As we begin to look toward spring in the Pacific Northwest, the menus and featured wines at each of our Fire & Vine restaurants go through some changes to pair with the longer, warmer days and fresh ingredients from local farms.  Bright flavors from spring vegetables and seafood will be highlighted in our menus and beginning in April, many of our restaurants will also feature special glass pours and bottles from Gran Moraine Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and àMaurice Cellars in Walla Walla.  The Lakehouse will feature àMaurice as the selected wine for their April Date Night which includes a 3-course menu paired with either the Chardonnay or Night Owl for $149 per couple.

15 years ago, Anna Schafer, then 26 years old, made her first vintage of àMaurice. The name, a dedication to her grandfather, reflects just how much a family endeavor the winery has become. The winery is owned and run by the Schafer Family in the Blue Mountain foothills of Walla Walla, WA. We are proud to feature their critically acclaimed wines. The 2017 Columbia Valley Viognier has been called one of the best white wines made in Washington with lots of tree fruit and white floral notes and some ginger spice. Wine writer, Dr. Owen Bargreen, praises the Grenache for marvelous purity of fruit and says the ‘Night Owl’ is a silky blend of 55% Merlot with lesser parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The 2015 Malbec received 91 points from Stephen Tanzer who says this is Anna’s best Malbec to date.

Though Gran Moraine is an Oregon original, its spirit harkens from France. The vineyards in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of Oregon allow the Burgundian varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay which are a true expression of the vintage, the terroir and the culture of Oregon’s northern Willamette Valley. Eric Asimov, the noted New York Times wine critic praised the 2016 Chardonnay for its floral and lemony flavors with “rippling acidity.” The Rose of Pinot Noir is a springtime stunner and the Today Show called it “an expressive pink with an ethereal lightness and delicate floral spiciness that could only come from Pinot Noir.” The 2015 Yamhill- Carlton Pinot Noir has juicy tight tannins and the finish has been described as on ocean wave. The Yamhill Carlton Sparkling Brut Rosé is only released once a year in very limited quantities so come in soon to pair this with vibrant and clean sparkler with oysters.

Please note: The àMaurice Viognier, Malbec and Night Owl blend and Gran Maraine Rosé of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir will be available at Washington El Gaucho restaurants and AQUA beginning in April. The Gran Moraine Sparkling Brut Rosé and the àMaurice Grenache will be available in limited locations.