Chefs and winemakers roll up their sleeves at these winery-based restaurants to deliver a full service dining experience. Ranging from delicious casual fare to elegant culinary creations, wine country travelers can count on a perfect symbiosis between food and wine at Tasting Room Magazine’s top choices of winery restaurants.
Click here to view the actual pages as published in the Summer 2014 issue.
The Hoist House Restaurant & Fireside Lounge at Swiftwater Cellars
A European Touch
In the foothills of the Cascades near the historic mining town of Roslyn, The Hoist House enchants with views of majestic mountain and forest landscapes. Sourcing from local Northwest purveyors, the lunch, dinner or all-day menus offer a bounty of choices for the hungry traveler. Start with the Oysters Rockefeller paired with 2011 No. 9 Semillon. For a main entree, try the Double R Ranch tenderloin paired with the 2009 Malbec, or the truffle mushroom risotto with the 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. For other libations, the adjacent Fireside Lounge offers a full service bar. During the warmer seasons dine outside next to the outdoor fire pits. www.swiftwatercellars.com
Wine O’Clock Wine Bar & Bistro and The Bunnell Family Cellar
Weekly Fresh Menu & Wine Flights
At Prosser’s Vintner’s Village, Wine O’Clock feels like one of those quaint European cafés where time slows down and the meal is savored. Tasteful touches include fresh flowers, crystal wine glasses at every table, and an open display kitchen. A staple is the bistro’s famous wood-fired artisan pizza. The pear, bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese pizza is a must-try. Not sure what to sip? Order a wine tasting sampler flight. Each week a new fresh sheet menu is created to highlight seasonal dishes like pan-seared seafood with coconut risotto paired with The Bunnell Family Cellar 2011 Fraîche, a white Rhône blend. During the summer, dine al fresco at one of the umbrella-shaded patio tables. www.bunnellfamilycellar.com
The Chateau Grill at Chateau Faire Le Pont
Cajun Flare in Wenatchee
Live jazz music on Thursday evenings adds to the elegant New Orleans ambiance at The Chateau Grill in Wenatchee. Lunch and dinner are served Tuesday through Saturday. Try the pan-seared wild salmon filet wrapped in prosciutto and finished with a lemon vinaigrette, paired with the 2009 Pinot Noir. Winemaker dinners, cooking classes and a year-round “Adopt-A-Vine” program that includes a hands-on approach to winemaking all add to the festive fun of this winery. www.fairelepont.com
Sorrento’s Ristorante at Tsillan Cellars Winery
Flavors of Italy
Along the western shores of Lake Chelan lies an impressive Tuscan-inspired estate winery with warm terra cotta hues, rock-waterfall fountains and a clock tower. Inside is Sorrento’s Ristorante, a spacious dining room surrounded by Tuscan-style columns and offering both courtyard and lake views. Chef Gennaro Criscuolo puts his own spin on Italian-inspired recipes handed down from his family. Dinner is served daily and classic Italian dishes are lovingly prepared. Try the veal parmigiana paired with the 2012 Estate Chardonnay or the Italian sausage and roasted red pepper penne with the 2010 Estate Sinistra, a Sangiovese-blend. There’s also a hearty Sunday brunch, and lunch on weekends. Walk off the meal with a stroll through the estate vineyards. www.tsillancellars.com
MOJAVE at Desert Wind Winery
Southwest Inspiration
Inside the adobe-walled winery that overlooks the Yakima River in Prosser is MOJAVE at Desert Wind. Chef Kristin Johnson’s Southwest-inspired cuisine focuses on comfort food. Homemade soups, seasonal salads and sandwiches make for a quick bite and main courses are hearty and unpretentious. Begin with an appetizer of fire-roasted poblano and artichoke dip with house-made tortilla chips and a glass of 2011 Viognier. Try the smoky spare ribs paired with the 2010 Ruah, a Bordeaux-style red blend. Sunday brunch, cooking classes and farm-to-fork multi-course dinners make this a special place to dine and unwind in wine country. There are even four upscale guest rooms for overnight stays, but book ahead. www.desertwindwinery.com
Vin du Lac Bistro at Vin du Lac Winery
Bistro By The Lake
Nestled next to the winery’s estate vineyard with bird’s-eye views of Lake Chelan, Vin du Lac Bistro was inspired by winemaker Larry Lehmbecker’s visits to Paris, where dining al fresco with a bottle of wine is always in style. Breads, cheeses and charcuterie sourced from North Central Washington keep it fresh and local. Start with a Caprese salad and move to the Coq au Riesling, paired with the LEHM Riesling, or the steak poivre paired with the Barrel Select Cabernet. There’s a Parisian jazz club feel and live music on the patio every Saturday in summer, so feel free to kick off your shoes and dance. www.vindulac.com
Taverna Tagaris at Tagaris Winery
Mediterranean Meets Metro
Located in Richland on Tulip Lane, Taverna Tagaris highlights hearty Greek and Mediterranean-style fare. Flatbreads are a big hit with the locals; there are eight different kinds to choose from, grilled over an apple-wood fire and made fresh daily. Try the grilled tenderloin topped with a red wine demi paired with the 2010 Reserve du Chef, or clams á la pancetta using a white wine butter sauce paired with the 2010 Tempranillo. Patio Kouzina is open in summer with a club-style vibe and impressive water fountain, large outdoor grill, full bar and live music. Opa! www.tagariswines.com
Farm to Fork Restaurant at Westport Winery
Coastal Farm Fresh
Head to the seaport town of Westport where the Farm to Fork Restaurant dishes up fresh homemade fare. True to its name, many of the ingredients are sourced from the winery’s 25-acre berry and fruit tree farm, as well as the produce and culinary herb garden. Serving lunch daily and dinner on weekends, try the Dungeness crab cakes paired with Ancient Mariner Riesling. Dessert choices are tempting from the in-house bakery. The libation menu includes Westport Winery’s wine, hard cider, and float cocktails, made with fortified Riesling and sporting tongue-in-cheek names like the “Flojito” and “Tickle Me Tiki.” Take time to meander through the one-of-a-kind sculpture garden. www.westportwinery.org
Fiction at J. Bookwalter at Bookwalter Winery
Tranquil Retreat in the Tri-Cities
Chill out and lounge at the hip Fiction at J. Bookwalter, where locally-driven cuisine is part of the draw at this tranquil Richland-based winery. Literacy is a theme that runs deep in the winery’s branding, with wine labels like Subplot and Antagonist. Dine indoors or patio-side and listen to live music four nights a week. The lunch and dinner menus change seasonally, using fresh organic ingredients when possible. Try the Wagyu black top sirloin with truffle butter paired with the 2011 Protagonist. Soak in the colorful sunsets or play a friendly game of bocce. www.bookwalterwines.com
Tendrils Restaurant at Cave B Estate Winery
On the Scenic Gorge
Travel to Central Washington’s small town of Quincy for a taste of Tendrils Restaurant at Cave B Resort. An onsite several-acre organic garden provides chef Adam Johnson with freshly picked herbs, fruits and vegetables for his dishes. Winemaker Freddy Arredondo has a culinary background and the menu includes his wine pairing suggestions. Try a plate of grilled local peaches, jumbo tiger prawns and white truffle with the Cuvee Blanc. Or the crispy skin troll-caught King salmon with panzanella, grape tomatoes, grilled brioche, avocado and arugula with Chardonnay. The five-course wine tasting menu is highly recommended. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. www.cavebinn.com
Written by John & Adean Vitale