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Today, Hersch and I went to the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery and took a tour. Chateau Ste. Michelle makes some of my favorite wines, including a Reisling and a Pinot Gris. Liana joined us for dinner at The Pink Door, in the Pike Place Market. The restaurant features Italian-American fare with a very intimate dining room.

At Chateau Ste. Michelle, Renee was our tour guide for the short tour. I learned that Chateau Ste. Michelle was the first winery in Washington, and it first got nationwide attention after winning an LA Times blind taste test in the ’70s with a Reisling entry. I also learned that all of their grapes must be grown in the eastern part of the state. The western part of the state is not a very good climate in which to grow grapes, but the eastern part of the state is much like southern France and northern Italy in climate, ideal for wine grapes. Their Woodinville location is the original grounds for the winery, but it now only makes white wine. Grape juice that has been pressed at one of their eastern Washington locations is brought to Woodinville via truck to be fermented in large tanks. Each tank can produce many thousands of bottles of wine!

After the tour, we did a wine tasting of three wines. They were pretty good, but it would have been smarter of us to have had lunch before going there. I was starting to get the Asian flush after just a few sips on an empty stomach. So, I took my time browsing the wine store finding a great gift for Chris, which I did find. They have a selection of wines available from their store that I can’t find in our local grocery stores. If they are as good as I think they will be, I’ll have to start ordering from their online store on a regular basis, perhaps even join the wine club.

At The Pink Door, we started with sautéed calamari and fresh northwest oysters on the shell. The calamari was very tender, and the sauce added some depth to the light flavor. The oysters were definitely fresh, as advertised. They were served with an ice and pepper mixture, which replaces the standard horseradish or tobasco sauce. It worked well, but the crunchy texture was different. It was not bad, just different. It was still a delicious appetizer.

For the main course, I ordered the catch of the day, which was a seared fish served on top of peas, beans and cherry tomatoes. The dish was delicious and light, a great combination for my first seafood main dish on my trip. It also went well with a glass of Pinot Gris. For desert, I had an apple tart covered in caramel, which I then topped with vanilla cream. Another delicious dish, which I paired with an Earl Grey tea.

I’m finishing off the night with a little TV: TLC’s Jon and Kate Plus 8 and The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom. I agree with Liana that Jon and Kate is a form of birth control. SLSM is a pretty entertaining show, giving a soccer mom the chance to live their dream. Well, my photos are almost done uploading, so I’m heading up for bed.