Tri-City Herald
October 15, 2019

One of the more fascinating developments within the world of Washington wine is the emergence of Woodinville as a destination.

This suburban corner of King County on the east side of Lake Washington has developed into a home for more than 130 wineries and tasting rooms. Some are within walking distance of each other, but all are just a short drive away and within easy reach of the 3.8 million people living in the Seattle metropolitan area.

So yes, the 14th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. is officially wine country, even though nearly all of the 58,000 acres of vineyards are under the blue skies of the Columbia Valley — a three-hour drive east over the Cascade Mountains.

— In 1976, Chateau Ste. Michelle built a $6 million winery in Woodinville, creating a facility that draws 300,000 visitors a year as well as music lovers to its annual summer concert series.

— In 2000, the state Legislature passed a law allowing wineries to open satellite tasting rooms. Until then, a winery could only operate a tasting room if it had wine production on the premises. This provided a way for wineries to take advantage of consumer interest in Chateau Ste. Michelle as well serve as a way to access the population west of Lake Washington. Read the entire article on the Tri-City Herald

Photo Cred: Duval Images