Articles

One of Walla Walla's landmark wineries, Seven Hills has come full circle after 26 vintages and is making a return to its original roots of Cabernet and red Bordeaux varietals.  Winemaker Casey McClellan and wife, Vicky, wrapped up their 26th vintage in the fall of '13, and will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary this spring—having not only endured what can be a volatile … [Read more...] about Seven Hills Winery: A Return To Roots

Although apples still reign supreme in the Wenatchee Valley, a few decades ago several fruit mavens looking to diversify turned their expertise toward wine grapes.  Before long, vineyards took their place alongside the vast hillside orchards.  The region is now home to dozens of wineries that are worth exploring, not just for great wine, but for surprising bargain values as … [Read more...] about Wine Touring in Wenatchee’s Apple Country

"We really don’t have that in mind,” says Kay Simon, co-owner of Chinook Wines, dismissing the notion of retirement.  Her husband, Clay Mackey, the other co-owner of this winemaking venture, chimes in, “No, not in the cards.”  One might assume, with 31 years of successful winemaking under their belts, that the couple would be seriously contemplating the “R” word. But they have … [Read more...] about Chinook Wines: Quintessential Yakima Valley

Founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson, L’Ecole Nº 41 is nothing short of a Walla Walla Valley icon. It was the third winery established in the valley and remarkably, at that time it was one of only 20 wineries in a state that now boasts more than 800. L’Ecole is located in Frenchtown, just west of Walla Walla, in a historic schoolhouse built in 1915. Thus the name … [Read more...] about L’Ecole Nº 41 Attains New Heights in the Walla Walla Valley

If great grapes come from vineyards with jaw-dropping views, then Celilo Vineyard’s ought to be among the best.  Spread before the grapes to the east, an expansive vista sweeps across the shoulder of Underwood Mountain to the Hood River Bridge that spans the broad blue waters of the mighty Columbia River nearly a thousand feet below. Glancing southward, the enormous shark tooth … [Read more...] about Touring Celilo Vineyard: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

At the women-owned Olympic Cellars winery, complementary skills come together in perfect harmony. Kathy Charlton came to Olympic Cellars Winery to close it down.  The Texas Instruments manager lived in Dallas and was in India on a business trip when her husband called and asked, “How would you like to buy a winery?”  Although it hadn’t been on her to-do list, Charlton agreed to … [Read more...] about Olympic Cellars: Sisters Through Grapes

Lifelong farmer Doug Fries knows that a journey is of no merit unless it has tested you.  Quiet, strong and energetic, the former cotton grower from Central California was forced into an early retirement in the 1980s due to an ailment.  He resettled his family in Oregon where he recovered a few years later and became restless.  Fries bought a parcel of land in the Willamette … [Read more...] about The Fries Family: Pinot Noir to Cabernet

Just shy of the township of Lowden on Highway 12, Waterbrook Winery appears like a miniature resort.  Double wooden doors with handles the size of cupboards are hard to miss as you approach the tasting room. The open space is peppered with a variety of chairs and tables in what feels like an elaborate lodge—even more inviting and less assuming after you step inside. Beyond … [Read more...] about The Laid Back Elegance of Waterbrook

The future is bright for Washington State's 13th AVA, already a significant grape growing region for Pacific Northwest winemakers If the making of wine is an exercise in delayed gratification, the creation of an American Viticultural Area (AVA) is doubly so.  Few understand this better than Cameron Fries, the champion of Washington’s 13th and newest AVA, the Ancient … [Read more...] about Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley

Resourceful and rugged like the appellation they helped conquer, the Williams clan of Kiona Vineyards is three generations strong—and counting Broad vistas are a dime a dozen in Washington wine country, but inside Kiona’s tasting room an imposing glass wall frames a slice of the view in such stunning fashion that many stop in their tracks.  During much of the year, … [Read more...] about Taming Red Mountain

Originally published in the Summer 2013 Print Issue  In the same way a good wine pairing doesn’t compete with, but only adds to an accompanying meal, John Patterson is a winemaker who believes in the spirit of cooperation. Take for example the profitable niche he’s found renting out wine equipment to help small wineries crush grapes and process their wines.  Or the intern … [Read more...] about The Collaborative Spirit Of Patterson Cellars

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