Wine Pick: Hey Walla Walla

Sunday, I used my wino skills for good rather than evil at the 2nd Annual Bags and Bottles Event at the W Hotel Seattle, benefitting Gilda's Club. Gilda's Club is the charity started in honor of comedienne Gilda Radnor, who fought a long battle with cancer. They help cancer patients and their families during a very difficult time.

Bags and Bottles was a designer purse auction and wine tasting. Hundreds of gorgeous Prada's, Kate Spade's, and Gucci's lined tables like so many dead carcasses, circled by lusty fashionistas drunk on the thrill of landing one of them for $10. Attendees were asked to bring a gently used designer bag to the auction, and they also had new bags filled with goodies in the live auction as well.

Around the perimeter of the purse extravaganza were wine tasting stations from multiple Washington wineries. It was heaven. Highlights included Covington Cellars, DaMa Wines, Flying Trout, Animale, Airfield Estates and oh so many others.

And right before I left the event, I fell in love.

My girlfriend insisted I not leave before trying the Stella Maris. It was lovely, lush and creamy vanilla smooth on the finish for a Merlot/Cab blend (with just a hint of Petit Verdot). I find some of the WA wines need time to open up but this was just lovely. I could see hunkering down for a Law & Order marathon and Beecher's mac and cheese with this baby.

I'm still unclear which winery this is. The website leads me to Northstar Winery in Walla Walla, but the Stella is kind of hidden. Also, the card I got from the tasting table was from Chateau Ste. Michelle, so I think this might be an offshoot. Whatev. Just get me some more.

More Washington wine finds to come as I gear up for Woodinville Passport Weekend on April 12 and 13th. Oh, and I've covered some WA wines for those interested in past articles of my wine column, Red on Reds for IntoWine.com. Saluti!