Finnriver Crafts Artisan Hard Cider, Wine and Spirits

Our Washington State Wineries Group welcomes Finnriver Farm and Cidery, located twelve miles south of historic Port Townsend in Chimacum’s Center Valley.

Visit the Tasting Room Thursday - Sunday from 1 - 5pm, May through October

Finnriver is dedicated to sustainable agriculture, ecological land stewardship, and enhancing biodiversity. The Kislers, Eric Jorgensen and family, and their partners grow certified organic berries and heirloom apple trees, and also “glean wild apples from old-time local homesteads and source fruit from a fifth generation organic family farm in eastern Washington.” They then craft these fruits into artisan sparkling ciders, dessert wines and spirits. (more…)

Wine and Cheese – a Perfect Marriage

Saint-André cheese & Châteaux de Bourgogne cheese & Granville Island olive bread.. and red wine..

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…)

Passport Wine Tour This Weekend! Remember – it’s B.Y.O.G. (bring our own glass)!

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!

Hood Canal Bridge Set to Reopen Ahead of Schedule!

Work that began on May 1 to replace the east half of the Hood Canal Bridge and the east and west trusses may be completed more than a week ahead of schedule, according to the Washington State Dept. of Transportation website, http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/regions/Olympic/.

The overall project is currently estimated to be 97 percent complete, despite some unseasonably foul weather that added 3 days to the 6-week contract timeline. Drawspan testing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3.

The Olympic Peninsula Wineries invite you to celebrate the reopening of the bridge with a scenic self-guided tour of our seven tasting rooms, located in the cities of Port Townsend, Sequim and Port Angeles. While you’re here, be sure to take a drive through downtown Port Angeles and see the transformation that has been in progress during the bridge closure. It’s part of an all-community volunteer effort dubbed, “Our Community at Work: Painting Downtown.” For more information on the project, visit http://www.portangelesdowntown.com/our_community_at_work.php.

No Bridge? No Problem! Take the Road Less Traveled

Don’t let the six-week Hood Canal Bridge closure (May 1 – June 15) keep you from experiencing spring on the Olympic Peninsula. Consider this “downtime” a catalyst for adventure with the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway (aka Hwy. 101) leading the way! From wine tasting to wilderness beach backpacking to touring the Forks setting for Stephenie Myers’ best-selling “Twilight” series of books, this beautiful region has it all. A number of Olympic Peninsula resorts, inns, B&Bs and vacation rentals are offering spring lodging specials to make your getaway the best it can be. And, for those who prefer to commune more closely with Mother Nature, beautiful campgrounds abound throughout the region.

The Pacific Coast Scenic Byway traverses the east, west and north sides of the Olympic Peninsula in a 284 mile loop, which begins in Olympia and terminates in Aberdeen, located on the Peninsula’s southern edge, or vice-versa. The distance is ideal for a leisurely three-day weekend or longer vacation, but if short on time, choose a destination and continue your exploration on another trip.

To start planning your trip, go to www.visitolympicpeninsula.com.



Hood Canal Bridge Reconstruction
Originally uploaded by Washington State Dept of Transportation

This year, consider a holiday gift that helps boost the state economy

Wine pairs perfectly with the holidays. Think of a luscious full-bodied Cabernet alongside a Christmas standing rib roast; turkey with all the trimmings and a glass of crisp Viognier or a flavorful semi-dry rosé. Festive cranberry wines are perfect for sipping with a mix of hors d’oeuvres and ports can be savored at the end of a meal with or without dessert.

A bottle of wine handcrafted in Washington makes an excellent holiday gift, and is an opportunity to celebrate the bounty of our state with friends and family. With enough variety to please any palate, wine is a choice that is rarely “re-gifted.”

And why not add some fun to your holiday shopping? Instead of running to the grocery store and picking up a bottle, take the time to visit some local wineries. Discover varietals and blends that may only be available in the tasting room, adding to their uniqueness as holiday gift items.

While pleasing those on your holiday list, you’ll also be helping to boost our state’s economy by becoming a “wine tourist.” According to the “Economic Impact of Washington Grapes and Wine,” a comprehensive study commissioned by the Washington Wine Commission and the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and released earlier this year, wine tourism expenditures increased 165.3 percent each year between 1999 and 2006, reaching $237.6 million in 2006. Overall, Washington’s wine industry contributes $3 billion annually to our state’s economy. Let’s keep the train going!

Online “Passport” Sales Rise in 2008

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!

Celebrate Lavender Wine Tour

Summer covers the North Olympic Peninsula in numerous shades of purple as the designated Lavender Capital of North America comes abloom. Celebrating this seasonal heritage, the Olympic Peninsula Wineries invite the public to enjoy a special Lavender Wine Tour, from Saturday, July 12 to Sunday July 20. the seven artisan wineries will pour their new and current releases from 11- 5 daily. Drive the self-guided Lavender Wine Tour and experience the warm hospitality for which the wineries are known.

The wine tour kicks-off Sequim’s annual Lavender Festival, set to take place July 18-20. The festival is the largest lavender event in North America, attracting visitors from around the world each year.  The Olympic Peninsula Wineries will be featured in the Wine & Beer Garden during the Festival Street Fair, with wines available for tasting or for purchase by the glass or by the bottle.

Next Event

Gorgeous scenery, warm temperatures and a jovial crowd made for a great Spring Barrel Tasting Weekend. The three day event brought out the best in everyone as they toured the scenic back roads, gazed at the snow covered Olympic Mountains, and tasted both wines in progress direct from the oak barrels and some spectacular current releases.

For more great fun in Olympic Wine Country you might want to put the Sequim Lavender Festival on your calendar. All the wineries will be open for the “Celebrate Lavender Wine Tour” July 12-20, 2008. Reserve your ticket and glass combination in advance on line or purchase at the door of any participating winery.

Most of the wineries are now on their summer schedules with expanded tasting room days and hours. Come for a visit … we are looking forward to seeing you!