Harvest
FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT: SIZZLING SUMMER HEAT & ITS EFFECTS ON WINE
Olé. Olé. Olé. Olé. The Merrymen had it right when they said it was feeling hot, hot, hot. The 2021 growing season has been off to a good start. The vines are looking good with a nice fruit set and canopy development, albeit warm. Like June, July started off at 116 at our Walla Walla winery and this heatwave is just getting started.Many people have been asking how the few days of hot weather will affect the grape growing season. Read our latest blogpost to see what our winemaker, Chuck Reininger has to say about how the heat is affecting Washington’s 2021 growing season.
Recipes
Recipe - Asparagus Prosciutto Puff Pastry Bundles
Easter is just around the corner, and Semillon is the perfect white for your Sunday brunch. Its lower alcohol is great for a breakfast bevie, and with notes of lemongrass, honeycomb and flint, it pairs great with dishes like quiche, berry parfaits, fresh chevre and even asparagus. Try this chilled white with Fox and Briar’s Prosciutto Asparagus Puff Pastry Bundles.
Recipes
Recipe - Blueberry Syrah Reduction Sauce for Grilled Meats
Week three of Washington Wine Month is all about Syrah & barbecue! A few nights ago winery partner and GM Kelly Tucker celebrated a birthday dinner at home featuring grilled rack of lamb with a blueberry Syrah reduction sauce. The Tuckers say the sauce’s bang for buck ratio is huge and takes very little time or brain power to make. The lamb was barbecued outdoors with a simple rub of oil, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.
Recipes
Holiday Recipes and Wine Pairings
It’s fireside season, meaning it’s a great time to perfect your cheese board skills with nibbles featuring our new Reininger and Helix release wines. With nary a carrot or celery stick in sight, these homemade crackers and spiced nuts ala Ina Garten, plus cheese and fig savories from the Runaway Spoon are quick to make, require only a few ingredients, and taste delicious!
Recipes
Recipe - Eggplant Caponata
Weekend goals: REININGER Sangiovese Grosso with eggplant caponata and pita. Our limited production 2017 Seven Hills Vineyard Sangiovese is made in a traditional Brunello style. Crafted from the Sangiovese Grosso clone, this wine has classic aromas and flavors of cherry, dried strawberry and tobacco. Perfect for game day at home.
Recipes
Recipe - Grilled Vegetables, Goat Cheese & Bread Salad
What's not to love about fresh veggies combined with heat and smoke on the grill? Instead of the traditional tomatoes and cucumbers, this easy Mediterranean inspired bread salad is hearty and filling, and pairs nicely with whites, rose and even lighter red wines, such as our Reininger Sémillon, Helix Rosé, Helix Chardonnay and Helix Sangiovese.
Wine
Fruity, Creamy, Mineral? What’s Your Chardonnay Preference
Do you have a favorite style of Chardonnay? Chardonnay is what’s known as a winemaker’s grape, growing in a wide range of climates; can be aged in stainless steel, oak or concrete; it’s acid level can be catered to your liking. It is the most widely planted white varietal in the world.
Wine / General
The Lost Bordeaux: An Exploration into Carmenère
Green peppercorn. Jalapeno. Smoke. Sour Cherry. Raspberry. These are all words to describe an ancient varietal that REININGER has specialized in since 2002. Carmenere, otherwise known as the Lost Bordeaux, has a long and illustrious history. Between the various synonyms the grape has shared with other varieties to the common characteristics with other fruit, Carmenère has become the mistaken doppelganger for many of the Bordeaux varieties. It’s no wonder that it hasn’t come into its own and embraced its individuality in single varietal bottlings until modern day. Now it’s celebrated all over the world on November 24 on International Carmenère Day, and at REININGER we celebrate it in the Spring with the wine club release of our Walla Walla Valley Carmenère, sourced from Seven Hills Vineyard.
Recipes
Recipe - Rosemary Steak Tips with Gorgonzola Polenta
This recipe for Rosemary Steak Tips & Gorgonzola is super simple with very few ingredients but a lot of flavor. We used locally sourced sirloin cap from @butcherbutcherww and although we used gorgonzola from @cuginiitalianimport, you could also use bleu d'auvergne, a Rogue Creamery blue, or our personal favorite if you can find it the Kikorangi Blue Cheese from New Zealand!Pair it with a robust and tannic red like our Cab-dominant 2017 REININGER BDX, and don’t forget that 10% of the proceeds from its sale will go to Walla Walla’s Blue Mountain Action Council's Covid-19 Relief Fund to help those in need.
Recipes
Recipe - Blue Cheese & Rosemary Chicken
A good way to think about pairing red wine with poultry is to consider the seasoning, herbs and/or sauce. The strong flavors of blue cheese and rosemary in this dish suggest a fairly powerful red. Many might immediately think of Cabernet Sauvignon, but we know our Walla Walla Merlots are rich and complex, sometimes even mistaken for Cab!We recommend using a mild blue cheese like Rogue Creamery's Oregon Blue or New Zealand's Kikorangi Blue Cheese. Pair it with the Walla Walla Valley 2017 REININGER Merlot and enjoy on the patio with family.
Harvest
What a Re-Leaf It’s Finally Spring
Spring is here in the Walla Walla Valley which means bud break is upon us. Read more to get the latest update on the 2020 growing season from our winemaker & founder, Chuck Reininger.
Recipes
Recipe - Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
Spring baking is still on the calendar, and we thought we’d share one of our favorite spring cake recipes for everyone who is staying safe at home. With a lovely dollop of whipped cream, we just can’t get enough of this Raspberry Buttermilk cake as a centerpiece finale for Easter brunch, especially when paired with a glass of a Wine Spritz with our 2018 REININGER Sémillon- just add some club soda and fresh raspberries.
Wine / General
Merlot Misconceptions: Beautiful & Ageworthy
We’ve all seen Sideways and remember the infamous words of Miles Raymond, Paul Giamatti’s character: “I’m not drinking any f***ing Merlot.” These six little words impacted Merlot for the next decade in domestic and international sales. We are now finally seeing Merlot appreciated for what it is: a Noble wine, one of the most expensive wines in the world, and one that we’ve stood behind as a beautiful, age-worthy variety since before the movie even existed. Our first vintage of Merlot was back in 1997 and we’ve produced over 37 bottlings of Merlot in our winery’s history.
Wine / General
Adventures of the Lost Bordeaux
Green peppercorn. Jalapeno. Smoke. Sour Cherry. Raspberry. These are all words to describe an ancient varietal that REININGER has specialized in since 2002. Carmenère, otherwise known as the Lost Bordeaux, has a long and illustrious history. Between the various synonyms the grape has shared with other varieties to the common characteristics with other fruit, Carmenère has become the mistaken doppelganger for many of the Bordeaux varieties. It’s no wonder that it hasn’t come into its own and embraced its individuality in single varietal bottling until modern day. Now it’s celebrated all over the world on November 24 on International Carmenère Day, and at REININGER we celebrate it every spring with our annual Carmenère Release Weekend (April 5-7, 2019).
Harvest
The Blue Moon Harvest: 2018 Harvest Wrap-Up
When we think of the 2018 harvest, one thing comes to mind: Flame On!Between the warm spring and the inferno that was July and August, we thought we’d be looking at another record-breaking year in terms of temperatures and a short harvest. What resulted surprisingly was one of the best harvest seasons Washington has seen, one that only comes around once in a blue moon.
General
From Wheat to Wine: The Story of REININGER Winery's Growth in the Walla Walla Valley
Twenty years ago, Chuck Reininger and wife, Tracy Tucker, opened the doors to Walla Walla’s first winery dedicated to the Valley’s fruit. As the tenth bonded winery in Walla Walla, REININGER has helped grow the Valley and establish it as a serious winemaking region.Twice the winery has been named “Winery of the Year” under the “Artisan Winery of the Year” category by Wine & Spirits, and has gained international acclaim on varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Syrah.
Wine / General
2013 REININGER Syrah wins high honor for best USA Red Rhône, Decanter World Wine Awards
Walla Walla, Washington, May 2017-- REININGER Winery announced today that the REININGER 2013 Walla Walla Valley Syrah has been named Best USA Red Rhône Varietal by Decanter Magazine. The London-based magazine bestowed the platinum award as part of its World Wine Awards, the world's largest wine judging competition.
General
Welcome to the REININGER Blog
Welcome to the Reininger Winery blog! Here you will find utterly scintillating and exclusive discussions, updates, and information about your favorite wines from one of your favorite Walla Walla Valley wineries. We are here to give you an inside look at how our winery operates, our future goals, and stay connected with our loyal fans and club members.