The Cookbook is here, the cookbook is here -  

The Northwest cookbook is Swirl, Sip & Savor by Carold Frieberg, and features original recipes submitted by 100 Northwest wineries, paired with their wines.  There are over 1,250 wineries in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.  We were asked to submit an original recipe, and we made the final cut and are featured  in the cookbook (see page 199).  The cookbook’s recipes range from dips and spreads, to finger foods, to more sophisticated small plates.  It’s a fantastic cookbook with some terrific recipes for those who enjoy wine and food.  If you are interested, we have some copies available for purchase at a reduced price of $15.95 plus tax.

Trouvaille is Participating in the Woodinville Winemaker Triathlon -

We will be participating in the 2nd annual Woodinville Winemaker’s Triathlon on July 21st (6-10 pm) to raise money for Children’s Hospital, specifically for research into mitochondrial disease.  We have put together a great 6-member team from Trouvaille Winery, and will be competing against a number of other Woodinville wineries, hopefully making a very respectable showing, and then partying hard after wards.  If you are interested  in supporting a very worthy cause, it promises to be a fun event, and will feature an After Party that includes some great food and terrific wines, an opportunity to meet and mingle with the winemakers, as well as participate in some fun activities at the After Party.  We have been told last years’ event was a blast (especially the After Party), so don’t miss it.  Please come, support Children’s Hospital and cheer on our Trouvaille team!  To register (purchase tickets) for this great event, go to www.JMCellars.com.  If you do purchase tickets by June 21st, please enter Trouvaille as the “winery you are supporting”, as each person that does this will reduce our time by 10 seconds, and we all know how competitive my wife Laurelee is!!  Every second counts, so help us out.

Pouring at Wicked Cellar wine shop -

For those of you who were not able to make it out to our release party, and are interested in tasting our wines, or for those who simply want to taste the wines again, we’ll be pouring them at Wicked Cellars, located in Everett, on Friday, July 23rd (4-6 pm).  Wicked Cellars is a great wine shop, and for those who haven’t been there, check out their website at www.wickedcellars.com.

We had our release party for our 2007 vintage on April 17th and 18th, 2010, and had a great time.  For those that came out thank you very much for supporting our winery and it was wonderful to see everyone.

A wild year in terms of weather starting in the spring, with late snow in the vineyards, during the summer the vines were trying to catch up for the late start, and then a wild harvest with a major freeze hitting very early in October.  We managed to escape without losing any grapes, but it made for an interesting and challenging fermentation period.  We ended up with some terrific wines and time will tell just how well they show.  Another year behind us and it’s time to say a huge Thank You to each and every one of our incredible volunteers.  I’ve said this before but we simply couldn’t do this without all of you - Mike & Kristin, David O. & Dave P.; Jen & Selso; Dawn D.; Debbie P.; Garry & friends; Trisha & Pat; Richard, Judy & Jayne; Diana V. & Karin R.  Seriously, thanks. 

Where to start… the winery was supposed to have been completed, but we
are still trying to finish up the work while preparing for and doing
crush. Our new gravity flow designed crush pad has been inaugurated
with this years crush, it works beautifully, and just as it was
designed and envisioned. Just prior to our last grapes coming in we
are able to move into and fully enjoy our new facility. A trying but
good year, and again we couldn’t have done it without mountains of
help from our many volunteers who have come out to enjoy the autumn
ritual, and the post crush social time. Thanks to each and every one
of our helpers.

It looks to be a pretty good year for our vineyards. The challenges
at the winery are being met with creativity, as construction is well
under way, and crush is happening in what seems like a war zone.
Thanks to the great volunteers, friends and family we’ve made it
through this year’s crush with some great wines gently resting in the
barrels. Now it’s time for us to rest as well.

Our first commercial vintage was a challenging one. One week into “crush”, (the term used in the wine industry to describe the start of harvest and crushing of the grapes), Attila broke his foot, ankle and heel in an accident. The following weeks and months were extremely difficult, trying to get out to the vineyards to check on, taste and pick up grapes. As the grapes arrived at the winery, there was the crush and fermentation, then getting the wines pressed and into barrels. As a result of Attila’­s injury, we were forced to cut our production for our first vintage in half. With an incredible amount of help from his wife, Laurelee, as well as help from family and friends, the great 2006 vintage is aging in the barrels.