Whitestone Winery recently opened its tasting room at 111 S Cedar, just by the Rocket Bakery, and that is pretty awesome. Not that I’m a wine expert by any means; I’m definitely more Thomas Haden Church than Paul Giamatti. Regardless, I am also opinionated, and here are some impressions from a recent wine tasting.
2005 Cab Franc: A bit milder than most Francs I’m used to, and the pourer did suggest it would go well with a barbecue. That might be true, but I still expect a bit rounder taste from a cab like this. Still, tasted pretty good to me.
2005 Merlot: Again, a bit milder than I’m used to from a Merlot, but I’m OK with that. In fact, I’d say this one would go better with a barbecue than the Franc, just because of its relative lightness. Tasted pretty good to me.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon: This might have been my favorite of the bunch. The flavor was a lot rounder than the other wines, and I could definitely see myself chilling out with a bottle of this one as opposed to the aforementioned products. The cab sauvignon really did taste pretty good to me.
Pieces of Red: A blend that probably would serve well as a table wine. Tasted pretty good to me.
Call it OMO Chocolat or call it Farmgirl Candy… We just call it good!
The truffles are decadent. I mean, it’s as simple as that. No sugar, awesome ganache, flavorful like crazy… So simple, yet better than any truffles I’ve ever had anywhere else.
Owner Marta Johnson is like your own private therapist. Samples are handed out liberally while you learn life lessons that you didn’t know actually could be taught. Seriously! They’re great nuggets.
There’s always good music playing. From Bob Dylan’s latest to obscure jazz. This is chocolate soundtracks of your lives!
There are “always” new flavors. Sure, we love The Clinton (“don’t inhale!” says the subtitle, and the advice is good as the chocolate dusting is deliciously dangerous). And who can argue the virtues of the Half and Half and the classic French. But there’s always something new going on at OMO, be it the out of this world Orange or Creme Brulee. If you’re really lucky, though, you’ll go in there when the sea-salt caramels are in stock. And if they are, buy as many as possible.
OMO is perfect for any diet! It’s true. Sure, as a whole the truffles may not be too healthy, but as they are as decadent you feel satisfied after eating only one.
We love OMO. And you should too. Check them out at 224 S Washington Street, just by Vino and Saunder’s.
The issue with many artisan beers is that drinking them is more about the experience than actually having a beer experience. In other words, the balance between trying to figure out the complexities of the beer overtake the actual enjoyment of drinking a beer. I, like many, prefer somewhat of a balance between the two.
Fort, from Dogfish Head, is one of those sought after rarities that you’re supposed to pick up, even though it runs $16 a bottle. I stumbled over one on Yoke’s on Argonne—hurry over and they might have some left—which was bottled in 2007.
And while the beer is superbly complex and well brewed… Well, if you read the first paragraph you know where this is going. I strongly admire Dogfish Head for what they’ve put together with Fort. The cloudy orange looks beautiful after pouring, and the raspberry aroma hits you like a fist in the face. Flavorwise the 18% ABV really dominates with a mix of raspberry and a mouthfeel that isn’t miles away from mead. It is a complex beer, definitely made for sipping, and again, if you find a bottle, buy it. It’s an experience worth having.
Now had the price been $10 cheaper, would I make this a regular in my rotation? Most likely not. This isn’t an everyday beer, and I felt like I owed it a certain level of concentration that took away from some of the actual enjoyment. Nothing wrong with some complex tasting now and again, of course, but Fort might just take it all a bit too far for any form of casual enjoyment.
Looking for an excuse to go out (or stay at home) and drink some quality beer? If so, look no further than the American Craft Beer Week which is happening right now!
Now apparently there aren’t many… any… events happening in our fair city, but don’t let that stop you from giving local breweries some love. Northern Lights, for example, has a nitro stout going right now, and that can’t be bad. C.I. Shenanigans, meanwhile, just launched their seasonal, and those might be worth checking out. I’m sure Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company might have something going too.
The grand question is: When will we see something from Budge Brothers, the new Spokane brewery we’re anxiously anticipating?
Whitestone Winery recently opened its tasting room at 111 S Cedar, just by the Rocket Bakery, and that is pretty awesome. Not that I’m a wine expert by any means; I’m definitely more Thomas Haden Church than Paul Giamatti. Regardless, I am also opinionated, and here are some impressions from a recent wine tasting.