More or less.
We're in Montana in a gorgeous campground, so that's good.
We woke up in Pendleton a bit earlier than might otherwise have been desirable. There was a tree full of birds right by the van that apparently didn't realize what time it was but it really was kind of nice. After we got up, the campground manager came over and apologized for the fireworks the night before. I told him that the fireworks were actually pretty popular with our campsite so, no apologies needed. After a bit another fellow came up and apologized for the brief display. He was the guy who set them off (them being the fireworks and the less friendly campers). He was a Nam vet, veterans' advocate, and medical marijuana advocate, as well. Said he'd traveled the country for two years in that last role. We went into town shortly after that, found precious little open (it was mid morning Sunday so no huge surprise there), found a drive through espresso (it is Oregon, after all) and headed to Milton-Freewater to Zerba Winery.
Zerba is a really nice winery with terrific Syrahs. They've won lots of awards and last year were selected winery of the year by Wine Press Northwest. It was still pretty early and I really can't spit when I taste (it just seems so nasty), so I only tasted the Nebiollo, a Syrah, an everyday red bordeaux blend, and a port labeled as a late harvest Syrah. All of them were really nice (if pressed, I'd say the Nebbiolo could use a bit more interest) but I was really intrigued with the port being labeled late harvest. I asked about that.
I was told that the Zerba "late harvest Syrah" was prepared in the traditional port manner with some of the same wine (from the previous year, I imagine) being distilled then reintroduced to the fermenting wine to kill off the yeast and leave a bit of sweetness to the resulting drink. Still, it wasn't labeled "port". I was told that the ATF has recent told US wineries that they can't use the name "Port" because it is reserved for wines made in that style in the Douro in Portugal. That seems reasonable enough. Smithfield hams should come from Smithfield in Virginia, say. Port-style winemakers who already had something on the market were grandfathered in and can continue to say "Port". Zerba was two weeks from approval when the new rule was passed. They had their labels done and everything. They didn't know what to do so they just went with "late harvest". At least that would tell buyers it was sweet. It's really too bad.
Sumac Ridge up in BC calls their port-style wine "Pipe,"there are a bunch of other Canadian wineries with their own names, and there's the whole Aussie thing with "stickies". I think someone needs to come up with something like they did for Bordeaux blends made in the States -- called Meritage -- but they have to come up with a better name than that.
We left Zerba without that problem solved and went to a collection of muffler based art on the way to Walla Walla for lunch. There were probably 30 statues of people made from mufflers. They were painted, sometimes quite well, and we were the only people there to see them.
We stopped in Walla Walla for lunch at a restaurant called Olive, not to be mistaken for Todd English's restaurants called Olives. Really, not to be mistaken at all. Actually the food was pretty nice. You ordered at the counter and grabbed a table. They brought your food to you. I got an "Olive BLT" (no olives were injured in the making of that sandwich) and a cup of lentil vegetable stew (which seemed to use lentils as a garnish). Both were quite tasty and went nicely with the glass of Ecole # 41's value offering -- Recess Red -- which was the nicest local red you could get by the glass. Olivia got worried about being late and having to drive so my dreams of stopping at another winery before heading out were dashed and, without a wine tasting excuse for not driving, I drove from there to Montana.
Before leaving, I tried to get to the farmers market but it ended just as we got there but we did get some pictures at a Walla Walla sign. My dad was known as "Boom" to his friends and, as a young man, even said he wanted his children to call him Boom. It was a knick name from a friend of his (my mom's cousin before my dad even knew her) who used to call him "Boom Boom Beckwith from Walla Walla Washington". So you can see, I needed to go and I needed those pictures.
The drive to Montana was uneventful except for a stop at Colfax Washington's Codger Pole -- the world's largest chainsawed sculpture. We got to the campground too late for dinner but set up everything well before dark. We did have a minor incident with mosquito repellent sprayed in the eye but all seems well. There's a pool that should be open in the morning and bike trails so I think we're good.
Aside from about 30 minutes of fighting from the poptop team, we seem to be getting to sleep a bit better tonight. Everyone but me, that is.
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