Shocking confession time: Sunday was my first ever Taste Washington. And I hit it with a vengeance. When the trade/press gates opened at 12:30, I was there. And I didn't leave until they were shooing me out with push-brooms at 7. How did I manage to stay so long and be upright? The answer is below: I did, however, drink the wine at the top of the post. Christophe Hedges poured some of the 1994 Three Vineyards into my glass from a nondescript plastic water pitcher. It was fantastic! Wine. Of. The. Day. I think you can get the current vintage (now called Red Mountain) for less than $25 a bottle; I'd buy a case of it and forget about it for a decade and see what happens. If you get a chance to meet Christophe, don't pass it up. He's hilarious, high-energy, and bit of a contrarian. I had loads of fun running around the event with him for a bit. Be sure and ask him about the 100 point wine-rating scale. Naturally there were winemakers galore, like Brennon Leighton of Efeste: And Mark McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery, along with proof that he poured a bit of wine: The Gorman Winery crew (Chris on the right) was sporting a look I think was some kind of Top Gun tribute. And drinking beer. Plus they brought a barrel sample of a new wine coming in September, Behind the Black Curtain: Buty raided their cellar to bring out two whites from 2006. (The Chardonnay was poured from magnum.) The reds were special exclusive restaurant wines. I am still waiting for them to offer to make an Esquin wine. Ahem. I ran into some of my favorite winos, Doug and Josh from WINO Magazine, at the Whidbey Island Winery table: And what's wine without some cheese? I had probably the strangest cheddar ever, hand-rubbed with coffee and lavender. Yes, lavender. And coffee. Together. You know what? I thought it was great. Behold the Barely Buzzed cheddar: And after all that wine, enjoyed the palate-saving refreshment of beer from Pike Brewing and a crazy good hard apple cider from Finnriver with a touch of blueberry juice added: And when it was all over, my chauffeur drove me home in the Official Esquin Taxi, conveniently parked inside: So what were your highlights of Taste Washington?