Columbia Winery Review
Address: 14030 NE 145th St. Woodinville,Washington 98072.
Phone Number: 425-482-7490
Tasting Hours: Sat-Thurs 11:00-6:00, Fri 11:00-7:00
Region: Puget Sound AVA, Woodinville, Woodinville Tourist District, Washington
Reviewer: Denise Gangnes
Review Date: 3/10/2012
Reviewer: Denise Gangnes
Rating: 5
The Review
The second oldest winery in Woodinville does what any facility in the shadow of wine giant Chateau Ste. Michelle would do: provide a personalized tasting experience in a large and comfortable tasting room, offer a wine club with unmatched benefits at a reasonable price, and bask in the knowledge that your age-old vines produce some of the most luxurious vintages in the state.
The Place: Columbia celebrates their 50th anniversary in 2012, and from an inspired founding by half a dozen University of Washington professors, they survived a few rocky bumps to become a mainstay in the Woodinville Valley. The venerable Victorian-style Mansion occupies a key location adjacent to Redhook Brewery, a stones throw from the 5-star Willows Lodge, and across the street from Chateau St. Michelle. Since acquiring the building from the now-defunct Haviland Winery nearly 30 years ago, the winery has undergone several additions and remodels; the latest changes refined the tasting room layout into its current great-room configuration. English gardens, a wraparound porch and an arbored patio complete with wrought-iron furniture and copper pizza oven, beckon tasters to enjoy the grounds while enjoying delicious appetizer and wine pairings.
The Experience: Visitors can choose between a $5 or $10 tasting both offer excellent wines at a reasonable purchase price. The staff at Columbia focuses on a quality experience, with no intention of rushing tasters through the process. At times, this works against tasters, as the attention to detail by the wine educators (aka pouring staff) necessarily results in other customers probably feeling a bit ignored from time to time. Such was the case during my visit, although I observed that experienced customers occupied a comfortable leather chair around the massive 4-sided fireplace and ordered appetizers to accompany the tastings at a more leisurely pace.
The Wines: Being a mainstay in the wine business for 50 years affords the luxury of gathering grapes from the oldest vines in Eastern Washington, most notably the Otis and Red Willow vineyards. Their massive warehouse is home to multiple wineries, and deep in the rows and rows of cases lie some definite treasures. Not many wineries will offer you a 2001 Cabernet on their tasting list its the kind of unique opportunity that reflect the Columbia experience. Much-beloved winemaker David Lake passed away in 2009, but current Director of Winemaking Kerry Norton carries on the tradition of hand-crafting a distinctive array of red and white wines. An amateur stonecutter in his spare time, Kerry titles certain vintages accordingly with names like Lapis, Opal and the tongue-twisting Porphyry (por-for-ee).
Insiders Tip: Since the winery opens at 11 a.m. each day, we strongly recommend visiting mid-day during the week if you want to achieve maximum attention from the serving staff. Another option is to pay $25 for a private tasting experience. Columbia offers a tempting array of consumer and wine club events: a wine education series and a gourmet chef dinner are on the current calendar. Evenings of music and free food and wine tastings are just some of the many benefits to wine club members. The private tasting room set aside for tasting club members is well worth the minimal purchasing commitment. The winery is a very popular spot for weddings and events, but the large private rooms are designed to separate event goers from tasting visitors.