Whats happening at the winery
June 20, 2022
I was invited to be on Stacy Connects, a show on KKNW radio. It was fun to talk with Stacy Heller about winemaking, Quiddity Wines, connecting, and life in general. Mom always said I have a face for radio, I guess this proves that true. Here are a few pictures of the adventure. Also, you can check out the radio episode/podcast at https://www.podcastone.com/program?action=viewProgram&programID=2133
March 25, 2022
I am super excited about the 2021 wines that I am featuring in our Spring release. They are brand new and are:
- 2021 RHATHYMIA (Roussanne) and the
- 2021 RISIBILITY (Rose of Mourvedre), my first rose.
RISIBILITY
This is a beautiful rose wine and has been quite popular with everyone who has tried it (except for my mother, not gonna lie). It is a dry rose with medium acid and a nose of white and black pepper, violet, and lots of strawberries. RISIBILITY has flavors of strawberries in balsamic vinegar, cherries, cherry-cola, and a slight finish of sweet tobacco and black tea. For me, this wine is the best of both worlds. All the liveliness, crispness, and freshness of a white wine with all of the complexity and funky edginess of Mourvedre.
RISIBILITY; “the ability or disposition to laugh; humorous awareness of the ridiculous and absurd” is a great thing and essential to a well lived life because, as John Prine used to sing, “It’s a big old goofy world.” Why not treat yourself? Pour a glass of rose and listen to a favorite song that you haven’t heard in a while.
RISIBILITY is 100% Mourvedre sourced from the Elephant Mountain Vineyard within Washington’s Rattlesnake Hills AVA.
RHATHYMIA
2021 RHATHYMIA is 100% Roussanne sourced from the Sugarloaf Vineyard within Washington’s Rattlesnake Hills AVA. It is produced and aged in a stainless steel tank, providing a clean varietal nature with additional complexity.
RHATHYMIA is a crisp and bright white wine with a nice acid backbone. Aromas of lemon, brioche, flowers such as honeysuckle and jasmine, and a hint of eucalyptus. It has flavors of (myer) lemon, lychee, kiwi, and tart apples. For me, this wine is like going to downtown Seattle. I live in the suburbs and I don’t go to Seattle all very often. When I do, I always think “this is awesome, I should do this more often.” Being a red wine guy, I don’t drink whites all that often. When I drink this one, I think “…beautiful, complex, bright, lively, and layered…I ought to drink this more often.”
Rhathymia; “carefree behavior; lightheartedness.” Sometimes, life is hard. What works for me at those times is to keep perspective and not take life too seriously. Most situations are fixable, the others help us learn and grow. This too shall pass. While you are waiting for things to pass or working on the fix, have a great glass of white wine, take some time to enjoy it, and lift your spirits.
These wines are being released now, at the onset of spring and ahead of Easter and other Spring celebrations. I hope that you frequently find yourself in a favorite sunny spot, on a beautiful day, with a glass of RHATHYMIA or RISIBILITY within reach. Here are some thoughts about foods to go with the wines.
Dry rose wines from the Rhone region are classically paired with light salads, light pasta and rice dishes, especially with seafood, raw and lightly cooked shellfish and grilled fish and goats’ cheeses. These are all great pairings with the 2021 RISIBILITY. Other, less traditional pairings include grilled cheese sandwiches, mushroom quiche, artichoke barigoule, Asian food, grilled chicken, grilled pork, and margherita pizza. Perfect hot weather drinking!
Classical pairings with Roussanne include buttery meats like lobster, crab, foie gras, and pate. Other ideas include grilled fish and polenta, Coquilles St. Jacques, and potato leek soup. Just the other night, I had the 2021 RHATHYMIA with fresh crab and melted butter and thought “you know self, this is really good. 2021 RHATHYMIA + Butter = Mmmmmm.”
I have been a “food and wine guy” my entire life and I enjoy cooking a lot. I even fantasized about leaving my corporate job to the point that I moonlighted in a French restaurant. But alas, I did not make the jump, stayed with the corporate world, and kept cooking as a passion. That said, I am new at making food and wine pairing recommendations for others. I welcome feedback on these recommendations as well as feedback on any great combinations you find.
As a food and wine person, I have always appreciated small producers and artisans. A short while ago, I ran across the Fortunato Chocolate company right here in Issaquah, Washington. Their chocolate is organically grown USDA certified Pure Naçional chocolate, previously thought to have gone extinct. They have a super interesting story which you can check out on their webpage. I liked them and their product and pulled together a chocolate and wine tasting for our Spring club event. Buono Appetito!
November 11, 2021
I frequently get asked about food pairings for my wines. This past weekend, I got a variation on that question and had a great conversation with a club member about Thanksgiving food and wine pairings. After a bit more thought, I would like to share this treatise.
With a bit of background liberally taken from Wine Folly, generally rules of wine and food pairing are:
- The wine should be more acidic than the food.
- The wine should be sweeter than the food.
- The wine should have the same flavor intensity as the food.
- Red wines pair best with bold flavored meats (e.g. red meat).
- White wines pair best with light-intensity meats (e.g. fish or chicken).
- Bitter wines (e.g. red wines) are best balanced with fat.
- It is better to match the wine with the sauce than with the meat.
- More often than not, White, Sparkling and Rosé wines create contrasting pairings.
- More often than not, Red wines will create congruent pairings.
Finding the perfect Thanksgiving wine depends upon your taste (what you like) as well as what you are having for the rest of your meal. Here are some great recommendations specifically for Thanksgiving which were chosen for their bold, red fruit flavors, subtle earthiness, light tannin, and moderate acidity. Why? Because these traits beautifully complement a traditional Thanksgiving menu because:
- Red fruit flavors mimic the tartness of cranberry sauce and match well with autumn spices such as clove, allspice, and cinnamon.
- Light tannin and moderate acidity pair perfectly with the texture and intensity of turkey.
- Subtle earthiness complements the earthy, umami-rich flavor of gravy.
MELIORA (Rhone style red blend)
- A great pick for classic Thanksgiving dishes with simple spicing (salt + pepper) or cream based dishes like creamy mashed potatoes or casserole.
- It balances Thanksgiving dinners that have a high sweetness factor (yams, etc.) with a savory and earthy quality.
- Works well with both dark and white meat turkey.
- It will do great to accentuate cranberry-like flavors.
- It pairs exceptionally well with wild rice, salads, roasted squash, and cranberries.
AMORE (GSM Rhone red blend)
- GSM is the wine collector’s top pick for Thanksgiving.
- The bolder blending varieties of Mourvèdre and Syrah make this wine pair well with smoked turkey.
- The tertiary flavors of fig or dried berries match well with roasted squash and stuffing.
- The earthy and meaty quality of the wine accentuates the savory quality of turkey gravy.
UBUNTU (Grenache)
- If the above two options don’t sound like your perfect wine and you are looking for something in-between, then UBUNTU is your wine.
- Is super food friendly and has enough acid to hold up to cream based dishes like creamy mashed potatoes or casserole.
- Its medium body, less tannic style works well with white meat turkey yet has enough body for dark meat turkey.
- Subtle earthiness complements the earthy, umami-rich flavor of gravy.
If you are going completely off-script and are punting on the turkey and opting for something less traditional,
- RHATHYMIA (Roussanne) – pairs well with pate, roast chicken, pork, veal, and many types of fish and shellfish. Goes well with cream sauces and spicy flavors. If you are punting outright and getting Thai or Vietnamese take-out for Thanksgiving, then this is your wine.
Also for less traditional options,
- AUDENTES is your answer for barbecue, especially spareribs, braised beef/chicken, grilled meats and vegetables. If you are tired of all of the cooking and are planning to grab a hamburger, then this is definitely your wine.
Check out all of our wine options by stopping by the tasting room Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 – 6:00 or on our webstore at https://quidditywines.orderport.net/wines/Current-Releases.
Whatever your food and wine choices, enjoy your day and your people. Be sure to post a comment and let us know how it goes.
October 25, 2021
So this is what my hands look like at this time of the year, stained from grapes, grape juice, and wine. Trust me, it is not from a lack of washing.
Crush at Quiddity is winding down. The Mourvedre, Grenache, Carmenere, Touriga Nacional port and one lot of Syrah are in barrel. A Mourvedre Rose and the Roussanne are in tank. That leaves another lot of Syrah and the Touriga Nacional still wine that are well on their way and will be barreled down shortly. The wines are tasting good and I am looking forward to seeing how they ultimately turn out and how they are received.
As things slow down, I can catch up on some sleep, as well as turn my attention back to the tasting room, some improvements there, as well as getting ready for the holidays. I hope you all are having a wonderful fall and enjoy the pictures.
Siphoning the free run wine off from the skins and seeds prior to loading the press (lest I take a Syrah shower).
View looking up from the forklift while loading the press.
Looking in the press after loading grapes and prior to pressing.
September 15, 2021
It has been a while since I posted on the blog. I have been focusing on resting and recreating, enjoying the summer with my kids as well as getting ready for Crush. Boy Howdy! Crush 2021 has arrived in a big way and it looks like it is going to happen in a very short, intense period of time. I was in Yakima at the Sugarloaf vineyard picking up Roussanne and Grenace. The Rousanne is in tank hapilly bubbling away. The Grenache is cold soaking and getting on with its wine thing. Very quickly, I will be processing some Syrah, Mourvedre, more Syrah, more Mourvedre, Carmenere, and Touriga Nacional.
Visiting the vineyard this week reminded me of a variety of things I enjoy about winemaking, and the harvest season. I enjoy the crisp, clear, beautiful whether (when we get it). I enjoy the hub-bub and activity (check out the vineyard loading area and all of the bins from all of the different wineries). I enjoy the endless views (in this case, from the road to Elephant Mountain Vineyard), I enjoy connecting with people who are really good at what they do and are a part of my world (meet Emelio, he has been working with the Hattrups and Elephant Mountain Vineyard for about 40 years). I also enjoy the collaboration. Last night, I arrived at the winery at the same time Bill was there (from William Grassie Wine Estates). I helped him load his truck, he helped me unload mine. Then, we shared a glass of wine and caught up on news of the week. Finally, as corny as it sounds, I enjoy the bounty. Here are some pictures of the Grenache. I only wish it could have captured the light making some of the grapes appear translucent, let alone the smell and the taste.
July 21, 2021
We added a new section to the webpage to capture press mentions and any awards that we have won. Please take a minute to check it out by hovering over the ABOUT US menu item and then clicking on the Hubbub and other 411 menu item or clicking here.
June 2, 2021
In a continuing effort to get to know everyone better, we wanted to share about the ‘people’ associated with Quiddity Wines.
Talk about cliches, there is none bigger than the winery dog.
Seriously? Give me a break!
How about a winery rabbit? Now, that is outside the box thinking.
Nice to meet you all, I am Gary (aka Gerald or Geraldino). I am the official spokes-leporide of Quiddity Wines. I do have to admit that I don’t get out to the winery very often (or at all) but, I do help around the house with some of their more strategic decisions. Putting labels on the bottles? That was me. Putting corks in the bottles? That was also me. Most of all, I have noticed if these people are left to their own devices, they tend to get wound pretty tight. So, my biggest contribution is to hope around, twitch my note, and channel calm. Ommmmmmmmm…
May 21, 2021
Hello wine peoples!
I am Splash. I am the closest thing Quiddity has to a winery dog. That said, I am boycotting that nom de plume until I get a wine named after me. Ball, ball, ball…was that a ball!?
I mean, for crying out loud, they are naming wines after esoteric things like happiness, love, and adventure. That is waaayyyy too cerebral. What they need to really drive sales is a cute picture of moi! Seriously, I thought I saw a ball.
Anyhooo, I am the 4th in a line of dogs with whom Audrey has lived. We all work for Summit Dogs. Summit gives the gift of greater independence to people living with mobility disabilities by creating life-changing service dog partnerships. Learn more at https://summitdogs.org/ . Summit asks my puppy friends and me to let Audrey live with us and for us to spend time with Audrey to socialize her to different people and surroundings. My doggie buddies and I have also worked to train Audrey on basic obedience. SQUIRRELL!…
After Audrey, we graduate to move on and train other people as well. Not only am I charitable and generous, as you can see, I am also quite photogenic.
Stop by the winery this weekend and set them straight about the naming of future wines. Enough of this esoteric silliness,… like the sound of Splashy’s Syrah.
April 16, 2021
Hey there – I’m Skye, your wine pouring specialist! I help run the tasting room as the social butterfly making sure that you are enjoying your tasting experience as well as establishing connections with each of you to get a better understanding of your tastebuds and using your feedback to help Greg develop his wines. I used to work for Greg in his previous life and it only made sense for me to come to Quiddity to help him make a difference within our local wine community. My enjoyment of wine tasting started after college when I moved to Vicenza, Italy for three years – what a wonderful experience. When I am not at the winery, I’m working full time as a management consultant. But most importantly, I am always chasing my passions of rescuing furbabies (dogs!) and providing career coaching services for our active-duty Service men and women, Veterans and military spouses. I enjoy helping people navigate their lives to be the absolute best versions of themselves doing what they truly are passionate about. I find it extremely rewarding.
So, come on down to the tasting room, sit, relax and just enjoy yourselves – I’ll take care of the rest
April 16, 2021
Hi, I’m Audrey, Greg’s daughter and the social media manager for Quiddity. I’ve always found social media fun, so I volunteered to run Instagram and help out on Facebook right when Quiddity started. I love being able to connect with people on-line and spread awareness of our business to people who otherwise wouldn’t find out about us. In my life outside of Quiddity’s social media, I’m a student at Middlebury College where I will hopefully study political science and/or environmental policy. I’m involved in the Model UN, on the crew team, and other clubs here and there. I’m super passionate about dogs, and when I’m home from school I train assistance dogs. I also follow in my dad’s footsteps; I love to be in the kitchen. Specifically, I have a passion for baking, especially cakes. Favorites to date include one that looked like a stack of pancakes and another that looked like a watermelon. I am also a big hiker, and in high school, I was on our competitive cheer and gymnastics teams. That’s all for now. I hope you enjoyed learning a little about the face behind the posts!
April 14, 2021.
This last week, we had the opportunity to chat with Woodinville Wine Country. Check out the wonderful piece they wrote about us. You can read the full article here.
March 31, 2021.
So, this last Saturday was a challenging one at the winery. Our point of sale system wouldn’t accept credit cards. Trying to run a retail operation in a pandemic without the ability to accept credit cards is pretty challenging. I also have to admit that I have a personal pet peeve when I am at other stores and they tell me “I can’t help you because our computer is down.” I was determined not to have that type of customer experience. I am normally pretty good and stay focused in difficult situations but, I’m not gonna lie, I could feel my heartbeat in the veins on my temples. I was a bit tense. When I explained the situation to customers, many people were able to pay with cash. One customer even had a check (remember those?). For the other people, I typed the relevant information into an excel spreadsheet and planned to enter the information on-line once the point of sale system had been resurrected. Unfortunately, things turned from bad into Greg’s Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Somehow using the excel spreadsheet I lost all of the information of 2 customers and corrupted key information for most of the rest. Long story short (and after researching the Luhn algorithm for check digits), I was able to contact almost all of the customers, get their information, and get the transactions to go through. In the end, some customers even ordered extra wine! Throughout, I was impressed with everyone’s flexibility and graciousness. Thank you.
March 12, 2021.
Sharing another post highlighting Quiddity Wines! Check out Sean Sullivan’s Washington Wine Report and “10 Washington wines from the 2018 vintage guaranteed to blow your hair back.”
“First timer Quiddity also got in on the fun in 2018 (Quiddity 2018 Cur Non Mourvèdre Columbia Valley $35 93 points, Editor’s Choice). Look for an upcoming post on this winery’s impressive inaugural releases.”
The 2018 vintage has provided us an embarrassment of riches for sure. See the entire list here
February 8, 2021.
There is a lot of media buzzz about the winery over the past several weeks and I am honored and thrilled. I wanted to share it with everyone here on the blog. Thank you all for your support as well as for enjoying my wine.
- Wine Enthusiast Ratings have been released. All 4 of Quiddity’s 2018 red wines were chosen as Editors Choice and were scored at 92 points (AMORE and AUDENTES) and 93 points (CUR NON and UBUNTU). Check it out here.
- Seattle Met just published a piece listing Quiddity’s CUR NON as one of 5 wines from exciting new Washington Vintners. Read the entire piece here.
- And last but certainly not least, Sean Sullivan’s Washington Wine Report just named Quiddity’s CUR NON one of the 40 most exciting Washington wines of 2020. You can check out this article and the rest of Sean’s blog here.
February 3, 2021.
We got some great news relative to ratings of our 4 2018 red wines and wanted to have a little fun with it. Watch the video to the left for the big news. You can also check out this link https://www.winemag.com/?s=quiddity&search_type=reviews&drink_type=wine
January 25, 2021.
Ok, I told you I would let you know when RHATHYMIA was available to the general public. Well, that would be now. Ready, set, go! You can order through the webpage by clicking on Our Wines or you can stop by the winery and have a taste for yourself this Saturday and Sunday between 1:00 and 5:00. We have re-opened for tasting and are observing all of the Washington State COVID precautions. This means that reservations are not required but are strongly recommended and that wine tasting is on the loading dock with the loading bay door open. We do have heaters but you definitely want to dress warmly.
January 20, 2021.
I am adding a new section to the webpage, a blog. I am sure it is not a true blog and my children will educate me about where I am missing the mark but nonetheless, here we go.
Yesterday was a busy day at the winery. We bottled our first white wine! 2020 RHATHYMIA, a 100% Roussanne from the Sugarloaf Vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills. The wine was fermented and then 1/2 of it was held in a stainless steel tank. The other 1/2 was aged several months in neutral oak barrels. The resulting wine is rich and complex with a full, round mouthfeel as well as a nice acid backbone. Aromas of tons of pears with honey, Myer lemon marmalade, green apple, with hints of vanilla and apricot. Flavors of pears, pear, and more pears, Myer lemon, a bit of grilled pineapple, green apple and marmalade with subtle mineral/slate undertones.
RHATHYMIA is not available to the general public yet but it will be soon. We will be sure to let you know when it is available
