MikeL's Guide to WA Wineries
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Click here for map/directionsNewsletters: February 2000.
Production: (1998) 350 cases
Vineyards: no
History:
Ambrosia by Kristy is properly called a Meadery, not a winery. Kristy Anderson makes only a traditional, sweet-style mead made from WA state honey, intended as a light, natural, after-dinner beverage.
Although Mead has an 8,000 year history including Egyptian claims that Mead has aphrodisiac qualities, producers are barred by US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms from making such product claims. Ambrosia, a form of mead, was a favorite of the Greek Gods atop Mt. Olympus. Kristy says "I have always found the history of mead very interesting. Unlike grape wine, which is basically only in Europe, evidence of mead has been shown all over the world -- India, Africa, etc." After trying a friends home-brewed mead, she was amazed that mead was almost impossible to find on the retail shelf and determined to change that.
Kristy emphasises that honey exhibits the flavor of the plant from which it is gathered, thus clover and alfalfa produce a light flavored honey while blackberry and buckwheat produce a much stronger flavored honey. This means that Meads can vary greatly based on the honeys from which they are made.
Kristy has a BA in History and Business from Linfield College in McMinnville OR, the heart of OR wine country. She has taken winemaking classes at University of California at Davis and has traveled to Great Britain and Ireland to research and to consult with meadmakers.
The primary recipe is varied and experiments made in small batches
in Kristy's home. The actual wine is produced to her exact
specifications by
Chatter Creek Cellars.
Sources:
[the winery]
The Wines:(Winter 1999)
Other:
- Ambrosia (Mead -- honey wine)
Although technically not a dessert wine (less than 14% alcohol), this has 8% residual sugar and makes an excellent after dinner wine.
Winemakers:
Kristy Anderson 19??-present
Gordy Rawson 19??-present
Of special note:
"Ambrosia by Kristy uses a special selection of Washington State honeys. Some of the honey was gathered by bees on Chinook Pass in the Cascade Mountains," says Kristy. And, "As a new meadery, we are aggressively experimenting with new flavors and styles." She also emphasises the healthy properties of honey as an important facet of her wine.
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