We discovered Lachini Vineyards’ new tasting room in Woodinville quite by accident, when we recently visited one of our favorites, William Church Winery, which is now open in the Hollywood Schoolhouse District, next to Purple Cafe. Lachini is right next door, and we encourage you to stop by and check it out.

In addition to some fabulous big Washington reds and Bordeaux-inspired wines, Lachini offers a taste of the Willamette Valley right in our backyard. We enjoyed every one of them – from Oregon Pinot Noirs to Washington La Bestia.

Let’s start with a Washington wine from Red Mountain. La Bestia (the Beast) is sourced from Klipsun’s oldest block of Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged in barrel for two years. No wonder why it’s described as a “high-octane red” that received mid-90s scores. Wow! We weren’t surprised to discover that Lachini’s rows are adjacent to the vines of Quilceda Creek.

If you’re a lover of Pinot Noir, look no further. Lachini’s Estate Vineyard is located on the backdrop of the Chehalum Mountain in the North Willamette Valley. Lachini offers a number of Pinots for every palate – and in every price range, from $17 for a 2010 Rose of Pinot Noir to $140 for a magnum of 2007 Cuvee Giselle. In between, you can find ruby-red Pinots that are elegant, aromatic and rich for $35-$65.

Here are tasting notes for the full lineup and here are reviews and awards from Wine Spectator and The Wine Advocate.

We’ll be going back – and we hope to see you there.

Cheers!