Art of the Blend
MEET THE WINEMAKERS OF WOODINVILLE
Distance from downtown Seattle: 20 miles; 30 minutes
Have you ever wondered why there are so many wineries in Woodinville (over 50, including behemoths Columbia Winery and Chateau Ste. Michelle) and so few grapes grown there? The answer is: The drinkers live here—nearly half of Washington’s population lives in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area—and Woodinville draws them in with tantalizing tasting rooms and relaxing woodsy retreats.
SIP
In addition to the well-tramped grounds of Ste. Michelle and DeLille, Woodinville is home to edgier young tasting rooms that serve up some of the best wines in the state. At Mark Ryan Winery (14810 NE 145th St Bldg A1, Woodinville, 206-910-7967; markryanwinery.com) you’ll find compelling artwork, an old Oriental carpet befitting the baroque style of a rock and roll recording studio, and Mark (Ryan) McNeilly’s palate-bending vinos.
Just down the road is Efesté (19730 144th Ave NE, Woodinville, 425-398-7200; efeste.com), a small winery whose winemaker, Brennon Leighton, a SoCal skater type (at age 41) with tattoo sleeves, likes to go native, from a fermentation point of view, with delicious results—sauv blanc lovers won’t leave without a bottle of his 2008 Feral.
From there, it’s a three-mile jaunt over to Novelty Hill–Januik Winery (14710 Woodinville Redmond Rd, Woodinville, 425-481-5502; noveltyhilljanuik.com) where design geeks will fall for the cast-concrete building and manicured grounds, though the wine alone would be worth the trip.
EAT
At lunchtime, Barking Frog restaurant at Willows Lodge (14580 NE 145th St, Woodinville, 425-424-2999; willowslodge.com) has many a fancy plate on offer, or you can opt for a turkey sandwich on baguette and a side order of compulsively consumable shoestring fries. Even simpler pleasures await guests of the Forecasters Public House at the Red Hook Brewery (14300 NE 145th St, Woodinville, 425-483-3232; redhook.com). It’s probably not necessary to mention how good the beer is.
For dinner, Barking Frog neighbor The Herbfarm (14590 NE 145th St, Woodinville, 425-485-5300; theherbfarm.com) turns out some of the most acclaimed meals in the Northwest. Diners request a reservation well in advance based on the themed dinner of their liking (see website) then cash in a savings bond for the occasion.
For a somewhat less formal take on a multicourse pairing meal, plan a trip around one of Barking Frog’s winemaker dinners, when chef Bobby Moore and wine director Jeffrey Dorgan (see his wine picks) team up with a local winery to create an intimate multicourse meal served around a round chef’s table with a fireplace centerpiece.
STAY
A room at the lodgey-luxurious Willows Lodge is a short stumble across the parking lot from either the Herb or the Frog, and the thing to do there after dinner is wrap yourself in a bathrobe and slippers (provided), grab a half-bottle of 2008 Poet’s Leap riesling standing at attention by the minibar ($19), and let your fingertips pucker in the jewel-toned waters of the absurdly romantic Jacuzzi.
Published: September 2009
I’m a big fan of Pondera Winery, and their wines. I’d like to note that not only are they a family winery that puts the utmost care and detail into the making of their wines, they also donate a portion of the sales of their Rally Red syrah to charity.
This is a great mention about the Frog, Willows Lodge and Hotel 1000 (side of page). Dont forget to visit Fireside Cellars (wine bar) in Willows Lodge when in Woodin ville..good happy hour food. Though not mentioned I would check out www.woodinvillewinecountry.com/ for all of the other great wineries, like my friends at Stevens Winery, Betz, Des Voigne Cellars and many others.
Great article and thanks for all the suggestions. Have you guys checked out the Columbia Gorge yet? The wineries are kind of spread out, but it’s beautiful and they make great wine. Plus, for all the beer lovers out there, Full Sail is just down the street!
Thanks for the great article about our lovely island. Don’t forget Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill, a delightful and delicious gourmet restaurant just outside of Freeland. The food is incredible and the view of Holmes Harbor is stunning.
i am surprised that you would not mention the Warehouse District in Woodinville. Within 1 mile there are 33 wineries and tasting rooms. Some of the best wineries in the state, if not the world, are in this area. Park your car and walk to 25+ wineries. Most are open on Saturday, less on Sunday, and fewer on Friday, but always enough to have a good tasting time. Sign up for e-mails at www.woodinvillewinecountry.com for releases, events, functions, etc.
That’s a good point, Gary. Would have been smart to mention the Warehouse District by name. We’ll have to do something on it in the future. Thanks for the info, do you have favorite must-visit wineries there?
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