Our community is dedicated to supporting a variety of charitable causes year-round
While Woodinville Wine Country is known for our award-winning wines, beer and other craft beverages, another well-known fact among locals and frequent visitors is the community’s commitment to giving back. Through our member organizations there are ways to contribute to a variety of causes year-round but especially as we approach the holiday season, we wanted to highlight just a few of the ways that you can get involved and give back to the community, all while enjoying the best that Woodinville Wine Country has to offer – we think that’s a win-win!
TruthTeller Winery supporting YouthCare Seattle
During this holiday season, TruthTeller winery will be raising funds and collecting needed items for YouthCare Seattle, an organization which helps homeless youth get off the streets, provides housing, covers basic needs, educates them, and prepares them to be successful in life. Stop by their tasting room in Woodinville’s Warehouse District 1-5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays to donate wish list items in their donation box or provide cash and check donations. For those who prefer their donation goes towards a specific wish list item, they will provide forms for individuals to choose what they want their donation to provide (socks, shoes, scarves, etc.) and TruthTeller winery will purchase and donate those items.
While you’re there try The Madman, a unique blend of 60% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. The TruthTeller winery family believes wine is an experience distinctively unique to the truth within each and every one of us. We all experience the flavors, the aromas and the memories in our own personal ways. From Woodinville to Walla Walla they invite you to laugh, share stories and discover your own wine truths.
Forgeron Cellars supporting the Adopt-A-Stream Foundation
A cause near and dear to Forgeron Cellars is the Adopt A Stream Foundation (AASF), established to ensure that Pacific Northwest streams continue to provide healthy spawning and rearing habitat for salmon, trout, steelhead, and other wildlife while at the same time, serve our growing population by providing clean drinking water, and beautiful places for rest and relaxation. Earlier this year they sponsored the Adopt-A-Stream Salmon, Steelhead and Trout Celebration, a fundraising event offering premium wine and food pairings and an afternoon walk in the surrounding forested wetland. Proceeds support The Streamkeeper Academy Endowment Fund and The Stream Restoration Fund.
You can visit their inviting Hollywood District tasting room Thursdays-Mondays 12-6pm (7pm on Fridays) to learn more about this cause. A special treat to try this fall is their newly released 2015 100% Mourvèdre from Red Mountain. In France and many regions of the world, Mourvèdre is often used as a blending grape because of its high tannins and alcohol, and tendency to ripen late. Due to its desert-like conditions, Heart of the Hill Vineyard located in the Red Mountain appellation of Washington state, produces Mourvèdre that is showing itself to be a delicious stand-alone variety. This is a perfect wine for pairing with those hearty autumn recipe favorites like bacon wrapped pork tenderloin or a rustic plum tart. Yum!
Sol Stone Winery supporting the WAVE Foundation and Guide Dogs for the Blind
Sol Stone Winery and its owners, Buzz and Karen Buckingham, are passionate about giving back to charity. They actually have a nickname for their award-winning Viognier, “Sol Sister!” A portion of proceeds from this wine benefit the WAVE Foundation; Women Against Violence Everywhere. As one of the original founders of WAVE, Karen has been involved in this important work for over a decade. Their slogan Discover Your Power speaks to their mission statement, they are dedicated to ending relationship abuse and sexual violence through community awareness, education and empowerment. They are making a difference and Sol Stone is grateful to be a part of it.
Speaking of grateful, the other wine that gives back to charity is their Grateful Red which supports Guide Dogs for the Blind. The Buckingham family has been active with this cause for years. They have raised puppies and adopted dogs after retirement from their very important careers. Come by the tasting room and you might get to meet resident winery dog, Digby. He was on track to be a Guide Dog, but decided being a greeter in a wine tasting room would be a fun job! He was right!
While visiting their tasting room at The Junction in Woodinville (open Friday through Sunday) try the Grenache Blanc. Only a handful of wineries are lucky to make this wine from one of the best vineyards in Washington, Boushey Vineyards. The 2017 vintage was their very first and it was a big hit this summer, selling over 100 cases in just a couple of months. A unique variety, the white grape cousin of a regular Grenache, Grenache Blanc is clean and crisp with flavors of Asian pear, mango, white peach with a refreshing Meyer lemon finish. This wine is perfect in the summer, but also a refreshing start to fall/winter meals. You will want to start your Thanksgiving celebration with this beautiful white wine!
DeLille Cellars supporting Cancer Care
Earlier this year, DeLille Cellars partnered with glassbaby to launch an exclusive D2 glassybaby showcasing their passion for Washington wine and dedication to charitable giving. This exclusive color, which was custom designed to mirror the color of their iconic D2 Bordeaux-style red blend, is only available through the winery. Due to the sell-out response from our first launch (which supported the Auction of Washington Wines), they are bringing back a limited amount for the holidays in support of glassybaby’s greater mission to support uncompensated cancer care. The D2 glassybaby will be available November 30th, leading into the release of DeLille’s 25th vintage of D2 on Drink D2 Day, December 2nd.
If you haven’t tried their iconic and award-winning D2 Bordeaux-blend, put this on your list! Soft and welcoming Merlot drives the entry with red currant before giving way to the power and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is well balanced with savory notes of toasted fennel seeds and dried rosemary, with enjoyable oak influence and firm tannins on the sustained finish. Their 2015 vintage is completely sold out but mark your calendar for 12/2 when the 2016 vintage will be released.
[photo cred: Duval Images, DeLille Cellars, Forgeron Cellars, Sol Stone Winery, TruthTeller Winery]