Wine & Country Living

This past Saturday, I attended the opening of the long awaited Mace Mead Works in downtown Dayton. Upon entering the facility, you'll pass the glassed-in cellar room, racked in oak wine barrels.

At first, I thought this was mead wine, but later found owner Reggie Mace' sucking up barrel tasting from his maiden red wine collection, listed on the brochure from his second label; The Mortal Vintner.

This collection includes three rich reds, all 100 percent pure andunique,winesnamedcrazy-young,justlikeownerandwinemaker ReggieMacehimself,ayoungupandcomingwinemaker. In tasting the Ghost Syrah, I felt it could use a little more time, but the Vellantif Petit Verdot and the Flying Corpse Carmenere, were spot-on.

Mace, who recently stepped out from under Walla Walla's Dunham Cellar's shadow, has a couple of winning reds on his hands and will bottle these wines in the near future. If you think you might want to pour the Syrah, Petit Verdot or the Carmenere during the holidays, I suggest you join the Mead Works wine club for first consideration.

Like everyone attending the event, I first stopped at the bar and tasted Mace's namesake mead. wine. For those of you who do not know, mead wine is not made of grapes but of a simple fermentation of yeast, local water and regional honey.

In the Mead Works case, the honey is collected from our local Wolf Fork Beekeepers and Caruso's Snake River Valley Honey Company, a local trend this regional chef favors for all food stuffs. The Mace Mead is a delicate wine filled in wildflower and alfalfa nuances with a little ribbon of honey riding your tongue to the end. An appertif of Mead would be perfect with luncheons or as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Finally, I made it into the cellar room where Reggie sucked-up wine through his glass spigot, generously offering guests a taste. While I felt the Syrah could use a little more time in the barrel, the Verdot and the Carmenere were spot on; blackened fruit nose, both wines cloven into oblivion, cheeks peppered in leathered tobacco skin and a tongue wrapped in Hungarian paprika.

Because Reggie Mace has the guts to make 100 percent Carmenere and name such a beautiful red wine, "Flying Corpse," yours truly, Judith Henderson of Wine and Country Living, gives you, Reggie Mace, 92 points for this rich red wine! Congratulations Reggie and Heather Mace, and continued successes for you both in Dayton! Until next week, "Eat Art Drink Imagination!"

Fried Angel Food Cake

Serves 4

4-thick sliced wedges pre-baked and

cooled angel food cake

butter for frying

Method: In a skillet, add butter and melt over medium high heat. Slide angle food wedges into butter and fry 4-minutes per side; do not burn. Remove cake from skillet to a paper towel to drain and serve warm topped in late harvest berries drizzled in local honey and whipped cream.

Pair this dessert with Mace's Sweet Mead. Wine: 250 East Main Street, Dayton, Wash. 509-540-0000

Hear Judith's seasonal food and wine pairing commentary at www.chefjudithhenderson.com