It was 1980 and I was having dinner at the Space Needle in Seattle when the table started shaking. I turned to the lady sitting across the table and told her “we were meant for each other; it is a sign from God.” In reality, Mt. St. Helens was erupting. That was my last trip to Washington State and the last time I saw that lady.
When one thinks of Seattle the first words that come to mind are rain and Starbucks. The truth be told, Seattle gets less rain than New York, Miami and Atlanta. True it is foggy and often overcast. But cross over the Cascade Mountains to the east and the summer temperatures reach 100 plus and it almost never rains.
I began my week in Washington State as both a tourist and wine writer and tried to combine both by visiting 30 wineries plus the most popular visitor sites. At the Seattle airport fog delayed the inbound puddle jumper flight that would take me to Yakima and the wine country. An airline executive looking at the 30 people bound for Yakima and realizing it was the last flight of the day made an executive decision. He told the solo person on a plane going to another city in Washington that his flight has been cancelled and the plane was now going to Yakima. Thirty of us were happy and they compensated the poor lad and flew him out early next morning. I could have driven from Seattle in 2 ½ to 3 hours, but it was through the mountains and it would have been night time. All’s well that ends well.
Washington State is the nation’s second largest producer, behind California, of premium wines with more than 325 wineries. In 1981 there were 19 wineries; 5 years ago there were 155 and one winery owner told me he believes that in 5 years there will be 500. More than 15 wine grape varieties are grown including: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. Washington’s northerly latitudes are the same as Bordeaux and Burgundy and average two more hours of sunlight than California’s major growing regions. With the warm daytime temperatures in the eastern grape growing regions and the cool nights the fruit ripens over a longer time and allows the natural acids to remain high, creating well balanced wines.
If your interest is vinous Yakima is the perfect starting point. First stop at the Yakima Valley Information Center for wine route maps, hotel and restaurant information. I stayed smack dab in the center of town at the Clarion Hotel. Did you know that 75% of the hops used in the production of beer are grown in this town of 60,000 happy Yaks (or is it Yak mites or Yakimatarians). Sniffing all those hops sure made for friendly people including Gene & Mary Ann Bleisner, the owners of Snipes Mountain Brewery in Sunnyside, about 35 miles southeast of Yakima. They filled me in on Beer Making 101, and you thought I only drank wine. There is even an American Hops Museum nearby, the only museum of its kind in the United States.
After visits to 7 wineries it was about an hour’s drive to the Tri-Cities. Now don’t peek and name the three cities. Kennewick, Pasco and Richland with a population of 175,000. That would be a great Jeopardy question. The Courtyard by Marriott was my home for two nights. Dinner was at BIN20 inside the Red Lion Hotel in Pasco where 110 Washington State wines were featured as well as 20 by the glass. I began visiting wineries the next morning and managed to taste and tour 7 more by the end of the day. The secret was to meet and taste at lunch and dinner as well at their wineries. The good news was I had someone else driving which meant less spitting and more swallowing.
It was back on the road early the next morning for the hour drive to Walla Walla, a town of 30,000. I managed to taste and/or visit 9 wineries by once again having lunch and dinner with winemaker/owners. I stayed overnight at the Inn at Abeja (located at the winery of the same name) in one of the 5 rooms fashioned from the 1977 refurbished farmhouses circa 1903-1907. I really wished I had another night to stay at the 13,000 square foot $14 million private lodge built on 85 acres above Basel Cellars Estate Winery. With a screening room, Jacuzzis, outdoor pool, fly fishing pond, billiard room, disco and room for 18 guests with a view to die for, it is now a conference center retreat. My dinner that night was at 26 brix Restaurant where chef/co-owner Mike Davis showed me his 1,000 wine collection cellar room for private dining, which features over 58 Washington State wines.
A short tour of the restored downtown Walla Walla included the 1928 historic Marcus Whitman Hotel that has been completely renovated. It gave me time to get to the airport for my 45 minute flight to Seattle. It was my unlucky day as I drew the TSA random (?) complete search of everything (don’t ask what everything means), both checked, carryon and on my person. I was lucky it was a tiny airport and only one flight was leaving. It took them over 30 minutes and then they could not close my bag.
I had a few hours of daylight and rushed to the Seattle Center, the 74 acre legacy of the 1962 Worlds Fair. It was up to the top of the 605 foot Space Needle with no eruption this time. Then to the Pacific Science Center and the Experience Music Project. The monorail was only two blocks from the Hotel Andra, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. This 119 room gem is located in the epicenter of the city and was completely renovated in 2004. Before dinner I walked to the famous Pike Place Market, one of the last authentic farmers markets in the country. The Washington Wine Commission was my host for dinner at Anthony’s Pier 66 and here 65 Washington State wines were featured.
Three quarter hour northeast of Seattle is Woodinville, home to Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington’s oldest winery (1934). The same parent company owns Columbia Crest, Washington’s largest winery, plus several smaller wineries. I visited 5 wineries in a few hours, all of whom source their fruit from eastern Washington. Within a mile I was able to visit all the wineries and have lunch at the Barking Frog at Willows Lodge. The lodge is an 86 room luxury hotel that formerly served as a hunting lodge and all the rooms face the herb and edible gardens. Next door are the Herb Garden Restaurant with its 2,900 wine selections and a 9 course meal with 6 matched wines for $160-$190 plus tax and service.
No rest for the weary, it was a half hour drive to the 67 room Bellevue Club Hotel attached to the very upscale 180,000 square foot athletic club of the same name. Another member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and all hotel guests has full use of the facilities. Not wanting to drive back into Seattle I opted for the nearby Purple Café & Wine Bar which once again features over 50 Washington State wines.
In my 30 tasting and meetings with winemakers and owners never did I hear-“we are just like California.” It was always- “we make world-class wines from Washington State and we are proud of it.
Real Travel Adventures 