Not only are you helping your tastebuds by tasting a delicious vino when drinking salmon-safe wine, but you are also helping the environment. If a wine has a salmon-safe label it means the vineyard producing the wine has taken serious steps to help restore wild salmon habitat. Plants must be planted as cover crops in order to control run-off within the vineyard and vineyards must use pesticide-free methods in order to control pests and weeds. Here is a list of five salmon-safe wines we are currently enjoying.
Amavi Cellars 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon || Walla Walla, WA
Amavi Cellars produces wine that in addition to being salmon safe is 100% estate and sustainable. The wine is produced using grapes from their three estate vineyards: Les Collines, Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge. An instant classic from Amavi Cellars would be their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine embodies all that is Cabernet Sauvignon. A silky and elegant mouthfeel accompanies tastes of cassis with aromas of plum and mocha. Recommended pairings include dishes focused around mushrooms and butternut squash.
Anne Amie Vineyards 2012 Prisme Reserve Pinot Noir Blanc || Carlton, OR
Certified salmon safe and LIVE certified, Anne Amie Vineyards is nestled within the rolling hills of the Chehalem Mountains. Known for their variations of Pinot, Anne Amie Vineyards really strikes a chord with this 2012 Prisme Reserve Pinot Noir Blanc. Gently pressed grapes are aged in French oak barrels for 16 total months to craft this delightful wine; aromas of butterscotch and tastes of ripe pineapple and yellow plum meld together to form a truly rich texture.
Bainbridge Vineyards Siegerrebe || Bainbridge Island, WA
Founded in 1977 following Gerard and JoAnn Bentryn’s viticulture studies all throughout the world, Bainbridge Vineyards produces a wide array of wines. Betsy Wittick took over for the Bentryns in 2013 and has kept production in full-swing. The Siegerrebe from Bainbridge brings together notes of grapefruit, apricot and melon with the pungency of the Muscat grape. Only 90 cases of this wine are produced at a time.
Lopez Island Vineyards Madeleine Angevine || Lopez Island, WA
Estate-grown organic grapes are used to craft a ton of different varietals over at Lopez Island Vineyard in beautiful Lopez Island, Washington. The Madeleine Angevine from Lopez Island is dubbed as the white wine for those that love red wine. This dry wine exhibits complex citrus notes and is perfect for pairing with all kinds of seafood. Being grown within a region so rich in seafood culture, the Madeleine Angevine is a wonderful choice for a summer meal full of shellfish, cod or shrimp.
Methven Family Vineyards 2013 Dry Riesling || Dayton, OR
In the Willamette Valley of Oregon, Methven Family Vineyards produces wine of the finest quality and they experiment in a few other industries as well. The Methven cultivate blueberries and beekeep in addition to their wine-making operation. This certified salmon-safe winery’s 2013 Dry Riesling produces a very unique citrus flavor on the palate. Notes of Sorrento lemons mixed with apricot and honeysuckle provide for a refreshing sip to be enjoyed with sushi or other forms of fresh fish.
