Experience Woodinville Wine Country’s Fresh Foods, Tasting Tours and Washington’s Terroir
A small, scenic valley town with four distinct districts, Woodinville is a growing community with thriving breweries, distilleries and wineries galore. Those looking to explore the town by bike, indulge in farm-to-table fare or learn about Washington’s terroir have come to the right place.
Sip and Savor
Woodinville, a somewhat recent phenomenon in Washington’s wine industry, is now home to more than 115 wineries and tasting rooms within six square miles. DeLille Cellars’ Carriage House Tasting Room is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 wineries in the world, making it a must-visti along with a tour at Chateau Ste. Michelle (pictured at top), Washington state’s oldest winery. For a family-owned experience, swing by JM Cellars or the Matthews Tasting Room and Farm. Another stand-alone destination is the combined tasting room of Novelty Hill and Januik (pictured above) for its extensive wine list, wood-fired pizza and state-of-the-art design.
Consider joining an After Hours Wine Walk, held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month from June through October. The tours provide access to more than a dozen wineries in the area and include 14 tasting tickets. For an immersive experience, sign up for the Woodinville Wine Boot Camp to expand your repertoire through a series of in-depth wine seminars by winemakers and industry experts. If you’re looking to take it easy on the planning front or learn more about some of Woodinville’s boutique wineries, Barrel Wine Tours offers a number of all-inclusive excursions.
In addition to the thriving wine scene, the area’s local distilleries are worth checking out. Woodinville Whiskey Co. (pictured above) is a small-batch distiller specializing in bourbon and rye, while SeaSpirits Distillery produces handcrafted rum inspired by the Puget Sound and Caribbean Sea. Four Leaf Spirits is also worth a stop, as the micro-distillery donates a percentage of proceeds to cancer research.
Make it Eventful
Visitors can take advantage of Celebrate Woodinville (pictured above), an ongoing series of concerts, art shows and family-friendly events to promote the area’s wineries, breweries and local businesses. The annual Celebrate Woodinville Festival takes place each August while the Winterfest takes place in December. Swing by Chateau St. Michelle for the winery’s summer concert series. This annual chain of music events that has taken place since the 1980s, with past performances by artists such as John Legend, Sarah McLachlan and Alison Krauss. Some of 2019’s headliners include Norah Jones, Counting Crows and Rob Thomas. In addition to art walks and exhibits, the Woodinville Arts Alliance also organizes studio tours and art experiences for the local community to enjoy.
Farm-Friendly Fare
Woodinville is recognized for its farm stands as much as its tasting rooms, and no trip is complete without some locally grown grub. Located right off Redmond-Woodinville Road, The Root Connection is a community-run agriculture farm where visitors can choose from a selection of vegetable starts (baby plants ready to be transplanted to your garden) and members can pick produce from the garden. For more locally grown fruits and veggies, swing by the Tonnemaker Valley Farm Stand over the weekend or check out the Woodinville Farmers Market each Saturday from May through September.
In addition to maintaining roaming pigs and chickens, Tuk Muk Farm specializes in growing hard-to-find Asian vegetables such as daikon radishes, Chinese onions and Japanese cucumbers. The 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living is a necessity for those interested in conscious farming, offering classes and events on sustainable agriculture in addition to providing a year-round market with GMO-free and organic produce.
For an indulgent, farm-inspired dining experience, make reservations at The Herbfarm, a restaurant that utilizes local harvests to create thematic, nine-course dinners. Naturally, the multi-course tasting menu is accompanied by five or six wines chosen specially by Herbfarm sommeliers.
–Written by Maggy Lehmicke, last updated in September 2022.
