News, Blog and Recipes: Blog

NEW YEAR’S WINE AND APPETIZER PAIRING IDEAS

December 28th, 2012

 

Ring in the New Year with some wonderful wine & appetizers.
Below are a few of Airfield’s recommendations:

2011 PINOT GRIS
Pairing: Spring Rolls, Shrimp Cocktail, a Fresh Fruit Tray, and Gouda Cheese.

2011 VIOGNIER
Pairing:  Hummus Spread, Chicken Satay, & Asian Lettuce Wraps.

2011 GEWRÜZTRAMINER
Pairing:  Assorted Cheeses, a Fresh Fruit Tray, & Potstickers.

2011 LIGHTNING
Pairing: Smoked Salmon, Crab Cakes, Fish Tacos, and Sautéed Scallops.

2011 RESERVE CHARDONNAY
Pairing: Fried Calamari, Mini Quiches, Baked Brie, Cheese Fondue, and Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Spreads.

2010 BOMBSHELL RED
Pairing: Barbecued Chicken Wings, Beef Sliders, Smoked Sausage, & Smoked Gouda or Sharp Cheddar.

2009 MERLOT
Pairing: Tenderloin Crostinis, Veal Rolls, Potato Skins, & Stuffed Mushrooms.

2010 MUSTANG
Pairing: Bacon Wrapped Venison or Blue Cheese on Caramelized Onion Flatbread.

2010 SPITFIRE
Pairing: Bruschetta, Italian Meatballs, Mini Pizzas, or an Antipasto Plate of Cured Meats, Mediterranean Olives, Roasted Peppers, Marinated Vegetables, Mixed Nuts, & Assorted Cheeses.

2009 LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Pairing: Mixed Berries, Cheesecake, Custard, Crème Brûlée, Shortbread, & Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Blue Cheese.

 

Veraison 2012

August 8th, 2012

We are now officially in veraison!  Monday morning when our crews were putting the Extenday® out, they discovered that verasion was upon us.  These photos were taken by John Niemeyer, our ranch foreman.  Veraison is the period of the beginning of berry ripening. The berries become soft and take on the colors characteristic of their specific varieties.  These pictures are of Tempranillo, it is usually the first varietal to show signs of veraison

Bud Break 2012

April 22nd, 2012

The 2012 vintage kicked off with bud break in mid-April, which was about 10 days later than normal. However, with the warm weather that we’ve experienced lately, the vintage is gaining momentum. The La Niña appears to be fading and we are anticipating the summer months will be warmer & drier than the previous two vintages.

Below are a few photos that we took as we strolled through the vineyard during bud break.

- Mike Miller, Owner & Grape Grower

Local Sangioveses stand up well against Italy’s best

March 13th, 2012

 

Wine Press Northwest wrote a nice article about local Sangiovese wines including Airfield Estates 2008 Sangiovese described below:

“Lush strawberry jam, black cherry, chocolate-covered raspberry and cinnamon aromas don’t mislead on the flavor profile. The structure shows lots of extraction, richness and barrel influence as the tannins muscle through the acidity. Hints of crushed leaf should add to its ability to pair with a bowl of minestrone or osso bucco.”

Check out the full article: Sangioveses stand up well against Italy’s best | HeraldNet.com – Northwest Wines.

UPDATE FROM THE GROWER…

February 13th, 2012

 

As the new year starts, we look forward to a new and fantastic year ahead. The long protracted fall allowed for our young vines to harden to the extreme temperatures of Winter. This will allow us to establish those vines to our trellises this Summer, and we should be able to reap the rewards of this establishment in 2013. When Winter finally arrived, temperatures did not approach thresholds that would result in significant bud injury, thus the vines are primed for a full crop. As you might remember, last year was not so kind to us, so we’re quite excited about this prospect. In addition, the entire Yakima AVA is dependant on the Yakima River and its tributaries for water supply. Thus far, the Snow pack for the Cascades has been at normal to above normal levels so the water supply looks to be solid for the new vintage.

There are other variables that we need to navigate to complete the season. We are hoping to say goodbye to the La Niña. Its presence has resulted in historically two of the coolest growing seasons on record. Warmer Summer temperature will supply the heat units necessary to bring our grapes to full maturity much earlier this year. This will lessen our exposure to fall frost, reduce disease pressure throughout the Spring & Summer, and give us a better opportunity to produce the highest quality fruit.

Last season was incredibly challenging. We had to deal with additional pressures brought on by high disease indexes. This required intensifying our regimes and we found ourselves working longer hours than we had ever experienced. We decided that our operation required another tractor in order to deal with this pressure. We rented a Kabota, thinking that we would use it for a short period of time, then return it to the dealership after our needs had been satisfied. What we discovered was it used about 70% of the fuel our other John Deere tractors were using, doing the same job at the same speed. This did not seem to require to much thought, we changed the contract to a purchase and ended up trading an older unit in for a second Kabota. Fuel consumption is a huge component of our budget, and we could see that we could make the payments on fuel savings. At the same time, we are also reducing our environmental footprint.

We continuously strive to achieve the desirable outcome by applying softer chemicals, using less fuel, and putting into practice a myriad of other “sustainable practices” in efforts to reduce our footprint and provide a safer environment for our crew. We are only here for a short time. Our farms and our vineyards will outlive us. We need to be responsible as growers to ensure their survival. Farmers are true stewards, spending millions of dollars annually to improve their farms. Next time you meet a farmer, give him or her a hug.

NEW YEAR’S WINE & APPETIZER PAIRINGS

December 27th, 2011

 

Ring in the New Year with some wonderful wine & appetizers.
Below are a few of Airfield’s recommendations:

2010 FLYGIRL WHITE
Pairing: Spring Rolls, Shrimp Cocktail, a Fresh Fruit Tray, and Gouda Cheese.

2010 VIOGNIER
Pairing:  Hummus Spread, Chicken Satay, & Asian Lettuce Wraps.

2010 LIGHTNING
Pairing: Smoked Salmon, Crab Cakes, Fish Tacos, and Sautéed Scallops.

2010 RESERVE CHARDONNAY
Pairing: Fried Calamari, Mini Quiches, Baked Brie, Cheese Fondue, and Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Spreads.

2010 BOMBSHELL RED
Pairing: Barbecued Chicken Wings, Beef Sliders, Smoked Sausage, & Smoked Gouda or Sharp Cheddar.

2008 MERLOT
Pairing: Tenderloin Crostinis, Veal Rolls, Potato Skins, & Stuffed Mushrooms.

2009 MUSTANG
Pairing: Bacon Wrapped Venison or Blue Cheese on Caramelized Onion Flatbread.

2009 SPITFIRE
Pairing: Bruschetta, Italian Meatballs, Mini Pizzas, or an Antipasto Plate of Cured Meats, Mediterranean Olives, Roasted Peppers, Marinated Vegetables, Mixed Nuts, & Assorted Cheeses.

2009 LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Pairing: Mixed Berries, Cheesecake, Custard, Crème Brûlée, Shortbread, & Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Blue Cheese.

HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

December 2nd, 2011

Gift Pack Ideas

Wooden Wine Box
Wooden Wine Box
3-Pack Box – $15
6-Pack Box – $25

 


Vineyard Salute Series
Flygirl – $15
Bombshell – $17

Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottle – $25
Magnum – $180
The Gift that Keeps Giving All Year Long!

Officer's Wine Club
Wine Club Gift Membership
Sign up Online or in the Tasting Room!

 

Wine Accessories

Vinturi
Vinturi Wine Aerator
$39.95

 

Haley's Corker
Haley’s Corker
$6
Corkscrew
Corkscrew
$10
Clothing

Bombshell T-Shirt
Bombshell T-Shirt
$25

 

Black Hat
Airplane Hat
$18
Jacket
Airfield Jacket
$68
Games
 

Wine-O
Wine-O
Bing-O for Wine Lovers
$50

 

Table Topics
Table Topics
Great Conversation Starters
$20
Topics to Go
Topics to Go
Travel Size
$8
Gourmet Delights

Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Small – $12
Large – $30

 

Rustic Flatbread
Rustic Flatbread
$6.95
Dipz
Cugino’s Dipz & Soup
Dipz – $3
Soup – $5.50

Brittle
Wine & Beer Brittle
$8.75

 

Pickled Asparagus
Pickled Asparagus
Spicy or Regular – $5.50
Olives
Olives
$9
Chocolates

Chocolate Sauce
Cabernet Chocolate Sauce
$8.50

 

Cocoa Vinoso
Cocoa Vinoso
$7.50
Wine Lovers Chocolate
Wine Lovers Chocolate
$1.50
Glassware

Logo Wine Glass
Logo Wine Glass
$7.50

 

Wine Bottle Lamp
Wine Bottle Lamp
$6
Flat Airfield Platter
Wine Bottle Cheese Tray
$25
Ornaments

Stone Ornaments
Stone Ornaments
$12

 

Ball Ornament
Ball Ornaments
$10
Airplane Ornament
Wooden Airplane
$3
Stocking Stuffers

Airpane Corks
Airplane Corks
$18

 

Magnets
Wine Bottle Magnets
$6 each
Wine Wipes
Wine Wipes
Compact – $6
Single – 50¢
Books

Winery Dogs of WA
Winery Dogs of Washington
$38

HOLIDAY WINE PAIRINGS

December 2nd, 2011

 

‘Tis the season for fine wine & food!  Below are traditional holiday foods with Airfield Estates wine recommendations:

Prime Rib: Cabernet Sauvignon
Filet Mignon: Aviator
Lamb Roast: Mustang
Brisket: Reserve Syrah
Ham: Reserve Chardonnay, Merlot, & Tempranillo
Pork: Lightning, Counoise & Dolcetto
Turkey: Viognier, Pinot Noir, & Grenache
Italian Feast: Spitfire, Sangiovese, & Barbara
Mexican Cuisine: Flygirl White, Bombshell Red, & Malbec

Staff Favorites for Thanksgiving

November 17th, 2011

 

With a variety of foods served at Thanksgiving, the ideal Thanksgiving wine should be able to pair well with a wide range of flavors.  It shouldn’t be too delicate or too overpowering for the food.  Below are some terrific choices that the staff at Airfield Estates recommends. Most importantly, drink what you like! Cheers!

2010 Unoaked Chardonnay
White wines pair wonderfully with Thanksgiving.  If you are looking for something crisp and refreshing, Airfield’s Unoaked Chardonnay is a good choice.  Although it is light bodied, it is supple and creamy enough to pair wonderfully with mashed potatoes!  Yum!

$15  BUY ONLINE

2010 Viognier
For an ever-so-slightly oaked white, try our 2010 Viognier.  With a zesty crisp entry, round mid-palate, and lingering nuances of stone fruit and honeysuckle, this wine will nicely complement turkey and sides such as cranberry sauce, yams, and salad.

$15  BUY ONLINE

2009 Lightning
5% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, & 10% Marsanne.  Aged for 10 months in oak barrels, this Rhone style white blend is crafted to light up the senses. Tantalizing flavors of peach, citrus, and honey engage the palate while the wine’s natural acidity strikes a balance with its creamy, round, full-bodied mouthfeel.  This wine is very versatile and will pair wonderfully with turkey and hearty side dishes.

$18  BUY ONLINE

2010 Reserve Chardonnay
Aged for eleven months in oak barrels, this medium-bodied wine showcases an elegant rounded mouthfeel, fresh acidity, and flavors of citrus, lemon, and cream.  Well-balanced, this food-friendly wine pairs with ham, turkey, butternut squash soup, garlic mashed potatoes, & sautéed vegetables.

$20  BUY ONLINE

2010 Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is often considered one of the best wines to pair with Thanksgiving.  With limited production of 2 barrels, this Pinot Noir showcases layers of raspberry, rose petal, sweat oak, spices, and black tea with a soft lingering finish.  With a medium body and soft tannins, this red will pair wonderfully with turkey.  It’s fresh acidity will also help cut through rich dishes.

$32  BUY ONLINE

2010 Counoise
This Counoise reveals an enticing bouquet of spice, mulberry, and nuances of oak. With integrated flavors, this medium-bodied wine has smooth tannins and a palate pleasing finish. Pair this Counoise with poultry, slow-cooked meats, and hard cheeses.

$30  BUY ONLINE

2010 Grenache
This medium-bodied, multi-dimensional wine exhibits layers of cranberry, raspberry, and spice.  Smooth tannins and an exceptional depth of flavor carry through to the finish.  Limited Release.  25 Cases Produced.

$35  BUY ONLINE

2010 Tempranillo
Flavors of boysenberry, cherry, and a hint of vanilla combine with soft tannins and lead to a smooth finish.  This wine is traditionally paired with Spanish style dishes. It is a good match for a flavorful herb rubbed turkey, glazed ham, spicy foods, and medium hard to hard cheeses.

$25  BUY ONLINE

2008 Merlot
Complex & concentrated with flavors of dark berry & plum. Low yielding vines & extended barrel aging have brought forth supple tannins & a full-bodied mouthfeel, creating a balance that can hold its own against hearty meats, yet pairs perfectly with pasta, stuffing, & gravy covered turkey.

$25  BUY ONLINE

2009 Mustang
61% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 7% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre, & 2% Counoise.  This Rhone style red blend lends complexity to both the nose and the palate. Concentrated flavors of cherry emerge with underlying hints of white pepper and toasted oak. Yielding velvety tannins and a smooth, well-balanced finish, this wine pairs impeccably with grilled meats, spice rubbed turkey, wild game, robust cheeses, wild mushroom stuffing, and rich flavored pastas.

$25  BUY ONLINE

2010 Runway Late Harvest Riesling
The Riesling grapes were picked on November 8th, 2010. This late harvest concentrated sugar levels to produce a pleasing bouquet of candied white peach & sweetened grapefruit with delectable flavors of apricot. Enjoy with crème brulée, apple cobbler, cranberry tart, and classic pumpkin pie.

$15  BUY ONLINE

PHOTOS OF AIRFIELD ESTATES 2011 5K VINEYARD RUN, GRAPE STOMP, & WINEMAKER’S DINNER

October 26th, 2011

Thank you to everyone who attended our Fall Festivities!  Below are photos the run, stomp, & dinner.  Feel free to email us your photos and we’ll add them to our wall.  Simply click on the photos below to view the enlarged version:

CONTACT US

560 Merlot Drive
Prosser, WA 99350
509.786.7401

14450 Woodinville-Redmond Road, Suite #109
Woodinville, WA 98072 USA
425.877.1006

info@airfieldwines.com