I was browsing through the new book section of the Wenatcee Library the other day and came across Gary Vaynerchuk’s book “101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight and Bring Thunder to Your World.” Vaynerchuk is a wine celebrity of sorts, who directs the Wine Library and Wine Library TV in Springfield, N.J.
Looking with interest through the book after I got it home, I was surprised to see number 10 on his list of 101 wines, what he called “A monumental wine from Washington.” It was a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Boudreaux Cellars in Leavenworth, owned by Rob Newsom. It’s the only Washington wine on his list. Vaynerchuk writes: “When I sit down to my finest steak dinner of the year — a nice aged rib eye maybe — this is the one wine in this book I would most like to have at my side. I really can’t think of a bigger compliment than that.”
Many local folks will recall Newsom’s wine ramblings when he was a radio personality on KOHO’s morning bluegrass show a few years ago. I wrote a feature story about his adventurous life as a musician, rock climbing guide, sport fisherman and radio DJ. Now Newsom has once again reinvented himself as a premier winemaker. Guess it’s time for me to pay that bluegrass boy another visit.