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The way things are going in Washington these days, the above headline needs a bit more information - because it seems like a Walla Walla winery is opening a second tasting room in Woodinville about every other week.
ROHNERT PARK, Calif. — Northwest wineries fared well at the 2010 Grand Harvest Awards, an international wine competition staged by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine.
It's an exciting time to be in the Pacific Northwest, especially if you love food and wine.
Pacific Northwesterners are justifiably proud of this region - for its natural beauty, fresh agricultural products, metropolitan lifestyle and great cuisine. They can be equally proud of the way many restaurants feature its wines.
In Wine Press Northwest's second annual Best Northwest Wine Lists contest, the judges found many restaurants that recognize the quality of the region's wines. And a few that have an obvious love for them.
The judges looked at each list for its content from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho. Points were weighted heavily toward quantity and quality of selection by the bottle, with some points reserved for by-the-glass selection, presentation and price.
This year, the judges handed out awards in four categories: best Northwest, best Washington, best Oregon and best British Columbia. No award was given for Idaho because no list entered in the contest featured the wines from the Northwest's smallest wine region.
Restaurants throughout the Northwest were asked to enter their lists in the competition, which was judged by Eric Degerman, Wine Press Northwest associate editor; Melissa O'Neil, freelance wine writer; Coke Roth, international wine judge; and Andy Perdue, Wine Press Northwest editor.
Best Northwest Wine Lists
In our inaugural contest in 1999, one wine list stood out as being the best. In 2000, the competition was much more fierce, with several restaurants capable of winning.
Raincity Grill, Vancouver, B.C. - Sommelier Brent Hayman has put together a masterpiece with his West Coast wine list. His balance of British Columbia, Washington and Oregon choices is exemplary, and his by-the-glass selection put him over the top.
At Raincity Grill, customers can order 2-ounce "flights" of wines from six categories. For example, if you want to sample sauvignon blancs, for a reasonable $13.75 Canadian, you could try, side by side, wines from Mission Hill in B.C., Hogue Cellars in Washington, Laurel Ridge in Oregon and Dry Creek in California. If that weren't enough, Hayman also offers 3-ounce samples of about two dozen wines and even more selections by the glass.
Raincity's by-the-bottle selection gets even more fun, with the list broken into standard and "reserve" areas. Each reserve section explains the region it covers and provides color maps to show where the wines come from.
Raincity Grill, 1193 Denman St., Vancouver, British Columbia. 604-685-7337. www.raincitygrill.com
Outstanding Northwest wine lists:
The Herbfarm, Fall City, Wash. - What started as a roadside stand in rural King County east of Seattle turned into a fabulous success story. Alas, owners Ron Zimmerman and Carrie Van Dyke are selling the farm, but the Herbfarm Restaurant will relocate to a new facility in Woodinville this fall.
Oh, and how about that wine list. It might best be described as being like a great cabernet: At first glance, it's big, bold and muscular. But dig in a little bit and explore, and it opens up like a novel, with layers of subplots and great complexity.
The Herbfarm, 32804 SE Issaquah-Fall City Road, Fall City, Wash. 425-222-7103. www.theherbfarm.com
Shoalwater Restaurant, Seaview, Wash - On a stretch of sand known as the longest unbroken beach in the world is the Shoalwater Restaurant in southwestern Washington. The setting and ambiance alone make this a special place. The menu and wine list make it a destination.
The Shoalwater is the pride and joy of owners Tony and Ann Kischner. And for the second year in a row, the Shoalwater has one of the best wine lists you'll find in the Pacific Northwest.
The Shoalwater Restaurant, 4415 Pacific Way, Seaview, Wash. 360-642-4142. www.shoalwater.com
Ray's Boathouse, Seattle - Say "Ray's" anywhere around Puget Sound, and most folks will know what you're talking about. The famous restaurant known for its stunning view of the Olympics and fabulous menu heavy on seafood also has one of the Northwest's top wine lists.
Wine director Joseph Miglino has crafted a list with more than 200 Northwest choices. Ray's also offers a wide selection of wines by the half-bottle instead of an extensive by-the-glass program, a trend that should be welcomed by couples who want to enjoy wine with dinner without overdoing it.
Ray's Boathouse, 6049 Seaview Ave. NW, Seattle, Wash. 206-789-4130. www.rays.com
Best Washington Wine List
Salish Lodge, Snoqualmie, Wash. - Cellarmaster Randy Austin takes his job very seriously, as he has since the mid-'80s, when he arrived at the destination hotel and restaurant atop Snoqualmie Falls, 30 minutes east of Seattle. With a stunning 280 Washington choices and 65 Oregon selections, Salish Lodge was in serious contention for Best Northwest Wine List.
Austin will be pleased with the title of Best Washington Wine List as he moves more and more heavily into a Washington-dominated list. Austin mixes famous and obscure, as his wine list reads like a "who's who" and a "who's that?" of the Washington wine industry.
Salish Lodge & Spa, 6501 Railroad Ave. SE, Snoqualmie, Wash. 425-888-2556. www.salishlodge.com
Oustanding Washington wine lists
Valley Cafe, Ellensburg, Wash. - It's still hard to believe you'll find this gourmet gem smack in the middle of Washington's cowboy country. Owner Greg Beach has created a special place in downtown Ellensburg with his inspired menu and delicious food. Equally spectacular is the Valley Cafe's wine list, which is heavy on Washington selections. That's no wonder, since the Valley Cafe is the best spot to eat for west-side winemakers traveling to and from Columbia Valley vineyards.
Not coincidentally, Beach also has the finest wine shop in Ellensburg, next door to the restaurant.
Valley Cafe, 105 W. 3rd, Ellensburg, Wash. 509-925-3050.
Sundance Grill, Kennewick, Wash. - One of the brightest new stars in the Tri-City cuisine scene also has one of Washington's best wine lists. Sundance Grill's cuisine is turning heads in a region that has been much maligned for its restaurant selection. Its expressive menus are well matched with its outstanding wine list. It has a broad selection of Washington wines and an amazing 45 wines by the glass.
Sundance Grill, 413 N. Kellogg, Suite B, Kennewick, Wash. 509-783-6505.
Inn at Langley, Langley, Wash. - At the recent World Vinifera Conference in Seattle, chef Stephen Nogal had the task of crafting a lunch menu for about 300 discerning palates that matched his cuisine with wines from 30 Washington wineries.
It was a masterpiece.
And so is his wine list, with more than 125 Washington choices, including an impressive half-bottle collection heavy on Woodward Canyon. It's obvious Nogal puts as much care into his wine selection as he does his cuisine. And he especially loves his history, offering deep verticals of Woodward, Quilceda, Chinook, Leonetti and Andrew Will.
Inn at Langley, 400 First St., Langley, Wash. 360-221-3033. www.innatlangley.com
Best Oregon Wine List
Atwaters, Portland - High up on the 30th floor of the Bancorp Tower in Portland is Oregon's finest wine list. Wine director Jim Biddle has crafted a well-rounded global selection. Biddle offers up 230 Oregon wine choices, most of which seem to be pinot noirs.
And then it gets interesting.
Biddle is a bit bored with the broad "Willamette Valley" appellation, and his sense of Oregon's terroir shows in his extensive selection of single-vineyard pinots from the Chehalem Mountains, coastal foothills, Ribbon Ridge and eastern Yamhill foothills, Dundee Hills and Eola Hills. He even has a page of bottlings from the annual Salud! Auction for migrant worker health care.
Additionally, his selection of other Oregon wines, including some obscure bottlings of pinot meunier and dolcetto, and an impressive Washington list make Biddle's list the best Oregon has to offer.
Atwaters, 111 S.W. Fifth Ave., 30th Floor, Portland, Ore. 503-275-3600. www.atwaters.com
Outstanding Oregon wine lists
Resort at the Mountain, Welches, Ore. - The Highlands Restaurant at the Resort at the Mountain seems to have a lot of fun with its Scottish-themed cuisine, yet it also is very serious about its Oregon wine selection.
Seaberg Einarsson, the Resort's food and beverage manager, has compiled an outstanding selection of Oregon white and red wines, including many of the state's best chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot noir. The Resort also searches out southern Oregon's Bordeaux-style reds from King Estate, Foris and Girardet.
Resort at the Mountain, 68010 E. Fairway, Welches, Ore. 503-622-3101. www.theresort.com
JP's at Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach, Ore. - Though not as extensive as others, JP's at Cannon Beach offers up a well-thought-out and nicely balanced Oregon wine list that also does an outstanding job with Washington wines.
Owner/chef Bill Pappas has found a number of fine Oregon wines that he proudly offers in his European-style bistro inside the Cannon Beach Hotel.
In addition to his selection of chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir, cabernet and merlot, Pappas also has tracked down some wines unusual to most customers, including a Girardet baco noir, a Serendipity Cellars Maréchal Foch and a Hood River zinfandel.
And JP's prices are refreshing, with many of the wines selling for not much over retail.
JP's at Cannon Beach, 1116 S. Hemlock St., Cannon Beach, Ore. 503-436-0908.
Best British Columbia Wine List
Cellar Door Bistro, Summerland, B.C. - Sure, the restaurant scene is in the Lower Mainland, but it makes sense the best B.C. wine list stays in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. And that is what Mark Taylor has done at the Cellar Door, which is inside Sumac Ridge Estate Winery.
With nearly 150 choices, all from the Okanagan Valley, Taylor's list is impressive. He does an excellent job offering Sumac Ridge verticals and a broad selection from many of the Okanagan's finest wineries, including Tinhorn Creek, Quails' Gate, Jackson-Triggs and Calona. And his by-the-glass, by-the-liter and ice wine selections are exemplary.
Cellar Door Bistro, Box 566, Summerland, British Columbia. 250-494-3316. www4.vip.net/cdbistro
You won't be disappointed
In addition to our top award winners, we'd like to point out some restaurants that won't disappoint you with their Northwest wine selections.
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Seattle - A tremendous Washington list that just barely missed the cut for top awards. 206-624-8524.
Avenue One, Seattle - Another excellent list heavy on Washington and not too shabby on Oregon. We can heartily recommend Avenue One. 206-441-6139.
Six Degrees, Seattle - Earning kudos for presentation, Six Degrees offers a fine Washington and Oregon selection. Green Lake: 206-523-1600. Kirkland: 425-803-1766. Redmond: 425-869-6686.
Fairmont, Richmond, B.C. - This young restaurant/hotel at the Vancouver airport is off to a good start with a nice selection of Okanagan Valley wines. 604-207-5200.
Dahlia Lounge, Seattle - Long a favorite among city dwellers, Dahlia does a good job with its Washington wines. 206-682-4142.
Christina's, Orcas Island, Wash. - This small restaurant in the San Juans has compiled a good list of Washington reds. 360-376-4904.
McCormick and Schmick's, Seattle - In addition to its excellent wine list, McCormick also amazed us with its oyster and seafood selections. 206-623-5500.
Andy Perdue is editor of Wine Press Northwest.
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