Articles

Explore a loop of seven wineries on unspoiled South Whidbey Island who are making serious wines and scoring well deserved attention Click here to view the actual pages as published in the Spring 2013 issue of Tasting Room Magazine. Succumb to the slower pace of rural South Whidbey Island, a short ferry ride from the metropolitan bustle between Everett and Seattle.  … [Read more...] about South Whidbey Island Wine Loop

Tour seven family-owned wineries near the State Capital city of Olympia Click here to view the actual pages as published in the Winter 2012 issue The blue-green tendrils of Puget Sound's waterways extend southward as far as Olympia, Shelton and Lacey. In recent years the State capital has developed into a vibrant cultural center, attracting musicians and artists to … [Read more...] about The South Sound Wine Trail

The Yakima Valley AVA celebrates its 30th anniversary as the Pacific Northwest's inaugural wine region … [Read more...] about Yakima Valley AVA: Turning 30

Upland Vineyard has been a well-kept family secret for nearly a century—but that's all changing as grapes from this superhero vineyard are being transformed into wines of marvel Click here to view the article plus 12 single-vineyard Wine Picks as they appeared in the Fall 2012 issue. Climbing west from Sunnyside on Interstate 82, you are briefly aimed at a water tank … [Read more...] about The Titanic Forces of Upland Vineyard

Nefarious Cellars is wrapped in a tale that is equal parts love story, passion for wine, and unabashed defiance Click here to view the article as it appeared in the Summer 2012 issue. AS YOU drive over the ridges of Bear Mountain on Highway 97, Lake Chelan appears before you, sparkling a surreal turquoise color, caused by runoff from glaciers of the nearby North … [Read more...] about Nefarious Cellars: Defiance on the Lake

A once reluctant winemaker, Len Parris' serendipitous journey has given rise to an Italian style villa, winery and estate vineyard in Eastern Washington Click here to preview this article as published in Tasting Room Magazine. The story of Chandler Reach Vineyard involves an old brick wall in Italy, the backside of a paper placemat on a United Airlines flight, a group … [Read more...] about Under A Tuscan Sun with Chandler Reach

A glimpse at Washington State's newly christened wine growing region, where sustainable farming and outdoor recreation coexist … [Read more...] about Touring the Naches Heights AVA in Washington State

Owing to a pair of entrepreneurial growers, Conner-Lee Vineyard is producing grapes in growing demand by vintners on the the quest for elegant wine Click here to view the article and Wine Picks as it appeared in the Winter 2011 issue. It takes a certain canniness to coax world class wine out of a vineyard year after year, something growers Jerry Bookwalter and Tom … [Read more...] about The Right Stuff: Conner-Lee Vineyard

Sipping handcrafted wines at Chateau Faire Le Pont is just one of countless excuses to linger and extend a stay in Wenatchee, Wash. Click here to view the article as it appeared in the Spring 2012 issue. Thought they might shy away from being labeled as a dynamic duo, Debé and Doug Brazil of Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery have undeniably created an oasis on the edge … [Read more...] about Bridging The Gap: Chateau Faire Le Pont

Swiftwater Cellars is a wonder of architectural grandeur that pays tribute to history through its wines and design Can you spot the woman in the picture?” asked Don Watts, owner of Swiftwater Cellars.  He was pointing to a large black-and-white photo of three miners taken at the old Roslyn No. 9 Mine in the 1930s.  Back then, women weren’t allowed to work in the mine; it … [Read more...] about Swiftwater Cellars: Marvel In The Cascades

A diamond in the rough, this vineyard is turning heads with world class wine grapes Starting a vineyard from scratch capable of producing world class wines takes a lot of trial and error.  Les Collines’ vineyard manager Shane McKibben cut his teeth planting vines and installing the irrigation system at the acclaimed Seven Hills Vineyard.  Before that, he worked in the nearby … [Read more...] about Les Collines Vineyard

Started by two hobbyists over 30 years ago, Walla Walla Vintners remains one of the best kept secrets around. Drive up Mill Creek Road, east of Walla Walla’s downtown, and just when you think you might disappear into the Blue Mountains, there is a tiny sign on the left that reads Walla Walla Vintners.  Locals, including other winemakers and tasting room staff flock to … [Read more...] about A Winning Blend at Walla Walla Vintners

Take a walking winery loop around the Bavarian style village of Leavenworth, where one million people  visit annually to partake of its unique Bavarian village atmosphere, replete with lederhosen-clad people dancing to polka music and the tangy smell of German sausage and sauerkraut wafting through the air.  These days, Leavenworth has added yet one more popular attraction for … [Read more...] about The Alpine Paradise of Leavenworth

Northwest wineries have been banking on grapes from Sagemoor Vineyards for decades.   With novel ideas and deep passion, this powerhouse vineyard team continues to supply winemakers with quality grapes. Click here to read about single vineyard wines produced from grapes grown at Sagemoor Vineyards (reprinted from the Summer 2011 issue). The late Alec Bayless, an … [Read more...] about Sagemoor Vineyards: An Unlikely Boutique

Cast with modern day heroes and legendary trailblazers, Mercer Estates is an epic story of two families – the Hogues and Mercers – whose century-old farming roots lay at the heart of this first-rate winery. Imagine Italy's Barone Ricasoli, the oldest family run winery in the world, partnering with the second oldest, Marchesi Antinori.  Or France’s Domaine Jean-Louis … [Read more...] about Mercer Estates: Of Golden Friendships

Explore a dozen wineries in Prosser's Vintner’s Village, where splendid tasting rooms abound in a wine country setting. Vintner's Village, a nucleus of wineries in Prosser, is like a connect-the-dots or six degrees of separation: longtime farmers turned grapegrowers turned winemakers is the dominant storyline. “The wineries here represent the evolution of the wine … [Read more...] about A Stroll In Vintner’s Village

A tour of Boushey Vineyards with renowned grape grower Dick Boushey, who makes the tough task of growing world-class grapes appear effortless. Click here to preview the actual pages from the story and the Boushey Wine Picks as published in the Spring 2011 issue of Tasting Room Magazine. ONE WOULD NEVER guess by talking to Dick Boushey that he ranks among the most … [Read more...] about The Golden Touch of Grower Dick Boushey

Is this the Southwest or the Northwest? You thought you were in the town of Prosser, Washington, but now you’re wondering if you time-traveled from the Yakima Valley to New Mexico when you pulled off Interstate 82 onto Wine Country Road, passed banks of lavender and riotous baskets of brightly-colored annuals and parked in front of the striking adobe-style building that … [Read more...] about Oasis In The Desert

Accustomed to dealing with the forces of nature, Paul Champoux is winning his battle with the West Nile virus with steely determination. Editor's update: This article was published in the Winter 2011 issue. Paul Champoux retired as a wine grape grower in 2015. CHAMPOUX VINEYARDS is considered to be among the best Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Washington State.  And … [Read more...] about True Grit: Champoux Vineyards

Published in the Fall / September 2010 issue I overheard Mike Januik say something about the grapes from Block One and Block Three and note that, “We could use more of the Cab.”  We were sitting near the fireplace inside the tasting room of Januik Winery and its partner winery Novelty Hill.  He was on the phone with Paul Champoux of Champoux Vineyards in the Horse Heaven … [Read more...] about Novelty Hill & Januik: A Modern Blend

Maryhill Winery is a destination for wine, picnics, music concerts & vistas on the Columbia River. Set in one of the most photographed areas of the Columbia River Gorge, Maryhill is located on a windswept bluff, surrounded by vineyards and lush cherry, peach, and nectarine orchards.  Down below, the Columbia River runs big and wide.  A craggy cross section of basalt … [Read more...] about Maryhill Winery: Inspired By Nature