Washington State Wine Traveler - November, 2011
Fall is in the air!
All across Washington vineyard leaves are changing from green to red to yellow, signaling that the 2011 harvest season is coming to an end. Soon it will be time to tuck the new wines into barrels for the long winter ahead. And we’ve got just the place to visit to send these wines on their way.
Lake Chelan and Wenatchee Fall Barrel Tasting Weekend
Look into the future Thanksgiving weekend as visitors to Cascade Valley Wine Country - Lake Chelan, Wenatchee, and Leavenworth - get a chance to sample wines just like the winemakers do – straight from the barrel.
In Cashmere, Waterville Winery will let visitors taste juice from grapes picked this fall that have just finished fermentation.
In Chelan, Tsillan Cellars & Sorrento’s Italian Restaurant start the weekend off with a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday the 24th from 2-7pm. Head winemaker Shane Collins will be guiding visitors through barrel tastings throughout the weekend.
Vin du Lac will be pouring barrel samples of its 2010 Upland Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. They will also be pairing a flight of older, barrel select wines paired with Chef Frank’s culinary delights.
Tunnell Hill Winery will be barrel tasting its 2010 Pinot Noir and giving tours of its just completed cellar.
In Wenatchee, wineries will be offering free souvenir Christmas ornaments. Don’t miss the fireworks on November 25th!
Numerous other events are taking place at wineries throughout the Cascade Valley. See what others have in store for you at www.lakechelanwinevalley.com and www.wenatcheewines.com.
Washington wine country awaits you!
How to Get There
By train
Amtrak rail service runs non-stop from Seattle to Leavenworth. The Leavenworth ‘Icicle’ Station is a short car ride from town.
By car
Leavenworth is two and a half hours (135 miles) from the Seattle area. Wenatchee is an additional fifteen miles and Chelan an additional forty-five miles. Leavenworth is three and a half hours from Spokane (190 miles).
From the Seattle area: Take I-90 East to exit 84. Take US-97 North. While this route is somewhat longer in terms of mileage than traveling US-2, it is often quicker and may avoid weekend traffic. For Leavenworth, take US-2 West. For Wenatchee, take US-2 East/US-97 North toward Wenatchee. For Chelan, take US-97 Alt North/Euclid Ave toward Chelan.
From the Spokane area: Take US-2 West. For Chelan, take US-97 North to US-97 Alt North. For Wenatchee, take US-97 South. For Leavenworth, continue on US-2.
From the Portland area: Take I-5 North to I-90 East. Follow directions from the Seattle area.
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