Below are samples of letters from subscribers and readers that we receive on a regular basis:
NORTH CAROLINA LOVES WASHINGTON WINE
On our visit to Washington State last fall we picked up one of your magazines at the hotel we stayed in Woodinville. My husband and I drove from Seattle to Eastern Washington (Yakima, Red Mountain, Walla Walla) and had such a great time visiting the vineyards, tasting the wine, and meeting a lot of great people along the way. As I began my planning for our next trip, I pulled out the issue from the trip and read all the great articles and decided to order a subscription. We love Washington State wine and feel like it is the “best” wine and a hidden gem; most people do not know how truly great the wine is, at least from the East Coast. We talk it up all the time. I look forward to reading each issue of Washington Tasting Room Magazine and keeping up with what is happening in the ever-growing Washington State wine industry.
Judy Fenton
Wilmington, North Carolina
KEEPING IN TOUCH FROM THE CENTENNIAL STATE
I am looking forward to reading the current issue. I found your magazine a couple of years ago at a winery we had visited and I forgot to subscribe back then. Your magazine keeps me in touch with my home state of Washington. I moved [out of state] in 1995 and its amazing how the wine industry in Washington has “blown up.” I grew up near Lake Chelan when it was all apples, and now it’s all grapes and vineyards. A majority of my family lives in the Tri-Cities and we love going to [nearby] Red Mountain wineries too.
Lonnie Glessner
Littleton, CO
NEW SUBSCRIBER
I love the magazine and wine reviews! It’s very informative on wineries in our state. The recipe section is a sweet addition, as well as winery dogs of Washington. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Lone Point Cellars [featured in Recipes from the Vintner’s Kitchen, Spring 2023 issue] but I was delighted to share a bottle of wine with a friend. I am looking forward to a spring drive to their winery in Brewster. I’m very happy I stumbled onto your publication and look forward to the next issue.
Susan Markus
Ellensburg, Washington
WYOMING READERS
My wife and I visit Washington wineries for about three or four weeks each year and have for over a dozen years. We have been aware of Washington Taste Room Magazine for some time but came across a few copies at the Pepper Bridge Winery tasting room with some articles of great interest and decided to subscribe. While we surely enjoy drinking wine, we are both academic geographers and interested in everything from the soil, climate, vineyard development, and wine making processes. This year we spent a day hiking and driving around the Ancient Lakes AVA. We look forward to receiving our first issue.
Gerald R. Webster, Laramie, WY
Professor Emeritus of Geograph, University of Wyoming
WINE TRAVELER
I am a wine geek and visit Walla Walla and Woodinville every year. I also visit the Willamette Valley annually. I am currently staying in Walla Walla in a rental unit and found last fall’s issue on an end table. Please start my subscription with the next issue.
Tom Koenig, Blaine, WA
SODO TASTING ROOMS
Maybe devote some time to the tasting rooms down in SoDo Urbanworks in Seattle. [There are] several great tasting rooms along with excellent food at Nine Pies Pizzeria.
Paul Rogojin, Renton, WA
Editor’s reply: Paul, we put part of your helpful suggestion to work in the Spring 2023 issue, which spotlighted one of SoDo Urbanworks’ tasting rooms alongside five other Seattle urban wineries.
FANS FROM POULSBO
Thank you for renewing my subscription. I am enjoying your magazine!
Pat Paulsen, Poulsbo, WA
CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE WINE CLUB MEMBER
Love your magazine—and we belong to multiple Washington wine clubs—love Prosser and Woodinville. I do have one item that I hope your [reporting] team looks into. I belong to Chateau Ste. Michelle’s wine club. We enjoy their wines, but I do not believe that they are any better then the others that I belong to—it is the property and events that they host in Woodinville. If they sell that property, I, and I believe many others, will drop that wine club. Maybe the new owners do not care about local club members, but I would be so sad if they sell that property.
Kevin Smith, Buckley WA
TULIP FESTIVAL WINE TASTING
My girlfriend and I used your current issue to plan our Tulip Festival/Wine Tasting trip weekend, it was a huge help [Spring 2022].
Travis Wandell, Woodinville, WA
READER CONTEST WINNERS
Mary and I just completed our three-day, two-night contest prize package and what a treat! From the beautiful room overlooking the Columbia River, to the sumptuous dinner at Drumheller’s, to the royal treatment of tastings at Fidelitas, J Bookwalter and Chandler Reach, this was truly a distinctive Washington experience. Thank you WTR!
Steve and Mary Bonwich, Port Orchard, WA
Editor’s note: The Bonwichs were the prize drawing winners of Washington Tasting Room’s Reader Contest prize package that included lodging and dining at The Lodge at Columbia Point, and reserve wine tastings at nearby wineries.
HARVEST PICTORIAL
Just a quick note to say ‘thank you’ for sharing pictures of our Harvest in the latest issue [Spring 2022]. It was super fun to see!
Marissa Dineen, owner & vintner, Dineen Vineyards, Zillah WA
GARDEN STATE SUBSCRIBER
Through Garagiste.com, I became interested in Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. In surfing the internet and reading articles on Washington State wines, I came across your magazine and it sounded very interesting and something I would enjoy reading. Please start [the subscription] with the current issue.
Robert Solomon, Princeton, NJ
ARMCHAIR TRAVELER
My husband and I enjoyed trips around Washington State to visit various wineries and tasting rooms. It even inspired us to make wine ourselves on several occasions. After traveling became difficult for him we ended up enjoying the stories in the beautiful magazine.
Mary Ann Wisman, Stanwood, WA
WINE & DINE IN WOODINVILLE
We have had guests from across the state come to dine at the restaurant just because they saw the article in the magazine [“A Mediterranean Chef Comes To Woodinville” in the Fall 2021 issue]. Thank you so much.
Danilo Amato, chef and owner of The PicNic Table Café, Woodinville, WA
SEATTLE AIR BNB
We saw your magazine at an Airbnb in Seattle. It was the issue with the signature wines from various wineries, and sommelier advice on tasting [Flagship Wines issue, Spring 2021]. Assuming that’s the current issue, we read it cover to cover and would like to start our subscription with the summer issue.
Martha Romans, Alexandria, VA
SEEKING VITA MIGLIORE
Your December 2020 issue featured this wine [C&C Cellars 2017 Vita Migliore]. I was given a bottle last week and really liked it.
However, I am unable to find any info about the winery or wine on the internet. I would love to have you respond.
Wolgang Fiebing, Spokane, WA
Editor John Vitale responds: The C&C Cellars 2017 Vita Migliore is a negociant wine produced exclusively for Esquin Wine Merchants, an established retail wine store in downtown Seattle. This red is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend culled from notable vineyard sites in the Royal Slope AVA and Yakima Valley AVA. We contacted the staff at Esquin and they will be happy to help you with this purchase directly.
TRACKING NEW TASTING ROOMS
Our factory is located in Woodinville and we’ve been at that address for 35 years, watching wineries grow up around us. Normally, we are engaged with the wine scene but ‘lost the plot’ during the 2020 pandemic and thus lost track of new tasting rooms, etc. We decided it was overdue to subscribe, instead of randomly picking up a copy at local tasting rooms.
Antonya Fults, Gold Bar, WA
WASHINGTON WINE RABBIT HOLE
Back when I was a complete novice around 2008, I was randomly picking up a Cabernet at a liquor store. I was aware that good Cabs came from California and I’d had them before, but I saw a few from Washington and tried one out of curiosity. I absolutely loved it; the wine was called Ex Libris. To this day I am still not great with tasting notes but I noticed it had a certain different taste than I had ever experienced with other Cabernets. I kept trying other Washington Cabs and always liked them a lot, so I was hooked. This has not changed even as I have become more experienced with wines in recent years. Washington is my favorite area for wines anywhere in the world, with the possible exception of Riesling from Germany. Fast forward to late August 2019, when I was very fortunate to take a week-long vacation to Washington and drive around the state exploring the different vineyards, wineries, and AVAs. What an incredible experience! Thus, I have subscribed to the magazine. I am excited to dig even deeper into the Washington wine rabbit hole.
Daniel Bacarella, Jersey City, NJ
LONE STAR STATE LOVES WA WINE
My husband and I come to Washington several times a year. We trade off between Bainbridge Island and Walla Walla where we are members of several wineries in these two locations. On Wednesday before meeting some of our Spokane friends, whom we met about three years ago while wine tasting in Walla Walla, we stopped at a little winery in Spokane called Craftsman Cellars. We were enjoying wine and a charcuterie board and the owner brought over a few wine magazines for us. Yours was one of them and we loved it, so I signed us up with a subscription!
P.S. Loved the winery dog profiles in the Spring issue. We love wine and we love Washington—so happy to have come across your magazine. I can’t wait to get the first issue. Cheers from the Lone Star State!
Tracee Elrod, Hickory Creek, TX
WASHINGTON WINE FAN
I subscribe to several wine publications, but as we drink primarily Washington wines, was looking for a magazine specializing in them exclusively. While I try to keep up with the wine industry in WA, there are always new wineries popping up, so it’s great having a publication doing the legwork. In reading your magazine, I learned of several I hadn’t heard of or visited. We found the wines at Simpatico, Damsel and Tinte to be very solid and bought wines at each. A particularly nice article about Tinte and their focus on charitable giving. I’m already looking forward to the next issue, glad I subscribed!
Rocky Meredith, Brier, WA
SPEEDY SUBSCRIPTION
Thank you very much for so quickly sending me the three extra copies of Washington Tasting Room Magazine that I ordered along with the two gift subscriptions. They arrived in a very timely fashion the next day.
Marian McLain, Bainbridge Island, WA
MISSING WINE CLUB
I enjoy your magazine very much but was very disappointed Baer Winery was not listed in the article sidebar on recommended wine clubs. Baer is celebrating their 20th year as a family business and is inspiring how the sisters took the reins after the son’s death. I do recognize there are an abundance of options but believe their club should have been included in your list especially in light of the high quality of their wines. [This] doesn’t mean I am cancelling my subscription as I do look forward to each issue.
Nancy Schmauder, University Place, WA
CRAZY TIMES, BUT WONDERFUL ISSUE
I just took Washington Tasting Room Magazine’s reader wine club survey but wanted you to know that I continue to LOVE your magazine! I was a little worried about your Summer 2020 issue before it came out because I wasn’t quite sure how you were going to handle the current, crazy times. But the issue was absolutely wonderful and again I enjoyed every page of it. For the future, I would love to see you do an article on Red Willow Vineyard.
Keith Halverson, Granite Falls, WA
NEW SUBSCRIBER & WINE CLUB MEMBERS
We were visiting our new favorite winery, Tipsy Canyon, and asked if we might have a copy of the magazine. They so kindly gave us one! We have been exploring all areas around Chelan. Since we belong to five wine clubs in our area, we stay stocked and can library two to three cases at all times. Looking forward to our magazine subscription.
JoAnn Holcomb, Entiat, WA
EXTRA LOVE
You guys are amazing, we love Washington Tasting Room Magazine.
Julie Grieb & family, Treveri Cellars, Wapato, WA
BRIDGING THE GAP
In the early days of Washington State wine we used to pride ourselves in being able to keep up on new wineries when they opened. That was when we only had a few dozen, struggling in pioneer mode. Today there are just too many to keep track of and while we have wine clubs, mailing lists, and our favorites to revisit, we do like reading up on the newer openings and how they got their start. Washington Tasting Room is the perfect read for attempting to ‘stay up to date’ on new spots and their products while still including the old guard and how our state’s great products continue to remain at the top of their industry. Thank you for bridging our knowledge and information gap on the old and the new in Washington state wines.
H. Schultz, Vancouver, WA
CHEERS TO THE FUTURE
You have been so great to our local wine industry, thanks again so much! Looking forward to the future.
Athena M. Honey-Sandidge, C.R. Sandidge Wines, Manson, WA
UNEXPECTED SURPRISE
Thanks for the unexpected prize. It has been a couple of years since we have “gone east” for our wines and it will be great to get back there (but we are in Woodinville and other Puget Sound tasting rooms quite often). Most of all, though, thanks for publishing a great magazine. I read it cover to cover as soon as it arrives. I thoroughly enjoy the breadth of topics, the quality of writing and photography, and the comprehensive listing of upcoming events.
Eric Jensen, Puyallup, WA
(Editor’s note: The Jensens won our Reader Sweepstakes prize for two nights at The Lodge at Columbia Point located in Richland, Washington.)
MANY THANKS
Thanks for all you do for the Washington Wine Industry and wineries large and small. Your Spring issue tops them all with the cover highlighting daughters of Washington Wine.
Alphonse de Klerk, Rolling Bay Winery, Bainbridge Island, WA
WINE TRAVELERS
My wife, Lynly, and I enjoy traveling for wine. Whether to Oregon, California or closer to home in Washington, we love the tasting room atmosphere. We have enjoyed picking up your magazine in tasting rooms across the state, but a subscription of our own [is] even better. Washington has some of our favorites, and your magazine has guided us in the past. We look forward to more great suggestions in the future!
Greg and Lynly Platz, Poulsbo, WA
PLOTTING OUR NEXT WINE GETAWAY
When you have convinced your beer drinking spouse to take a Wine 101 class through continuing education and he has been 100% converted to the world of grapes, you get to take wine tasting trips for your Anniversary. So, armed with the cork district map for downtown Spokane Washington, we visited a handful of the tasting rooms near the Montvale Hotel where we were staying. From the expansive tasting menu at Terra Blanca to the modern tasting room at Helix, we had a great time and found some new favorites to take back to Montana with us. While tasting at Latah Creek, we discovered Washington Tasting Room magazine. What a great publication filled with great articles on pairings, vineyards, even a calendar of wine events in Washington. We subscribed to the magazine and are plotting our next getaway around a whole new list of wineries featured in the magazine. I expect our relationship with Washington Tasting Room to be a very long one.
Kelly Wiley (and spouse Todd), Helena, Montana
CONVERTED WINE CLUB MEMBERS
We’ve been subscribing for years now and have enjoyed the passion you deliver quarterly on the Washington winery scene. We use your magazine frequently, including back issues, for planning our next wine-seeking journey. The article “Rhone Inspired” on Robert Ramsey Cellars did indeed inspire. Another top-notch example of blending education with entertainment. We loved the wines and experience so much we joined the wine club!
Doug and Cathy Schrock, Tacoma, WA
THE GO-TO WINE MAGAZINE
Tasting Room is my “go-to magazine” for keeping up with the wine action in Washington. Be it new or old wineries, places to dine, or places to stay, the magazine provides information in an easy readable style. Keep up the great work.
H.B. Kurle, Bellevue WA
DRINK WASHINGTON FIRST
Congratulations on another great issue. We especially liked the Drink Washington First promotion.
Lloyd & Ann Anderson, Walter Dacon Wines, Shelton, WA
ANNIVERSARY KUDOS
Just wanted to congratulate your staff on the 10th anniversary of your magazine. That’s quite an accomplishment. There appears to be an endless supply of new tasting rooms in the area to keep us busy. We just got back from Chelan and went to a new winery called Tipsy Canyon. It’s in a beautiful location above Manson. We liked their Malbec. Check them out next time you are over there.
Denise & Chris Norman, Woodinville, WA
CHEESE & WINE PAIRINGS
I just received the magazine. Fantastic! You did such a beautiful job describing both our business and cheeses. The picture, wine pairings, including the twins…all awesome! Again, we just can’t thank you enough for featuring our creamery in your beautiful magazine.
Lindsay and Jeff Slevin, Twin Sisters Creamery, Ferndale, WA
WINE COUNTRY ARTIST
I must say I am totally pleased with the article written by John Vitale about my wine country paintings in the Spring issue. I love his way with words and the way he crafts the language of a painter. He has a good understanding of the process. I also like that he wrote the artwork speaks from an old soul, that is very touching. Thank you again so very much for featuring me. I am very honored.
Laura Gable, Kennewick, WA
READER CONTEST WINNER
We had a great weekend in Seattle as winners of the Washington Tasting Room Magazine’s Readers Sweepstakes. Thank you for your advice, and a very informative magazine! We particularly enjoyed Mercer Estates and Waters Winery tasting rooms south of city center. Woodinville was a really good experience as well. And the Kimpton Hotel Vintage was excellent. Thanks again for a great prize!
Steve & Shona Gillette, Polson, Montana
BROADER VIEW OF THE WORLD
Our subscription to Washington Tasting Room Magazine was a gift, and in so many ways. While we have enjoyed venturing out to visit different wineries, WTR gives us a broader view of the world of Washington wine—and has opened our eyes to different tours of the state we can take.
Greg Gurske, Olympia, WA
TOURING LAKE CHELAN
Really enjoy all the very interesting info provided by your magazine and the recent article on Lake Chelan. We just spent a week there, and had a great time at that beautiful place and enjoyed many of the local tasting rooms. Hopefully can make a return trip soon.
Scott Casey, Portland, OR
CALIFORNIA FAN
We just returned from a trip to Seattle and had a great time there at the Hotel Vintage Seattle. You have a great publication, which we discovered during the stay in our suite. We really do enjoy Washington State wines down here in California. We are enjoying Columbia Crest Cabernet while we are waiting for a table at Morton’s Steakhouse here on Post Street—a good value at $10 a glass, we think.
Dick Shireman, San Francisco, CA
TOURING TOOL
Love your magazine, I have the latest edition right in front of me right now. We used it to locate a new winery in Prosser last summer. Washington Tasting Room Magazine has become one of our favorite resources for pursuing our passion for Washington wine.
Mike Jacobsen, Auburn, WA
TRAVEL GUIDE
I love your magazine, it inspires us to travel to areas we’ve not been too before. It also acts as a guide when visiting our favorite places. Thank you so much.
Sandra Low, Vancouver WA
THE BEST IN WASHINGTON TASTING
Thank you for your great articles, fantastic photos and suggestions. I look forward to receiving your magazine every quarter. Just last month I used it for planning our wedding anniversary in the Puget Sound area. Finding the notes on the “tasting room opening” section about the Woodinville area made for a wonderful anniversary celebration. We’ll be going to the Spring Barrel Tasting Weekend in the Yakima Valley this year. Keep up the wonderful work bringing me the best in tasting in Washington.
Don Rickel, Tigard, OR
WASHINGTON VS. THE WORLD
I grew up in Seattle and have been reading Washington Tasting Room for years. The beautiful format and timely content featuring regional wineries and events make the magazine a vital companion. Especially interesting is the addition of the “Washington vs. the World” section. My French-born husband and I prefer old world style wines and now, for example, we can easily compare our favorite French or Italian appellations to local varietals. It’s nice to learn a bit about the origins of the various grapes, plus the photos help me find the bottles in the store!
Alane Redon, Seattle, WA
UNBEATABLE QUALITY
We love your magazine; the quality is unbeatable. Not only the content of the articles, but the photos are wonderful. You get the feeling that you can jump right into the photos and be a part of what is happening. We have been subscribers from the beginning and it has always been a favorite of ours. One thing that has been fun for us, is to see the articles about the various wineries. The extra fun part is when we can say, “We know them!” or “We met that winemaker!” As we read through the articles about the wineries, we get so excited. Now, to get out there and do more exploring…we truly believe we have only scratched the surface of exploring Washington wines. Thank you for keeping us up to date on what is happening.
Alison Cook, Redmond WA
NEWCOMER TO WASHINGTON
I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your publication. I am new to both Washington and the wine industry and find all the information you provide to be invaluable as I learn my way around Washington wines.
Celeste Jackson-Moody, Everett WA
AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE
Thank you for a wonderful snapshot of the incredible wine industry in Washington, I look forward to each issue and e-newsletter. Your publication has been an invaluable resource for myself, and also visiting friends and family.
Scott Wertman, Bellevue, WA
RED MOUNTAIN HORSEBACK RIDES
Each Spring we travel to Eastern Washington for wine tasting, so when we read your article about horseback riding in the vineyards, we said, “Whoa” this is for us! We contacted Teresa Owen of Red Mountain Trails and she was very obliging to customize our tour. It commenced at Kiona Winery in Benton City and we were gone for about two hours. It included wine and appetizers at the gazebo! Everything was perfect—the horse, view, food and wine. If horses and wine are your thing, make it a must on your next visit to the area. Thank you for that article and making us aware of this unique experience. We enjoy reading Tasting Room magazine.
Pete & Linda Ziemke, Puyallup, WA
FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM
We spent a few days in Washington seeing for ourselves the wine regions and wineries, and importantly, tasting the wines. It was part of our long RV wine-themed trip to the US and Canada. A copy of Tasting Room magazine was a good starting point, and we followed advice, articles and advertisements therein to compile an itinerary which included the Olympic Peninsula, Wahluke Slope, Yakima Valley, Rattlesnake Hills, Tri-Cities, Horse Heaven Hills and the Columbia Valley. One highlight was Treveri and their smart tasting room in Yakima. It was a pleasure to meet and chat briefly with winemaker Juergen Grieb. Our final stop was Maryhill in the Columbia Valley, an enviably steep south facing site right down to the river itself. Like the Mosel but without the rain! This visit affirmed the consistent quality, no, brilliance, of Washington State wines, and if forced to pick a favourite from here, it would be their Malbec. We left envious of those able to attend one of the summer concerts in the natural amphitheatre they have created amongst the vineyards.
Peter Harvey, Norwich, United Kingdom
CONTEST WINNER
Back in January, I was the lucky winner of a weekend getaway at Alderbrook Resort and Spa courtesy of Washington Tasting Room. My husband and I made great use of it; celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary with a glorious weekend on Hood Canal. Our room looked out at the canal, the weather was glorious and the Alderbrook dining room provided a wonderful anniversary meal. Thank you so much for making our anniversary so very special! I have subscribed to your magazine for many years and always enjoy the articles, tips on new wineries and general information on the Washington wine industry. I chair a wine and jazz evening for the Auburn Symphony and often refer to your magazine for tips on wineries to feature at our annual tasting. Thanks again for a memorable weekend and for a great magazine.
Gail Spurrell, Kent, WA
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHWEST WINES
My wife and I have a great nephew from Phoenix, AZ and he is in his final semester at the WSU wine school in Richland, Wash. Your magazine has given us a ‘what’s happening’ in Northwest wines. Great information well presented.
Victor Beeman, Spokane WA
MONTANA FANS
I first want to compliment you on the excellent magazine you produce. Being from Montana, where wineries are scarce, we really enjoy our visits to Washington wine country. I have found your magazine very useful in planning and executing vacation trips for my wife and I. On our most recent trip just a few weeks ago, I used information in the issue I had just received to find all the wine tasting rooms in Leavenworth. We had already planned to include Leavenworth in our itinerary having visited there before, but your article really helped us choose and find the tasting rooms we wanted to make a point of visiting. We haven’t gotten to all the destinations we want to yet, but we are working on it, which is half the fun. We are big fans of Washington wines. Your editorial on “Eat, Drink Locally” especially hit home with us. We have always had Washington and Oregon wines as a major part of our wine collection, but now we have even more reason to continue with that and to expand it to Idaho wines as well. Thanks for producing such a fine magazine.
Steve & Karen Reynolds, Butte, MT
EASY TO SUBSCRIBE
I picked up your magazine in Prosser. It has an excellent approach to the wine industry for someone like me, interested in tasting the variety of wine available in our part of the world. It was easy to subscribe online and I am looking forward to our first issue.
Wilma A. Doane, Casa Grande, AZ
READER SWEEPSTAKES
Dave and I had a great time in Bothell as winners of the Tasting Room Magazine’s Reader Sweepstakes. Our stay at the Eason Estates Bed and Breakfast was amazing. The room and accommodations were exceptional. The dinner at Russell’s restaurant was delicious, we will definitely dine there again when we are in the area. We also had an opportunity to do some wine tasting. All in all, it was a wonderful getaway.
Doris Pickard, East Wenatchee, WA
THE MAGAZINE COMES IN HANDY
From the moment I finished reading the article on taking a cooking class, I promised myself a trip one day to La Maison and I finally got there through a gift from my brother and his wife. We enjoyed the evening from beginning to end, and will gather up some family and friends and do a repeat soon. Thank you so much for the article that gave us an unforgettable experience. I also need to thank you for selecting me as a winner to a night’s stay at Willows Lodge in Woodinville. I shared the night’s stay with a friend and we both were very comfy campers and in total awe of the breathtaking beauty and luxury of the room, lodge, restaurants and staff. I love the magazine and keep it and past volumes out so my company can read them. It comes in very handy when we’re wondering what to do, where to go, etc.
Arletta Parton, Goldendale, WA
COMPREHENSIVE EVENT CALENDAR
We are really enjoying the latest copy of Tasting Room magazine. The events calendar is fantastic and very comprehensive of Washington Wine Country.
Tara Divers, Prosser WA
TREVERI CELLARS SPARKLES
I want to echo how fabulous Treveri Cellars is in Yakima. My husband and I were on our way from a romantic weekend away at Cave B Inn, and decided to stop by Treveri after reading your article. I have never done a sparkling wine tasting and this exceeded any expectations I had—even after reading your article and hearing their wine was served at the White House over the holidays. Juergen and Julie were friendly and welcomed us in to do quite the tasting of eight different delicious pours. Another reason I was blown away was their selection of mixed cocktails (berry blitz was the best). Thank you for opening me up to an entire new wine tasting experience!
Rilla Bylund, Renton, WA
COOL THINGS TO DO
We love having your magazine in our shop—people love to read where to go and cool things to do in the area…keep up the good work!
Tamara Krieger, Cheese Louise, Richland, WA
YOUR MAGAZINE IS LIKE A BIBLE TO US
We had friends visit from the East Coast so we treated them to the Tri-City wine tour from last spring’s edition of Tasting Room. Although we didn’t stick exactly to the route in the article, we did include Tagaris (where we had a fabulous lunch), Bookwalter, Barnard Griffin, and Goose Ridge, then added Terra Blanca on the way home. What a fun day! Everywhere we went the pourers were so knowledgeable about their products and so genuinely excited to share them. Much wine was tasted, many bottles were purchased. We love to take friends on tasting tours in our motor home so your magazine has become like a Bible to us. Thanks so much for articles like this one!
Gay Dorsey & Mike Poppoff, Yakima, WA
SUMMER WINE CRUISE
My father read the Spring 2011 issue from cover to cover (after I mailed one to him in March) and he’s taking me on the wine tour with Schooner Zodiac in June after reading the article. I had no idea a wine cruise might result from sending him a copy, thanks!
Kari Saccomanno, Boise ID
TRI-CITIES WINE TOURING
I truly enjoy Washington Tasting Room magazine. I was so surprised and delighted to win the Winter Reader Sweepstakes of a two-night stay at the Hampton Inn in Richland. I had not traveled to the Tri-Cities area for wine tasting before. My two sons and daughter-in-law joined me in exploring the area and to celebrate my son John’s birthday. The wineries were outstanding and we plan to return as it might be our new favorite wine tasting area. We each had our own room with decks overlooking the Columbia River. It was perfect for morning coffee and watching the fish jump in the river. The accommodations could not have been better. The path along the river was perfect for walking or running. The birthday celebration dinner at Katya’s Restaurant and Wine Bar could not have been more special. The food was amazing! The wine pairing was perfectly coupled with outstanding service. We will be back. Thank you.
Kathy Oljar, Des Moines, WA
WINE REVIEWS AND TASTING NOTES
I just received the current issue and truly enjoyed the reviews and the tasting ratings. A great magazine!
Darryl Elves, Poulsbo, WA
HOOKED ON TASTING ROOM MAG
I got hooked after two copies of Washington Tasting Room magazine. There’s consistent quality in your publication that entertains and educates in the many facets that revolve around wine. Tour, Taste, Travel, and Home put the sparkle in your gem. The tourist in me finds no end to the good suggestions in your pages. “I need more vacation!” is all I can say. My inner novice (for now) enjoys the Q&A of Ask the Sommelier. If that weren’t enough, the recipes from restaurants and wineries have made it to my own box. Thanks for your excellent work, keep it up and I’ll keep renewing my subscription gladly!
Paul Maixner, Lake Stevens, WA
KEEPING UP WITH THE WINE WORLD
Dennis and I always try to keep up with what is happening in the wine world but that’s a full time job. My favorite section in your magazine is Tasting Room Openings. I did not know that Lost River opened at Pike Place Market; we are down there every day for bread, how could we not know this? You saved me a lot of gas. Another great issue.
Dennis Nelson & Theresa Simpson, The Cheese Cellar, Seattle, WA
WINE & CHOCOLATE PAIRINGS & KIONA VINEYARDS
Wow, what a beautiful article on Theo in the winter issue! We were drooling over your photos and loved the piece. I also really enjoyed the piece on Kiona Vineyards. We love using their wines in chocolate pairings. Editor John Vitale’s red wine & chocolate piece was great as it gave a broad overview of the company and then drilled down into more descriptive tasting notes.
Audrey Lawrence, Seattle, WA
READER SWEEPSTAKES
It has been two weeks since we returned from our wonderful weekend at the Cave B Inn at SageCliffe (the prize we were so fortunate to win in your Summer Reader Sweepstakes drawing). Thank you so much, it was a wonderful stay. We stayed in one of the Cavern Rooms with a view overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. The country was beautiful over there. We had to literally enter a cavern to get to the front door to our room. After checking in and getting settled we wandered through the vineyards up to the Cave B Winery tasting room. The way the buildings are laid out on the property you walk right through the vineyards on some of the trails. Pretty cool. The tastings were wonderful. Saturday turned out to be a sunny day with little wind so we drove down to Desert Aire and played 18 holes of golf (in our shirtsleeves!). After returning to Cave B we dressed for the evening and enjoyed a wonderful dinner in the main dining room to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. Thank you again for the wonderful gift.
Sandy and Mary Johnson, Woodinville, WA
WINE TASTING SOCIAL FROM CALIFORNIA
Thank you for the Tasting Room magazine map of Washington State’s wine regions for my wine tasting group that meets regularly in Redding, California. Fourteen friends got together and tasted a dozen different bottles Friday evening. Our format is for the host to supply the wine and in our case my wife, Dolly, made eggplant sorrentino, another couple brought a salad, another appetizers, and so on. We rated only six of the wines using a simple format, i.e. appearance, aroma/bouquet, texture, taste, and aftertaste. We tasted three Cabs and three Merlots. The wines we tasted were: Duck Pond 2009 Merlot, La Bourgeoisie 2009 Merlot, Watermill 2008 Merlot, Weather Report 2008 Cab, Sagelands 2007 Cab, and Chateau Smith 2008 Cab. We also tasted a Sangiovese from Red Willow Vineyard, and Wilderness Red Wine from Sparkman Cellars. We purchased the wines from “The Store” in Anacortes, WA, and had them shipped to us. We had a great time with friends, ate some good food, and tasted some fine wine, and for us, that is what it is all about! Thanks again for your help.
Joe Aldridge, Redding CA
WINE O’CLOCK IN PROSSER
I had yet to read the Fall 2011 issue of Tasting Room magazine prior to my “Wine Tasting Weekend in Walla Walla,” so upon my return, it was fun to see the nice article on the Bunnell’s Wine O’Clock Wine Bar in Prosser. I “second” all that was said as I had just dined there on September 30th! It is the perfect lunch/wine stop between Seattle and Walla Walla. I look forward to each of your issues. The articles are insightful and the photography is amazing. By the way, I used the Summer issue to plan my Walla Walla trip!
Robin Akkerman, Woodinville, WA
LAKE CHELAN READER SWEEPSTAKES
My husband and I used our Lake Chelan getaway package (Tasting Room Magazine’s reader sweepstakes prize) in early May and had a wonderful time. Thanks again for this wonderful opportunity! Campbell’s Resort was real busy that weekend and ended up giving us a two-room suite for the weekend as the other rooms were booked. The Bistro restaurant was excellent with top notch service. Our limo tour of the wineries was great. Our driver took us to locations we suggested and then to others she thought we might like to visit. There was even sun out for the weekend! We continue to enjoy your magazine with its great articles on the various wine tasting opportunities in the Pacific Northwest.
Lura Dunn & David Kerschner, Bothell, WA
KUDOS
We LOVE your magazine and our customers do as well.
Greg Lipsker, Barrister Winery, Spokane WA
ENGAGING
I continue to enjoy how engaging the magazine is with the layout and photos that draw you in to find out more about each article. Well done!
Leslie Balsley, Woodinville, WA
CONNECTIONS
I had a wonderful time meeting with the staff at the Walter Clore Culinary and Research Center last Thursday and telling our [winery] story. What a beautiful building and facility. They said that they found me in Tasting Room Magazine. I’m glad we were able to connect through your magazine and wanted to let you know.
Alphonse de Klerk, Rolling Bay Winery, Bainbridge Island, WA
CONVERGENCE ZONE & TASTE OF TULALIP
I finally got around to reading the recent issue and upon turning a page I came across a lovely family picture of the Greenberg clan, including Chester their winery dog. Keith (my husband) and I have been to Convergence Zone Cellars’ new Woodinville tasting room location and got a tour of the winery. We love the wines and can’t wait to make another trip. I would also like to mention that we once again enjoyed the Taste of Tulalip this year. That is an event that has really grown since it first began. As always, it was a lot of fun and we tasted a number of wonderful wines. As always, we look forward to our next issue of Washington Tasting Room magazine.
Val & Keith Stuart, SeaTac, WA
NORTH OF THE BORDER
Enjoyed every page and photo of the Winter issue. Well done. Recently, [I traveled] to Vancouver Island, and then again just now to the BC Okanogan, traveled to wine country North. Wow what a revolution going on there! And the red wines are gaining some traction to go with the unusual and complex white varietals and blends. Recommend you break the border and pack camera North for some really interesting stories showcasing our neighbors in hockey land.
Mike Scott, Wenatchee, WA
GOOD JOB
We just read the new issue featuring Boushey Vineyards and the Winemakers Loft. Good job.
Paul & Judy Champoux, Paterson WA