Wine and Weddings

The Pacific Northwest is invariably known for its majestic mountainous terrain and coastal beauty. The Cascade Mountains extend along the Pacific shore from British Columbia to California creating unsurpassable landscapes. This extraordinary area has emerged as a prominent region that is home to over 1,cgcf000 world-class wineries. Of those, some offer not only prestigiously crafted wines to tantalize the palate, but an authentic experience to appease the soul.

The Pacific Ocean and the coastal mountains certainly set the stage for a vision of exquisite beauty. It’s the perfect union between the maritime effect and this mountainous region that generates the essential mild climate conducive for growing quality grapes. Latitude 45 extends through the temperate regions of Oregon as well as the Burgundy area of France. It’s logical that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay would be the heart of Pacific Northwest grape cultivation. Washington follows behind California as the second largest producer of wine in North America. The focus is to create quality flavors over quantity.

Not only is the Pacific Northwest home to award winning and globally renowned wines, the vineyards also offer an authentic tasting experience. Aficionados and novice tasters alike can enjoy a hot air balloon tour with Pacific Peaks Balloons from April through October. The balloon ride travels over the heart of Oregon wine country in the Willamette Valley. Guests are able to obtain a unique bird’s eye perspective and then a tour of the eco-friendly Stoller Vineyards. The award winning estate manages every aspect of their wine production from cultivation to bottling. The Stoller Winery was the first in the world to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for sustainable and eco-friendly cultivation and processing.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine region certainly varies from the climate of Central Washington. Maritime breezes tend to slow the ripening of grapes to create favorable conditions for complex flavors and aromatics. Oregon’s wineries tend to be smaller in size and are more decentralized than those of California and Washington. Evening Land Vineyard is the archetype example of a premier Oregon winery. The vineyard’s pinot noir was ranked No. 3 on Wine Spectator’s 2015’s top 100 best wines in the world. Evening Land certainly has put Oregon on the map as a formidable contender in the wine industry.

The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest and flows partially through the fruitful Columbia Valley that is comprised of approximately 11 million acres. The Columbia Valley is perhaps the most recognizable wine region in the U.S. after Napa Valley. This region extends in a triangular shape between the Oregon border, Washington, and Idaho. It has been coined as “The Mothership” of Washington viticulture as it makes up about one-third of Washington state.

This valley is relatively arid and receives an average of six to eight inches of rainfall per year. Grapes for Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling and Chardonnay do exceedingly well in this irrigated and relatively controllable climate to produce an abundance of quality wines.

If the heights of a hot air balloon ride aren’t alluring and have wine connoisseurs looking sideways, a sophisticated vineyard bed and breakfast in the heart of wine country is the way to go. The Girasol Inn in Walla Walla, Washington has been esteemed as being one of the best B&B vineyard experiences in the world. Walla Walla is situated near the Oregon border and is about 240 miles east of Portland. The arid climate for this area allows for a variety of grapes to flourish. The owners planted Syrah, Sangiovese and Viognier in 2006, and the Inn was completed in 2007. The awe-inspiring backdrop and wine flavors have visitors making comparisons to Tuscany. Walla Walla is home to nearly 140 wineries and is included in the Columbia Valley region.

The Cherry Wood Bed and Breakfast (and Barn) in the Yakima Valley is another distinct wine tasting opportunity. The B&B has a country theme that includes “cowboy limo” tours and horseback winery rides. The cowboy limo is an open-air hayride tour of the vineyard with tasting stops. The horseback riding tour includes basic riding techniques as well as a tour and taste of the vineyard.

As the season approaches, scenic wineries and weddings pair quite nicely. Novelty Hill Januik Winery in Woodinville, Washington takes the cake when it comes to providing an authentic and breath-taking wedding venue. Woodinville is nestled 13 miles to the north of Seattle, and this winery is renowned for its award winning Cabernet Sauvignon. The bridal party can reserve the entire venue which accommodates up to 120 guests. The culinary team prepares and serves a tantalizing meal infused by the estate’s wine. By evening, the fireplaces are lit to create an illuminated ambiance to complete a perfect and romantic day.

The Pacific Northwest has emerged as a serious contender for the production of quality wine. The numbers of wineries in Washington have increased by 400 percent in the last 10 years. This agricultural shift draws in over two million visitors to the wine country each year, which is a multi-million dollar tourism profit. The ideal climate and longer hours of daylight foster an optimal growing season for grapes. The Pacific Northwest not only offers a multitude of rich flavors and award-winning wines, it also offers genuine winery experiences from exciting hot air balloon rides, unique B&Bs, and romantic wedding venues. It is safe to say that there is something for every palate.

#local #adventure #homeessentials