CC Travel Blog

Twenty minutes away from Kirkland lies Woodinville wine country, a pleasant and tranquil wine country with loads of interesting facts and stories.

Before we explore the wine, I discover that Seattle is a much greener and farmer friendly city. Along the way, there are farms selling fresh produces; friendly farmers generously provide free samples and open up their doors for cameras.

Meet Minea Farm, which has been making apple cider since 1989. Lee and Vanda Minea, a lovely warm couple sell eggs, honey, apple butter and apple cider.

Vanda opens up her 100 year old cider press.

After the sweet apple cider prelude, we starts our wine tour. The first stop is a prestiges Chateau Ste. Michelle, also Washington’s oldest winery, which established in 1976.

The tasting room and wine shop is big but Richard said that in peak time it is all packed with people. It’s a smart move that we come here first.

Wine tasting has an element of luck in it. If you happen to meet a good helper, then you get to know a lot more about the wine and perhaps even an extended selection for tasting. In Ste. Michelle we have luck. Fae, our helper, poured us one after another and let us sample different vintange riesling and even let us sample their limited production of latest harvest, a sweet aromatic dessert wine that is absolutely delicious. Five minutes after the pour and finish, I stick my nose into the glass and I can still the full aroma effect of the wine in the glass. Of course, when we see that it is a 97 point wine, everything makes sense. Richard comments that this winery does a descent job in all price range of wine, which makes the visit worth the money. (Note: the must buy dessert wine is the 96 Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling Columbia Valley)

Our next stop is a wine maker spinoff from Ste. Michelle, resulting in Novelty Hill Januik. The deco is quite contemporary contrary to most wineries’ traditional woody theme, but the service is marginal. The good thing about stopping here is because it has thin crust pizza for lunch and they taste all right.

Richard caught that the tasting menu added in Malbec which they didn’t have last year. Januik has facilities for team building and groups to come and mix their own wine and perhaps the wine maker Chris will also get inspirations from it.

The third winery visit is the Matthews Estate, a much smaller winery but produces good wine.

The Red Wine and the Syrah are good, but the ice wine is too sweet and diminishes the expected refreshness.

From here, things become more interesting as Richard takes us to the more industrial side of Woodinville. Unlike Napa where every cellar seems to be prestiges or traditional in wine making, Woodinville accomodates those passionate yet dynamic wine makers, people from all walks of lives who leave their other lives behind and start their own wine business.

For example, Darby Winery is setup by an ex model who likes wine and makes good wine. Tasting is setup inside the bucket storage area, which is unique.

Guardian Cellars on the other hand, is formed by an ex policeman (young policeman I am say). The cellar and wines are full of the bomb blast characters although not very delicious to my palate.

Besides normal farms that sell vegetables and produces, Woodinville also has a farm that has llamas and African Pygmy Goats. Visitors can buy food to feed them.

For twenty minutes away, wine and fields are abundant in Seattle. How can you not like Seattle?