No Vineyards, Plenty of Wine
As we drove the six miles from Bellevue to Woodinville, WA we kept asking, “where are the grapes?” Car lots, subdivisions, and fast food joints, sure. Grape vines—not so much. In fact, none.  Unless you count the scraggly vines gracing the driveway entrance to the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery.

We hadn’t done our homework. Woodinville boasts plenty of wineries but, alas, grows none of its grapes.  So don’t look for the Woodinville appellation on any Washington state wine. But by all means, do look for some of the wine made in this up-and-coming region.

And, aside from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Winery, don’t look for any lushly landscaped tasting palaces. For the most part, the tasting rooms are, literally, rooms in light industrial complexes.  The winemaker and his/her family are upfront at the bar, the winery’s out back.  It isn’t pretty, but it’s the wine that counts, and much of it is quite good.

Judging by the construction sites dotting Woodinville, we’re guessing the ambiance will change in a few years.  Fear not—cute shops, gourmet dining, and luxurious B&B’s are on the way.

Where We Tasted (the best are starred)
Many Woodinville wineries are only open to the public on Saturday; some don’t open at all.  Check the tasting room schedule at each winery’s Web site or at www.woodinvillewinecountry.com.

•    Chateau Ste. Michelle
•    Cuillin Hills Winery
•    DeStefano Winery
•    Des Voigne Cellars
•    Edmonds Winery
•    Facelli Winery*
•    Mark Ryan Winery
•    Silver Lake Winery*
•    Sparkman Cellars
•    Stevens Winery*
•    Woodhouse Family Cellars*

Chateau Ste. Michelle
Don’t ask us why we even ventured into this palatial, highly commercial enterprise. It violated at least three VinoDuo “what we know to be true” sayings: 1) if you see buses and fanny packers in the parking lot run the other way; 2) the bigger the sales floor the worse the wine; and 3) stay away from Italian (ok, French) villas that aren’t in Europe.

CSM is a Disney-fied winery with tours on the hour, a huge sales floor (with more merchandise that wine) and visitors who are just thrilled to be at a winery they’ve actually heard of.  The grounds are stunning with lovely plantings and attractive faux chateau buildings. Gary called it the “Modavi of Woodinville.”

Yes, we’re snobs.  But if the wine were good, all would have been forgotten. CSM is known for several quality wines, and we would have gladly paid to taste them. Unfortunately, the tasting room pours swill for the masses and leaves the Reserve wines to members of their Club.  

So, unless you’re in the market for a wicker picnic basket, silver wine caddy, or a million different knick-knacks in the sales room, avoid CSM at all costs. Unless, of course, you’re a member of the Club.
 


   

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:        8—But so what? The wine was lousy. Plus there were fruit flies everywhere
People/attitude:    4 –-Harried, understaffed employees
People/knowledge:    5 –-Rote, by the script; little in-depth knowledge
Palate cleansers:     9 – Excellent crispy flat bread
Any free goodies?:    Yes; a taste of their dry Riesling “while you shop”

What We tasted

• 2003 Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay – thin, maybe had the makings of a good Chard (Gary said, ‘keep trying, you’re bound to get it right’ under his breath)
• 2005 Cold Fiddle Red Wine – No nose, minimal taste; overpriced even at $11
•  2005 Columbia Valley Syrah Rosé – Nice floral nose; has some chard characteristics; according to Gary, “this wine doesn’t know what it is”
• 2005 Moscato Frizzante – Super sweet; not an adult dessert wine
  

What We Bought
Zip

Cuillin Hills Winery & Des Voigne Cellars
Our second stop was about as far from the palatial grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle as you could get. Brothers Derek (Cuillin) and Darren (DesVoigne) operate separate wineries under the same roof in the Woodinville Industrial Wine Park. No lush plantings; wild, funky colors; endearing personalities. The wine was good, not great (both wineries opened in early 2006, so we have hope) but the boys were so fun they win the “Mr. Congeniality” award.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:     6
People/attitude:  8   fun and pleasant but distracted by visiting friends
People/knowledge:    10  The owners treated us to a good time
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?:    No

What We Tasted – Cuillin

• 2004 Grenache – tasted like grape juice to Gary; Lisa liked it
• 2005 Viognier – nope… not a quality varietal that we’d expect from this region
• 2004 Syrah – a blend of Syrah and 8% Cab, which is probably why we deemed it one of the better Syrah’s we tasted in Woodinville
  

What We Tasted – Des Voignes

• 2004 Syrah – Good nose; nice and full but with an edge
• Sauvignon Blanc – Light, crisp, better than most US Sauvignon Blancs
  

What We Bought
Nada. (Unfortunately we have too much Shiraz and Syrah in our cellar crawl space)


Edmonds Winery
Based in Edmonds, WA, this boutique winery has a simple tasting room in one of Woodinville’s many industrial parks. Edmonds launched in 2003 with 14 cases of a Sauvignon Blanc. Today, it produces six wines for a whopping total of 114 cases. Don’t look for Edmonds in the local packie; online and winery sales only.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:     4
People/attitude: 10  The winemaker was a delight…  
People/knowledge: ditto
Palate cleansers: bread sticks and oyster crackers
Any free goodies?   Yes!  Semi-sweet chocolate bits

What We Tasted

• 2004 Slide Ridge Claret – A blend of 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 53% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot
• 2004 Syrah
• Robt. D Red Wine
  

What We Bought

• One bottle of the Slide Ridge — $26

Facelli Winery
There are family-owned wineries, and then there’s Facelli.  At the tasting room we were greeted by winemaker Lou; counseled by his wife and partner-in-wine as to the best of the offerings; and rung up by daughter Kristi (while daughter Lori assisted other customers.) 



All that family wasn’t cloying, it was endearing. Lou started his business 26 years ago and his passion for winemaking hasn’t waned. And his prices are so low they seem like a throwback to 1980 as well.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:        4 – Typical industrial setting
People/attitude:    10
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:     6 Melba toast
Any free goodies?:    No, nothing more to eat, but the congeniality of the Facelli family and their willingness to talk about wines made this a special place


What We Tasted

• 2005 Fume Blanc – Nice nose; lovely honeysuckle flavor; good balance
• 2004 Chardonnay – A bit young in the bottle but clearly a winner when cellared; nicely balanced between butter and oak
• 2001 Cabernet Franc – WOW, said Gary. More intense than most CF’s, closer to a pinot. Needs to cellar 2-3 more years
• 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon – Full bodied; bold; classic Cab with strong anise, and earthy blackberry-dark cherry flavors
• 2003 Syrah – Late Harvest – The perfect accompaniment to a flourless chocolate torte; can’t wait!
  

What We Bought

• Two bottles of the Chardonnay - $15.99
• One bottle of Cab Franc — $14.99
• Two bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon — $17.99
• One bottle of Syrah—Late Harvest — $19.99
  

Mark Ryan Winery
His name’s on the door (at least his first and middle names) and the man himself was doing the pouring at our tasting. Something of a “love him or hate him” character, apparently, we enjoyed most of his wine and found him a congenial host.



Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:        4 – Typical industrial setting
People/attitude:    7    A little smug but hey, he’s the winemaker
People/knowledge:    10  Ditto
Palate cleansers:     No
Any free goodies?:    No

What We Tasted

• 2005 Chardonnay – The winery’s first Chard, and a real hit. They say drink now or hold until 2011. Lisa says drink now! (Gary hid them away for safe-keeping)
• 2004 Wild Eyed Syrah – Lisa loved the smoky aroma and smooth finish; Gary was unimpressed, as the parade of Syrah’s was starting to get repetitive
• 2004 The Dissident – A casual pizza wine; blend of Cab, Syrah, and Merlot
  

What We Bought

• Two bottles of the Chardonnay - $35 (more than we typically spend, which confirms our adoration)

Silver Lake Winery & Hoodsport Winery
We had more fun at Silver Lake Winery than any other on our trip. They offered three tasting opportunities: Silver Lake; Hoodsport (their attempt at skewing younger); and Glen Fiona, a Walla Walla, Washington w/ with wonderful wine
Our visit coincided with a patio cookout; music was in the air and everyone was out for a good time.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:        4 – Larger than most but still an industrial setting
People/attitude:    10
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:     Saltines; not appropriate for a wine tasting
Any free goodies?:    No

What We Tasted – Silver Lake
Silver Lake offered a complimentary and a Reserve tasting; we did a side-by-side comparison. The free wine left us cold; the Reserve was worth the $5 fee. We tasted too many to review—below are the Reserve highlights.

• 2004 Reserve Chardonnay – A rich, buttery gem with a touch of oak
• Grand Reserve Merlot – Bold, fruit-forward, complex—a fine Merlot
• Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Not quite ready but the future looks bright;
  

What We Tasted – Hoodsport
•    2004 Orca Series Sauvignon Blanc
•    2003 Orca series Cabernet
•    Hoodsport Rhubarb Wine

What We Bought
•    Two bottles of the Silver Lake Chardonnay - $12.99
•    One bottle of the Hoodsport Rhubarb — $9.99  (Gary wouldn’t even taste it, that snob; Lisa will enjoy it on the deck with some friends)

Stevens Winery
We entered the tasting room at 3:50 pm, just before closing time. The fellow at the bar welcomed us in and offered a taste of the winery’s two current offerings, a Sauvignon Blanc and a red blend. It seems all of Stevens’ 2004 and 2003 wines are sold out—we’re talking small lots.

Winemaker Tim Stevens—the fellow at the bar, of course—was absolutely delightful.  We wished we could have spent more time chatting with him but his wife and partner Paige had pulled up in the SUV and the day was ending.  We can’t wait to go back.
  
 




What We Tasted

• 2005 Yakima Valley Sauvignon Blanc – At last, a SB from the US Lisa could love
• 2003 Columbia Valley Red Wine – An elegant blend and Stevens’ largest bottling to date
  

What We Bought

• One bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc — $15

Woodhouse Family Cellars
We loved this place for a few reasons. The 1500 sq ft. tasting room is large, spare, industrial, and stunning. Outfitted with Viking appliances and elegant chandeliers, the room is often used for parties and fundraisers for the many charities the owners are involved with.  The granite wine bar is a knock-out.

Our love runneth over when the tasting room host moved beyond the basic menu and brought out “the good stuff” from under the bar and from their wine vault for our enjoyment.

And, oh yeah, we loved the wine.

           
          
                  

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:        9 – Surprisingly inviting for a warehouse; beautiful plantings outside
People/attitude:    9    
People/knowledge:    7
Palate cleansers:     No
Any free goodies?:    Two free pours of the higher-end Dussek label

What We Tasted

• 2004 Kennedy Shah “Auntie Meredith’s Picnic Blend – an unusual blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc; an inspired pairing
• 2000 Kennedy Shah Merlot – An excellent Merlot with a sprinkling of Cab Franc and Syrah. Dark fruit lingers.
• 2001 Kennedy Shah Cabernet Sauvignon – Bold and ripe, but overpriced at $32
• Kennedy Shah – Orange Muscat – A nice balance of sugar; we could have had a bottle in one sitting if they’d let us
• 2002 Dussek Cabernet Sauvignon – Excellent balance of fruit and alcohol. Not too round, yet great lasting finish.
• 2003 Dussek Syrah – Ruby color, super blackberry flavor; concentrated with a dry finish
  

What We Bought

• Two bottles of Dussek Cabernet — $32
• Two bottles of Kennedy Shah Picnic Blend — $20
• Two bottles of Kennedy Shah Merlot — $28
• One bottle of Orange Muscat — $25
  

Disappointments

• Chateau Ste. Michelle – Couldn’t taste the good wines; what we did taste was mediocre. See first entry for full rant
• DiStefano Winery – Focused on “old world” winemaking, Distefano produces a number of red blends and a few whites. Gary crowned them “the worst wines in the region.” Gulp. But the next day we met a wine shop owner who said DiStefano was “the best in Woodinville.” That’s why Baskin-Robbins has 31 flavors. Lisa gives them a brownie point for the bittersweet chocolate chips on the tasting bar.
• Sparkman Cellars – We stumbled onto Sparkman during the winery’s grand opening party, so we hate to speak ill of the new but...the stuffed mushrooms and cheese tasted better than the wine. Again, we had tasted too much Syrah, so maybe we should try them fresh on another visit.  Surprisingly, the winemaker is Mark Ryan, whose eponymous winery boasted several fine varietals...maybe there’s room for improvement at their second crush.
  

For more information on Woodinville, WA visit www.woodinvillewinecountry.com.