Here in Washington State, the wine world is growing. In fact, we recently passed the 1,000 winery mark! To help spread the word about our world class wine region, the Washington State Wine Commission has invited select wine lovers to take part in a campaign to Sip the Season, and I am very excited to participate. As such, I am introducing friends and family to some wine samples during the holidays. I feel it would be remiss, however, if these wines and stories aren’t also shared here on the VinoSocial blog.

Seven Hills Winery

Walla Walla Valley Merlot
SRP $25

This Merlot is elegant and succulent. While it’s easy to get distracted by all the shiny new wineries starting up, Seven Hills serves as a great reminder not to lose sight of the original brands that paved the way. Be sure to stop in at the pioneering winery’s tasting room  on a visit to Walla Walla. Housed in the charming historic Whitehouse Crawford building, it’s a sentimental favorite of mine. This was one of the very first tasting rooms I visited in Walla Walla years ago.

While cooking my way through recipes from Food & Wine Magazine, a Nigel Slater recipe for Pasta with Sausage, Mustard, and Basil caught my attention. It calls for a “full-bodied, plummy Washington Merlot” to pair with the flavorful preparation. Pasta is the epitome of comfort food and the delectable Seven Hills Merlot is the perfect complement to this dish. Note to self:  keep more of this food friendly variety on hand!

Murray Wines

Cabernet Sauvignon
SRP $25
This lively red wine from the folks behind Hightower Cellars was perfect for a weeknight pasta meal (Andrea Robinson’s book, Everyday Dining with Wine has a great recipe for Linguine with Walnuts, Arugula, and Olives). It bears repeating that the Hightower Cellars Merlot wowed me earlier this year. Plus, with prices ranging from $20 to $55, the wines crafted by Hightower Cellars exemplify fantastic quality for the price. These folks are definitely on our radar to visit next time we head to Red Mountain, one of Washington’s smallest and most prestigious wine growing regions.

Vital Wines

2017 French Creek Chardonnay
SRP $28
Ashley Trout, founder and winemaker of Vital Wines, has both a winemaking style and an ethos that resonate with me. Her Vital Wines project is a non-profit winery whose profits go entirely toward health care for those in the wine industry. Buy this mouthwatering wine knowing that it tastes good and does good.

Ashley is also the force behind Brook & Bull, and I was overjoyed to recently attend a popup in Seattle featuring that Walla Walla winery’s latest releases. The wines are so popular that there weren’t any available for me to purchase and take home that day! If you appreciate wines of balance that aren’t overpowered by oak such as an elegant Cabernet Franc, and a smooth Malbec, give these wines a try.

Matthews Winery

2016 Claret
SRP$34
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec

This tempting wine is waiting patiently to be uncorked at a holiday party next week, and I am eager with anticipation! Meanwhile, here’s a cool thing to note about Matthews Winery – a visit to their tasting room is at their serene farm in rural Woodinville. Their summer dinners should be on the radar of those who are fans of farm to table fare.

Basel Cellars

2015 Claret
SRP $25
30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 17% Malbec, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 97% neutral barrels

Basel Cellars is based in Walla Walla, about a 5 hour drive from Seattle, and a wine lover’s dream region featuring fine wine and delectable food. However, laws have changed in Washington State enabling wineries to have multiple tasting rooms – and Basel Cellars has three! Find them not only in Walla Walla, but also Woodinville, and Leavenworth. Meanwhile, this enticing bottle of Claret is getting shared with friends coming over for a holiday dinner featuring beef skewers and Romesco sauce.

Vin du Lac

2017 Viognier
SRP $24.95
This wine made its way to Thanksgiving dinner in order to be served with turkey. Although the in-laws are not typically wine drinkers, they thoroughly enjoyed this thirst quenching white. When visiting the Lake Chelan area, stop at the winery’s lovely grounds for a meal at their bistro.

If the wine gracing your table this time of year is from Washington State, be sure to share it on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #siptheseaon. It will help you connect with other wine lovers exploring our region’s great wines!

Resources

Basel Cellars
Matthews Winery
Murray Wines/Hightower Cellars
Seven Hills Winery
Vin du Lac Winery
Vital Wines