Discover Washington Wine Calendar of Events

Gorman Winery — Warehouse District, Woodinville.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To promote your wine event on our Calendar of Events, simply e-mail the specifics about the event to: chuck@discoverwashingtonwine.com. It’s best to send your information to us at least 30 days prior to the event

Wine Tasting at the Walter Clore Center

Friday, November 23 — Tour and Taste with Executive Director Abbey Cameron – 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Join Executive Director Abbey Cameron for a stroll through Dr. Walter Clore’s legacy and Washington wine history as she guides you through the Clore Center’s displays and interactives. Why is Washington a special place to grow wine grapes? Who were the early influencers? What other crops are part of Washington’s bounty? Explore this and more, and finish with a featured wine tasting. Tickets: $10 (plus tax). If you have guests who will not be participating in wine tasting, their tour is complimentary.

Saturday, November 24 — Special Leonetti Tasting — 11 a.m. — 5 p.m.

For one day only, on Saturday, Nov. 24, The Clore Center is offering an exclusive opportunity to taste the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon from Leonetti Cellars as part of the Yakima Valley Thanksgiving in Wine Country Weekend. For a tasting fee of just $5, a one-ounce pour of Leonetti Cab will be paired with a small bite of your choice from by Chef Rachel. And if you love the Leonetti Cab so much you can’t leave The Clore Center with just a taste, a limited number of bottles will be available for purchase. The Leonetti tasting will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday only,

Saturday, November 24 – Washington Wine 101 – 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Have you ever wanted to take a wine class that encouraged you to ask any question – as in “the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask?” Questions like…

“Is it customary to tip at wine tastings”?
“What is an A.V.A.”?
“When a wine is described as having “notes of cherries and leather” – is the winemaker putting cherries and leather in the wine?”

Attend this informative beginner class with a very specific focus on Washington wine. You’ll learn about Dr. Walter Clore and why we’re here. Explore the different American Viticultural Areas in Washington state. Get the basics on how to properly taste wine and learn some basic wine etiquette. You’ll enjoy four samples of wine, gain some knowledge, and will receive a $1 tasting coupon to use in The Clore Center’s main tasting room and a 10% bottle discount on any purchases you make. Tickets: $15 (plus tax). Reservations are encouraged but walk-is are welcome.

Saturday, November 24 – November Supper Club – 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Celebrate the Thanksgiving Weekend in Wine Country at The Clore Center’s November Supper Club event. The event will combine two crowd favorites – Texas-style barbecue and pub trivia — into one fantastic evening: Guests will enjoy a family style selection of smoked meats from Prosser’s own Neighbors BBQ and several rounds of trivia with Tri-Trivia of Richland.

The menu will include smoked turkey, smoked brisket and smoked sausage, along with Texas bread, pickles, pickled jalepenos, roasted sweet potato salad with parsley, scallions, pecans and a light maple dressing, root veggie slaw with lemon juice dressing, and roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon and pecans. Wine and beer will be available for purchase by the glass/bottle with some great specials.

Supper Club is a monthly dinner with a different theme each month. From guest chefs to featured produce, to visiting winemakers and more; there’s always something unique at Supper Club. Tickets are $25 (plus tax); $20 for members of The Clore Center’s Best Cellars Wine Club. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

About Class Levels: No entry test or proof of experience is needed to attend any classes – we list the level of class for our experienced guests.

Novice = very basic information, including step by step tasting, wine etiquette, basic food pairing recommendations, surface level regional education, value wine.
Intermediate = brief tasting guide, historic and regional information, advanced culinary insights, higher value wine
Advanced = skip tasting guides, and dive into in-depth regional and historic information, more unique food pairings (if applicable), premium wines.

To order tickets for these events, visit: theclorecenter.org. Or call The Clore Center at (509) 786-1000. Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center is located at 2140A Wine Country Road, Prosser, WA 99350. The Center’s tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lake Chelan Fall Barrel Tasting Weekend – November 23-25

Join the wineries of the Lake Chelan AVA in giving thanks for a bountiful grape harvest season during Lake Chelan’s annual Fall Barrel Tasting Weekend – Friday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Nov. 25. This weekend has it all – great views, long conversations at the tasting counter, the smell of oak barrels wet with wine and wood smoke in the morning air. There’s a little bit of breathing room everywhere you go and everyone you meet has relaxed into post-harvest glee. Taste warming reds right from the barrel and linger over a sample of what could be a double-gold winner at a future wine competition.

Wineries that will be taking part in the weekend’s festivities include Benson Vineyards Estate Winery, Cairdeas Winery, Chelan Estate Winery, Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards, Lake Chelan Winery, One Wines, Inc., Rocky Pond Winery, Siren Song Vineyard Estate Winery, Tildio Winery, Tsillan Cellars, Vin du Lac Winery, Wapato Point Cellars, and WineGirl Wines.

For a complete list of wineries that will be participating in this Fall Barrel Tasting Weekend and what activities and discounts they will be offering, visit: www.lakechelanwinevalley.com/fall-barrel-tasting. Most wineries will be open each day of the weekend from noon to 5 p.m.

Holidays in the Heart of Washington Wine Country – Friday, November 23 – Sunday, December 16

The Tri-Cities Wine Tourism Council and Visit TRI-CITIES present Holidays in the Heart of Washington Wine Country. When: Friday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Dec. 16. This free program features 15 wineries in the Tri-Cities region. Visit four or more wineries for a chance to win a $500 Visa gift card, just in time for the holidays! Pick up an event registration card at any participating winery. Your card must be stamped/signed by at least four participating wineries to qualify for one entry into the drawing for a $500 Visa Gift Card. One stamp per person at each winery.

Completed cards may be turned in at any participating winery or submitted to: Visit TRI-CITIES, 7130 W. Grandridge Blvd., Ste. B, Kennewick, WA 99336 by Monday, Dec. 17, 2018.

Wineries that will be participating in the Holidays in the Heart of Wine Country promotion are 14 Hands, Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Badger Mountain Vineyard and Powers Winery, Chandler Reach Vineyards, Cole Solare, Double Canyon, Frichette Winery, Goose Ridge Estate Winery, Hedges Family Estate, Hightower Cellars, Kitzke Cellars, Market Vineyards, Purple Star Wines, Tagaris Winery and the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center.

For more information about the Holidays in the Heart of Wine Country event, visit: www.visitri-cities.com/holidayevent. Or call (509) 735-8486.

Thanksgiving in the Yakima Valley – Friday, November 23 — Sunday, November 25

Let’s be honest, the best part of Thanksgiving is the three-day weekend that follows. The race to get everything ready for the big day is over and now you can relax with your friends and family. And best of all, you have three days to spend enjoying leftovers and wine with your guests. What better way to spend those three days than to visit the wineries of the Yakima Valley.

Most wineries in Yakima Valley Wine Country, which stretches from Yakima to Benton City (Red Mountain) will be open to visitors all three days. Check with individual wineries for specific hours. Some will offer activities like wine bottle painting, holiday craft classes, live music, wine and food pairings, etc., and many will be discounting their wines at Black Friday prices.

Wineries that will be participating in the Yakima Valley’s after Thanksgiving festivities include AntonLin Cellars, Gilbert Cellars, Wilridge Winery, Treveri Cellars, Paradisos del Sol Winery, Tanjuli Winery, VanArnam Vineyards, Cote Bonneville Winery, Yakima Valley Vintners, Airfield Estates Winery, Thurston Wolfe Winery and Purple Star Wines. The tasting room at the Walter Clore Center in Prosser will be participating in the weekend-long event.

For more information about Thanksgiving in Yakima Valley Wine Country, visit: www.wineyakimavalley.org/wine-events. Or call: (509) 965-5201.

Saint Nick’s Open House Celebration – Woodinville Wine Country – Saturday and Sunday, December 1 & 2

Wineries and tasting rooms throughout Woodinville Wine Country will open their doors for an entire weekend of tasting and touring on Saturday and Sunday, December lst and 2nd at Woodinville Wine Country’s Saint Nick’s Open House Celebration. Enjoy the festive flavors of Washington wines while you drink in the spirit of the holiday season. The price of a ticket that lets you taste for the entire weekend is $65, but you can purchase a single day ticket for $50. Tickets can be purchased at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3617302. The price of admission includes wine tasting at 30-plus participating wineries, a map of Woodinville Wine Country, a wine glass and other yet-to-be-determined surprise gifts.

Wineries that will be participating in the Saint Nick’s Open House Celebration include Airfield Estates, Armstrong Family Winery, Auclair Winery, Baer Winery, Chateau Beck, Columbia Winery, Davenport Cellars, DeLille Cellars, Descendant Cellars, Elevation Cellars, Eye of the Needle Winery, Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery, J. Bell Cellars, JM Cellars, Long Cellars, Lord Lion Winery, Market Vineyards, Patterson Cellars, Pondera Winery, Silver Lake Winery, The Woodhouse Wine Estates, Torii Mor Winery and Warr-King Wines. All participating wineries will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

On Friday night, Nov. 30, the Saint Nick’s weekend kicks off with a special event at Columbia Winery that will pair some of Woodinville’s premier winemakers with local and national chocolatiers. The evening will also include special pairings of lite bites with a variety of specialty wines from over 20 Woodinville wineries. Tickets for this event, which will run from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., are $65 per person, but you can purchase a VIP ticket for $95 that gives you early access to the event at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for this Friday night kick-off party can also be purchased from Brown Paper Tickets.

For more information about the Saint Nick’s Holiday Open House weekend, visit: www.woodinvillewinecountry.com/st-nicks-holiday-wine-tasting. Or call Woodinville Wine Country at (425) 287-3298.

Walla Walla Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend – Friday, December 7 – Sunday, December 9

Make your plans now to take part in Walla Walla’s Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend, which this year will run from Friday, Dec. 7 through Sunday, Dec. 9. Nearly all of the tasting rooms in the Walla Walla Valley will be open for this final wine event of the year. They will be showing off their latest releases as well as sampling wine straight from the barrel. Many will have small bites to pair with their chosen wines, while live music, holiday decorations and art shows will enhance your experience. This weekend event is a fantastic opportunity for you to talk directly with Walla Walla Wine Valley winemakers about their new vintages and gain insight into their creative winemaking processes.

For a complete list of wineries that will be participating in the Walla Walla Barrel Tasting event, call the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance at (509) 526-3117 or visit: www.wallawallawine.com/holiday-barrel-tasting.