Washington State Wineries

On Sun, 21 May 2006 02:42:33 GMT, "Richard Neidich"

This is a reply to all the earlier postings in this thread. I live in Seattle and have made numerous trips to the other side of the state where the vineyards are located. I would second all of the recommendations (except for the one to visit Olympia Brewery in Tumwater; that closed down several years ago) made so far. As has been noted, Walla Walla is THE place to visit in Eastern Washington, but it is quite a ways away. One possibiliity is to travel though the Yakima Valley to Prosser, stopping only a couple of times since the wineries there are spread out over a large area. Sagelands is right on the main highway and one of the first ones you will come to. From Prosser, you can take the short drive to Red Mountain where you will find Hedges, Kiona, and several other top wineries. Between Prosser and Red Mountain you will find Chandler's Reach, which I recommend. Go to Walla Walla if you can but if it's too far for you, then take the road that runs from Prosser to Paterson. Just before you get to the Columbia River you will find Columbia Crest winery. From there you can take a beautiful drive through the Columbia River Gorge to Portland. There are a few wineries along the way that are worth stopping at if you have the time. Maryhill, in particular, comes to mind.

Vino