Columbia Valley Wine Country MagazineBy: Wine Press Northwest
Wine Country Touring Tips
Washington’s wine roots stretch back more than a century, but its explosion of growth has occurred in the past 25 years – fewer than 20 wineries existed in 1976. Now, there are about 500. To make your wine touring more enjoyable, here are a few tips:
- Take a designated driver. This may seem like a drag, but if you plan to visit more than a couple of wineries, it’s a wise choice. If you have an experienced wine connoisseur who knows how to taste (and spit), that may be good enough. Otherwise, bring along a non-drinking friend or hire one of the many limousine services available.
- Don’t try to do too much. Three to five wineries is usually is a good day for the best of wine tourists. Try to rush through too many and you’ll miss some gems. Instead, take your time, talk to the winemaker and walk through the vineyards. One of the joys of Washington wine touring is the slower pace of life.
- Ask questions. Often, the person pouring your samples is a winemaker or someone who helped make it. They usually love to talk about the craft and are eager to share their stories with someone willing to listen. Wine appreciation comes with knowledge, so ask questions about the grapes and the process of winemaking.
- Eat along the way. Food is a good thing, especially with wine. Plan to lunch at a local restaurant to make sure you keep up your wine-traveling strength. Better yet, pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it in a vineyard, as many wineries provide picnic facilities.
- Take a cooler if it’s warm out. Eastern Washington is a desert and can be warm to hot from April to October. If you purchase wine and toss it in your trunk, you might cook the wine before it gets home, which can bring a big disappointment. Take a cooler and try to keep it out of the sun. You don’t need ice, just the cooler’s insulation against extreme heat. If you don’t have a cooler, ask the winery for a “shipper” it uses when sending wine by mail. It often has Styrofoam, which will act as insulation.
- Wine tasting is not “cocktail hour.” You aren’t visiting wineries for free drinks. That’s why more wineries charge for tastes. Be respectful of the business and buy a bottle (or more) if you find something you like because it might be difficult to find when you get home.