Alexandria Nicole Cellars has everything you could ask for in a winery…friendly staff, great wines, and tasting rooms on either side of the Cascades.

I’ve yet to visit the Woodinville tasting room, but the Prosser location is one of my favorite stops in Eastern Washington. I especially recommend calling in advance to reserve a spot in the “secret” tasting room behind the sliding bookcase. Although it’s not much of a secret anymore, you’ll still receive excellent service, tasty nibbles and access to both limited, and remarkable, past and current releases.

Winemaker Jarred Boyle oversees the production of a number of high-scoring, heavily awarded wines that are produced from 263 acres of estate vineyards located at Destiny Ridge in South Central Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills Appellation.

Tours and tastings of the production facility and vineyards are also be arranged by contacting the Prosser tasting room in advance. Somewhat isolated? Yes. A spectacular and serene setting worth the drive? Absolutely!

Here are my tasting notes on Alexandria Nicole wines that I’ve recently enjoyed:

2012 Shepherd’s Mark (about $24) – This unique, flavorful and full-bodied blend of roussanne, marsanne and viognier is slightly nutty with notes of pineapple/pear and a finish that’s quite viscous and borderline chewy.

2010 A2 Cabernet Sauvignon (about $24) – Dark fruit flavors on the palate lead off, with subtleties of dried plum, caramel, fresh herbs and vanilla bean in the background. It’s drinking beautifully now, with supple tannins that lead to a polished finish.

2012 Chardonnay (about $28) – Gorgeous peach, melon and white raisin flavors are followed with a gentle splash of acidity for structure and lift. An awesome food pairing: fontina cheese, which really brings out the fruit flavors of the wine.

2010 Ice Viognier (about $38 for 375 ml) – Expressive stone fruits, a touch of cinnamon spice and marathon-long finish highlight this evening-ending dessert wine. Ice wines tend to be super-sweet, lower-in-alcohol sugar bombs, but with this wine’s 13.4-percent alcohol content to balance the sweetness, there’s no danger of that here.

Each of these wines, along with the Alexandria Nicole 2011 Jet Black Syrah (about $25), will be featured at a 5-course dinner I’ll be moderating at 9 Restaurant at North Bellingham Golf Course this coming Saturday, October 19.

A representative from the winery is scheduled to be on hand as well and this promises to be a great opportunity to hear about the winemaking process and their insight on the 2013 harvest.

Advance reservations are required and can be made by phoning the restaurant at (360) 398-8300, extension 2.

Many of Washington’s tasting rooms come with an added bonus during your visit: being able to enjoy the wines with a view.

Whether they’re perched on a hilltop overlooking a surrounding valley or steps away from an outdoor patio nestled in the vineyards, winery tasting rooms frequently provide a tranquil setting and beautiful scenery to accompany the great wines they serve.

And don’t think that just because we’re moving into the fall and winter months there won’t be much to see and do outdoors. Autumn is one of my favorites seasons to pay a visit to Eastern Washington.

Not only do you get some breathtaking fall colors within the red to yellow spectrum, the daytime temperatures can still easily reach the upper 60’s and low 70’s with nearly always dry conditions. That’s a welcome break from the gray, drizzly days we westsiders begin to see far too much of this time of year.

There are a number of greater Yakima-area wineries that give you expansive, unobstructed views of the Yakima Valley. Do some tasting, purchase a glass or bottle, bundle up if you need to, and sit back and enjoy the scenery at these three options:

Hyatt Vineyards (pictured above) – Still going strong after 25-plus years, this Zillah winery has always offered very reasonably priced wines. If you haven’t been there as of late (like me) you might be impressed (as I was) with how solid and true-to-the varietal these wine are.

Try the 2012 Pinot Gris (about $10) with tropical/lemony flavors and a splash of residual sugar to the balance out the brisk acidity or the 2011 Zinfandel (about $15) with touches of bittersweet chocolate, dried cherry, black plum and spicy pepper.

For a small step up in price, the winery also produces some very nice wines under their Roza Ridge second label.

Knight Hill Winery – Not far from Hyatt, and with even more spectacular views, is this winery situated in the Rattlesnake Hills Appellation.

Be sure to check out their 2012 Verdelho (about $15). It carries distinct aromas and flavors of toasted coconut along with a hint of spiced pear and a creamy finish. The rarity of this wine among Washington winegrowers alone makes it worth seeking out.

Windy Point Vineyards – Closer to Yakima, the Frank Lloyd Wright-style tasting room overlooking the valley includes a full kitchen, tasting bar and lounge and dining areas.

Take a stroll through the nearby rose gardens and then enjoy a taste of the 2007 Pointless Red (about $17), an approachable blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

By Zacchoreli Frescobaldi-Grimaldi

Riddled with many wonderful wineries, Walla Walla is one of those places where one couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting an award winning wine maker. Annette Bergevin, co-owner of Bergevin Lane Vineyards, is one of those winemakers. Annette’s focused attention and nose-to-the-grindstone management of the winery and estate vineyard, and relationship with vineyard growers assures oenophiles an exceptional assortment of grape-centric libations.

While the tasting room has a certain “Pacific Northwest but wish it were Mediterranean” feel, it is still a comfortable place to meet a dozen friends and sample some exceptional wines. Sure, the tasting room rocks, but the craft of wine making actually occurs in the pristine stainless steel shrine that is the property’s epicenter. An onsite laboratory, 22 stainless steel tanks, three temperature controlled and humidified barrel rooms and an annual production of 11,000 cases of wine certainly puts Bergevin Lane Vineyards on the map to wine Nirvana.

There are, quite naturally, those who would eschew wine in favor of some other refreshment: Perfectly fine, even more wine for the rest of us! Of course, Annette will do her best to win these miscreants over. A third generation Walla Walla Valley farmer, she has demonstrated a pugnacious determination to successfully compete with some of the best winemakers in the region. In 2012 she was honored by Washington State University during the Feast of the Arts dinner with a distinguished alumnus award. Bergevin Lane Vineyards is definitely one of Washington’s wineries to watch: one may confidently anticipate a colorful and tasty future for Annette. Order these wines online at www.bergevinlane.com or better yet, visit the tasting room!

The 2010 “Wild Child” is a mouth watering Merlot, beautifully balanced with stone fruit, chocolate and tobacco notes. This is a wonderful wine by itself, yet paired with a nice juicy grilled hamburger, sun-dried tomato tapenade, or a nice Reblochon cheese gratin with crusty bread brings out the depth of flavor hiding in this rambunctious little wine. Hints of allspice and tarragon give away to subtle cinnamon notes. Merlot from Stone Tree Vineyard in Wahluke Slope spent 18 months in oak barrels where it took full advantage of its accommodations. Only 500 cases of this gem were produced, and at about $28 a bottle, inventory will be depleted in no time.

A production characteristic that one should value about Bergevin Lane Vineyards is the attention to detail. She-Devil 2011 Syrah is one of those wines that refuse to be ignored. One lingers over each flavorful sip, absorbed in the deep rich berry and chocolate flavors. Accustomed to being the center of attention, She-Devil would rather not share the spotlight; but if she must – she will tolerate a light salad dressed in olive oil and Asiago cheese. However, I must admit She-Devil pairs quite well with a lovely Salad Nicoise. Try it and discover how delicate flavors reminiscent of deep rich espresso and ripe juicy currants emerge. This 100% Syrah is a bargain at $24 a bottle, and – be warned – it won’t last long.

Love Struck 2012 Viognier is one of the year’s white wine best buys at $22 a bottle. It’s as if this wine can barely contain itself: the combination of tropical and stone fruits flood the olfactory senses. Paired with a creamy clam chowder, or mussels in a light curry cream sauce accentuates the nut, pineapple, peach and pear flavors. Of course, this wine is a terrific sipping wine, but oh, how it comes alive with just a little snack.

Fermented in small oak barrels, the 2012 Dreamweaver Rousanne is like sucking on a fruity butterscotch candy without the sweetness! The delicate soft and stone fruit notes come together with the soft vanilla of the oak to create an explosion of flavors. Preserve the delicate features of this remarkable wine, sip it in a sunny garden and leave the cheese plate alone. Annette made only 112 cases of this wine, and at $24 they will not last long!

The 2010 Calico Red, on the other hand, was produced in much larger quantities and it harbors rich raspberry and bing cherry aromas. At $13.99 a bottle, it is an unassuming little wine packed with rich smokey flavors reminiscent of decadently dark chocolate and vanilla bean pods. Sip a glass as your “everyday” red wine, or pair it with a marinara dressed pasta dish, spaghetti, ravioli – doesn’t matter – it’s all good.

There’s a tried and true saying in the wine industry that states, “Great wine is made in the vineyard.”

I’m going to nitpick at this as an oversimplification on a couple of counts, both of which I think do a disservice to winemakers.

First, not all vintages are perfect. In fact, some, such as Washington’s 2011 harvest, can be downright challenging. In these cases, we have to rely on a winemaker’s talents to coax flavors from grapes, achieve balance and keep their wines as consistent as possible with years past.

Second, great grapes in the vineyard don’t automatically assure great wines…although they should. There are plenty of variables and room for errors during the fermentation and aging processes. Winemakers can never afford to be careless, even when they’re given a superior product with which to work.

That said, let me offer up a Washington winery, Soos Creek Wine Cellars that scores on both counts: great grapes and great red wines.

Based in Kent, winemaker David Larson started his winery nearly 25 years ago while still working at Boeing. Today he’s running the winery full-time, but his focus on acquiring grapes from the best vineyards has always been unwavering.

Noting some of his fruit sources, Bellingham’s Margarita Jones of Elliott Bay Distributing sums it up nicely, “David Larson pulls from a list of who’s who (vineyards) in Washington: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Slide Mountain, Elephant Mountain, DuBrul, Dineen, Lewis, Sagemoor, Klipsun and The Benches (pictured above, photo from longshadows.com).” Wow.

Here are my thoughts on some of Larson’s finished products you’ll find locally at venues such as the Community Food Co-op and Seifert and Jones Wine Merchants:

2010 Artist Series #10 Red Wine (about $30) – Cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot comprise this very Eurocentric blend that begs for a pairing with something beefy. It features plenty of dark berries up front, a spritz of acidity at the mid-palate and then a crush of dried herbs on the finish.

2010 Ciel du Cheval Red Wine (about $35) – Red currant, pekoe tea, hints of chocolate and that unmistakable Red Mountain minerality round out this stunning effort. There’s also some beautiful, understated blueberry fruit throughout to make this wine a pure pleasure to taste.

2010 Champoux Vineyard Red Wine (about $40) – At 84-percent cabernet sauvignon this could, and should, be labeled as such because this is quintessential Washington cabernet. Luscious blackberry fruit, a touch of herbaceousness, and a hint dried cherry on the extreme finish all add up to a truly remarkable wine. This is a sensory delight that’s absolutely worth every penny.

Today I’ll wrap up my three-part series on Spokane wineries by sharing some of the highlights during a visit last month.

At Townshend Cellar, owner/winemaker Don Townshend and his sons Michael and Brendon oversee a winery that produces 18,000 cases annually from over 20 varietals. They also own Spokane’s Lone Canary and Mountain Dome labels.

I was impressed with how long Townshend holds their vintages back prior to release, allowing the wines to develop additional character and complexity.

Standouts include the 2007 Lemberger (about $20) with dried plum aromatics, notes of strawberry and cinnamon and a finish of spiced cherry; and the just released 2005 Cabernet Franc (about $28), which is still a bit assertive and earthy and could benefit from even more time in the cellar.

Townshend has just opened a new tasting room and personable general manager Jill Rider will provide you with excellent service during your visit.

One of the pleasant surprises on the Spokane wine scene is the people and wines I found at Overbluff Cellars. Head winemaker Jerry Gibson will keep you smiling and “wowing” over the quality of his wines and together with new owner/winemaker Darby McKee, they’ve developed a hidden-gem-of-a-boutique-winery worth seeking out.

Everything I sampled at Overbluff I thoroughly enjoyed. And because Gibson sources some of his grapes from the same vineyards as local winemaker Peter Osvaldik, you may find yourself thinking you’re sipping something from Dynasty Cellars.

The best of the best include two Les Collines Vineyard wines: the 2009 Merlot (about $23) with ultra-black cherry flavors and a touch of toasted vanilla; and the 2010 Defiance (about $29), a jet-black syrah with inky fruits and a whisper of smoky spices.

Two downtown tasting rooms, located within steps of the Davenport Hotel, are particularly notable. Cougar Crest Winery, managed by Samuel Crosby (grandnephew of former Spokane resident, Bing) will pour you samples and offer his wine tasting acumen.

There’s plenty to choose from and I’d suggest starting with the 2011 Viognier and the 2007 Estate Syrah (about $20 each) before diving into the 2008 Malbec (about $32).

Also be sure to visit nearby Whitestone Vineyard and Winery. Their Spokane tasting room is an alternative location to one of the more isolated estate vineyards in Washington: on the shores of Lake Roosevelt, north of the town of Wilbur.

Winemaker Michael Haig tells me the vineyard will be open to the public in early October. In the meantime, he’ll pour you a glass of his stunning 2009 Cabernet Franc (about $28) and the seamless, superbly balanced 2009 Estate Meritage (about $35).