Drinking Wine: Willow Crest

Washington is the Evergreen State, but I don't seem to live there. I'm in the eastern part---in the rainshadow of the Cascade Mountains where it is dry and sunny for growing wine grapes. I do have a pet evergreen in my front yard, but the vineyards surrounding me are much more impressive.

The Columbia, Yakima and Snake rivers all come together nearby. Take a drive along one and the vineyards line the roads. Lots of little wineries to stop by and sample too.

Tonight I'm drinking something from the Yakima Valley Appellation. Willow Crest Winery makes a great Syrah with their estate-grown grapes. Sadly, I'm drinking the last bottle of the case and I haven't found another. Yet. There's still hope, though, because I can't read some of the case labels until I reshuffle some.

There are eight nationally recognized appellations in the state with several others pending. These appellations refer to the grapes not the winery that turns them into wine, similar to what is done in France. Speaking of France, the wine country in Washington is at about the same latitude.

I make my own wine too, and I have a couple of barrels of merlot and one of syrah from the Willow Crest estate vineyards in the garage. I'll bottle those before this year's harvest. So I start out with the same grapes that the winery does, but...

I like to drink wine from places I've visited, which is very easy to do around here. Willow Crest is one of my favorites. Pay them a visit next time you're in the valley. The first hit is free.