs marking their claim to avoid confusion with other gold-seekers. This sign was posted along King Creek near the Blewett Pass summit.

F


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Foothills Magazine Sept-Oct 2012