Page 15 - washington state wine
P. 15
Within Woodinville are two distinct
wine tasting areas to experience: The
Hollywood Winery District, and the
Warehouse District just a few miles out
of town. The Warehouse District sounds
pretty cool but for the casual wine-tast-
ing visitor it is somewhat of a letdown.
Here dozens of small and medium-sized
wine making operations are spread
throughout an industrial park - drab
concrete buildings surrounded by as-
phalt parking lots like those in any city
USA.
Driving around the maze of buildings,
you wouldn’t know this was a hive of
enology except for an occasional wine
barrel parked in front of a garage door,
or a simple sign with hopeful label
names like Chateau Rollat, Five Star Cel-
lars and Flying Dreams Winery. When
we visited on a weekday, not much was
open, but many are open on special days
and weekends.
The bulk of the other wine tasting rooms
in Woodinville are scattered throughout
the Hollywood area, with most strip
malls sporting several wine tasting
rooms and eateries targeted at upscale
tasters. It must be great to be a commer-
cial landlord here since I’m sure there’s a
waiting list for any vacancy. Many of the
wine tasting rooms here are large and
stunningly designed, with wine prices to
match the rent.
Large signs plastered on the windows
and sandwich boards outside of tasting
rooms tout 90-plus point wines in an at-
tempt to lure wine enthusiasts looking
the next big thing. Most are probably
legit – and most folks don’t ask where
the scores came from. Wine point scor-
ing is an iffy affair at best anyway. One
person’s 90 pointer can be another’s can-
didate for the spit bucket.
and reds. Cab, merlot, syrah, blends and Opposite: Columbia winery and tasting room. Top:
Considering that wines in the tasting some pinot noir are the most common Hollywood Vineyard shopping center, housing
rooms come from all over the state, it’s reds found here alongside some very nice tasting rooms and restaurants. Above: The odd wine
not surprising to find wide diversity whites including chardonnay, sauvignon country of Woodinville where an industrial park has
in varietals and styles of both whites blanc, viognier, and pinot gris. been taken over by winemakers big and small.
Wine Dine & Travel Summer/Fall 2015 15