Washington Wine Country Wine & Culinary Guide - Springs Eternal

FRIDAY
 
2:00pm: Acres of Aromas
 
First, head for Yakima and begin your getaway with a stop at The Tasting Room, Yakima. Sitting atop 85 acres of vineyards in the middle of an ancient pear tree orchard, this 1900’s-era farmhouse turned tasting room features 20 wines from boutique wineries Harlequin Wine Cellars, Naches Heights Vineyard and Wilridge Winery. Be one of the first to try Naches Heights’ new 2007 Pinot Gris. The first sip of lush, ripe Bosc pear, spice, and a hint of grapefruit will get your weekend off to the right start.
 

SATURDAY
 
9:00am – Option A: Fun with Flowers
 
Gardeners and shoppers: Begin your day by exploring Downtown Yakima’s charming home and garden boutiques, three of which are housed in the historic Opera House building on Front Street. Start out at Garden Girl, where you can choose a plant and a container and owner Lenette Roehl will pot it for you! Next, step into Garden Dance, with its unique collection of garden-inspired antiques, table linens, teas, and more - and don’t miss The French Hen’s sophisticated country finds.
 

9:00am – Option B: Birdies and Blooms
 
The avid golfers can head straight to the Apple Tree Golf Course, where they will find themselves hitting the greens in the middle of an apple orchard in bloom. Carved from the rolling terrain of 100-year-old orchards, Apple Tree has been awarded a 4-star rating by Golf Digest and has been named "Best Par Three" by
The Seattle Times.
 

1:00pm: A Village of Wine Bouquets
 
In the afternoon, meet up and hit the highway towards Vintner Village, just outside of Prosser amid the rolling hills of Yakima Valley. Begin at Thurston Wolfe. Their award-winning PGV is a unique blend of two white varietals, Viognier’s intense fruit aromas and Pinot Gris’ floral crispness. Also try the Rosato – a Rosé  style wine made from Lemberger and Zinfandel grapes, it has raspberry and cherry aromas with bright acidity – perfect for a warm spring afternoon.
 

Airfield Estates

Next stop: Airfield Estates. Formerly a WWII airbase, Airfield’s first vines were planted in 1968 by Don Miller. Today, Airfield grows 26 different wine grape varietals on 840 acres of land, and the Millers are dedicated to sustainable farming methods and to producing exceptional wines. They’ll soon be releasing their latest Pinot Gris as well as their gloriously pink Foot-Stomped Syrah Rosé. This dry, medium-bodied wine imparts flavors of strawberries and rhubarb. Serve it chilled and pair it with your next grilled salmon. Delicious.
 

Olsen Estates
 
At Olsen Estates, the Olsens handpick the best fruit from 18 varieties of grapes grown at the estate, right where the family first put roots down in 1908. In celebration of Spring, try their 2006 Olsen Hills Pinot Gris. With its aromas of melon and citrus leading to fresh flavors of honeysuckle and green apple, this wine will pair very well with your next spring picnic.
 

5:00pm: Savory and Sweet
 
Ready for a bite to eat? Weekends from 5 to 6pm, La Mesa at Desert Wind Winery serves up a “Fives after Five” $5 per item small plate menu and wines by the glass for $5. Dishes such as Grilled Flatbread with Cucumber-Feta Raita and Eggplant-Walnut Sauce showcase the region’s bounty of fresh, local ingredients. Pair one of these with Desert Wind’s own 2006 Bare Naked Chardonnay.  Fermented in stainless steel tanks with no oak to mask its luscious fruit character, one sip will have your palate sweetly singing.
 

7:00pm: Sunset in the Valley
 
Be sure to check in at the Wine Country Sunset House just in time for the sunset. Perched on a private 35 acre hilltop overlooking Prosser, with 360 degree panoramic views of the Yakima River, Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier and the Horse Heaven Hills, this luxurious B&B has five guest rooms, each with private baths, plush linens, and all the comforts you would expect from high-end accommodations.

Barnard Griffin
 
Just down the road is Barnard Griffin. Another great wine for lunch on the patio or dinner in the garden, the 2007 Barnard Griffin Rosé of Sangiovese won Best of Class in the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. You might want to split a case with their 2006 Reserve Pinot Gris. With hints of lime, citrus, and honeycomb, it’s the perfect wine to round out your spring collection.
 

Tagaris Winery
 
When you’re ready for lunch, make your way to Tagaris Winery, home to restaurant Taverna Tagaris. Choose from a variety of Mediterranean dishes, paired with their award-winning wines. The refreshing 2006 Pinot Gris from Alice Vineyards is rich with flavors of pears, dried apricots, and hints of honey and fennel, or for something a little different, try the 2006 Kennedy White Port. White peach, green apple, lychee nut, and hints of vanilla make this wine a truly unique vacation-worthy indulgence.
 

Abeja
 
The winery at Abeja (Spanish for “bee”) is housed in an old mule and horse barn, surrounded by 35 acres of gardens, lawns, creeks, and vineyards. The buzz is that on May 1^st, they will release a new Walla Walla Valley Viognier, so get it while you can. They have almost two acres of this special varietal, which is cropped to less than two tons per acre, carefully pressed, then barrel fermented in neutral French oak. The result is well balanced wine with a profusion of aromas. This winery is open by appointment only, so be sure to call ahead.
 

7:00pm: Tucked Away in the Trees
 
Before you hit the town for an elegant Sunday night dinner at one of Walla Walla’s gourmet restaurants, drop your bags at the Inn at Woodhaven Farm. Tucked away in the Central Historic District of Walla Walla in a quiet residential neighborhood, this bed and breakfast sits on 1 -1/2 acres graced by over 50 trees. Each guest room offers a private bath, fine linens, fresh flowers, and homemade cookies. Sweet dreams.

MONDAY 
 
10:00am: Wake Up and Smell the Phalaenopsis
 
Orchid lovers will go wild strolling through Orchidaceae Inc. Situated on 14 acres of certified organic farmland, this unique greenhouse is a glorious sea of flower spikes, with names as beautiful as the flowers themselves: Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Vanda, Oncidium, and more.
 

Dagdagan Farm & Produce
 
Last but not least, take home a sack full of farm fresh fruits and veggies from Dagdagan Farm & Produce. Dagdagan's has been in business for over 40 years as a retail and wholesale produce supplier. Pick your own vegetables
(Bring your own containers!) or just grab the season’s freshest asparagus and go.