Food Trek: Veni Vidi Vino - Conquering Pour 2012

And so it came to pass that Bellevue hosted not one, but TWO rather epic tipsy events this past weekend. As seen on Monday's post, Drinkin' With Sasquatch, there was the AHA National Homebrewers Conference, and on that same weekend, El Gaucho Bellevue had their annual Pour wine event. The wine and beer were flowing, there was a lot of joy and giggly laughter in the air, and all I can say is: I sure took photos of a lot of bottles on Saturday. Cheers to Pour 2012! 

Ready to pour for Pour Bellevue 2012 at El Gaucho - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I have to say, Washington's schizoid summer weather literally put the pour in Pour this year. I was eyeballing the weather reports for days, nervous at the rain symbol for Saturday. For the sake of responsible alcohol-imbibing, I was planning on walking from the Hyatt, where the homebrew conference was happening. It's not a far walk, maybe 10 minutes. I fit in what I could for beer seminars and despite the wind blowing the rain completely sideways, my friend and I braved the storm like stalwart soldiers in search of warm respite and yes, glasses of wine. A bit bedraggled and me feeling like a drowned rat (thanks, Washington Weather), we arrived at El Gaucho to smiling, welcoming faces and a hearty encouragement to start sipping. Bless their hearts.

I believe it's wine-o'-clock - Photos by Wasabi Prime

I've been to almost every Pour, even when it was originally called Pour on the Plaza, and they had it all outdoors on the lovely grassy lawn area. If this is the first time hearing about Pour, it's a great wine tasting event with over twenty different wineries from the West Coast area, but primarily Pacific Northwest. Several wineries have tasting rooms in Woodinville, but some don't, so it's a nice opportunity to sample new wines and discover more favorites. I was sad to miss last year's but vowed to not miss this one, and no way were gray skies going to ruin our wine parade. Several friends joined me this year, so it was like a mini party once I was done snapping photos of as much as I could before things got crowded. And crowded it got -- I recommend get your tickets before it sells out, and going with a small group so that a couple friends can stake out an empty table and use that as "home base" to sip wines, eat, and relax. Take it from the expert -- me and my Homegirls held court at a booth and were sitting pretty for most of the afternoon.

All the favorite wines, in one spot - cheers! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Pour is one of my favorite wine events and I always look forward to it. It's not a huge Tacoma Dome-sized venue where it's you and a thousand other people. It's an intimate setting, you casually wander from table to table, talking with the vintners and winery reps who can tell you everything about the wines, from the breakdown of blends or how they came up with the great names on each bottle. I know there are other wine and food events, but I know what works for me and this is the porridge that's just right -- not too big, I can bogart time chatting with the winemakers, it's an elegant experience and because the size of the event is controlled, you're not overwhelmed. Even if you don't try every type of wine from each winemaker, you can still conceivably taste one wine from each winery and not feel like you're in Bat Country and can't feel your legs.

Sticking to bold reds on a gray, rainy day - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I was extremely tempted by the welcome glass of Luxe bubbly from Chateu Ste Michelle -- I love bubbles -- but I stayed with red wines for the day. I blame the weather and my tastes in wine are very temperature-sensitive. One year at Pour, it was sunny and beautiful and I was a white wine and rosé junkie, but this year, it was hearty, flavorful reds all the way. Some of the ones I tried included Abeja's 2009 fragrant Cabernet Sauvignon, Gorman's 2008 Bully blend and refreshing 2009 Pixie Syrah, Mark Ryan's full bodied 2009 Dead Horse Cabernet Sauvignon-forward blend, Sparkman's smooth and vanilla-creamy 2009 Ruby Leigh Merlot, Dunham's signature Cabernet Sauvignon XIV, Efeste's go-big-or-go-home 2009 Final Final and Big Papa blends, Col Solare's self-titled blend full of rich berry flavor, and a spicy kick of Tempranillo from Pommum's Tinto blend. And that wasn't everything, I tried other wines and sips from my friend's glasses, just to see what they were having. Just call my liver Dustin Hoffman, because it's the Marathon Man.

More wines, more glasses, more to sample... - Photos by Wasabi Prime

One of the main reasons why this wine event is so good is that it's organized by a good restaurant, one that knows what foods to serve with wine. El Gaucho being a restaurant that specializes in steak, they of course had meaty bites like creamy steak tartare and mini tenderloin sandwiches, but they also had a lot of seafood and many platters of their addictive flatbread. I didn't want to overdose on bread, but I had one slice of a spicy barbecue flatbread that really knocked my socks off in a good way. I appreciated the vibrant colors as well as the one-handed ease of eating their little caprese salad skewers.

Have a bite or three - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Given all the wine sampling, I had a hearty food break of salmon, little amuse-bouche spoonfuls of a lobster salad and probably the table I hovered around more than the wine tables: Taylor Shellfish's fresh oysters. Don't crinkle your nose at the thought of raw oysters, they're shuckin' delicious. Briny in flavor, a creamy texture, and whether you have red or white wine, oysters go well with both. I find white wines bring out the more subtle flavors, making oysters more refreshing, and red wines enhance the savory quality of the lil' bivalve, causing me to eat them nonstop. Either way, I probably had over a dozen and given the high protein benefits of shellfish, I wouldn't be surprised if they helped stave off any hangovers the following morning. Cheers to oysters!

Wine, oysters and a quick lesson in how to shuck without impaling your hand - Photos by Wasabi Prime

And so it became the Pour 2012 that was -- fine wine, good food and great company to wait out the Saturday afternoon summer storm, which surprisingly cleared into blue skies by the event's end around 5pm. It was perfect timing, our group had a nice walk and enjoyed the sunset on the terrace of a nearby friend's condo. It's rare to say any day was truly perfect, but I have to say, this one came pretty dang close. Thanks to all the winemakers who kept our glasses full and to El Gaucho for keeping our stomachs happy for the afternoon -- see you again for Pour 2013!

Anyone who said you can't bottle happiness has never met a winemaker - Photos by Wasabi Prime

FoodTrek: Sun-Tannin at Pour on the Plaza

I think the weather gods were making up for last year's Pour on the Plaza wine event, where the skies were cloudy and threatened rain, by moving the sun just a smidge closer to Earth's orbit, creating perfectly sparkling blue skies and casting the Heat of Gibraltar on the crowds of Bellevue's annual outdoor wine soiree. But hey, we Pacific Northwesterners are used to gilding dark clouds with precious-metal linings -- it was hot, we pushed our sunblocked-slathered skin to the limit, but we praised the good weather and it just gave everyone an excuse to try more white wines versus our typical leanings towards reds. Take that, record-breaking heatwave! Now, hold on while I go sit in a bath of icewater.

Pour on the Plaza: The Sequel - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I ain't gonna lie, it was damn hot. I feel the need to raise a virtual glass to the fine people at Neutrogena for making their Helioplex super-sunblock, SPF Hojillion, for letting my limbs escape un-scorched from hours' spent in the direct sunlight, sans re-application, despite all my mother's mindful warnings. It was one less thing to worry about as I wandered about with my co-pilot, Ms. StyleJustBe who joined me on this mystical magical wine tour. Hosted again by the Masters of the Steak Universe, El Gaucho, they took advantage of the incredibly pristine grassy lawn that's outside their Bellevue restaurant location and set up long rows of tents that housed over twenty different local winemakers, offering up samples of their signature vintages.

We got there when it first opened - the early bird gets the vino! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

An event like Pour on the Plaza is especially nice because several of the wines offered are ones that are often only available at restaurants. And since so many wineries are located across the state, along with their tasting rooms, it's a rare opportunity to sample them and discover new favorites. I enjoyed a mix of wines made from both sides of the state, including creations by Dunham Cellars in Walla Walla, Fidelitas from Benton City, Darby Winery from Woodinville, Woodhouse Family Cellars in Woodinville, Sparkman Cellars in Woodinville, Efeste in Woodinville, and Corliss Estates from Walla Walla. There were of course several more wineries, which you can see the full list on El Gaucho's event page here, but those were just some of the wineries I particularly liked and had been meaning to sample outside of my usual favorites.

I'll drink to that... and that... and that! - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Hey, Wasabi, this is a food blog! Don't get all wine-o on us! What was the food like? To help balance the many samplings of buttery chardonnays and sweetly floral rosés, the event provides a hearty sampling of appetizers. El Gaucho of course had platters of meaty offerings, including skewers of steak with an herbed chimichurri style sauce, seasoned prawns, roasted pepper salad bites and mushroom tartlets. Waterfront Seafood Grill had taro chips with cool bites of tuna tartare. Wild Ginger had these lovely and addictive fried shrimp dumplings that were cooked in a giant wok, served with a sweet and sour sauce. Palomino went Italiano-style to go with the red wines, offering spicy meatballs as well as elegant little carrot and hummus bites. Neiman Marcus' Mariposa took care of dessert with their rich bread pudding, creamy mini key lime pies, and their signature chocolate chip cookies (with recipe, of course). Wine bar Grand Cru offered up a signature wine cocktail of bubbly fresh peach Bellinis, which were very popular in the summer heat.

That's a real spicy meat-a-ball! - Photo by Wasabi Prime

I forgot to take a photo, but kudos to the genius decision of using recycle-friendly appetizer plates that had a little circular cut-out that's meant to insert one's wine glass. They basically looked like these wineglass holder plates. It was a great and thoughtful idea that deserves noting and a head's up to anyone planning a big wine-themed event.

Overall, the different food pairings were a lovely and diverse mix that went well with the different wines. There was something for everyone to snack on in between sips and I especially liked the addition of more restaurants to go with the return of last year's great choices. Kudos to the musical talents of Brian Nova for performing for a second year and giving the crowd cool sounds to beat the heat.

Sweet and savory bites to cushion the many glasses of vino - Photos by Wasabi Prime

This year's event supported the charity Room to Read, so proceeds from the event went towards the cause of education for children in developing countries. It always feels extra good to know you're raising a glass for a good cause. Another nice thing about the event, was the chance to run into so many fellow foodie-fans. It was great to see the gang of 425 Magazine there, Bellevue Local Table, the busy folks of Bellevue Wine Storage, and the chef and blog talents of Eric Rivera as well as his lovely wife, Mindy, who I was glad to finally meet in person! I'm sorry if I missed seeing any other foodie folks there; it was a busy afternoon and I think we were all hopping from one shady spot to another!

Musical guest, Brian Nova, and hot Harleys for a hot day - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Much Wasabi Thanks to El Gaucho of Bellevue for making Pour on the Plaza happen for a second year in a row, all the amazing winemakers, the delicious restaurants and of course the crowds who braved the heat for a good cause. *Cheers*

FoodTrek: Pour on the Plaza, Hold the Rain!

The Fellowship of the Foodies weekend that started off with a viewing of Julie & Julia and cocktails at Naga, reached an edible apex on Saturday, for the first and soon-to-be-annual Pour on the Plaza, a food and wine celebration highlighting vendors from around the Pacific Northwest and abroad. Mercifully, the gray skies above kept mum, and the only pouring that day was wine from a bottle to our eagerly awaiting glass.

Pour on the Plaza, a playground for wine fans - Photo by Wasabi Prime

El Gaucho Bellevue was the ringleader for this event, gathering the local likes of DeLille Cellars, Novelty Hill, and many other fine wineries, as well as edible samplings from El Gaucho's own menu, Wild Ginger, and the Melting Pot. On a personal note, Jodi Brothers, a morning host of one of my favorite local radio stations, The Mountain, was also there as a presenter. On an even more personal note, I was too much of a shy mouse to walk up and say "Hello, I've been a fan since you were on The End," so this virtual greeting will have to do.

I'm the last person to admit to any vino expertise, but I'm a dilligent student with a liver that is both willing and able. I was introduced to wineries new to my palate, including, the Darby Winery, Northstar, and Cadence, offering a lovely array of merlots, pinots, and cabernets. I kept to reds, as it is my preference, and I enjoyed a judger-free day with my purple-stained teeth. I tend to think of wine as how they will pair with food, and the ones I sampled were lovely selections that made me long for autumn days, and the heartier foods in the season ahead.

Because I'm not so well-heeled in the menagerie of wine, it was enjoyable to talk with other attendees of the event, having them name their favorites and hearing their recommendations of the next wine to taste. The event wasn't so crowded that casual conversation was drowned out, and people were both kind and gracious with their knowledge. As an extra bonus, I ran into fellow Tweeter and social media gal-about-town, Danielle Morrill, whom I was fortunate to meet at a previous Taste and Tweet event, and got a chance to say hello to El Gaucho General Manager, David Scherling, thanking him and the El Gaucho team for putting together such a successful event.

Otak Otak, so delicious, you say it twice - Photos by Wasabi Prime

We were treated to a sampling from Wild Ginger, whose kitchen also pulls double duty for The Triple Door, a neighboring music venue and bar/restaurant that is a personal favorite of the Prime's. They were serving up Otak Otak, fragrant little parcels of fish and red curry, wrapped in banana leaves, cooking over the grill, along with spiced grilled toast wedges to soak up all the lovely curry sauce. I've had this at the Triple Door before, and it's a really keen way to prepare fish without worrying about it sticking to the grill while keeping it both flavorful and moist, since the banana leaves provide an enclosure that steams everything inside it. I chatted a little with Tim Baker, director of sales and marketing for Wild Ginger and Triple Door, discussing the new opening of a Wild Ginger in Bellevue, over at the new Bravern megalopolis ready to open in September. They're planning on having an Enomatic Wine Serving System installed in the new Eastside location; they're quite impressive. Imagine a HAL 2000 of vino. Admittedly, I rather look forward to having Wild Ginger on this side of the pond so I don't have to wrestle with bridge traffic to indulge in spicy/sweet nomz from the Wild-G.

El Gaucho's edible offerings included glazed sweet scallops, tomato flatbread, brochettes in an herbed sauce, endive salad, and a bite of tenderloin on toast. These were nibbles compared to their full menu, and I've been spoiled by several proper visits to the restaurant to know that it was only a hint of what Chef Steve Cain can do. I won't wax poetic over the samplings other than to say, get thee to the restaurant and order a proper meal to really appreciate the good work they do.

The Prime & the Peanut, El Gaucho snacks, fondue madness, and music by Brian Nova - Photos by Wasabi Prime

Despite the shortage of disposeable plates, dessert waits for no one! I collected a small army of dessert items from the Melting Pot table to share with my partners in crime. Everything tastes good with a drizzle of melted chocolate, but they had me at "Oreo-covered marshmallow."

For a first-time event, I think Pour on the Plaza has great potential. The grassy lawn area of the City Center Plaza building is a cozy spot for a small to medium-sized crowd; they limited the number of tickets to this event, and while they could have opened it up to more people, the attendance on Saturday was quite near the porridge that was just right. Having a select number of wineries and restaurants participating in the event allowed the guests to really savor the offerings and talk with the winemakers. More food and drink festivals are popping up around the Seattle area, feeding a local hunger to be introduced to new things, and smaller, more intimate affairs like this one was a relaxed, unhurried way to appreciate the samplings the way they were meant to be enjoyed.