Anyone care to wager what makes the sun so beautifully and scarily red, first thing in the morning? Indeed. Today the air is hazy... wildfire smoke. We've had a good run.
We spent the morning at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and the National Neon Sign Museum. Super interesting and definitely exceeded expectations. This area has a lot of history. A history of hard working people who forged a life for themselves in tough conditions, using the natural resources provided by this land.
The neon sign museum came about when one guy started collecting them in his youth and spent a life time learning the art of making them too.
He and his wife own the place and are restoring the historic building it resides in, to its former and very original looking, glory.
Did you know there are only two real colors and the others are all a blend, or colored glass to contain them? Argon glows blue when electrified. Neon glows bright red.
This is the owner's son, David. I believe his parents make him earn his keep it the summers between his years at college. Kidding! (A tiny bit)
David was an excellent guide. Knowledgeable, well spoken, entertaining and considerate. The guided tour was just the right length and very interesting.
And what the heck does Ronald McDonald have to do with any of this, you ask? No idea! But he seemed to want to take a selfie with us, so we complied.
After lunch, we were off to the Maryhill Winery... Oh boy! Oh boy!
We loved the tour and learned a bit about wine making tour. The view from the winery over the river was spectacular too. But I think it's fair to say, we came to taste!
Donnie lead the way.
We tasted all of these in order. What you see in the picture is Dallice's really unprofessional wine-taster opinion. (I never claimed to have skills, I claimed to have enthusiasm. Different, but both are equally important.) All we can really determine here is that I have to start buying more Reserve Wines. Those smaller batches the winery's save and label/price as a bit more special.
The rosé was great. Beautiful flavor and easy to sip. Too easy. I'd like to remember it as the taste of a summer afternoon - fresh fruit and bird song.
Pinot Gris (the same as Pinot Grigio... the Italian version). Really did taste like nectarine, IMHO. Also easy to drink too much of on a hot day!
Lot 12 Reserve was a "mistake". Someone added 50% Merlot to the Barberra and whoops... a star was born. It might have been my favorite. Crazy good flavor and yep, the cocoa spoke to me as you would imagine.
Skip ahead... the other ones in the middle were not awful but not delightfully memorable either.
The last one: Zinfandel Reserve. Mmmm... yummy. Could I taste spiced rum or cloves? No. Thankfully. But I think detected the hint of blackberry jam that is in the description.
Given all that I taste and don't taste, I might subscribe to our sommelier's theory that one builds a smell/taste library and from that, draws upon the data and memories they have to attribute names to what they taste.
My library I conclude, is full of fruit and chocolate memories. Some spices. But little in the way of oak, toast, cedar and tobacco. I can live with that. After all, when does when develop a taste for cedar? My only recollection involves fancy closets or mulching the garden!
Sunset back on the American Song. Another treat! We passed through a lock as cocktail hour was in progress. Who doesn't love food, drink and an interesting view, all at the same time?
Looking forward...
And then the view from the back of the boat as the lock closed after we entered.
I might have been the only person on the boat to run to the front again... or to run, in general, if you don't count our exceptional waiter, Vu.
You've heard the expression: "Take a picture. It will last longer" right? The locks were a highlight of the trip and I'd like to remember them forever, honestly. I took pictures and a video!
No photos of dinner tonight. Give me a break... I had a wine tasting, a cocktail hour and wine at dinner. It's a miracle I hadn't fallen overboard, let alone had the where-with-all to take the pics I did.
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