It's February in Paris at Olympic Cellars

love Love LOVE Red Wine

When there is an event at the winery we. The Working Girls, love to go all out... Red Wine & Chocolate is just that event.

So each year we try to take that perfect pairing to another level . . . another place. This year we’re taking it – and our guests – to Paris! We have a growing “French connection” at Olympic Cellars that began with our previous winemaker, Benoit Murat, and continues with our current winemaker, Virginie Bourgue. Add to that our French speaking Working Girl, Cally Tauran,and French photographer Phil Tauran, and it just made sense to celebrate the city of light and love.”

So, get ready... It's February in Paris at Olympic Cellars

Travel is always a topic on the minds of us Northwesterners during the wet, gray days of February, and when Valentine’s Day rolls around what better place to be than the City of Light?! You can go to Paris this year, and there’s no passport or plane ticket required. Olympic Cellars is bringing a little bit of this romantic city to Port Angeles during the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ Red Wine & Chocolate Tour, February 11-12 and 18-20 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Come and take a sensory journey!

Upon arrival at the winery, you will be drawn to the cellar by music; a sound vaguely familiar but from long ago. Could that be Édith Piaf, the famous French singer? Through the cellar doors one is immediately transported to a quaint Parisian street – somewhere near Canal Saint-Martin, perhaps. There’s an artist sketching on a “sidewalk” in front of a bustling café. The smell of warm pain au chocolate and coffee is in the air, and there is a bar where red wines are being carefully paired with the perfect chocolate. Next door to the café is a Chapelier with lovely hats for sale.

“A few doors down,” French photographer Phil Tauran is taking individual and group photos in Le Petit Studio, a replica of Paris’ Studio Harcourt, famous for its signature photos of many of the greatest figures of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. All photos are black & white with an emphasis on lighting in the style created by Cosette Harcourt.

I will email over the next couple of weeks all the special details, event specials and how to make appointment for the limited photo sittings with photographer, Phil Tauran. Below are the highlights of the event.

Au Revoir... for now... Kathy

Red Wine, Chocolate & More
Olympic Cellars will feature two new releases during both event weekends, the 2008 Merlot and 2008 Syrah (just awarded a Gold Medal), and nearly all of its other wines -- whites to reds, varietals to blends, still to sparkling, dry to sweet and multiple vineyards/appellations -- will be available for tasting.

Local Chocolatier Yvonne Yakota will serve a variety of custom chocolates specifically paired with different wines, including a special Ganache style chocolate infused with Cabernet Sauvignon. Information on chocolate sources will be on hand. The chocolates will also be available for purchase.

Chaulk Art in the Street

Warm pain au chocolate and French coffee in the Café

Wine specials and packages just during the event (available at the winery and on the website)

Wine and Chocolate Tasting Notes

Drawing for one of our favorite items from our gift shop