During our recent trip to Spokane, we had the pleasure to visit Mountain Dome Winery, the only dedicated independent sparkling wine producer in the state of Washington, and interview winemaker Erik Manz. Founded in 1984 by Erik’s parents, Michael and Patricia Manz, Mountain Dome is located on 84 acres just outside of town in the […]

We recently spent a wonderful weekend in Washington wine country. We visited vineyards and wineries on Red Mountain, in the Yakima Valley, and near the Tri-Cities. We met some wonderful people, tasted some great wines, and spent time in some of the state’s best vineyards. On the way from Seattle to our hotel in the […]

Wishing you all a very happy 4th of July! We hope you are enjoying your day with family, friends, good food, and wine. In case you are wondering, we are toasting with the 2004 Mountain Dome Sparkling Wine (Washington State). Cheers!

Today’s post is part of a series featuring the Women of Washington Wine. In an industry once dominated by men, more and more women are joining the ranks as winery owners, vineyard owners, and winemakers. Being a woman myself, I am fascinated by these women and what they have done and continue to do. Through […]

Recently during Vintage Walla Walla weekend, we had the opportunity to sit down for a nice visit with owner/winemaker Dave Stephenson of Stephenson Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington. While Stephenson Cellars, founded in 2001, is located in the Walla Walla airport complex, Dave recently moved his tasting room to downtown Walla Walla. Mom (LaGayle) and […]

First off, as regular readers know, I love Syrah, and I believe that some of the best Syrah in the world is made in Washington State. In fact, the first wine that ever garnered our highest quality rating, 5 stars (out of 5) was a Fielding Hills Syrah from Washington. But as the title of […]

Boudreaux Cellars, located just outside Leavenworth, Washington, was founded by owner/winemaker Rob Newsom in 2001. A Louisiana native, Newsom has lived on the property that is home to both his log home and Boudreaux Cellars since 1981. He began making wine in his garage in 1998 and started building the winery facilities in 2001. Boudreaux […]

Townshend Cellar, located north of Spokane in Colbert, Washington, was founded in 1998 by owner/winemaker Don Townshend. An engineer by background and trade, Don first got hooked on the wine business while doing an engineering job for Preston Premium Wines in Pasco in 1979. He moved to the Green Bluff area near Spokane where Townshend […]

Question: What do Saviah Cellars and Watermill Winery have in common? Answer: Winemaker Rich Funk. Actually, they have a few more things in common as well. Both are located in the Walla Walla Valley, both are getting their grapes from some of the best vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley and elsewhere in Washington State, […]

Last weekend, we traveled to Walla Walla, Washington, to attend Vintage Walla Walla, an annual event considered to be one of the nation’s premier regional wine tasting events. It is a two-day event featuring seminars, tours, and winemaker dinners in addition to the two marquee tastings, the Vintage Pour and the Grand Pavilion Tasting. On […]