A note from the Editor

Since moving to Washington from Texas two years ago, I have visited Washington's wine country (a.k.a. Eastern Washington's vineyard region) 13 times!  Granted, I work closely with the wine industry and plan and coordinate a large fundraiser over there each year, but I am proud to say that I have explored the region and its vastness in a big way, more so than many Washingtonians.

Along the way I have had the opportunity to visit somewhere in the vicinity of 70 wineries, stay in at least a dozen different hotels in the region and eat countless meals in many of the eateries, from the lovely Essencia Deli and Bakery in downtown Yakima all the way to 26brix in Walla Walla. One of my more pleasing experiences has been my stay at a couple of very quaint bed and breakfasts. In this issue, I will share what I have discovered about some of them.

Once again I challenge those out there who are still wrestling with the idea of visiting to get over and explore the region's many treasures. Whether its food, wine and amenities or the outdoor recreation (golfing, boating, hiking, river rafting), Washington Wine Country has it all!

Salut!
Jackie Walsh
Communications Director
Washington Wine Country
jwalsh@winecountrywashington.org

Photo Contest!

Attention Wineries and Wine Country Tourists!  LAST MONTH TO ENTER!

Thank you to all of you who sent in your photos in February and March. We have received some wonderful submissions!

We are still in search of photos from Washington's wine country and we're giving up great loot to get them! If you are 1.) a winery with beautiful, original photos of vineyards, grapes, the crush process, etc., we would love to see them. Please note, we are not seeking "staged" shots of your label or bottles, so not to worry, just beautiful pictures of the region. OR 2.) if you are a wine tourist who got some great shots on your last visit to the wine country, send them in!  

Example: Here's a photo I recently received from the wine country depicting a row of wine barrels.

What will you win? We have two categories for our contest and will therefore be selecting TWO winners. The first category is for winery submissions. The winning winery will receive a framed Washington Wine Country vintage print for their winery, valued at $700.  The second category is for non-winery/industry submissions. The selected winner will receive a set of three framed Washington Wine Country prints, valued at $250. We will also be selecting additional photos for "honorable mentions." Each selected entrant will receive an unframed Washington Wine Country art print.

To submit your photos or for more information, please e-mail jwalsh@winecountrywashington.org. The deadline for the contest has been extended to April 31, 2006.

Note - All submitted photos will automatically become the property of Washington Wine Country and may be used within advertising campaigns, for Web site and newsletter graphic enhancements and/or a wine country touring brochure.

Beautiful B&B's of Wine Country

Let's start our journey in the midst of a cherry orchard in Yakima where you awake to the smell of coffee and freshly prepared breakfast. Hosts Henner and Karen Krueger await your arrival in their very own German/Italian style. Yes, she's Italian and he's German! They even have separate dining rooms for each nationality!
The drive into the Orchard Inn Bed and Breakfast provides a wonderful view of the cherry trees. A delight to see in any season, but when the trees are in bloom in the spring, it truly is a vision! The common living room offers all of the comforts of home and each bedroom is newly decorated to represent a wine varietal and of course the cherry room. Each room has a private bath with jetted tubs, a small dining table with coffee and tea service and comfortable queen size beds.

          

In order to avoid sounding like an Expedia ad, I must say that the most delightful part of my stay at this establishment has been the warm hospitality of this delightful couple. They greet you each morning with a smile and the delicious breakfasts they prepare are not to be ignored. During my week long stay I was served anything from corned beef hash to fresh baked cherry clafoutis, pronounced  Klah-foo-tee. (see recipe under Get a Taste of the Destination).

Final word, The Orchard Inn Bed & Breakfast serves as my home away from home for a week out of each year. While my days are busy with work it is so nice to have such a warm haven to come back to each evening and fresh breakfast prepared with TLC to start my day. Visit the Orchard Inn Web site for more details at www.orchardinnbb.com.

During my recent jaunt over to Red Wine and Chocolate, hotel rooms were few and far between. I was eventually steered towards the Quilted Country Inn in Prosser, formerly The Wine Country Inn. Now owned by Marilyn and Ben Dalstra, the 100 year old home is next door to Marilyn's quilting store, The Sewing Basket. The Inn often serves as lodging during the many quilting retreats that Marilyn holds each year. At other times, it's a great place to stay for a wine tasting weekend, especially for a group. We were three couples and ended up having the whole house to ourselves.

Each of the six guest rooms is furnished with antique iron beds and of course, quilts of all colors and designs. This isn't a luxurious stay. Built in 1896, the home is quite old after all, but cozy, roomy and comfortable it is. Situated on the Yakima River, the vast outdoor deck offers plenty of room for sunning, picnicing and wine sipping.

Contact the Quilted Country Inn, 1106 Wine Country Rd. Prosser WA 99350, call (509) 786-7367 or e-mail Marilyn at prossersewingbasket@earthlink.net.

The Inn at Blackberry Creek in Walla Walla is surrounded by shade trees, a spring feed creek, rolling lawns and of course now more than 70 wineries in Walla Walla. Once a Victorian Farmhouse built in 1906, the Inn has been carefully restored to its original beauty. Each of the three spacious rooms, named uniquely for the great impressionist painters, have private baths, king sized beds with plush bedding, flat screen TV's (a bit of contemporary luxury in the midst of old fashioned surroundings) and decorative antique furnishings. Renoir's studio even has a private hot tub for two!

Mornings consists of a fresh made breakfast, menu style either in the dining room, your own room or on the patio. There is a downstairs parlor where guests can relax or an upstairs sun-lit alcove with a library of books, games and cards. A natural spring forms a creek just behind the Inn, which plays home to a number of animals. It is not uncommon to sit on the patio and spot pheasant, quail, raccoons, owls, rabbits, squirrels, gold finches or blue jays. Whether you want to explore the creek area, pick wild blackberries in season or bird watch, The Inn at Blackberry Creek provides a quiet retreat for you to relax. For more information, go to www.innatblackberrycreek.com.

Keep in mind, all three of these beautiful establishments have only three to six rooms each which means space is fairly limited. If you are traveling on an event weekend, you will want to call early to get reservations. The choice is yours. As for me, I'll take the gentle hospitality and quaint surroundings of a wine country B&B over a hotel room any day.

 

Facts & Tidbits

Washington Wine Country Abounds!

Did you know . . .

Seven of the state's official appellations are located in Eastern Washington's vineyard Region. Together Columbia Valley, Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills, Red Mountain, Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley and the Wahluke Slope grow 99% of Washington State's Wine Grapes and make up over 30,000 acres of vineyards. There are over 200 wineries in Washington Wine Country producing varietals from Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Throw in a little Lemberger, Malbec and Petit Verdot and there's a world-class wine region like none other bubbling over in your very midst!

Source: Washington Wine Commission.

Living Wine Country

Along The Wine Road

Long Shadows Vintners Builds Walla Wall Winery

Long Shadows Vintners recently broke ground on their new wine production facility in Walla Walla. The $4.2 million dollar, state-of-the-art winery is designed to accommodate the exacting standards and varied winemaking practices of Long Shadows’  international winemakers.

The 30,000 sq. ft. small-lot production winery sits on a 40-acre site on Ireland Road, three miles northwest of the Walla Walla city limits off Hwy. 12. The new winery will allow resident winemaker Gilles Nicault to work along side each of Long Shadows’ winemakers to sort, crush, and ferment wines according to each winemakers’ preferred methods which are as varied as the wines and vintners themselves.

Mountain States Construction is heading up the project and is expected to complete the construction by this Fall. Long Shadows founder, owner and CEO Allen Shoup continues to look to the future of Long Shadows and its international winemaking talents.

As Shoup explains, “Each winery’s case production is extremely limited, but as production slowly grows we plan to build a new, stand-alone facility for each wine.”  Long Shadows is also in the process of reviewing sites for varietal-specific vineyard plantings that would make ideal locations for the individual wineries.

For more information on the wines and acclaimed vintners of Long Shadows and this project, visit their Web site at www.longshadows.com.
  

Get a Taste of the Destination

Washington Wine Country Collection

SAVE THE DATE! - Wine Country Celebration and Grand Gala, June 23 & 24, 2006

The 4th annual Wine Country Celebration and Grand Gala auction and benefit dinner is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 23rd and 24th at locations from Yakima to the Tri-Cities. This year’s weekend event is full of activities ranging from a golf tournament and jazz concert to winemaker dinners and an exclusive gala auction and benefit dinner.The exciting weekend schedule of events is as follows:

Friday, June 23, 2006

Wine Country Golf Classic at the beautiful Meadow Springs Country Club golf course in Kennewick with a shot-gun start around noon. Golfers are encouraged to gather their colleagues and challenge their competitors to a corporate challenge. Entry fee is $150 per player and includes lunch, prizes and a post-tournament Rose wine tasting.

The Seasons of Yakima Celebration Jazz Concert takes place at the new Seasons Performance Hall in Yakima for a special concert featuring jazz great Mose Allison. The Wine Country Celebration is offering a select few the red carpet treatment. Your VIP ticket includes an exclusive meet and greet with Mose, a pre-concert reception with special hors d'oeuvres and wine, and front row seating for the show. VIP admission is $65 per person. The VIP reception begins at 6:30 with the concert kicking off at 8 pm.

Vintners Appellation Dinners are taking place throughout the region on Friday evening. Wineries are joining forces to create the most memorable winemaker dinners ever. Hot tickets include the threesome of DeLille Cellars, Northstar and Sheridan Vineyards at Sheridan in Zillah; Basel Cellars, Dusted Valley Vintners and Willow Crest are joining forces in Prosser at Willow Crest’s new tasting room; the winemaking talents of Fidelitas and Long Shadows converge at Cañon de Sol in Benton City and the Richland winery trio of Barnard Griffin, J. Bookwalter and Tagaris Wineries at Tagaris’ new Taverna. The per person cost for each dinner is $125.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Grand Gala, the auction and benefit dinner, once again features 200 guests in an exclusive evening at the heralded DeAtley Estate in Yakima. Enjoy a poolside setting where you will dine among the stars overlooking the scenic Yakima Valley. Savor “Northwest fresh” artisan fare prepared by celebrated chef Vicky McCaffree of The Yarrow Bay Grill in Kirkland. Each enticing course will be paired with wonderfully polished and beautifully balanced Washington wines.Take part in the spirited bidding as you swoon over our limited, must have auction items. This evening extraordinaire is by invitation only!

For more information, details on how to become a sponsor and to purchase tickets for this fabulous fundraising event in support of Washington Wine Country, visit the event Web site at www.winecountrycelebration.com or call 206-285-0514.