August is Washington Wine Month, and as this 31-day celebration winds down, we wanted to look back on some of the bottles of splendid juice we’ve enjoyed in the last month or so. Most importantly, we celebrate Washington wine every month. But during August, there are even more reasons to rejoice. For example, many wineries, restaurants, bars and wine shops are holding “WAugust” promotions and discounts. Find details at the list of WA Wine events for this last week in August. Meanwhile, here are 12 excellent WA wines we’ve recently tasted.
Category Archives: Yakima Valley
Yellowstone Cellars
Yellowstone Cellars is a must-stop visit, if you’re anywhere near Billings, Montana. We spent a party weekend at the winery, and were impressed with both the wines and the laid-back, warm atmosphere. Winery founder Clint Peck, and his daughter and son-in-law, Sarah and Brandon Skarsten, who now own the winery, kindly invited us to join their family members and friends to celebrate many milestone birthdays and anniversaries — including those of our good friends and neighbors, Jill and Ken Peck. So, after our June road trip through Washington wine country, we drove to Yellowstone Cellars. And we discovered the Skarstens and the Pecks treat friends like family, and customers like friends. Continue reading
Va Piano Wines
Va Piano Vineyards celebrates its 20th anniversary this fall, and we’re proud to have been drinking Va Piano wines for 13 of those years. We always visit excellent winemaker/owner Justin Wiley, his dog Murphy and his winery whenever we travel to Walla Walla. And we always have a memorable tasting experience, whether outside or in the friendly tasting room. Most recently, we spent a relaxing afternoon with Justin in his scenic, beautifully landscaped outdoor area, with stunning views of the Blue Mountains and surrounding vineyards.
Canvasback Wines
We tasted nine Canvasback wines in June, when we visited the winery‘s rustic yet elegant tasting room for the first time. What a lovely Walla Walla location to experience Canvasback’s extensive wine portfolio. From sophisticated to hedonistic, polished to luscious, and refreshing to captivating, Canvasback has it all. Duckhorn pioneers Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded the winery in 2012, and named it after the Canvasback duck, native to the Pacific Flyway.