Woodinville Wine Country

Wine country is a lot closer than you think! Woodinville has been on the map for many years with Chateau Ste. Michelle. Ste. Michelle is Washington States oldest winery founded in 1954. Their Chateau is on 87 acres of land with mature trees formerly owned by lumber baron Frederick Stimson who used it as a hunting retreat. Ste. Michelle has launched many prominent winemakers careers. They now produce over 2 million cases of wine yearly. Washington is the 2nd largest wine producer in the country with more than 800 wineries. Over 100 are represented in Woodinville! The Woodinville wineries have more 90+ rated vintages than any wine region in the world! When I was a kid my parents loved to take us to Ste. Michelle for the tour and picnic lunch. It was out in the country in those days! In the past ten years Woodinville has exploded in popularity and is now a major tourist destination. Artisan distillers are also a big draw now. Washington State is home to more than 100 distilleries. Woodinville Whiskey Co. is one of the best and offers a tour showcasing their 1,320 gallon handmade pot still making 7 barrels of whiskey per day. They were recently awarded Craft Whiskey of the Year by the American Distilling Institute.