As the wine industry grows increasingly diverse, we’re finally seeing and giving long-overdue credit to the folks who make it all happen. From Latinx vineyard workers to indigenous and AAPI vintners, the scene is shedding its white male status — or, at least nobly trying. A big part of that movement has come in the form of women winemakers, turning out some of the best and most sought-after wines in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. In the Yakima Valley in Washington, there are scores of great female winemakers. They do not make up a big enough slice of the estimated 90 labels in the expansive ..read more

Sabine’s Back Bar will now serve as Ballard’s newest private dining space. SEATTLE, WA – Yes Parade Restaurants (formerly Weimann Maclise Restaurants) announced Sabine Café & Bar, which serves as Ballard’s essential all-day café, is now continuing their vibrant energy into the evenings with full dinner service. “Opening for dinner has been a request that we have received for a while, and we are at the point where it makes sense,” said Kathryn Meyer, Co-Owner & General Manager of Sabine Café & Bar. “We’re excited to continue the energy into the evenings, with the caf ..read more

In the March 2024 print edition of Sip Magazine, writer Steve Kilisky pondered the many ingredients winemakers use – or choose not to use – to create a bottle of wine. Here, he addresses why you cannot find those ingredients on the label – and what might be done in the future to address that.  Unlike most other consumable products, wineries in the United States are not required to provide ingredient or nutritional information on their labels, other than the ubiquitous “Contains Sulfites” for wines with more than 10 milligrams per liter. In December 2023, the European Union (EU ..read more

TURNER, Ore. — Willamette Valley Vineyards, a leading producer of Oregon Pinot Noir, is hosting its first Run Willamette 5K and Kids 1K on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at its Estate winery in the Salem Hills. Limited to 300 participants, the cost to enter is $55 per person and $15 for the Kids 1K. The 5-kilometer run/walk begins at 9:30 am. The 5K entry fee includes Official racing t-shirt and custom finisher medal Complimentary glass of wine for finishers  A $10 wine credit ($15 for shareholders and club members) Those who enter the race are encouraged to donate to ¡Salud!, a non ..read more

March is Women’s History Month, and March 8 is International Women’s Day. In honor of women in the craft beverage industry, we asked the question: who has inspired you? Female winemakers, distillery owners and more all jumped at the chance to pour it forward, sharing about the other women who have inspired them along the way. Meghann Quinn, Owner, Bale Breaker Brewing Company “A woman in the beverage industry that has inspired me is Natalie Cilurzo with Russian River Brewing Company. She has become a great friend and mentor to me over the years.” Missy Claridge, Owner & President, Northwes ..read more

On Fridays in March, The Vintages will highlight a groundbreaking wine producer  As part of the hotel’s celebration of Women’s History Month, The Vintages Trailer Resort will host four boutique wineries helmed by groundbreaking women—Alumbra Cellars, Day Wines, Helioterra Wines, and Remy Wines–for pop-up pourings on Friday evenings in March. Friday stays that month will include a complimentary evening wine reception featuring a different boutique winemaker and the chance to taste the highlighted winery’s current releases, many of which are only available locally and made in limited quanti ..read more

Hailed as the home of exceptional Pinot Noir, Oregon has earned a reputation that clings like a well-worn nickname. However, hidden beneath this acclaim is a world of diverse and intriguing varietals, one of which is White Pinot Noir — a somewhat rare, yet utterly drinkable white wine, born from the same whimsical Pinot Noir grape. There are but a handful of producers in Willamette Valley making this elusive wine with differences in production techniques and nomenclature. The common thread? An undeniably high demand for these wines. Jim Prosser of J.K. Carriere was the first to make a White Pi ..read more

This Valentine’s Day, one extraordinary bottle shop, Fruit Wine Co., is doing what it does best — cultivating community through the magic of wine, art and food. The boutique retailer tucked away in the northwest corner of Bellevue, Washington, features a classic selection of local neighborhood favorites as well as wines from different regions around the world, all with a mindful focus on selecting labels that practice responsible farming and sustainable winemaking methods. But how Jackson Rohrbaugh and his crew of wine-loving colleagues wield a truly outstanding business lies in their pledge t ..read more

International winemaking expertise meets Washington grown grapes It can take a lifetime or longer for a winery to earn the allusive feeling of perfection in a single varietal. But what if varietal masters themselves showed a single winery their tricks of the trade? While there are no shortcuts in the winemaking process, the late wine entrepreneur Allen Shoup and French winemaker Gilles Nicault may have found the formula to create an exquisite international wine portfolio from top to bottom, all in the Pacific Northwest. With the guidance of nine renowned winemakers, Walla Walla winery Long Sha ..read more

2024 marks twenty-five years of wine making at Fielding Hills Winery. Founding winemaker Mike Wade and his wife and co-owner Karen Wade, crushed their first grapes from their estate Riverbend Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA in the fall of 2000.  The Wade’s family business is apples and cherries. Mike is a 3rd generation grower, packer, and shipper. In the mid 90’s, Mike was receiving calls asking him to pull out apples and plant wine grapes. In 1998, Riverbend Vineyard was planted where Red Delicious apples once grew. When asked why he started making wine, Mike will tell you “ I had a ..read more