Washington State has a lot of great wineries. The grapes are grown out in Yakama and the Columbia River Valley - 3-4 hrs away, but lots of wineries have places you can go for tastings in Woodinville, about 30 minutes from Seattle. Some (like Chateau Ste Michelle) are super fancy and quite large. At the Chateau, they actually make all their white wines and have tours, tastings, a B&B, and even several large event venues. But if you aren't too drunk to drive after Chateau Ste Michelle, you will find about a dozen more smaller wineries that are even better.
Two weekends ago, some friends took us on a wine tasting in Woodinville. We went to Chateau, then to Brian Carter winery, Efeste and Di Stefano. By Di Stefano, some of us (ahem) were quite tipsy from an afternoon of drinking. Di Stefano was having a big to-do for a spring wine release, with free tastings and snacks and even fancy chocolate. We loved their wine and bought three bottles, but later I wondered if maybe it wouldn't be as good as I remembered.
Last night, we broke open one of the bottles and it WAS as good as I remembered! It was divine!!
Tomorrow, I will be BIKING out to the Chateau Ste Michelle for a bike ride sponsored by the Red Hook Brewery right across the street (the Haut Ash bike ride). It will be ~40 miles round trip, with a big party in the middle. Fortunately if I can't make it back I have a back-up plan - call the Studly Hubby to come pick me up, and wait for him at one of the wineries nearby.
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