As far back as we can remember, we’ve always called Taste Washington “the Super Bowl of Wine Events” because it is the country’s largest single-region wine and food event. Period.
We love to go every year and encourage you to run, don’t walk, to get your tickets for the activities being held March 31-April 3.
In this 19th year, an expanded lineup features:
- Red & White Party: AQUA by El Gaucho
- The New Vintage: Motif Seattle
- Seminars: Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
- Taste Washington on the Farm
- Wine Dinners
- Grand Tasting: Century Link Field Event Center
More than 225 wineries will be pouring at the Grand Tasting and 70 restaurants will be serving tasty bites. We highly recommend that you develop a plan before you enter the doors. Because once there, you will be hit with an explosion of taste potentials — and it can be overwhelming.
For example, one year we decided to only taste wines made from Cabernet Franc, as a standalone varietal. Another year, we decided to visit booths of some of our tried and favorite wineries plus five new ones.
But we always leave room for some flexibility; chances are something will catch our eye as we walk through the aisles, and we’ll make an on-the-spot decision to deviate from the plan.
Note: We recommend tasting and spitting wine (or pouring it into the buckets at each booth) at this major event, but if you think you might want more than a sip or two, many hotels in the area are offering special weekend packages. Otherwise, be sure to have a designated driver, or take cabs or local transit home.
Of the 225+ wineries pouring at the Grand Tasting, here is our long list of 50 of our favorites (in alphabetical order):
- Alexandria Nicole Cellars
- Amavi Cellars
- Ambassador Wines of Washington
- Andrew Will
- Avennia
- Barrister Winery
- Bartholomew Winery
- Betz Family Winery
- Buty Winery
- Canvasback
- Chateau Ste. Michelle
- Columbia Crest
- Cooper Wine Company
- Cote Bonneville
- Darby
- DeLille Cellars
- DiStefano
- Double Canyon
- Doubleback
- Dunham Cellars
- EFESTE
- Fidelitas
- Fielding Hills
- FIGGINS
- Force Majeure Vineyards
- Forgeron Cellars
- Gard
- Gorman Winery
- Guardian Cellars
- JM Cellars
- L’Ecole No 41
- Lauren Ashton Cellars
- Long Shadows Vintners
- Mark Ryan
- Matthews & Tenor Wines
- Mercer Estates
- Obelisco Estate Wines
- Otis Kenyon
- Savage Grace
- Sinclair Estate VIneyards
- Sparkman Cellars
- Stevens
- Stottle Winery
- Three Rivers
- Upchurch Vineyard
- Walla Walla Vintners
- Waterbrook
- William Church
- Woodinville Wine Cellars
- Woodward Canyon
Of course, we won’t be able to visit all of them, but we will shorten the list and make up our plan in the next week or two. We hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Margot and Dave