The Funks

The Funks: Rich and JaredIt’s all about the Funks! Specifically, we are talking about Saviah Cellars’ incredible co-owner/winemaker Rich Funk; his talented son and viticulturist Jared Funk; captivating Funk Vineyard (and Stones Speak Vineyard) and some of the best funky wines from the Rocks District. But it’s important to note that Saviah Cellars also features a stellar lineup of wines from other vineyards. In short, the Funks are some of our favorite people in the Washington wine industry. And we have more Saviah Cellars wines in our cellar than any other brand. Read on for details of our recent trip to see the Funks, who also gave us a tour of some of their vineyards, and poured some of their impressive wines. Continue reading

Avennia Red Mountain

Avennia Red Mountain tasting lineupSuperb winemaker Chris Peterson’s style remains consistent over the years, as we witnessed during our first time at Avennia Red Mountain estate winery last month. And we go back more than a decade. In 2012, we stopped by Avennia, then one of Woodinville’s newest wineries, and became immediate fans of Chris and managing partner Marty Taucher. At the time, we wrote that Avennia wines were “classiccomplex, balanced, structured, true to varietal, and a showcase of the beauty of Washington grapes.” They still are. Read on for details of our visit and the wines we tasted.

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Celebrate WA Wine

Celebrate WA Wine July 11 2022Above all, we have been cheerleaders for WA wine since we moved here in 1999. Therefore, we celebrate WA wine every month, but even more so in August, which is Washington Wine Month, aka WAugust! With eight wine-touring regions, 19 AVAs, 1,000+ wineries, and 400+ vineyards, there is something for everyone here. To kick off the month-long festivities, Washington Wine held a Grand Tasting of 116 wineries at the picturesque Chateau Ste. Michelle. Read on for our notes about the wines we tasted and the people we talked to at this great media and trade event. In addition, find out about special wine discounts and promotions throughout WAugust.

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John Bigelow

John BigelowIf you’ve never been to JM Cellars in Woodinville or Maltby, you are missing out on many wonderful Washington wines crafted by talented winemaker John Bigelow. John is the epitome of a winemaker who is both an artist and a scientist. We’ve been drinking his impressive wines since we moved to Seattle in 1999, one year after JM Cellars opened its doors at the picturesque Bramble Bump hill in Woodinville. We caught up with John a few times this spring and summer. In March, we chatted with him at Taste Red Mountain Woodinville. In April, we visited his Maltby location. And subsequently, we talked to him at Celebrate Washington Wine this month (pictured here with his son and Cellar Master, Tommy). We really enjoy listening to John Bigelow’s passionate stories and tasting his wines. Read on for more details.

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