Whidbey Island is part of the Straits of San Juan, about an
hour and a half drive north from Seattle (30 miles). Its economy is mostly
influenced by agriculture, tourism and the military (the island is home to a
Navy base and has strong ties to the Naval aviation community). Whidbey Island
offers beautiful scenic views, a wide variety of outdoor activities (hiking,
kayaking, fishing, horse-back riding among others) and a small-town feel.
Whidbey Island is home to several outstanding wineries in
this region, producing wines from state-grown grapes as well as local artisan
wines. I was immediately curious about
these wineries and tasting rooms and set out to visit some of them. Below you
will see my reviews of the wineries, tasting rooms and wines that impressed me
the most. I was impressed by the uniqueness of each vineyard, the variety of
local wines, presentation and local pride.
Summertime is a great time to visit and it was not over-crowded. I was
able to hold detailed one-on-one chats with the tasting room attendants who
were, for the most part all very knowledgeable and eager to share details about
each wine and the history of the wineries.
1. Greenbank Farm
765 Wonn Rd A201, Greenbank, WA 98253
Greenback Farm is a community-funded organic farm. It offers a wide variety of locally made
wines. They also have a small art gallery, a store featuring locally made jams
and organic cheeses and the wine tasting room.
Greenbank Farm is a perfect place to visit with the kids as it offers a
wide space for them to run around and they can learn about community farming. I
brought my kids along and they absolutely loved playing the bean bag toss game and
running around the grounds.
My tasting room attendant that day was Anne. She was
personable and very knowledgeable about the wines as well as the farm and its
history. The tasting fee was waived.
My favorite picks:
Whidbey Island White ($14)
This is a blend of Washington-grown Madeleine Sylvaner, Madeleine Angevine, and some Eastern Washington Riesling. Fruity, fresh, nice summer wine with a dry finish ($14-$15). I would taste this wine again later on at the Whidbey Island Winery and was, once again, very pleased with it.
This is a blend of Washington-grown Madeleine Sylvaner, Madeleine Angevine, and some Eastern Washington Riesling. Fruity, fresh, nice summer wine with a dry finish ($14-$15). I would taste this wine again later on at the Whidbey Island Winery and was, once again, very pleased with it.
2011 Lemberger (Red) ($17)
Yakima Valley, WA
Like the previous Whidbey Island White, this is another
Whidbey Island Winery-produced wine. Berry-like nose. Medium-bodied. Leathery with
peppery finish.. This wine goes very well with grilled meats.
2. Holmes Harbor Cellars
4591 S Honeymoon Bay Rd, Greenbank, WA 98253
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Owned by a retired Naval aviator and commercial pilot and
his chemist-wife, Holmes Harbor Cellars has a pleasant and inviting atmosphere.
Our tasting room attendant that day was Jerry, who was both personable and
highly knowledgeable about the history of the winery and local happenings. He
was extremely helpful with information about each wine and also showed us the
winery’s first crop of Siegerrebe grapes, which should be ready for harvest in
three years. The tasting fee was waived.
Our favorite picks:
2010 3Wire Red ($35)
My husband’s favorite pick was the award-winning 2010 3Wire
Red, which is a blend of Carbenet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Carménère,
Carbenet Franc and Petit Verdot. The wine is plummy and complex. It hit me
strong at first with flavors of plum and cherry and then a well-rounded finish.
I highly recommend this wine.
2009 Carménère ($34)
Walla Walla Valley
The nose delivers hints of tobacco, cherry and chocolate.
Meaty, and smoky, the wine has flavors of plum, blackberries and spices. A very
pleasant wine, it tends to get mixed reviews according to Jerry. I really
enjoyed it but then again, I tend to be partial to Carménère wines.
3. Whidbey Island Winery
5237 Langley Rd, Langley, WA 98260
This beautiful and picturesque winery has been operating
since 1992 and offers a variety of wines using grapes from the eastern region
of Washington, including Yakima Valley and Horse Heaven Hills. My tasting room
attendant was Sean and he eagerly explained the wines, grapes and regions.
He offered his own take on some of the wines and answered all my questions,
which again, proved helpful in my quest to better understand the region and its
wines. The tasting fee was waived.
Top picks:
Whidbey Island White (see previous notes from Greenbank
Farm visit)
2013 Merlot ($17)
Yakima Valley
This is not your typical Merlot. I am not a big fan of
Merlot, but this is an exceptional Merlot. The wine offers hints of
blackberries and floral aromas. It has a cigar-box flavor and is not too sweet.
The palate also offers flavors of berries, licorice and a spice-filled finish. I grabbed a bottle. Enough said!
4. Ott & Murphy
204 1st St, Langley, WA 98260
Located in a trendy and quaint section of Langley, in front
of the water, Ott & Murphy ‘s tasting room provides a serene and casual/elegant
atmosphere. When we visited, they had live jazz and it all made for an
excellent setting for our wine tasting. The only downside was the service,
which was somewhat robotic and dismissive.
Nevertheless, we were able to enjoy our tasting and brief time
there. The
tasting fee was not waived.
My top pick here:
2012 Tempranillo ($27)
Columbia Valley
The nose offers hints of coffee, blackberries. Round, earthy
palate includes flavors of dark fruit and licorice.
