The Next New Thing
KIRKLAND’S GOT A BRAND NEW BIN
Distance from downtown Seattle: 10 miles; 20 minutes
Kirkland’s wine moment started with Bin Vivant, the self-described “vinocentric” restaurant in the basement of the Woodmark Hotel (1200 Carillon Pt, Kirkland, 425-822-3700; thewoodmark.com). Chef Lisa Nakamura and wine director Dawn Smith (see her wine picks) worked in tandem to create pairings that lured the oenophiles across the lake. But when both women opted to move on last year, Kirkland’s time as a wine lover’s destination seemed to be over.
But then, they came: Three wineries of varying scale and scope opened tasting rooms. And late this summer Bin got its groove back with brand-new digs in the view-boasting space formerly housing Yarrow Bay Grill and chef Scott Lents now confidently at the helm.
Today K-town’s wine attractions can be covered in an afternoon and an evening, but that’s not a bad thing for those in search of a speedy mini vacation.
SIP
By far the biggest thing in Kirkland wine right now is Grand Rêve Vintners (12514 130th Ln NE, Kirkland, 425-549-0123; grandrevewine.com), a collaboration between entrepreneur Paul McBride and Ryan Johnson, vineyard manager for some of the most sought-after real estate on Red Mountain. They planted fruit at Ciel de Cheval vineyard, one of the warmest in Washington, then paired up varietals with all-star winemakers—Mark McNeilly made a sangio, the syrah is the work of Ross Andrew Mickel. Taste the results in their navy-and-chrome tasting room, open each Saturday from 1 to 5pm and by appointment.
A few suites down the strip of offices from Grand Rêve is Pondera Winery (12806 NE 125th Way, Kirkland, 425-825-3917; ponderawinery.com), where a father-son team crafts wines more modest in scale and ambition, but with promising blends and a proletarian spirit. Case in point: You have to walk through the dusty family framing workshop to get to the tasting room. Pondera is open most Saturdays; call ahead to check before you go.
About a minute and a half up the road is Northwest Cellars (11909 124th Ave NE, Kirkland, 425-825-9463), best known as a private label operation that makes those custom bottles you see at corporate events. But Bob Delf also blends unpretentious, affordable wines that easily outperform those weekday reds and whites on sale at the grocery store. It’s $5 to taste five wines, and the fee is waived when you buy a bottle.
STAY
It’s hard to argue with The Woodmark Hotel’s perfectionist approach to luxury—plush towels, magazines arranged in a just-so row, homemade chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk to welcome you to your room at night. The lakeside views, meanwhile, are sparkly on a sunny day and cozy on a wet one.
EAT
See if you can’t beat the bloggers to just-opened Bin on the Lake (425-803-5595; binonthelake.com), the second incarnation of Bin Vivant. If you’re staying two nights, on the second hit up Holly Smith’s nearby Café Juanita (9702 NE 120th Pl, Kirkland, 425-823-1505; cafejuanita.com) for dazzling Northern Italian fare and an amazing list of wines from the boot to boot.
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?