AprèsVin

Turning waste into fabulous taste

Leave it to a couple of scientists, Eric Leber and Lori Ramonas, to figure out how to take the waste products from wine (seeds, leaves, stems) and create amazing grapeseed oil and return the grape skins to wineries as organic fertilizer.

According to Lori, the idea came about when Eric was teaching at Heritage University in Toppenish. He knew the students learned chemistry better when they had a real life example in front of them. They got seeds, leaves and stems (pomace) and created grapeseed oil. This led to a company owned by Eric and Lori that uses 4% of the wine waste in the Yakima Valley AVA and is the first to cold press single varietal grape seed oils. The process of grinding the seeds also expels pressed cake which is turned into gluten-free grape seed flour.

Eric's father was a colleague of the former University of Washington professors who started Associated Vintners in 1962, planting their first premium wine in 1963 in Sunnyside. Associated Vintners is now Columbia Winery owned by E & J Gallo Winery. The name 'AprésVin' uses the original "AV" of Associated Vintners. "I helped plant in 1963, but since my father already had the wine side of things, I was more interested in the by-products, the wine waste," says Eric. "The more wineries that opened, the more waste. And no industry can succeed if they don't find a way to handle the waste."

In 2006 Eric and Lori looked at ways to improve the sustainability and survivability of the industry in Washington state. In 2007, they incorporated AprésVin and based it in Prosser, the middle of the oldest AVA in Washington. Wineries are happy to give them the waste at no charge, as otherwise they would have to pay to put it in a landfill. Eric and Lori work with a company that already has all the equipment to grind seeds, but wasn't doing grape seeds. They tumble the pomace to sort out the seeds. Grape skins are returned to the wineries at no charge to be used as fertilizer. Once sorted, the seeds are dried at 198° F and within 30 minutes they go from 80% moisture to 10%, making them shelf stable for years. "We have to avoid mold, so we work hard to ensure that seeds are dried within 10 hours of leaving a winery," explains Eric. "We currently work with four varietals: Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot." They make both fermented (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and non-fermented (Riesling and Chardonnay) grapeseed oils. They also infuse the oils with herbs and spices for some wonderful flavors like Chipotle Merlot, Roasted Garlic Chardonnay, and Blood Orange Riesling.

"Olive oil is known and understood in the U.S.," says Lori. "Grapeseed oil is not as familiar. In Europe, everyone knows how to use it. It's rich in polyunsaturated fats and Vitamin E, so it's good for you. Plus it has a smoke point of 485°, so it's wonderful to cook with. Olive oil is good for you, too, but once you get it too hot (375°-391°) it breaks down and becomes unhealthy to consume."

Like wine, each vintage is different. If you compare oils from different years, you can see the impact weather has on flavor and color. Eric tastes the difference that global warming has had on the oils: warmer recent vintages have a more complex, toasty, nutty flavor. "It's important that people understand the differences in vintages color-wise," explains Lori. "If they bring new oil home and compare the color, they might think one of them is old because the color is so different. But it's just the year of the grape that causes the difference."

AprésVin has had a long relationship with Oil & Vinegar, a culinary gift shop at Bellevue Square and in Spokane. Just ten days after the Bellevue store opened 8-9 years ago, Lori and Eric's product was on the shelves. Their relationship with Matt Stermer, US President/CEO of Oil & Vinegar has blossomed into their product being in all 20 US Oil & Vinegar stores. You can also find their product at a number of wineries on the east side of the state; see their website for details. AprésVin does not have a tasting room of its own.

At a recent tasting event at the Bellevue store, Chef John Howie (Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, John Howie Steak, Sport, Adriatic Grill in Tacoma, and coming Beardslee Public House) was on hand to demonstrate different ways to use the oils, both cooking (searing scallops with Riesling oil) and as a finishing flavor (smoked Chardonnay, blood orange Riesling).

Beyond helping the industry dispose of its waste, the oil being good for your health, and having a high smoke point, the infusions are already done for you and the oils will up the level of your dishes tremendously. It's a win all around.

AprésVin
PO Box 2
Prosser, WA 99350
www.apresvin.com

Oil & Vinegar
2086 Bellevue Square, second level
Bellevue, WA 98004
425-454-8497

River Park Square
808 W Main St, #201
Spokane, WA 99201
509-838-7115

www.oilandvinegarusa.com

May 2015