Bloggers

Steven Washuta – Editor in Chief

“My love for wine started in the late 1980′s out of the womb. From there I took a 20 year hiatus until spending a summer in Los Angeles, where a tasting weekend in the Santa Ynez Valley left me inebriated in the beauty of the beverage. Not long after, I spent four months in France, during which I regretted greatly not meeting a French woman to marry in order to gain citizenship. Since then Walla Walla has changed my life, except now I live in California making wine in the Russian River Valley. Walla Walla, I forever owe you a debt of gratitude in beginning my career and my student loan debt which will likely not be paid off until a few more democrats are elected into office. I love democracy, not to mention Syrah.”

Eric Noreen – Master of Ceremonies

My journey has not taken me nearly as far, however my entire life has involved wine.  Ever since I was born I was familiar with the smells sights and sounds of winemaking.  My dad was a home winemaker since before I was born which gave me the basics as I went through my larval stage and blossomed into an adult.  I grew up in Wisconsin and about two years ago I made my way across the section of earth lovingly referred to as america and ended up in Walla Walla, WA where I study enology and viticulture.  I also have a unhealthy obsession with cheese, Vincent Price, and “thats what she said” jokes.  If you held a gun to my head and asked me my favorite varietals, I would probably tell you to drop the weapon.  My favorite varietals are Syrah for reds and Sauvignon Blanc for whites.

Michael “the Microbiologist” Penn

I came into the wine world kicking and screaming, and have not looked back.  Wine is a synonym with passion, and it is through these lenses that I see the world.  Love life, love my woman, love the soil and the plants, and take care of my friends and family, that is my credo in no particular order.  I come to the terroiristas with a direct order to cut and slice.  I write about microbes while  bringing the indigenous microflora to the world stage.  Life is but a brief candle, so let us make wine, drink wine, and be merry. 

I am from Seattle.  I have  pruned vines, fixed irrigation, sprayed sulfur, thinned clusters, driven tractors, made beer, harvested, crushed, and pressed wine in the Upper Hunter Valley, Australia;  Bainbridge Island, WA; Sierra Foothills, CA;  Seattle, WA; Chelan, WA; Central Otago, NZ; Walla Walla, WA; and the Santa Rita Hills, CA.  If you are interested in microbes, biodynamic farming, bees, fermentation, astronomy, beer, compost, Pinot Noir, check out my shit.