Touring Woodinville Wine Country

August 31st, 2010 | By: Terry LaBrue

Take a peek inside Western Washington’s unique and wonderful wine community.

One bright and breezy August weekend, I traveled north on Interstate 405, then east on State Route 522, before exiting to tour part of Washington state’s Puget Sound wine region. Immediately the topography changed from congested suburbia to compact farms rolling like verdant checkerboards along the lazy Sammamish River. This slow waterway wends its scenic way through the heart of Woodinville.

I was struck by how much the area around the town has become similar to wine-centered areas in France. Here, as in the Loire Valley, bikers and joggers move easily along pathways spanning the valley and lining the river. The paved Sammamish Trail is lined with tall poplars and dotted with parks and grassy areas that could be easily mistaken for Europe.

On this late summer weekend, I felt as though I was entering a French Impressionist painting full of dappled light, bright wildflowers, and white clouds sailing across the cerulean sky. Yet, like Issaquah, Woodinville had humble beginnings as a logging community, became a farming center in the early decades of the 20th century, and developed into a burgeoning suburb after World War II.

The Puget Sound American Viticultural Area (AVA), officially designated in 1995, encompasses western Washington from south of Olympia north to the Canadian border. Of the more than 600 wineries in the state, only about 85 are in this appellation, with a growing cluster in Woodinville.

According to Robin Pollard, executive director of the Washington Wine Commission, Washington State enjoys a great diversity of large and small wine producers.

“In Woodinville, visitors may stroll the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery or explore smaller, hip ‘warehouse’ producers tucked into the urbanscape of Seattle’s Eastside. In all, they will find outstanding wines, hospitable hosts, and a peek into what makes Washington’s wine community truly unique and wonderful,” Pollard says.

Off State Route 202, visitors can discover a number of wineries that are open daily to visitors. Several more open their doors only on weekends. Most of the rest are accessible if you call ahead to make a tasting appointment. Maps and driving instructions are available from the Woodinville Chamber of Commerce, 425.481.9463 or the local trade group, Woodinville Wine County, 425.205.4394, woodinvillewinecountry.com.

Woodinville is also home to several outstanding fine-dining establishments, including one of the Northwest’s top restaurants, The Herbfarm. Each week, The Herbfarm chooses the best from farm, forest, and sea to create themed nine-course dinners showcasing the culinary glories of the area.

A five-acre estate next to Columbia Winery provides a handsome, landscaped setting along the Sammamish River for The Herbfarm, the Barking Frog restaurant, and the five-star Willows Lodge. The wine-themed Purple Café and Wine Bar also offers a more casual experience nearby, with outdoor seating in season. A handful of local bed-and-breakfasts make Woodinville a great place for a relaxing getaway.

I reserved a spacious junior suite at the Willows Lodge, overlooking the Sammamish River and the hotel’s manicured gardens. The next morning, we arranged for two complimentary mountain bikes and helmets from the hotel for an easy ride along the river, stopping for deli cheese and fresh bread to accompany our split of wine. Molbak’s Greenhouse and Nursery, full of plants familiar and unusual, proved to be another not-to-be-missed destination and a welcome rest stop while in Woodinville. Our adventure was as simple and enjoyable as any bike trip abroad.

Tasting Woodinville

Chateau Ste Michelle is the largest winery in the state and within walking distance from the hotel. It is especially noted for their best-selling white wines and is the largest single producer of Riesling in the world.

Ten friends, six of whom were University of Washington professors, founded Columbia Winery in 1962. These pioneering partners believed that classic European vinifera vines could survive the harsh Washington winters. The results far exceeded their expectations, as their wines have won numerous accolades and top prizes in competitions around the world.

Another spot worth visiting is the acclaimed Novelty Hill • Januik winery, one of Woodinville’s newest tasting destination, open to guests from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The state-of-the-art facility is housed in a stunning contemporary complex of buildings that house a tasting room and a café.