BTB Advertiser and Friends of the Blog The Tin Theater will be holding another FREE Wine Tasting Event inside the theater on Thursday, Oct. 20th, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Wine Tastings are a regular feature at the Tin Theater, and are held the third Thursday of every month.

The Tin Theater is located at 923 SW 152nd Street, just west of the Tin Room Bar.

Here are the wines that will be featured:

Skouras Moscofilero-Roditis White 2010
Roditis 70% , Moscofilero 30%
The color is bright white yellow, with green hues. The nose is complicated and the wine smells fresh flowers, hints of squashed blossoms and fruit aromas such as avocado. A relaxed pace and luxurious texture gives flavours of orange and lemon blossom and touches of jasmine and mint. In the aftertaste the acidity travels across the palate for a clean extended finish.

?Skouras Red St. George Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Aghiorghitiko 90% Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
The color is brilliant, medium-deep violet with pink hues.?On the nose it is vivid and intense with aromas of black cherries, and blackberries with hints of plums, violets, and dried herbs. On the palate it has medium body, moderate acidity with smooth tannins, all in harmony. The aftertaste is moderate with a note of gentle anise seed.

Hestia’s carefully cultivated wine program is based on fruit from specific vineyard sites in several of the smaller sub-appellations located in the Columbia Valley AVA in Washington State. We have vigilantly selected each vineyard site to ensure that it allows us to deliver wines that express the best Washington State has to offer. Hestia Cellars has secured acreage from Andrews Ranch vineyard atop the northern slope of the Horse Heaven Hills, StoneTree vineyard located  off the Columbia River in the early ripening Wahluke Slope, Boushey vineyard in the Yakima Valley, Washington States’ oldest growing region, and Ambassador Vineyard in the prestigious Red Mountain AVA. Grapes from these vineyards are blended to create balanced and complex wines with unique layers of flavors and aromas.

??2009 Hestia Red
65% Syrah, 25% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 5% Malbec –From Andrews Ranch, Stonetree and Boushey Vineyards. 20 months used French Oak. We normally release our Petit Verdot as a single varietal club wine but this year decided to blend the entire production into our Red. Super excited that we did. At 25% it bring an unbelievable amount of color, structure (acid/tannin) and big black and blue fruits to the finished product. Combined with Syrah the result is a big, inky wine with bright fruit notes of blackberry and blueberry framed with spice, vanilla and dark chocolate.

2008 Hestia Cabernet Sauvignon ?(90 pts WS)
90% Cabernet, 10% Petit Verdot – Single Vineyard, Andrews Ranch. 20 months used French oak.  This is a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, which received 90 points from The Wine Spectator, that tastes like Cabernet should taste, for less than $30.00 wholesale.  It’s a screaming deal. The extra year in the bottle has really allowed it to develop and the black currant and cedar notes jump out of the glass. A deft touch with the oak gives it a level of austerity and restraint that you don’t see a whole lot of in the current Washington Cab market. Tannins are really well integrated and the higher acid levels keep it fresh. We have approx 100 cases remaining.

2008 Hestia Syrah –  420 cases ?(92 pts WS)
97% Syrah, 3% Viognier – Stonetree and Andrews Ranch vineyards. 20 months used French oak.  I think it’s easy to talk about how crowded the Washington Syrah market is, how they just don’t sell, how the pricing structure is wrong, etc. I know it’s tough to sell Syrah in the summer. But now it’s fall. Prime time. Taste this wine. It’s brilliant purple, smells of blueberries, vanilla, spice, other things that are nice and coats the palate. It’s smoky and peppery and finishes with a distinctive meaty note.

Breeders Theater will help close out Burien’s E.B. Foote Winery with some laughs (and sips) with its 21st production, called ‘Helpdesk,’ a new comedy by T.M. Sell that opens on Friday, July 15th.

Helpdesk is about a group of women working in an office. Across the street, a young man stares at them almost every day. What does he want? Can the women of the Cox & Berman Helpdesk help someone whose troubles aren’t computer-related?

Helpdesk is directed by Scott Green, and features of the acting talents of Laura Smith, Marianne Everett, Emily Fairbrook Shuel, Mari Geasair, Melissa Malloy, and Andrew Galteland.

The show runs July 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30 at E.B. Foote Winery, located at 127-B SW 153rd Street in Burien. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the show starting at 7 p.m. One Sunday matinee will be performed July 24, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and include wine tasting.

E.B. Foote, one of Washington’s oldest wineries, will close in August with the retirement of winemaker Sherrill Miller (read our previous coverage here).

Tickets are available at the winery, 206-242-3852, and at CorkyCellars in Des Moines, 22511 Marine View Dr., Des Moines, 206-824-9462.

Mari Geasair, left, Melissa Malloy, Marianne Everett and Laura Smith confront a stranger in 'Helpdesk.' Photo by Michael Brunk/NW Lens.

E.B. Foote Winery, located in Burien since 1999, and first put up for sale for $1.25 million last July (read our previous coverage here and here), has not been able to find a buyer, so they’re selling off their equipment and wine stock, and will be dissolving the business sometime this fall.

“It appears that there will be no buyer for the winery,” said Owner Sherrill Miller. “We have had many seriously interested parties, but in this economy, obtaining financing continues to be an issue along with concerns about negotiating a new lease for the space. We have sold most of the equipment to other wineries, and we will continue to sell our wine at the winery until it is gone.”

E.B. Foote is now offering its wines at “End of an Era” prices – $12 a bottle or $100 a case. Miller adds that their wines will age for 5 – 8 years so “you can fill your cellar and enjoy these wines for years to come.”

However, it will not be until sometime this fall that the winery “fades off into the sunset.” In the meantime, Miller says they plan to have lots of fun along the way, including these upcoming events:

• This Friday, June 10th, from 7:00 – 9:00 pm Sealth Jazz Band is having a fundraiser at the winery. You can enjoy a wonderful evening of jazz, delicious desserts and wine tasting for just $20. Additional wine available by the glass for $5 cash, and of course you can take wine home with you at the “End of an Era” price. The ticket proceeds from this event go towards equipment purchases and jazz festival expenses. Tickets are just $20 each (cash or check) and can be reserved by emailing Paul Sampson at pdsampson@comcast.net, OR tickets will be available at the door that night.
• Breeders Theater’s ‘Helpdesk’ will open July 15th. Helpdesk is about five women who work at the customer service desk of an office computer equipment company. Across the street, a young man has been watching them, and may be about to confront the women. Who is he, and what does he want? Read our original post here. Read more about it here.

More info on E.B. Foote Winery is available at their website.

New BTB Advertiser Decanter Wines want our Readers to know they they will be holding a special wine tasting starting at 4pm on Saturday, May 14th, featuring Washington State’s own Coyote Canyon Winery.

“Washington States own Coyote Canyon Winery will be at Decanter Wines pouring some of their best wines on Saturday May 14th,” said Matt Grim. “They will be tasting two reds and two whites.”

As we reported April 13th:

The idea of Decanter Wines comes from the owner/partners, the Grim family of Burien. Mom, Mary and dad Larry were joined by son Matt and daughter Diane in the creation of this wine store. They’ve been in the online line wine sales business for some time with Washington Wines Online. Many of their customers didn’t want to pay shipping charges, so Decanter Wines was born. Now they’ve not only got a place to pick up their wine, but enjoy a nice salad or, some Mediterranean appetizers, salads, soups and even hot sandwiches and desserts while they collect their wine purchases.

So if you’re out doing your Trader Joe’s or Albertson’s (food shopping) thing, and want to sample some of Western Washington’s Finest wines or want to stop for a taste of their new menu, stop over to Decanter Wine and enjoy the hospitality of the Grim family.

Decanter Wines is located at 15830 1st Ave South, in the space formerly occupied by Party City, next to the Verizon store; phone (206) 243-8751.

Check out their website here, or their Facebook Page here.

West; Directed By Alan Wilkie: Starring Eric Hartley, Adrienne Grieco, David Roby, Amber Rack, Doug Knoop, Stephen R. Scheide, Erika Zabelle and Nancy Warren. Written by T.M. Sell. Music by Nancy Warren.

In my time as a critic, it seems certain patterns have emerged more distinctly than others. So when I was commissioned to see West at Breeders Theater I decided to follow my usual pattern of not researching the play before I saw it. So far, this pattern has led to many pleasant surprises but I think West may be among the most pleasant of the bunch. Right off the success of Casting Call, the cast and crew of Breeders Theater strikes gold again with a production that’s at once a throwback to classic Hollywood romance stories of the 30’s – 50’s and a new entry in the genre; except as a play.

The story follows the tale of two families, the Olsons and the Dokkens whose lives are more connected than they first seem. Olie Olson (Eric Hartley) is the head of a farming family, having immigrated to America at the height of homesteading with nothing but an extra shirt. Harald Dokken (Doug Knoop) is a banker, a steadfast man who believes in hard work and discipline. On one fateful day, Glenda Olson (Adrienne Grieco) and George Dokken (David Roby), meet. What at first seems like annoyance at first sight blossoms into something they never though possible. Throughout the course of the play we follow George and Glenda as they succeed and fail, struggle and sacrifice, all in a story that has as many laughs as it does genuine drama. This is a story that will warm your heart and tug at your heart strings, but most importantly, it’ll make you want to sing half as well as the actors do.

The most striking aspect of West is how well all of the individual parts combine into a whole; the wonderful music, the terrific performances, the stellar writing all combined to form something that is nostalgic but level headed, sentimental but grounded in reality. It’s crucial spiritual nourishment for the inner romantic in all of us and by the end, I guarantee you’ll want more. It’s not just that the characters are fully realized by great actors who obviously care about the audience. It’s not just that the music will have you stirring in your seat and humming the tunes the morning after. It’s not just that the writing has shades of some of the greatest romance stories of all time. It’s ultimately how all of these elements manage to be as great as you’d think and so much more. West gets my highest recommendation. If you’re looking for a romantic evening out at the theater or just feel like you could use a real love story and not the nonsense they’re peddling today try heading to a showing of West. You’ll love every minute of it.

Breeders Theater’s “West” opens at 7pm this Friday night, March 11th at E.B. Foote Winery, located at 127B SW 153rd St., Burien, and continues through:

• Saturday, March 12
• Sunday, March 13 (2 p.m.)
• Wednesday, March 16
• Thursday, March 17
• Friday, March 18
• Saturday, March 19
• Sunday, March 20 (2 p.m.)
• Wednesday, March 23
• Thursday, March 24
• Friday, March 25
• Saturday, March 26

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and showtime is at 7 p.m.

Sunday matinees are March 13 and 20, with doors open at 1:30 p.m. and showtime at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20 (includes wine tasting), and are available at the winery, 206-242-3852, and at Corky Cellars, 22511 Marine View Drive, Des Moines, 206-824-9462. Cash or check only. For more information on tickets, click here.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Philip Benais is our newest Intern, a 16-year old student at Big Picture High School in SeaTac. He's an aspiring Writer who loves movies, so we let him write reviews for us.

Read more of his work here.]

Breeders Theater’s latest play, simply called ‘West,’ will be moseying into Burien’s E.B. Foote Winery starting Friday, March 11th and continuing until March 26th.

After performing for 10 years at this location, unless owner Sherrill Miller can find a buyer, this may be the final play performed at E.B. Foote (read our previous coverage here).

‘West‘ follows the story of two families of immigrants across history in the sequel to ‘Prairie Heart,’ BT’s critically-acclaimed production from January 2009.

Prairie Heart followed the story of Norwegian immigrant farmer Ole Olson and the woman he loves, Ingrid Thorgrimsdottir.  At the end of that play, Ole and Ingrid finally get together.

Fast forward 25 years. Ole and Ingrid’s youngest daughter, Glenda, is ready to make her own way.  But times have changed in North Dakota.  She could get married and start a farm of her own, but will history intervene?

West follows the fortunes of the Olson and Dokken families from World War I to the start of the Great Depression.

West was written by T.M. Sell, based on the stories of his own ancestors, who also, over time, made their way west.

“It’s loosely based on my ancestors, but this could be anybody’s story, really,” says Sell.

West runs March 11-26 at E.B. Foote Winery in Burien. This will be the company’s 20th production at the winery.

The show is directed by Alan Wilkie, who also directed Prairie Heart. Music is by Nancy Warren, with choreographed by Teresa Widner, and costumes by Melissa Sell.

The cast features:

• Adrienne Grieco
• David Roby
• Eric Hartley
• Amber Rack
• Doug Knoop
• Steve Scheide
• Erika Zabelle

Show dates are March 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and showtime at 7 p.m.

Sunday matinees are March 13 and 20, with doors open at 1:30 p.m. and showtime at 2 p.m.

Performances will be at E.B. Foote Winery, located at 127B SW 153rd St., Burien.

Tickets are still only $20, including wine tasting, and are available at the winery, 206-242-3852, and at Corky Cellars, 22511 Marine View Drive, Des Moines, 206-824-9462. Cash or check only. For more information on tickets, click here.

Ric Jacobson

For all of you wine connoisseurs out there, you will recognize and appreciate the following quote by Robert Mondavi:

“Wine to me is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture.”

For Rotarian Ric Jacobson, owner of Corky Cellars in Des Moines, wine is also a lifetime passion. Ric brought to the Rotary Club of Des Moines the idea of a wine festival as a fund raiser, and we are pleased to say seven years later it has been a resounding success and is now a staple in the South King County area. We are also delighted to say that we have over 20 Washington wineries at this year’s festival. Each winery is well-known for the premiere quality of their wines and each bring their own personal story and tradition. One winery in particular has an amazing story that we would like to share with you.
?
Otis Kenyon Winery is a family owned and managed winery with deep historical ties to the Walla Walla Valley. The story of Otis Kenyon Wine begins in the Walla Walla Valley in the early 1900s. A young man, James Otis Kenyon, was a struggling dentist practicing in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. When a new dentist moved to town, James, for reasons that remain a mystery, burned his competitor’s office to the ground. Ostracized by his wife and presumed dead by his two sons, the family moved to Walla Walla, Washington. Robert Otis Kenyon, the eldest son, never spoke of his father even to his son, Stephen Otis Kenyon. Yet, almost exactly 50 years after the incident that began the family legend, Steve discovered his grandfather living quietly on the Oregon coast.

James was reunited with his sons and became a joyful part of their families living long enough to witness the birth of his first great grandchild, Muriel. Although he passed on at age 101, James would have delighted in the birth and naming of his great grandson, Samuel Otis Kenyon.

Otis Kenyon label

Today, in tribute to four generations of Otis Kenyons each with strong ties to the Walla Walla Valley, owners Stephen Otis Kenyon and Deborah Dunbar have returned to the area to make wine. Guided by an unyielding commitment to excellence, they are passionate growers and producers of elegantly structured and affordable Bordeaux and Rhone varietal wines.

In honor of James Otis Kenyon, the label bears his silhouette.

You’ll be able to sample Otis Kenyon wines at the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, which will be at the Landmark on the Sound Event Center the wekend of March 4-6th. Plus, come meet us and our co-bloggers from our sister site The Waterland Blog, who will be there all weekend, “blogging live” and hanging out, exploring the many Masonic mysteries of the historic Landmark on the Sound building (we’ll even show you where a time capsule is buried) – so come say hi!

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Tickets are just $25.00 in advance, which includes 10 tasting tokens (tastings range from 1 – 3 tokens).
• Additional tasting tokens available for $1.00.
• Discounted Advance Ticket Sales end at Noon on Friday, March 4, 2011.
• Tickets purchased at the event will cost $30.00.
• Groups of 20 or more contact Ric Jacobson at 206-824-9462 for discount pricing.
• Wine Festival tickets are good for a one-day admission on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
• 21 and over ID Required at Door.
• No Pets Please.
• This is an indoor event with free parking and free shuttle service from the Des Moines Marina (limited parking available at site for $10.00 per day)

For more information about the Poverty Bay Wine Festival or to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.dmrotary.org/.

Recently, a non-Burien based media outlet reported some misinformation that E.B. Foote Winery will be “closing its doors” in a little over a week – on March 1st – if it doesn’t find a buyer (read our original story from July, 2010 here).

“We’re aren’t hanging it up quite yet!” said owner Sherrill Miller. “They misunderstood that I had to have a buyer by March 1st or I would start selling equipment and the remaining wine and dissolve the business. We still have the March play (Breeders Theater’s “West”), and I have been booking private tastings through April 30th. Once I know if I have a buyer or not, that will determine what happens next and what the timeline will be.”

Miller adds that if a buyer is found, that “it would take at least two months for all of the paperwork to be completed for the transfer of ownership.”

However, if a buyer does not come forward, the winery will remain open beyond April, as Miller would sell off production equipment and the remaining wine inventory.

“I have several potential buyers after the press coverage – three meetings just today (Monday, Feb. 21),” Miller said. ”The asking price is $400,000 which includes the brand name, production equipment and remaining bottled wine (about 1800 cases) and bulk wine (about 2000 gallons of red).”

So, if any of our Readers want to buy this historic Burien-based winery, which has been operating since 1978, it’s yours for just $400,000, and that includes all the equipment and wine. Just give Sherrill a call at 206-242-3852 or email winemaker@ebfootewinery.com.

Also, Breeders Theater has their final run of shows at the winery in March, and tickets are on sale now. This production, called “West,” is a sequel to “Prairie Heart” from a couple of years ago. ”Prairie Heart” was the story of Norwegian immigrant farmer Ole Olson and Ingrid, the woman he loved.  They got together and became farmers in North Dakota. ”West” is about their daughter Glenda who is ready to make her own way. But times have changed in North Dakota. The show follows the fortunes of two families from World War I to the start of the Great Depression. ”West” was written by T.M. Sell and is based on the stories of his own ancestors who also, over time, made their way west. Tickets are still only $20 and include the show and a sample of four red wines. The show opens March 11th and runs for three weekends. Show dates are March 11 – 13, 16 – 20, 23 – 26.  On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday the door opens at 6:30 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm. On Sunday the door opens at 1:30 pm and the show starts at 2:00 pm.  You can get tickets by visiting or calling the winery (206) 242-3852, visiting or calling Corky Cellars in Des Moines (206) 824-9462, or on the Current Releases page of the winery website.  Since this is the final show at the winery, we expect most if not all of the shows to sell out.  Don’t wait to get your tickets or you may miss out!

NOTE: This show is performed in the middle of the winery with chairs on two sides. The winery is chilly so dress warmly. We have two wine samples before the show with wine available by the glass for $5 cash. We have two wine samples during intermission with wine available by the glass for $5 cash.  After the show you can purchase bottles of wine to take home with you. Food will be simply cheese and crackers, just a little something to go with the wines. We hope you’ll enjoy dinner at one of Burien’s fine eating establishments before you come to the winery for the show and wine tasting.

For more information on Breeders Theater’s “West,” check out their website here: www.breederstheater.com.

Miller adds:

“When you purchase wine to take home with you, we are still offering Retirement Prices. All red wines are just $12 a bottle or $120 a case.  Sweet Sherrill is $10 a bottle or $100 a case. Our wines will age for another 5 – 8 years so stock up on your favorites while you can.”

E.B. Foote’s winery hours for wine tasting, wine purchases, ticket purchases, etc. are:

• Tuesday & Thursday: 5 pm – 8 pm
• Friday & Saturday: Noon – 4 pm

For more information, visit www.ebfootewinery.com.

Courtesy our friends at the Des Moines Rotary, here are this week’s Top 10 Reasons to attend the Poverty Bay Wine Festival, coming to the Landmark on the Sound the weekend of March 4-6th:

10. Tastings from 22 Northwest wineries, each sampling 2 or 3 wines.

9. Live music! Including Michael Powers, Susan Pascal, Uncle Ernie, Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, and Tor Dietrichson with Mambo Cadillac.

8. If you’ve never been inside Landmark on the Sound, you owe it to yourself to see this magnificent architectural treasure.

7. Where else are you going to get wine, food, and live music all afternoon for $25? That’s the best deal in town!

6. Opening night is 15 Token Friday! You get five extra tasting tokens if you attend Friday evening.

5. Proceeds support all the projects of the Rotary Club of Des Moines, including college scholarships, help for the hungry and homeless, and support for school children.

4. The Des Moines Rotary also reaches all around the world helping people in Haiti, the Philippines, Kenya, and many other countries with our international projects.

3. Did I mention the food? Fresh bread, cheese, smoked salmon, Salty’s clam chowder, Forte chocolate, and specialties from Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub!

2. As a bonus, we’ll have two car shows: Triumphs on Saturday and Mini Coopers on Sunday.

And the number one reason not to miss the Poverty Bay Wine Festival…

1. Not only will you be having a great time, you’ll be doing something good for our community and our world!

Now that you’re convinced, here are the details:

WHAT: WINE Tasting! Event includes complimentary wine glass and 10 tasting tokens. Additional tasting tokens available for $1.00 each. For more information or to purchase advance tickets online click here. If you attend the Friday night event, you will get 15 tokens per ticket!

WHEN: March 4-6, 2011:

• Friday, March 4, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• Saturday, March 5, 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Sunday, March 6, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

WHERE: Landmark On The Sound, located at 23660 Marine View Drive South, Des Moines.

DRESS: Casual attire.

TICKETS: $30 at the door or $25 in advance good for a one-day admission on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday – buy them online here.

We’d like to raise a glass and toast one of our original Advertisers – Vino Bello, located at 636 SW 152nd Street – returning to the Blog and offering up a great Coupon.

Vino Bello is fast approaching its fifth year as Burien’s premier wine shop and bar. They specialize in high-quality, small production boutique wines and breweries, with 28 wines by the glass, two rotating local craft brews on tap, plus eight more beers by the bottle, along with Italian sodas and Illy Italian espresso.

But it’s not all just drinks – they offer appetizers too, all designed to pair with wine from cheese flights to French truffles, with nothing priced over $10.

With over 600 labels of wine on the shelf from all around the world, and all priced from $7 – $200, there’s something for everyone at Vino Bello. There’s also a very knowledgeable staff to help you with your selection.

They offer themed wine tastings from Noon – 8pm every Saturday, with live music in the evening. Fore more information, check out their event schedule here.

Other offerings include:

• Wonderful Wine Clubs, whether you tired of guessing at the grocery store or looking to stock your cellar, we have a wine club for everyone.
• Gift ideas from bags to books, wine openers to wine savers.
• Very “local,” with a true community feeling – meet your neighbors or new friends, in a friendly, intimate, comfortable, warm and inviting environment.
• Wine for the spirit and soul, no pretension.
• By the glass – Buy the bottle.
• Local Artists art rotation every quarter.

To learn more, or find out about specials, please sign up for their Newsletter here, or “Friend” them at their Facebook Page.

They also have a great website, which you can check out here: www.vinobello.com

And now, here’s their Coupon – just click on the image and Print:

Click on Coupon to Print.