Small Wine Operation

North Central Washington proves its winemaking mettle with medals

As editors of a Northwest wine magazine, we've watched the area known as North Central Washington for the past decade as the apple industry has struggled and viticulture has begun to blossom. In the four counties that encompass the region (Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan), about 60 wineries are now in operation - with more opening regularly.

The region already has a well-established tourism trade, thanks to the destination communities of Chelan and Leavenworth, so it knows how to treat wine travelers when they arrive. Now, the wine is giving them another reason to stay.

In late June, Wine Press Northwest and Foothills magazines came together to conduct the inaugural North Central Washington Wine Awards. Wine Press Northwest brought the wine expertise, while Foothills organized and sponsored the event. In just the first year, two-thirds of the wineries submitted more than 240 wines, and the judges awarded 30 gold medals.

Most of the wines produced in this region are made in small lots, so they can be difficult to find. Check with your favorite wine merchant or order directly from the winery.

Here are a few top wines from the NCW Wine Awards:

Beaumont Cellars 2009 Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $20: Pete Beaumont owns and operates this winery near the Columbia Basin town of Quincy. This is just his second commercial release. This gorgeous red opens with aromas of blueberries, boysenberries and coffee, followed by flavors of cloves, bittersweet chocolate and creamy blackberries. It's rich on the palate and offers just enough acidity to bring the whole package together.

Jones Of Washington 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $17: This superb Sauvignon Blanc opens with floral and tropical fruit aromas, followed by dandy flavors of tangerines and limes. Bright acidity backs up all the fruit, making this perfect for grilled halibut with a mango salsa or a variety of shellfish.

What to Expect During Wine Tours

Wines are normally one of the most popular beverages that people will keep at home. And a lot of consumers are also heading out to explore the world of wine as well as wine tasting.

For any food aficionado, a budding cook and even a sommelier, acquiring the capability to identify one type or blend of wine from another is vitally important given that they must know which variety would be preferable to couple with which particular sorts of food items.

In actual fact, the appreciation for the numerous selections and various varieties of wine has stimulated the increasing interest of individuals to go and be a part of one of the numerous wine tours available today. Prominent wineries from all throughout the world throw open their gates to wine aficionados everywhere. For that reason, the wine region is almost never observed without having quite a few groups of individuals exploring their wineries, sampling wines.

There are specific daily agendas that one could choose from. Should you have already signed up for wine tours, you will need to know what to expect when taking these educational tours. If you don’t reside close to the wine region, make sure that the pick up and drop off points have been established before the actual wine tours.

Group tours generally begin at mid-morning and can last Right until sundown. Wineries generally provide about 4 to 6 one ounce samples of wine and that means you have the luxury to choose the types that you’d like to test.

If you’re a new comer to this deluxe pastime, you ought to try and study about the wineries that you’re scheduled to travel to before you jump on the tour. Using this method you won’t end up being left out when individuals begin to buzz in regards to the various experiences they’ve had in all the wine tours they have gone to.

Wine Country Tour Central assists you to uncover enjoyable tours of small but successful, boutique operations around the Santa Barbara Wine Country. So anytime you are searching for Santa Barbara vineyard tours , Wine Country Tour Central is the place for you to book your vineyard tours of Santa Barbara .

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