The latter (part of the Corliss Estates group) is hosting a great event Saturday night that includes AK’s gourmet food, music and a bonfire at dusk with s’mores. They’ll charge $10 at the gate, but if you move quickly to their Facebook page and “RSVP” the event, you’ll get in free!

Other “list-only” release parties are also going, from the famed Leonetti (who started this event by choosing the first full weekend in May as the only date they are open to all their list), Corliss Estates and Abeja.

Of course, the most rockin’ venue this weekend, will be at Charles Smith Wines’ new tasting room on Spokane Street. Only Charles can pair wine tasting with burlesque! We are hearing that the event is sold out, however, if you are in the warehouse district after 9PM, you’ll be sure to hear all the groovin’ along with some bump & grind.

Get ready for a weekend of incredible food, great music and a huge party all over town! And at the core of this weekend is some awfully good new wine releases.

Now we know that it is possible to fork over some serious change on these weekends, so we combed through the new releases to see what we thought was awesome wine at a great price.

In addition, you will find opportunities to stock your cellar for much less at several wineries as they use this weekend to help push out older vintages to make room for their new releases.

After your stop at Zerba Cellars, Winepress NW’s winery of the year, drive into Milton-Freewater and be sure to check out Watermill Winery & Blue Mountain Cider’s VAULT SALE with cases of cider at $50, cases of white wine at $60 and their Chances R Red Wine at $125/12 bottles case.

RED WINES $25 and under:
2009 Three Rivers Red, $14
2009 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, $16
2009 Trio Vintners RIOT, $18
2009 Mannina Cellars Cali, $18
2009 Three Rivers Merlot, $19
2009 SuLei Cellars Roller Girl Jammer Red, $19
2008 Dumas Station Cow Catcher Red, $19
2008 Robison Ranch Cellars Red Table Wine, $19
2007 Stephenson Cellars Red Blend, $20
2009 Trio Vintners Sangiovese, $20
2009 Mannina Seven Hills Sangiovese, $22
2009 Mannina Cellars Pepper Bridge Merlot, $24
2007 Tranche Cabernet Franc, Estate Grown, Walla Walla, $25

WHITE WINES $20 and under:
2010 L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc, $14 (check out their first release with the new label)
2010 Robison Ranch Cellars Pinot Gris (off dry), $15
2009 Three Rivers Riesling, $15
2009 Three Rivers Chardonnay, $17.50
2010 SuLei Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, $18
2010 Robison Ranch Cellars Viognier, $19
2009 Rulo Winery Sundance Chardonnay, $20 (listed on April’s Top NW Wines, Paul Gregutt’s blog)

ROSE’ WINES:
2010 Rulo Winery Rose’, 15
2010 Mannina Cellars Maddily Rose’, $15
2010 SuLei Cellars Roller Girl Blocker Rose’, $15
2010 Trio Vintners Tres Rose’, $16
2010 Tranche Pink Pape Dry Rose’, $16

There are many, many more new releases this weekend. Be sure to visit your favs and also, add on a few new wineries. This valley’s wine people work hard at what they do and this is the weekend they love to introduce their wine to new fans.

New Wineries:

Here is a listing of new wineries celebrating their first SRW (Spring Release Wknd). Make a point of checking them out and welcoming them to the party.

• Riverhaven Cellars will be pouring their 2007 RiverRock Walla Walla wines (Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon) at Skylite Gallery, 7 N. 2nd Ave, Walla Walla.
• Plumb Cellars will be pouring their first vintages at Jacobi’s Restaurant.
• All that glitters  is not always gold ~ sometimes it’s wine! Kathy and Tim Sinclair of SEV (Sinclair Estates Vineyard) open not only their tasting room on Main Street but also their Victorian-restored B&B, Vine & Roses, on Division Street this weekend.
• Robison Ranch join the SRW party with their Lower Waitsburg Road winery open this weekend.
• Tim Kennedy and his wife Lori open their Don Carlo Vineyard for their first SRW. Tim is the founder of Tim’s Cascade Style Potato Chips and recently changed careers to become a vineyard owner and winemaker. Here are driving directions to reach their vineyard and winery:

Head South on Oregon Highway 11 towards Milton Freewater.  Take a right on Sunnyside/Umapine Road,  follow to Winesap Road,  left on Winesap Road, follow to County Road, right on County Road.  Approx. 1 mile on your right is Don Carlo Way.

• While you are in this part of Milton-Freewater, you are just a short drive away from Windrow Vineyard, the oldest commercial vineyard in the county and the new home for Flying Trout and Tero Estates. They have planned a different activity each day of this weekend. For the details, visit WWWN event calendar.

Off the beaten path but worth the visit:

• Spring Valley Vineyards is open at the ranch on Friday and Saturday. We love the drive out the Middle Waitsburg Road for its rolling expanse of wheat fields. The Corkrum homestead has been farmed by the family for more than 100 years. Before you get to the ranch, stop at Couvillon for a taste of winemaker Jill Noble’s Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Bunchgrass Winery has reopened with new energy from Tom, Barb and William. However, the heart of this winery is still Roger.
• After visiting Bunchgrass, be sure to stop in at Glencorrie. The Coldiron brothers have been visiting Walla Walla from California for almost a decade with the vision of basing their winery here. Last year, they opened and with the wine making help of esteemed winemaker Charlie Hoppes (Fidelitas) have released their first wines.
• Stella Fino Winery is pouring their wines at Petit Noirs on Main Street in Milton-Freewater.

Always noteworthy:

• Amavi Cellars open their new tasting room on Pepper’s Bridge Road. We can’t wait to see what they have built and to enjoy the view from their wrap around patio.

• Cadaretta and Rasa Vineyards pour their stellar wines Saturday, May 1  from 10-5PM at Artifex Custom Crush Facility at 1102 Dell Street, off 13th north of Hwy 12.   A $5 tasting fee allows you to taste wines from both wineries.
• Rulo Winery and Isenhower Cellars may not be on your official map, but both small family wineries are producing terrific wines at affordable prices.
• Gramercy Cellars will have their tent up on JB George Road. Eventually, their plan is to build on that location, in the meantime, here’s your opportunity to taste their high-scoring, highly-sought-after wines.
• The Incubator-5 (CAVU, Lodmell Cellars, Trio Vintners, Kontos Cellars and Adamant Cellars) have a terrific weekend of events planned at the airport. Barrel-making demos, fencing (with swords and not posts), BBQ wagon and a rock concert of Friday night.
• Not a new winery, but a new twist on an existing one. JLC’s Lynne Chamberlain opens her Spofford Station Vineyards this weekend with a tasting room, vineyard tours at 2:30 on Friday and on Saturday, 10:30 am and 2:30 pm. Free, however, please register by phoning 509-301-5148. Winemaker JL Chamberlain will be available to talk about the vineyard and current viticulture practices on her farm, including her Cabernet Cow operation.

Where are you going this weekend? Let us know your Must-See wineries.