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Washington wineries to visit

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Howie Hart

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Washington wineries to visit

by Howie Hart » Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:17 am

I'll be traveling to Fort Lewis, WA from October 10-16 to welcome my son's brigade home from 15 months in Iraq. While there I would like to visit a few wineries, preferably within a 2 hour drive of Ft. Lewis and would like some recommendations. Incidentally, an offline for Saturday, 10/13 is being planned in the Offlines Forum HERE.
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ClarkDGigHbr

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Re: Washington wineries to visit

by ClarkDGigHbr » Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:38 am

Howie,

Unfortunately, all of the central and eastern WA wineries are at least 3 hours drive from the Fort Lewis area. In the greater Olympia area, you can consider McCrea Cellars, Donedei (Gibbons Lane), Andrake and Walter Dacon, which are 1 hour away or less. For a better selection, you should head north to Woodinville (1+ hour drive, depending on traffic), and you will be right in the thick of things with roughly 20 wineries. I have visited very few of them, but I would definitely recommend a stop at Di Stefano. Check online to see what hours the wineries are open. Keep in mind that all of the wineries are already busy with their crush, so visitations to the smaller ones could be an issue.

I am very glad to hear that your son is returning home soon. It saddens me greatly every time I pick up the paper and read about another loss of one of our Fort Lewis soldiers. My thoughts are with you for his safe return.

-- Clark
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Mark Willstatter

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Re: Washington wineries to visit

by Mark Willstatter » Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:59 pm

As Clark has already told you, with your travel time limitations, the wineries of Eastern Washington are out of reach but there are plenty of wineries in the Puget Sound region, even if they often (even usually) get their fruit from east of the Cascades. The biggest concentration of wineries, as Clark also said, is in the Woodinville area. Amplifying on his warning on traffic, if you don't want to risk traffic hell, wait until the morning commute (say, 9 AM) to go north and plan to return south before the afternoon rush or stay until after. In addition to his suggests, if you're up for a ferry trip to Bainbridge Island, there are a couple of wineries out with worthy products. Bainbridge Island Vineyards actually makes wines from fruit sourced in the Puget Sound area, for example dry and off-dry versions of Muller-Thurgau, Madeline Angevine and an ice-wine like botrytised Siegerrebe which is tasty (and priced like it). Eleven Winery is also out there and while I haven't visited, the wines are solid and the trip to Bainbridge would be a nice outing if you're up for some touristing.
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Howie Hart

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Re: Washington wineries to visit

by Howie Hart » Sun Sep 16, 2007 6:33 pm

Thanks Mark and Clark. I'll have to see what develops. I'm looking forward to the trip.
Chico - Hey! This Bottle is empty!
Groucho - That's because it's dry Champagne.

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