Washington Wine Trails: Woodinville

By Steve Roberts

Where the hell are the vineyards?” my friend from back east queried. He was in Seattle for a business meeting and had heard about Woodinville wine country. We had pulled up to the Novelty Hill / Januik Winery in Woodinville and his reaction might be like a gazillion other visitor’s. I had to give him the bad news, “Jim, you won’t find vineyards in Woodinville. They get their grapes from the Columbia Valley in Eastern Washington but that’s another trip for another day.”

When it comes to winemaking regions of the state, Woodinville first comes to mind for many, given its close proximity to Seattle, world-class wineries, and upscale amenities. The fact that there aren’t vineyards here is one of the quirky things about Washington’s wine industry. Most wineries import their grapes from viticulture areas of the Columbia Valley.

This notion of separating the grape growing from the winemaking would get most vignerons in France to give you that “you must be crazy” look. But the Woodinville winemakers have the freedom to select their fruit from the best vineyards east of the Cascades. The result? Great wine. What’s more, you can experience a full range of wines – from Rhône style reds to Bordeaux-blends. Here, diversity rules and you’re sure to find the wine you like.

Woodinville wine country is home to the magnificent Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, but many people are surprised to learn that a number of other wineries are tucked away in unexpected locations. For the 800,000 visitors that make the trek to Woodinville annually, touring Woodinville is easier if you focus on its two major WineTrails – Woodinville WineTrail North and Woodinville WineTrail South.

Along Woodinville WineTrail North you will discover that business parks aren’t what they used to be. This is the suburban equivalent to city garage winemakers or garagiste. These boutique wineries transform grapes from eastern Washington into award winning wines that continually receive accolades from wine connoisseurs. Two major business parks account for most wineries in this WineTrail. Simply park your car and follow the signs. A few wineries require a car to get to but won’t disappoint.

In the Woodinville Business Park you can park your car and sample wines from such wineries as Mark Ryan, Page Cellars, Edmonds, Darby Winery, Arlington Road, Cuillin Hills, and Alexandria Nicole. Just a short hop away is the Woodinville Commerce Center which is the location of Chatter Creek, Covington, and Stevens Winery. All these wineries have regular tasting room hours – particularly on Saturdays – and tastings tend to be complimentary. For a complete times and events as well as complete listing of wineries to visit, see www.winetrailsnw.com.

Woodinville WineTrail South is home to Chateau Ste. Michelle where visitors can easily spend a half day touring, tasting, and picnicking. WineTrail Tip: Consult Chateau Ste. Michelle’s website (www.ste-michelle.com) for event information, including their summer concert series. However you don’t want to miss out on the other wineries in this WineTrail, such as, Novelty Hill / Januik Winery, Woodhouse Family Cellars, JM Cellars, Facelli Winery, Matthews Cellars and Brian Carter. Plan on investing a couple more weekends to really do this WineTrail justice. Also, if hunger strikes, check out nearby Barking Frog at Willows Lodge or the Purple Cafe. Both offer great fare and a wide choice of premium wines.

When it comes to Woodinville wine country, come for the wine and its wonderful amenities, but don’t come for the vineyards…your out of town guests will be sorely disappointed!

Happy WineTrails!