Earlier this year, the Washington Wine Commission released the findings of a study that emphasized just how much of an impact the Washington wine industry has on the state and national economy. Some of the more impressive results: • The wine industry contributes $8.6 billion annually to the state economy, more than double the $3 […]

During a recent visit to Oregon, I sampled a number of current releases from King Estate Winery, located about 30 miles south of Eugene. The winery produces three distinct wine labels sourced from Oregon vineyards: Acrobat, Signature and Domaine, while a fourth label, North by Northwest (NxNW), sources grapes from the Columbia and Walla Walla […]

If you’re as much a fan of Lost River Winery as I am, you’ll know that there’s plenty to like about it. Good variety, delicious, well-crafted past and current releases, and a relatively new tasting room in Seattle to complement the original location in Winthrop are just a few of the many positives about this […]

Roussanne is a white wine grape that’s probably been around for centuries and yet, until recently, it remained in relative obscurity in Washington State. It’s most likely that the grape originated in the Rhone Valley of France, and although it is primarily used for blending purposes, I’m starting to see it offered by more and […]

Sometimes I find myself discovering a new winery in the most unlikely places. This one comes to me by way of my dad, who hobnobs at Skagit Golf & Country Club with Alan Holtzheimer, owner/winemaker of Silver Bell Winery. Silver Bell is, without a doubt, one of the smallest wineries I’ve ever encountered, but it’s […]