Mark your calendars for the fourth annual Bellingham Northwest Wine Festival on August 10 at Four Points by Sheraton. This is our favorite local summer wine event. Whether you live in Bellingham, Birch Bay, other parts of Whatcom County, or the Vancouver and Seattle areas, save the date and prepare to have fun. More than 55 wineries from Washington, Oregon and Idaho will be pouring up to 150 different wines. Two local distilleries and at least one northwest brewery will also participate.

The wineries include Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Bayernmoor Cellars, Dynasty Cellars, DeLille Cellars, Forgeron Cellars, Hightower Cellars, J. Bookwalter, Maryhill Winery, Mercer, Nota Bene Cellars, Portteus, and Succession Wines, to name a few. Here is the full list of participating wineries. (And yes, this photo includes me tasting wine last year at Nota Bene’s table.)

In addition to wine tasting, eight Whatcom county restaurants will serve small-plate food samples. A wine cellar and other wine-related gift packages will be auctioned during the evening.

And for the first time this year, you can order wine for purchase and pick them up at Seifert & Jones Wine Merchants.

Tickets are available at two price levels — general admission is $50 for three hours of tasting, starting at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. VIP tickets cost $75 and provide an additional hour of tasting (starting at 6 p.m.) and exclusive access to a VIP lounge.

The event is sponsored, in part, by Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism. Other sponsors include the City of Bellingham, Whatcom County and other local and regional businesses.

Tickets and additional details are available on the Festival website.

We hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Margot and Dave