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It has long been rumored that the few rows of vines at the entrance to Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville, Wash., were required so the winery could be called a "chateau."
PROSSER -- Construction is expected to start soon on the next phase of what backers say will be the state's premier educational and promotional center for Washington's wines and food products.
Record scores and record crops mean there is more wonderful Northwest wine worthy of being poured.
And Wine Press Northwest’s fifth annual Best Northwest Wine List competition shows more restaurants are understanding what diners want — Northwest wine at their table.
During the course of five years, there’s been some repetition among the competition. That has helped define some restaurants as spots that Northwest wine lovers can develop a relationship with and recognize at events such as Taste Washington.
And some new restaurants display the business savvy to realize that regional pride is strong and certainly worth catering to. Those that don’t would be wise to examine the dedication at establishments such as The Herbfarm (Best Northwest Wine List), Sundance Grill (Best Washington), The Cascade Dining Room at Mount Hood’s Timberline Lodge (Best Oregon), Mortimer’s Idaho Cuisine (Best Idaho) and The Cellar Door Bistro (Best British Columbia) — restaurants that seem to be flourishing despite the economic struggles of the United States and Canada.
The awards are separated into two parts: Best Wine List is for the entire Northwest and each of the four regions, for which we give one award; and Outstanding Wine Lists, for which we give awards to those we view as deserving.
Our judging factored in each restaurant’s wine selections based on quantity and quality of Northwest content, by-the-glass selections, presentation and price. The judges were Eric Degerman, Wine Press Northwest associate editor and restaurant writer; and Andy Perdue, Wine Press Northwest editor and author of The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer’s Handbook.
Ron Zimmerman’s keen eye and nose, combined with James Beard Award-winning chef Jerry Traunfeld, make The Herbfarm a dining destination for anyone with regional awareness and the time to invest in a 4 1/2-hour experience of a lifetime.
In terms of the wine list, Zimmerman’s collection reads more as an encyclopedia of Northwest wine history and certainly deserving of our top award for the third consecutive year. And it’s not unusual for winemakers to show up at The Herbfarm for dinner and order one of their own wines.
“There is the historic interest,” Zimmerman said. “Out of all the wines that Ken Wright has made over the years, we’ve had some of his stuff here that he has long since drunk up his own last bottle of a particular vintage.
“And we get a lot of people who come in to ask for a particular vintage, for example the 1994 Ken Wright. And people from back East come and want something from a particular vineyard, such as Shea Vineyard.” We counted at least seven Oregon Pinot Noirs with ties to the Shea Vineyard on the list, but Zimmerman reminded us that his list is far from static.
“We’re always adding something,” he said. “Since that copy of the wine list (maybe less than a month old), we might have 30 to 40 different wines that have come in and out.”
Anyone who scopes out The Herbfarm’s Web site can download Zimmerman’s compilation, appropriately called “The Wine Library,” as a PDF file. There you will marvel at the attention to detail and the vignettes of not only Northwest winemakers but also historical wine figures such as Sir Winston Churchill and Dom Perignon.
The scope of history cannot be overstated when looking over this 87-page document.
There is a Hinzerling Cabernet Sauvignon from 1977. A sense of Idaho’s roots in the industry can be sampled from a bottle of Ste. Chapelle’s Cab Sauv from 1983. David Lake arrived at Columbia Winery in 1979 and there’s a bottle of his Merlot from 1981. Mike Sauer’s acclaimed Red Willow Vineyard was planted with Syrah for the first time in 1986 and Zimmerman has a bottle from 1988, the first vintage of Syrah.
And there’s the Eyrie Vineyards 1975 South Block Reserve, which made David Lett and Pinot Noir from Oregon famous at the 1979 “Olympics of the Wines of the World” in Paris.
“Some of the Oregon Pinot Noirs definitely do age well,” Zimmerman said. “We have people who order things from the 1970s and early ’80s.”
The key, of course, to preserving these works of art – all 12,000 bottles – is the cellar.
“The main portion is 53 to 55 degrees (Fahrenheit), and the humidity is typically around 70 percent,” Zimmerman said. “Too much higher than that and you get labels coming off the bottles.”
The cellar isn’t all about famous reds. Zimmerman also features food-friendly whites such as Sauvignon Blanc (more than 30 different offerings), Pinot Blanc and Semillon. There’s even Verjus from Abacela in Southern Oregon and balsamic vinegar from Venturi-Schultze Winery on Vancouver Island. It’s not the only product from B.C. at the Herbfarm, but Zimmerman covets more.
“Even though it’s off the radar a little bit, you can’t help but notice what’s happening in the Canadian Okanagan,” Zimmerman said. “I just wish it was a little easier to get. Some of those Jackson-Triggs ice wines show so well in the blind tastings, but then (international wine critic Robert) Parker doesn’t rate ice wines, so there’s not as much demand for them.”
Zimmerman’s dessert-style wine list is eclectic, intriguing and fun with more than 30 selections, ranging from a late-harvest Scheurebe from High Pass in Oregon, Dr. Ernst Loosen’s Single Berry Select Riesling in Trockenbeerenaulese style for Chateau Ste. Michelle, and Gehringer Brothers’ Ehrenfelser Ice Wine from the Okanagan Valley.
Zimmerman did downgrade himself for minimal representation of port-styled wines from the Northwest.
“I haven’t done my homework,” he said. “I’ve been kind of chasing the late-harvest lately.”
Still, a judge couldn’t help but think of a Churchill quote when studying Zimmerman’s list.
“My tastes are simple. I am easily satisfied with the best.”
The Herbfarm, 14590 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, Wash., 425-485-5300. www.theherbfarm.com
The menu focuses on ingredients from the West Coast, which explains why Brent Hayman refuses to list any wines that aren’t from North America’s West Coast. He goes across the board within his own province, placing wines from those associated with the Vintners Quality Alliance alongside those who decline to join the VQA. This list is also part newsletter, including an item about Osoyoos Larose, the joint venture in the Okanagan Valley between Canadian-based Vincor and French giant Groupe Taillan. Hayman is also astute about what’s new in Washington, an example of which is the addition of Isenhower’s Dragonfly, a delicious Viognier-Roussanne blend from this up-and-coming Walla Walla winery.
Raincity Grill, 1193 Denman St., Vancouver, B.C., 604-685-7337, www. raincitygrill.com.
Tony Kischner receives his fifth straight award in this difficult category. The dazzling list is dominated by Columbia Valley and Willamette Valley appellations, including dozens of Oregon Pinot Noirs as well as Merlots and Syrahs from Washington. And the sign that he offers Stimson Estate’s outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon as a glass pour shows a keen sense of value. The array of late harvest and ice wines is dazzling. Shoalwater Restaurant, 4415 Pacific Way, Seaview, Wash., 360-642-4142. www.shoalwater.com.
The wealth of offerings compiled by wine program manager David Villali helps give diners the sense that they are in a resort. The list pays homage to the state’s most famous grape: Pinot Noir. There’s Ken Wright with more than 24 different bottlings, some in the 375-milliliter format. There are 14 separate releases from St. Innocent, as well as a handful from Cristom and much of Patricia Green’s work. There are more than a dozen Chardonnays from Oregon and a like number of state-produced Pinot Gris and Rieslings. Washington Cabs are abundant, as are Semillons by L’Ecole. And all of the dozen or so by-the-glass choices were Northwest. Timberline Lodge, 503-622-7979. www.timberlinelodge.com.
The view of the Columbia River Gorge from here is breathtaking, and the wine list is something to behold as well. Anthony Ellis, the hotel’s food and beverage manager, supports many of the Gorge wineries, especially Syncline Cellars across the river in Bingen. At the same time, he also pays tribute to many of the Washington’s historic red producers and some of Oregon’s primo Pinots.
Columbia Gorge Hotel, 4000 Westcliff Dr., Hood River, 800-345-1921. www. columbiagorgehotel.com.
Southern Oregon wineries receive nice play at this gourmet restaurant, hotel and a wine shop that’s fun to sleuth about in. In fact, four Valley View wines are poured by the glass. The list showcases Oregon Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and dozens of Pinot Noir, including six from Broadley. The Jacksonville Inn, 175 E. California, Jacksonville, 541-899-1900. www.jacksonvilleinn.com.
This resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean checks in with nice representation of some of the state’s best Pinot Noir producers: Cameron, Chehalem, Cristom, Domaine Drouhin, Erath and Rex Hill. There’s no doubt Joel Francis is a fan of Chehalem, providing four varieties to choose from.
Stephanie Inn, 2740 South Pacific Highway, Cannon Beach, Ore., 503-436-2221. www.stephanie-inn.com.
Oregon State Parks allows innkeeper Dean Kasner to focus the wholesome cuisine and the wine list on Oregon ingredients at 120-year-old hotel, which is now a B&B. The list is brief, but it is dominated by Bridgeview, Troon Vineyards and Winter’s Hill.
Wolf Creek Inn, State Heritage Site, 100 Front St., Wolf Creek, Ore., 541-866-2474, www.thewolfcreekinn.com
Dave Siebert moved from next to the railroad tracks in Kennewick to the Columbia River shoreline, so his array of Washington wines, now showcased in two glass rooms inside the dining room, is even more impressive. He offers about 40 wines by the glass, helping to increase his wine sales from 400 bottles a month to more than 1,700. He provides a code that reads like a bingo coordinate, for example, Betz Family Winery’s Pere de Famille is 24A, so that guest may order a wine without needing to know how to pronounce the name. For dessert, there are seven Washington entries, including the 2000 Eroica Single Berry Select Riesling at $250 per bottle.
Sundance Grill, 450 Columbia Point Drive, Richland. 509-942-7120.
This Puget Sound chain is expanding, and that’s good news for Northwest wine lovers based on this list, which is more than 75 percent Northwest. Canoe Ridge and Hogue Cellars supply the house wines by the glass, and the list helps diners by breaking wines into categories such as “light whites — great with shellfish,” “whites — matches for Pacific spiced seafood,” and “seafood reds.” Anthony’s will open a restaurant in Richland next door to Sundance Grill.
Anthony’s Pier 66, 2201 Alaskan Way, Seattle, 206-448-6688. www.anthonys.com
The dining experience inside Willows Lodge is a haven for Washington wine devotees, and the list tempts you with categories such as “Deep and Candied,” “Tart and Lucid,” and “Dusty and Expensive as Hell.” Of the 150 entries, more than 80 percent are state-grown, and the staff isn’t afraid to venture outside of its neighborhood heavyweights. The Washington Wine Commission chose Barking Frog as its Restaurant of the Year for 2003. Barking Frog, 14582 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville, 424-424-2999. www.willowslodge.com/barkingfrog
Brad Masset and his staff at this famous Yakima Valley B&B that he grew up in continue to assemble a list representative of their home appellation, especially one of the Yakima Valley’s pioneer wineries: Portteus.
Birchfield Manor Country Inn, 2018 Birchfield Rd. Yakima, 800-375-3420, www.birchfieldmanor.com.
This respected restaurant in the Warwick Hotel features half-bottles of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from Oregon, as well as a solid lineup of Northwest reds and whites.
Brasserie Margaux, Fourth Ave. & Lenora, Seattle, 206-777-1999, www.margauxseattle.com
George Van Over refers to himself as “Keeper of the List,” and he keeps a lot on his list. It’s dominated by Washington with a smattering of Oregon Pinot Noirs, and he focuses on value for his guests, offering bottles from stalwarts such as Andrew Will, Leonetti, Quiceda Creek and Woodward Canyon at wine shop prices. He also showcases Wenatchee-area wineries such as Fielding Hills, Lake Chelan, La Toscana, Ryan Patrick, Wedge Mountain and White Heron. There are a dozen wines by the glass and a dozen half-bottles. There’s a brief description of each wine. He even reaches into British Columbia for Gray Monk’s Pinot Gris.
This list is just one page, but plenty of thought went into it with the focus on quality and value. Reds from Covey Run and Paul Thomas share space with Leonetti and Woodward Canyon. California wines are nearly excluded.
Coho Café, 8976 161st Ave. NE, Redmond, 425-885-2646, and 6130 E. Lake Sammamish Parkway, Suite A, Issaquah, 425-391-4040, www.cohocafe.com.
Spokane’s 113-year-old private athletic club features a list that focuses on Columbia Valley reds and Chardonnay, and does so without price-gouging.
Spokane Club, 1002 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, 509-838-8511. www.spokaneclub.org.
About 75 percent of the list compiled by executive chef Todd A. Brown is from the Northwest, an amazing figure for a resort in the Methow Valley. Virtually all of our region’s famed producers are represented, including a handful from British Columbia.
Freestone Inn at Wilson Ranch, 17798 Highway 20, Box 11, Mazama, Wash. 509-996-3906, www.freestoneinn.com
This resort north of Ocean Shores turned 50 this year, and the restaurant, which is open 365 days a year, celebrates its 40th anniversary. The wine list is definitely 21st century, loaded with Washington and Oregon offerings. The choices are thoughtful in their seafood applications with different white varieties and a list of reds, many of which are lighter in style. You also have the opportunity to experience Pinot Noir from Beaux Freres.
Ocean Crest Resort, 4651 State Route 109, Moclips, 360-276-4465. www.oceancrestresort.com.
Bruce and Heather Hiebert, for obvious reasons, concentrate on Walla Walla Valley wineries to pair with the marvelous French cuisine at their cozy diner. They don’t price gouge, and they make a habit of featuring six to seven wine specials, most of them from the Northwest, which are available by the glass and the bottle.
Patit Creek Restaurant, 725 E. Dayton, Dayton, 509-382-2625.
Tefft Cellars crafts the house wines, and you have to look long and hard here to find wines that are not from Washington, more than 40 of them available by the glass. If you want to explore a particular variety, Pearl’s offers affordable flights from four different wineries — all from Washington.
Pearl’s on Pearl Wine Bar and Bistro, 311 N. Pearl, Ellensburg, 509-962-8899.
This new Hilton property in downtown Spokane continues the Hilton Wine Experience philosophy with a high percentage of regional representation. Three cheers for offering half-bottles of reds from Andrake Cellars, Col Solare and Woodward Canyon. It also makes room for Spokane’s Arbor Crest, Caterina, Mountain Dome, Robert Karl, Townshend and three dessert wines from local vintner Knipprath.
Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops, 322 N. Spokane Falls Court, Spokane, 509-744-2372. www.spencersforsteaksandchops.com
Leonetti Cellar’s Merlot remains a classy glass pour at The Four Seasons Olympic’s dining room. The dedication to Northwest wines continues with the addition of a B.C. entry, Mission Hill’s Pinot Gris, but aside from a nice offering of Pinot Noirs from Oregon, this list concentrates on the best from Washington.
The Georgian, 411 University St., Seattle, 206-621-1700, www.fourseasons.com.
Co-owner/chef Gene “Rosy” Rosenberger is passionate about Washington wines, especially those from Charlie Hoppes (Cañon de Sol, Fidelitas, Ryan Patrick), Sorensen Cellars and many of Walla Walla’s best. The wines are also moderately priced.
The Idle Hour Café & Steak House, 18 B. St. SE, Quincy, 509-787-3714, www.idlehourcafe.com
Jim Rutledge keeps his value-minded list fresh with recent releases and a keen eye on the wineries along the Columbia Gorge that help lure guests to his restaurant and historic hotel. He continues to open any bottle and sell it by the glass with a two-glass minimum.
The Lyle Hotel, 100 7th St. Lyle, 509-365-5953. www.lylehotel.com.
The renovated Davenport Hotel, once again a showpiece for Spokane, weighs in with a wine list at The Palm Court that’s heavy on Washington reds, particularly Merlot and blends.
The Davenport Hotel, 10 S. Post St., Spokane, 509-789-6848, www.thedavenporthotel.com
Few restaurateurs have championed Washington wines longer than proprietor Gregory Beach. This year, his restaurant and adjacent wine shop began featuring a different Washington winery each month, a promotion kicked off the first Friday of each month by bringing in the winemaker to pour complimentary samples. Those wines are then featured by the glass, bottle and carryout. It’s just the latest example of why Beach has been honored by the Washington Wine Commission and the Washington Association of Grape Growers — and now us for the fourth straight year.
The Valley Café, 105. W. Third, Ellensburg, 509-925-3050.
The downtown members-only establishment continues to make impressive improvements to its list with the help of what the staff calls the Wine Advisory Committee. Many of the state’s finest Cabs and Merlots can be found here.
Washington Athletic Club, 1325 6th Ave., Seattle, 206-622-7900. www.wac.net.
Walla Walla wines take center stage, but there’s regional representation as well. In fact, of 185 wines offered, 160 are from the Northwest. Eight Northwest wines are regularly featured by the glass. And the restaurant is easy to find with Seven Hills Winery next door.
Whitehouse-Crawford, 55 W. Cherry St., Walla Walla, 509-525-2222.
This innovative full-service restaurant inside Sumac Ridge Estate Winery provides a nice respite for wine tourists. Virtually anything produced by the winery can be enjoyed at the Cellar Door, but this list spotlights about 100 wines throughout the Okanagan Valley, featuring wines from Burrowing Owl, CedarCreek, Inniskillin, Mission Hill, Nk’Mip, Quails’ Gate and Tinhorn Creek. You won’t find any non-VQA wines here — Harry McWatters, the winery’s president, founded the Vintners Quality Alliance — and dessert wines are available by the glass. They also take advantage of the new B.C. liquor law that allows servers to recork unfinished bottles for diners to take home.
The Cellar Door Bistro at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, 17403 Highway 97, Summerland, B.C., 250-494-0451, www.sumacridge.com.
German native Peter Hebel continues to focus on the Okanagan Valley and many of the nearby wineries on the Naramata Bench. There are some unusual varieties, such as Benchland’s Zweigelt, alongside Blue Mountain’s highly sought-after Striped Label Pinot Noir.
Granny Bogner’s, 302 Eckhardt Ave. West, Penticton, B.C., 250-493-2711, www.grannybogners.com.
Provincial giants Mission Hill, Quails’ Gate and Sumac Ridge are well represented, but so are many of the smaller producers. Nearly two dozen B.C. whites, many of them from the Naramata Bench, find their place on this list. About the same number of B.C. wines show up in the New World Red category, including Blue Mountain Pinot Noir.
Ilterrazzo, 555 Johnson St. Victoria, 250-361-0028. www.ilterrazzo.com.
This French restaurant just north of Robson Street makes sure B.C. is represented with its by-the-glass offerings and in other categories. Large and small, VQA and non-VQA wineries are welcomed by owner Manuel Ferreira. More than two dozen white wines are listed, including two from Saturna Island, and there are about the same number of B.C. lighter-style reds. Among the dessert wines offered by the glass is hard-to-find Tinhorn Creek’s Kerner Ice Wine.
La Gavroche Restaurant, 1616 Alberni St., Vancouver, B.C., 604-685-3924, www.legavroche.com
Many larger B.C. producers earn a spot here, such as Cedar Creek, Mission Hill and Quails’ Gate, yet Brent Wolrich also hitches his train to Kettle Valley, listing seven releases from this impressive winery on the Naramata Bench. More than a dozen B.C. wines are offered by the glass and half-bottle.
Salmon House on the Hill, 2229 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver, B.C., 604-926-3212, www.salmonhouse.com.
Jon Mortimer makes sure his restaurant lives up to its name. He supports Idaho’s up-and-coming wine industry better than anyone we know of. More than a dozen wines from a variety of Gem State vintners land on his list. His thoughtful regional approach also received strong consideration for one of our Outstanding Northwest Wine List awards.
Mortimer’s Idaho Cuisine, Belgravia Building, 110 S. 5th St., Boise, 208-338-6550, www.mortimersidaho.com.
Northwest reds certainly have a home on this list, which is dominated by exquisite Pinot Noir from Oregon and top-flight Merlot from Washington. The Idaho representation includes Hells Canyon, Pend d’Oreille and Vickers.
Red Feather Lounge, 246 N. 8th Street, Boise, 208-429-6340, www.redfeatherlounge.com
It’s obvious that proprietor Jim Duncan, a judge at this year’s Northwest Wine Summit, has long been a fan of Washington’s superstars: Leonetti Cellar, Quilceda Creek and Woodward Canyon. However, he also provides a nice assortment of affordable Northwest reds and whites, including a handful of Spokane wines, while offering Idahoans a taste of their own state from producers such as Pend d’Oreille, Sawtooth and even the Huckleberry Mead from Camas Prairie. The Wine Cellar, 313 Sherman Ave. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 208-664-9463 www.coeurdalenewinecellar.com
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