Woodinville: A Wine Destination

After spending several days in Seattle, we were ready to slow down. (Or really, wine down.)

So, we made our way over to the city of Woodinville, which is about 30 minutes northeast of Seattle.

Although Woodinville is home to over 130 wineries and tasting rooms, it still has a small-town feel. We loved the relaxed vibe, while experiencing Washington wine.

Woodinville is home to Washington’s most acclaimed winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle. This historic winery is the oldest in the state of Washington. Boasting beautiful gardens, along with outdoor areas for wine tasting and even a large outdoor concert venue, the Chateau is a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s simply a must for wine enthusiasts.

We booked The Grande Estate Tour and Tasting at Chateau Ste. Michelle. Upon arriving, we were greeted with a glass of bubbly inside the guest house. Our tour guide gave us a brief introduction along with some history of the Chateau. We also were able to peruse artifacts in the guest house, where several of Chihuly’s glass pieces were featured in displays. These pieces were given to Chateau Ste. Michelle.

The next part of the tour took us through the garden area, past the greenhouse and pond. Along the way, the tour guide told us history of the grounds, the different wines, and even information on the summer concert series.

At the end of the tour, we were guided into a tasting room to sample some of Chateau Ste. Michelle’s award-winning wines. We enjoyed the process of wine tasting paired with lite bites.

As we left the Chateau, we passed by a gorgeous field of lavender. We learned the lavender farm is owned by JB family growers. Guests can clip their own bouquet, have a picnic there, or just wander through the fields.

Woodinville currently has 5 wine districts. We were able to enjoy a few of the districts, one of which being the Hollywood District. It is named after the former Hollywood Schoolhouse.

Inside the old red-brick schoolhouse building is an operating winery. We enjoyed a tasting inside at Mary Hill winery.

Just across the street from the old schoolhouse is Patterson Cellars. Our bed and breakfast hosts recommended this spot and gave us a card for a tasting. We each enjoyed the selected tasting while sitting on the patio. Since the outdoor area connects with other establishments, we were able to order a pizza from Vivi Pizzeria next door. The salsiccia pizza was delicious!

In the West Valley District, we enjoyed a tasting inside Long Shadows. The little patio outside along with the cozy seating inside made this a great place to relax. I really enjoyed the wines here!

Also located in the West Valley District is Woodinville Whiskey Co. My husband delighted in a bourbon tasting at WWC. They also had us sample their maple syrup…ahhhmazing!!

The Downtown District includes Wine Alley along Woodin’ Creek Village. There are several tasting rooms and restaurants in this area.

We walked down Wine Alley to Alexandria Nicole Cellars. The wine and atmosphere inside was lovely!

In the heart of Woodinville sits Matthews Tasting Room & Farm. Since the beautiful summer weather included sunshine and 70 degrees, we made our way to their outdoor covered patio to sit and sip.

The establishment has a few brands of wine, but we selected wine from Matthews and Jaine.

Along with fabulous wine, Woodinville has excellent local restaurants. The Hollywood Tavern was recommended by our B&B so we enjoyed fried pickles and a burger there.

We also dined inside the Restaurant at Delille Cellars. The arancini appetizer as well as our entrees were delicious!

As I mentioned above, during our time in Woodinville, we chose to stay at a local bed and breakfast. Let me tell you – the hosts at Hideaway Lodge B & B were an absolute joy! Their generosity with wine and cheese in the evenings, along with their lovely breakfasts in the morning made for the most memorable time.

The B & B hosts also gave us recommendations for the area in addition to stops on our way to Spokane. We had the best time here!

Upon leaving Woodinville, we chose to take the scenic route, where we traveled along highway 2. Through this route, we stopped to take a short walk along a trail to view Deception Falls.

Continuing along highway 2, we found the cute little German town of Leavenworth. This town is a little under 2 hours from Woodinville, Washington. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and hotels in Leavenworth. We wish we could’ve had time to explore more here!

If you’re looking to explore more city-life, check out Seattle however, if you’d rather have a small-town experience then you’ll want to visit Snoqualmie. And across the state of Washington is the scenic city of Spokane. All great places!