In honor of mothers everywhere, the Washington State Wineries of the Olympic Peninsula are waiving all tasting fees for mothers during Mother’s Day Weekend. So come visit our wineries and raise glasses of Washington Wines to your mom, and to yourself if you’re a mom.
Walk the Dungeness Spit in the morning. Taste wine in the afternoon.
Wine and cheese - the best combination there is.
Wine and cheese were meant to go together. They are the perfect union. Well paired wine and cheese bring out the best in each other. The right combination compliments and enhances each flavor. It can be an extraordinary gustatory experience.
Cheese has a multitude of flavors and textures, from sumptuously creamy to sharp and crumbly. It is delicious when melted on noodles, crumbled over salads, and sliced next to fruit. And of course, cheese with bread and crackers is heavenly. But sometimes it is hard to know which cheese to choose for your dinner party or luncheon. (more…)
Mark your calendars, for the Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour will be at the Washington State Wineries of the Olympic Peninsula on April 17 and 18, 2010. We’ll pair handcrafted local wines with locally made artisan cheeses, and the results will be out of this world.
Enjoy local, hand-crafted Washington wines and cheeses.
Six Washington State Wineries located in Port Townsend and Port Angeles will participate in the NW Wine and Cheese Tour. Our wineries will be open from 11 am to 6 pm both Saturday and Sunday. This allows ample time for you to leisurely visit all the wineries and sample a good selection of Washington State wines and cheese.
Cheesemakers from Mt. Townsend Creamery of Port Townsend and Mystery Bay Farm of Marrowstone Island will be at Olympic Cellars Winery, on Saturday. Sample these cheeses with the peninsula’s own Pane D’Amore bread and a selection of Olympic Cellars wines. Suzanne Tyler will present cheeses from Wild Harvest Creamery at Sorensen Cellars in Port Townsend.
Keep an eye out and a fork ready for amazing cheeses from Mount Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend, Golden Glen Creamery in Bow, and Montesano Estrella and Beechers in Seattle. We look forward to seeing which cheeses will be paired with the fantastic fruit wines of Black Diamond Winery. And we always love to see what is being poured in the lovely tasting rooms at Harbinger Winery and Camaraderie Cellars of Port Angeles. In Port Townsend, look for excellent cheese and wine parings at FairWinds Winery.
An added perk to any wine tasting event on the Olympic Peninsula is the Rain Shadow that protects most of this area from the rains that often fall in spring. We can’t absolutely guarantee sunshine, but you are more likely to find sunshine between Port Townsend and Port Angeles than anywhere else in Western Washington. Now that is worth toasting!
Tickets are now available online or by calling 800-785-5495. We encourage you to have a designated driver if you plan to thoroughly taste our Washington wines.
Today is International Women’s Day, and March is National Women’s History Month. Take a moment to consider the many achievements of women throughout history. Think about the women in your families and communities. Learn about women who need help today.
This is a great excuse to gather together a group of girlfriends and head to the Washington State Wineries of the Olympic Peninsula. Let the dads and grandpas watch the kids while you reconnect with good friends. Visit the six Washington Wineries located in Port Townsend and Port Angeles in one glorious trip, or plan to return again and again until you have tried them all.
There is at least one woman behind every winery on the Washington Olympic Peninsula. It took vision and commitment for these women (and their male partners) to establish their businesses, and it is worth visiting these Washington State Wineries to see what they have collectively created.
Washington State Winemakers of the Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Cellars, Womanfest, and MADRE are hosting an event on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at 6 pm. All are invited to enjoy homemade soup and bread and drink wine by the glass during this local celebration of International Women’s Day; it will highlight the efforts of MADRE to help the victims of the Haitian earthquake.
The suggested donation of $10.00 will go towards MADRE’s relief efforts in Haiti. Olympic Cellars will donate 30% of revenues from wines sold by the glass as well.
Is it indulgent to spend a weekend (or two) traveling between Olympic Peninsula Wineries, drinking red wine and eating chocolate? Or is it good sense? It’s no secret that moderate consumption of red wine is good for your health – it is believed to lower the risk of heart disease. Well, it has come to light that the same is true for dark chocolate.
Antioxidants, flavonoids, resveratrol? Let the doctors and scientists study the nitty gritty of why red wine and dark chocolate can help our hearts. We’ll just do as the French have always done – consume them and smile.
Six Washington State Wineries on the Olympic Peninsula are pulling out their best red wines and pairing them with fine chocolates during the weekends of February 5-6 and 13 – 15, 2010. You may purchase tickets to these festive events and taste at all six wineries for a mere $25 (includes a souvenir wine glass), or taste at individual wineries for $5 each.
There is a red wine for every palate at Harbinger Winery in Port Angeles, and a variety of chocolates to match them. Fruit wines, hearty reds and crisp blushes are all here.
Camaraderie in Port Angeles will pair their 2006 gold medal winning merlot with merlot chocolate dipping sauce, Molly Baby chocolate cookies and Princess Valiant chocolates. They’ll pull out other reds as well: cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and blends.
Head to the Black Diamond Winery, in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains near Port Angeles, for tasty Raspberry and Strawberry wines. Be sure to savor the chocolate truffles between sips.
Those of you who enjoy a little spice in your life may want to head straight to Olympic Cellars, on highway 101 between Sequim and Port Angeles. CBC chocolatier Peter Crabtree has created spice-embedded chocolates to enhance the reds at Olympic Cellars. Your taste buds will tingle.
FairWinds Winery in Port Townsend will be pairing their award-winning Port O’Call with rich chocolate flowing from “the tallest known chocolate fountain in captivity”. Also in Port Townsend, Sorensen Cellars pairs reds with assorted chocolates and truffles made by Sequim chocolatier Yvonne. Be sure to try the two new releases: a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Malbec.
You can consider it romantic or fun to head out for a weekend of tasting chocolates and wines from Washington State. Or you can consider it an integral part of your health care. How you spin it is up to you. No matter what, we feel certain you will enjoy it.
The Olympic Peninsula Wineries invite you to come out and enjoy award-winning handcrafted wines superbly paired with fresh Olympic Coastal Cuisine during the Passport Wine Tour this weekend, November 14-15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. We’re adding a new twist to this year’s event — bring your own glass! It’s a fun opportunity to show off the most unique piece in your collection. We look forward to pouring our wines in your special glass and hearing what makes it your favorite. Tickets for the self-guided tour are $25.00 and entitle holders to a label collection Passport, complimentary wine tastings and samples of local cuisine at each winery.
For the past couple of weeks we’ve been highlighting what each of our wineries will be serving during Passport Weekend on our blog. Today we’re down to the final two — Camaraderie Cellars and Harbinger Winery, both in Port Angeles.
Camaraderie Cellars will feature seasonal tasty bites including roasted beet vinaigrette and wine-poached pears, along with Bell Street Bakery’s seasonal vegetable bread. These delicious bites will be paired with Camaraderie’s favorites: a just released Malbec, Tempranillo, and our popular Viognier.
Harbinger Winery will release a limited bottling of our popular seasonal Cranberry Bliss, as well as the 2008 Viognier, 2007 Syrah, and 2007 El Jefe’
(a reserve Spanish blend with a Rhone twist). These wines will be matched with locally grown foods, including a savory Chanterelle and Chevre blintz made with locally foraged Chanterelle Mushrooms.
Fall is a beautiful time to visit the Olympic Peninsula — we hope to see you this weekend!
The six artisan wineries of the North Olympic Peninsula invite you to enjoy award-winning handcrafted wines superbly paired with fresh Olympic Coastal Cuisine during the annual Passport Wine Tour, November 14-15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. New this year – bring your own glass! It’s a fun opportunity to show off the most unique wine glass in your collection. Tickets for the self-guided tour
are $25.00 and entitle holders to a label collection Passport, complimentary wine tastings and samples of local cuisine at each winery.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will highlight what each individual winery has in store for Passport Weekend. Today’s post features Port Angeles’ Olympic Cellars Winery.
On Saturday, Nov. 14 guests will enjoy Olympic Cellars’ new white wine release: La Galopine, 2008 Roussanne and Viognier blend from Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, paired with fresh oysters from the South Puget Sound, Hood Canal and Discovery Bay, on the winery’s “heated” patio. Featured shellfish farms include Little Skookum Shellfish Growers (Little Skookum extra small and small Pacific
oysters); Hama Hama Oyster Company (Hood Canal extra small and small Hama Hama Pacific oysters); Taylor Shellfish Company (Totten Inlet Kumamoto oysters); and Port Discovery Sea Farms (Snow Creek extra small and small oysters). The oysters will be served both on the half-shell and grilled from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A complete selection of wines will be available in the tasting
room.
Clam Chowder (Grandfather Bishop’s family clam chowder recipe made with Little Skookum Shellfish Growers’ sustainably farmed Manila clams www.skookumshellfish.com/recipes) will be available on Sunday, November 15.
Bell Street Bakery breads made with local, organic grain will be served with spreads made from humus and local organic root vegetables all weekend.
Holiday Wine Release: Cranberry Jubilee
Additional wine specials will be featured to compliment the holiday table, parties and of course to give as gifts.
Mark your calendars for the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ inaugural Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour! On April 18 and 19, each of the seven wineries will host a different northwest specialty creamery and pair handcrafted wines with a delectable selection of artisan cheeses. Participating cheese makers include Wild Harvest Farms located in Chimacum; Port Townsend’s own Mt. Townsend Creamery;Gotherberg Farms from Bow, WA; Fairaview Farm located in Sequim; from Montesano, Estrella Family Creamery; and Beechers Handmade Cheeses located in Seattle.
Tickets are $25.00 per person and include a special commemorative wine glass, complimentary wine tasting, and mouth-watering samples of northwest artisan cheeses. Purchase your tickets online at https://www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org/nwwinecheese.php (recommended) or at the door. The wineries will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, as well as a delicious three-day Red Wine & Chocolate weekend on the North Olympic Peninsula, here’s a quick, fun quiz you can take to discover your chocolate personality!
http://www.savorchocolate.com/chocolate_personality_quiz.aspx
On Saturday, February 7, Cedar Creek Restaurant in Sequim will host a Winemaker Dinner showcasing the “Best of the Olympic Peninsula.” The French inspired menu will feature nine wines, each crafted by one of our seven award-winning wineries. Timed to coincide with the annual Red Wine & Chocolate Tour, it’s the perfect way to wrap-up a day on the tasting trail! The four-course dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Tickets are $85 per person. For reservations, call 360.683.3983.
Mark your calendars! The Olympic Peninsula Wineries will once again host the popular Red Wine & Chocolate Tour over two delicious weekends, February 7-8 and February 14,15,16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Enjoy award-winning red wines and new wine releases paired with a variety of chocolate delights ranging from sweet to savory. Wine specials will be available throughout the event.
Tickets are available online now at https://www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org/redwinechocolate.php.
On Saturday, Feb. 7, Cedar Creek Restaurant in Sequim will host a four-course Winemaker Dinner featuring seven locally produced wines. The event begins at
6 p.m. For further information and reservations, call 360.683.3983.
Many travelers took advantage of the opportunity to purchase their “Passports” on line before departing on the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ first International Passport Wine Tour this past weekend. A quick click via the winery association’s website enables an easy, secure Pay Pal transaction in advance of all wine tours.
Visitors paired wines crafted locally from old world origin grapes with a selection of foods from some of Europe’s most famous wine growing regions. New taste sensations were discovered, including Sorensen Cellars’ Viognier and goat cheese canapes with apricots and almonds, and Olympic Cellars’ Dungeness Red Lemberger Wine and Alsatian Tarte Flambee.A good time was had by all.
The Olympic Peninsula Winerie’s next event will be the Red Wine & Chocolate Tour. This two-weekend event will take place on February 7-8, 2009 and February 14-15-16 (Presidents’ Day Weekend). More information is available at www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org. Get your advance tickets on line now!