Washington State's Finest Wine Tasting Featuring Quliceda Creek, Leonetti, Cayuse, K Vintners, and more..

Bring water, bring wine, boy! Bring flowering garlands to me! Yes, bring them, so that I may try a bout with love. ~Anacreon

Every year we focus on the world’s greatest wines and our annual Washington State’s Finest wine tasting always bring back fond memories of my trips to the Auction of Washington State wines which I attended three years in a row at one time but have not been back since 2013. 

That was one of the trips that I had to cancel in 2020 but I will be back ASAP now that the crisis is almost over.  One good thing that came out of 2020 was realizing the benefit of zoom and I think we will continue to offer virtual events as the last year has really opened the door to the possibility of having our host be here with us virtually on zoom to present the wines if they can’t be here in person. 

The first people who planted grapes in Washington were the German and Italian immigrants and that was around 1825.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington state’s Founding Winery, with some of the oldest and most acclaimed vineyards in the Columbia Valley.

Built on the 1912 estate owned by Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson, the winery’s roots date back to the Repeal of Prohibition, when the Pommerelle Wine Company and the National Wine Company were formed.  They merged in 1954 to form American Wine Growers. In 1967, American Wine Growers began a new line of premium vinifera wines called “Ste. Michelle Vintners” under the direction of legendary California winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff.

Ste. Michelle Vintners planted its first vines at Cold Creek Vineyard in Eastern Washington in 1972. Cold Creek remains one of the oldest and most renowned vineyards in the state. Ste. Michelle Vintners now own more than 3,500 prime vineyard acres in the Columbia Valley.

Some of the other founding fathers of the Washington state wine industry are- Leonetti Cellars, Woodward Canyon and Quilceda Creek.  These three producers are the first “cult wines” from Washington state and basically the second round of producers to move in.

Leonetti Cellar, which was bonded in 1977 by Founders Gary and Nancy Figgins, started as Gary’s vision to make world-class wines in Walla Walla has turned out to be a true American success story. Today, Leonetti Cellar produces some of the most sought after wines not onlyfrom Washington state but in the world.

Woodward Canyon Winery was one of the first two wineries to help put the Walla Walla Valley on Washington State's wine map.  From its first powerful 1981 cabernet sauvignon to the new releases today they have been among this state's top producers and we have actually have some of these wines in our tasting tonight!

Founded in 1979, Quilceda Creek has had an unbroken string of highly-rated vintages that has led Robert Parker Jr. to name it Washington State’s premier Cabernet Sauvignon producer with five vintages receiving (100 points) from Robert Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate, this is the mosxt sought after collectible.  Although we are not showing any Quilceda Creek this evening we do have several vintages available for sale after the notice of this tasting we have a list of all the Washington state wines in the store.

The industry and been expanding rapidly, Washington is the second largest wine producing state with just over 500 wineries in 2007.  Just a few short years later, today there are over 700 with the giant Chateau St. Michelle leading the way in terms of size. 

Tonight we have some of the top producers from Washington state along with a special menu to accompany the tasting wines.  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Washington State's Finest Wine Tasting at Wine Watch
Saturday, April 24th
7:30 PM

2015 Sixto Frenchman Hills Chardonnay Walla Walla  

2009 Leonetti Reserve Columbia Valley

2010 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Columbia Valley Magnum

2011 Sleight of Hand Archimage Magnum

2011 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley  

2012 Passing Time Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills     

2012 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Anniversary Bottling Magnum

2013 Horsepower Vineyards Sur Echalas Vineyard Syrah Walla Walla

2014 Pepper Bridge Merlot Columbia Valley

2014 K Vintners Syrah The Hustler Columbia Valley     

2015 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vines Washington

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

King Salmon with Ancho Chile BBQ Glaze over Forbidden Rice

Caramelized onion, Huckleberry, Apple and Rainier Cherry BBQ Beef Short rib with Theo Chocolate dusted mashed potatoes and Cabernet Natural Sauce accompanied by Avocado fries with Soy mayo and roasted pepper aioli.

Chocolate Fudge Cake with Huckleberry Sauce

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have dietary restrictions or if you just don’t like beef and chef Toni will be happy to make you chicken or something.