Part 1: Wine
The sunny climate allows visitors to enjoy outdoor activities throughout the year, and the ample sunshine and growing conditions have earned Wenatchee the title of Apple Capital. This ideal climate is certainly excellent for the vineyards as well, and there are over 12 tasting rooms to explore! With so many to visit, and not enough time, we stopped by just a few of them.
Mike and Judi Scott founded one of the first wineries in the area in 2001. It was initially under the label of Martin Scott Winery, then the name changed to Circle 5 Winery.
Now, Mike’s son Tim Scott and Tim’s wife Becky are the principal owners. Tim is a third-generation orchardist, having grown up working in the orchard with his dad. When the profitability of apples became an issue, Mike decided to pull out the apples. Mike planted grapes in his former orchard and went to Napa to learn winemaking the old-fashioned way. He simply talked to other winemakers and vineyard managers to get guidance on growing grapes and making wine.
How did Tim learn about winemaking? Tim said he “learned by force.” Well, with his dad’s agricultural and wine background, along with his mom’s degree in microbiology, it's a good combination. Tim went on to study biology and chemistry in college, which turned out to be an excellent choice.
It was time to proceed to the wine tasting. We enjoyed the Montepulciano, which is a medium-bodied wine with rich notes of plum and a slight acidity. It would pair well with lots of different foods. The Montepulciano grape is difficult to grow here. This grape is grown primarily in warmer regions like central and southern Italy and, to a smaller extent, in California. However, in certain vintages, it does well in Washington. Our other favorite was Petit Verdot, which Mike also likes. Often used as a blending grape, this single-varietal Petit Verdot had notes of black cherry and well-structured tannins.
Another Wenatchee-based winery is based in a 1920 vintage brick building. Each brick is individually painted to give it an authentic look. The building has been restored with an elegant and welcoming atmosphere.
The winemaker is Doug Brazil, who, along with his wife, Debé Brazil, also owns the winery. Doug spent 21 years in the US Navy, traveled around the world, and developed a passion for wine. In fact, he spent time in Chile with winemakers to get some hands-on learning. Another self-taught winemaker.
Their wines come from the Columbia Valley AVA and are bottled on site. Most of the reds are aged for four years. We enjoyed the Mourvèdre. It was very fruit-forward, with hints of raspberry and dark chocolate. The tannins were instrumental in creating a lingering finish. We also really enjoyed the Tempranillo, which brought tastes of cherry and mocha and just a bit of spice.
The tasting room in Wenatchee is at Pybus Public Market. One can find lots of great food and wine tasting options in the market. We focused on reds today and found the Tempranillo and Malbec both tasty; however, the Petit Verdot really stood out. Deep red color, and full-bodied, this is a great wine! We liked it so much that we took two bottles home.
Their estate vineyards are located in two different AVAs (American Viticultural Area): the Ancient Lakes AVA, and Wahluke Slope AVA. Both sub-AVA’s of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. Web and Millie Jones started farming potatoes in the 1950s. Then, in 1997, son Jack Jones planted grapes. Interestingly, during the early years of the vineyard, Mike Scott of Martin-Scott Winery (now Circle 5) worked on his farm.
Victor Palencia has been the winemaker since 2008 and helped bring awards to the winery. Most recently in 2023 as “Most Valuable WA Wine Producer.”
Watermill Winery On The Ave is in the main part of Wenatchee, an easy walk from our hotel. Some of their vineyards are in the Rocks District AVA,which is located in the northeast corner of Oregon, near the town of Milton-Freewater. The soil in that area is comprised of pebbles and basalt rocks, which adds to the minerality of the wine. The Rocks District Viognier was delicious, with tastes of peaches and citrus. Viognier is one of our favorite varietals, and this one received high marks from us! The Reserve Chardonnay was also excellent, with its crisp taste and slight minerality. Elizabeth claimed that it was her favorite Chardonnay, hands down.
We then tasted the Estate Malbec from the vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. This had a nice bold flavor with notes of plum and cocoa and soft tannins. Our favorite red was Hallowed Stones Syrah from their estate vineyard in the Rocks District AVA. This is 99% Srayh and 1% Viognier, and has lush tastes of strawberries and blueberries, and just a touch of pepper. As the brochure aptly states, “A true Rocks District Showstopper.”
Craig Mitrakulis the winemaker, and his wife Danielle runs the tasting room in downtown Wenatchee. Their roots are on the East Coast, where Craig received a master’s degree in food science from Cornell University and worked with Cornell’s wine extension group. Since then, Craig has amassed 28 years of winemaking experience in key wine regions in Washington and Oregon. Craig is currently the winemaker for Crayelle Cellars and is also focusing on traditional sparkling wine for Karma Vineyardsin Lake Chelan. He keeps busy!
The tasting that blew us away was the first one, Albariño Reservafrom a vineyard in Ancient Lakes AVA. This delightful white wine had zesty apple and citrus notes and a distinctive mineral component. The red wine we tasted was the Graciano, which we enjoyed very much. The wine has aromas of tea and light spices, with smooth tannins and balanced acidity.
After this tasting, we thought of checking out more tastings in the adjacent building, Visit Wenatchee Visitors Center & Tasting Room. They offer 30 different wineries, cideries, and breweries. However, it was getting close to dinner time, and we were looking forward to our dinner at Atlas Fare, right next door. So we returned to our room at the Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel, changed our clothes, and headed out to dinner. Check out Part 2 for more information about food and activities.
Editorial Disclosure: travel and lodging were generously provided
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