This is a great excuse to gather together a group of girlfriends and head to the Washington State Wineries of the Olympic Peninsula. Let the dads and grandpas watch the kids while you reconnect with good friends. Visit the six Washington Wineries located in Port Townsend and Port Angeles in one glorious trip, or plan to return again and again until you have tried them all.

There is at least one woman behind every winery on the Washington Olympic Peninsula. It took vision and commitment for these women (and their male partners) to establish their businesses, and it is worth visiting these Washington State Wineries to see what they have collectively created.

Washington State Winemakers of the Olympic Peninsula

Olympic Cellars, Womanfest, and MADRE are hosting an event on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at 6 pm. All are invited to enjoy homemade soup and bread and drink wine by the glass during this local celebration of International Women’s Day; it will highlight the efforts of MADRE to help the victims of the Haitian earthquake.

The suggested donation of $10.00 will go towards MADRE’s relief efforts in Haiti. Olympic Cellars will donate 30% of revenues from wines sold by the glass as well.

Antioxidants, flavonoids, resveratrol? Let the doctors and scientists study the nitty gritty of why red wine and dark chocolate can help our hearts. We’ll just do as the French have always done - consume them and smile.

Six Washington State Wineries on the Olympic Peninsula are pulling out their best red wines and pairing them with fine chocolates during the weekends of February 5-6 and 13 - 15, 2010. You may purchase tickets to these festive events and taste at all six wineries for a mere $25 (includes a souvenir wine glass), or taste at individual wineries for $5 each.

There is a red wine for every palate at Harbinger Winery in Port Angeles, and a variety of chocolates to match them. Fruit wines, hearty reds and crisp blushes are all here.

Camaraderie in Port Angeles will pair their 2006 gold medal winning merlot with merlot chocolate dipping sauce, Molly Baby chocolate cookies and Princess Valiant chocolates. They’ll pull out other reds as well: cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and blends.

Head to the Black Diamond Winery, in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains near Port Angeles, for tasty Raspberry and Strawberry wines. Be sure to savor the chocolate truffles between sips.

Those of you who enjoy a little spice in your life may want to head straight to Olympic Cellars, on highway 101 between Sequim and Port Angeles. CBC chocolatier Peter Crabtree has created spice-embedded chocolates to enhance the reds at Olympic Cellars. Your taste buds will tingle.

FairWinds Winery in Port Townsend will be pairing their award-winning Port O’Call with rich chocolate flowing from “the tallest known chocolate fountain in captivity”. Also in Port Townsend, Sorensen Cellars pairs reds with assorted chocolates and truffles made by Sequim chocolatier Yvonne. Be sure to try the two new releases: a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Malbec.

You can consider it romantic or fun to head out for a weekend of tasting chocolates and wines from Washington State. Or you can consider it an integral part of your health care. How you spin it is up to you. No matter what, we feel certain you will enjoy it.

First, for big holiday meals don’t overcomplicate the wine selection. It can be as easy as simply opening a few different types of wine and letting people choose their favorites.

If you have a special, prized bottle of wine in your cellar, bring it up for the holidays and open it before dinner. Let your guests enjoy all of its delicate flavors. This might be a perfect time to offer a toast to those most special in your life.

At the table, food takes center stage. So serve several bottles of food-friendly, less expensive wines that blend well with the wide variety of dishes that you are serving. Then, sit back and enjoy your gathering.

Several Olympic Peninsula Wineries are offering “holiday” wines, perfect for sipping or for pairing with a variety of foods.

Port Townsend’s Sorensen Cellars recently released a 2007 Malbec from Two Coyote Vineyard near Zillah. Beautifully dark and inky in color, with a nose of Mountain Huckleberries that carries over onto the palate. A terrific wine to go with hearty winter stews and cassoulet. $20.00 per bottle. Place orders at the winery at 360.379.6416.

In Port Angeles, Olympic Cellars’ new La Galopine, a Roussanne and Viognier blend, is perfect for sipping before your holiday meal. This white Rhone blend offers up luscious aromas of fresh stone fruit, dry yet vibrant with dancing acidity. Barrel fermented and aged “sur lies” for 12 months. The wine is made with grapes from Ciel du Cheval, considered Red Mountain’s top vineyard. These grapes are sold only to 20 Washington wineries. NEW RELEASE: $23.99

Perfect for the table, Olympic Cellars’ Cranberry Jubilee holiday wine is medium-bodied with a fruit-filled cranberry finish. Crisp, and just a little bit sweet, the wine is decadent with leftovers from your turkey dinner. $15.99.

Harbinger Winery, also in Port Angeles, just released its 2008 Cranberry Bliss, an off-dry blend of Barrel-fermented Rose, Chardonnay, and Cranberrry wine. The cranberries are harvested from a bog in Grayland, Washington. The wine is a great match for just about any holiday “gastronimical situation,”  be it salmon, sushi, or ham. About 50 cases are available to the public, and they will be gone by the New Year. Pick up your bottle today!

2. How did Port Townsend get its name?
Answer: Captain George Vancouver originally named the city “Port Townshend” in 1792 for his friend the Marquis of Townshend.

3. Which Native American tribes were located in what is now Jefferson County in the mid-19th century?
Answer: Chemakum (or Chimacum), Hoh (a group of the Quileute), Klallam (or Clallam), Quinault and Twana (Kilcid band-Anglicized: Quilcene).

4. Which towns on the Olympic Peninsula’s east side are known as, “The Emerald Towns?”
Answer: Quilcene & Brinnon

5. What are the 7 stocks of fish found in the Dungeness River?
Answer: Chinook; Chum; Coho; Pink; Steelhead; Cutthroat and Char.

1. The Olympic Peninsula is home to the only rainforests in the Continental United States. These forests are among the rainiest places in the world.

2. The Quinault Valley is called the “Valley of the Giants” because 6 of the world’s largest species of evergreens reside there in relatively close walking distances from developed areas.

3. The Hood Canal town of Quilcene is world famous for its oysters.

4. At 7,980 feet, Mount Olympus is the highest peak in Olympic National Park and has the third largest glacial system in the contiguous U.S.

5. Where on the Olympic Peninsula can you find a herd of Roosevelt elk? In the cities or Brinnon, Sequim and Forks.

For the past couple of weeks we’ve been highlighting what each of our wineries will be serving during Passport Weekend on our blog. Today we’re down to the final two — Camaraderie  Cellars and Harbinger Winery, both in Port  Angeles.

Camaraderie Cellars will feature seasonal tasty bites including roasted beet vinaigrette and wine-poached pears, along with Bell Street Bakery’s seasonal vegetable bread. These delicious bites will be paired with Camaraderie’s favorites: a just released Malbec, Tempranillo, and our popular Viognier.

Harbinger Winery will release a limited bottling of our popular seasonal Cranberry Bliss, as well as the 2008 Viognier, 2007 Syrah, and 2007 El Jefe’
(a reserve Spanish blend with a Rhone twist).  These wines will be matched with locally grown foods, including a savory Chanterelle and Chevre blintz made with locally foraged Chanterelle Mushrooms.

Fall is a beautiful time to visit the Olympic Peninsula — we hope to see you this weekend!

In Port Townsend, FairWinds Winery’s off-dry Gewurztraminer will be paired with an array of cheeses made by Port Townsend’s Mt. Townsend Creamery. Appetizers made with red potatoes grown on FairWinds Farm served with various toppings will be complemented by the winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend.

Sorensen Cellars will feature its 2008 Pinot Gris, 2007 Viognier, 2007 Sangiovese, 2006 Cabernet Franc, and 2005 Syrah. The wines will be paired with locally sourced appetizers.

Get away for a weekend and enjoy autumn on the Olympic Peninsula!

Black Diamond Winery in Port Angeles will pour Cranberry Wine - a fresh, tart, slighly sweet favorite with turkey and other holiday fare - along with the following estate-grown fruit and grape wines:

Estate Grown Shiro Plum
Plums grown and tree ripened in Black Diamond’s orchard are hand processed to make this slightly sweet white wine.

Strawberry Rhubarb
Made from Red Rhubarb grown in Black Diamond’s garden and strawberries locally grown in Sequim.

Muller-Thurgau
A slightly sweet white wine with aromatic undertones, fruity flavors and a spicy finish.

2007 Syrah
A full bodied dry red wine rich with fruit flavors

Get away for a weekend and enjoy autumn on the Olympic Peninsula!

Over the next couple of weeks, we will highlight what each individual winery has in store for Passport Weekend. Today’s post features Port Angeles’ Olympic Cellars Winery.

On Saturday, Nov. 14 guests will enjoy Olympic Cellars’ new white wine release: La Galopine, 2008 Roussanne and Viognier blend from Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, paired with fresh oysters from the South Puget Sound, Hood Canal and Discovery Bay, on the winery’s “heated” patio. Featured shellfish farms include Little Skookum Shellfish Growers (Little Skookum extra small and small Pacific
oysters); Hama Hama Oyster Company (Hood Canal extra small and small Hama Hama Pacific oysters); Taylor Shellfish Company (Totten Inlet Kumamoto oysters); and Port Discovery Sea Farms (Snow Creek extra small and small oysters). The oysters will be served both on the half-shell and grilled from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A complete selection of wines will be available in the tasting
room.

Clam Chowder (Grandfather Bishop’s family clam chowder recipe made with Little Skookum Shellfish Growers’ sustainably farmed Manila clams www.skookumshellfish.com/recipes) will be available on Sunday, November 15.

Bell Street Bakery breads made with local, organic grain will be served with spreads made from humus and local organic root vegetables all weekend.

Holiday Wine Release: Cranberry Jubilee

Additional wine specials will be featured to compliment the holiday table, parties and of course to give as gifts.

New this year, FairWinds Winery and Sorensen Cellars, both located in Port Townsend, will offer a wild card to help players complete their hand. Anyone age 21 and over is welcome to participate in the Run.

How the Tour of Wineries and Poker Run Works

Begin the run at any of the North Olympic Peninsula’s six artisan wineries located in Port Townsend and Port Angeles; at Seven Cedars Casino in Sequim: or at the Crab Festival’s Wine Garden located on Port Angeles City Pier. Enjoy award-winning locally made wine and pick-up an official Poker Run Card, complete with instructions and a map.

Each winery a player visits, in addition to Seven Cedars Casino and the Crab Fest Garden, offers the opportunity to draw a card and have the Poker Run card stamped. A visit to all eight locations provides eight opportunities to draw for the best potential poker hand — but the number of stops a player makes is completely up to him/her. A minimum of five stops required for validation.

Each venue will have an official depository for completed cards, and will accept cards until close. The wineries will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and the Crab Festival Wine Garden from 10 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m.to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Seven Cedars Casino opens at 10 a.m. every day, and will offer the last chance to drop-off completed Poker Run cards at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

At the end of the weekend, all Poker Run cards will be gathered and transferred to the casino where the winning hand will be determined. The winner will be notified by phone and email.

The Poker Run is free of charge. Wine tasting will be available at all six Olympic Peninsula Wineries throughout the day, and customary tasting fees will apply. Stop by the wine garden on City Pier near Crab Central and sample wines from all six wineries in a single location. Seven Cedars Casino offers evening entertainment including live music.

For further information, visit www.olympicpeninsulawineries.org or call 800-785-5495.

Wine Tour & Poker Run Line-Up:

FairWinds Winery, Port Townsend
Stop by and pick up your wild card! Hang around and watch live poker playing or join in on a hand or two – you just might win! See how the wine making process takes place with a winery tour, and sample our own FairWinds Farm tasty potato appetizers. Taste our new release Fireweed Mead as well as six other award-winning wines. www.fairwindswinery.com, 360.385.6899.

Sorensen Cellars, Port Townsend
Visitors can sample the 2007 Viognier, 2008 Townsend Bay Pinot Gris, 2007 Sangiovese, 2006 Cabernet Franc, 2004 Merlot, and 2005 Syrah accompanied by light appetizers. www.sorensencellars.com, 360.379.6416.

Olympic Cellars, Port Angeles
Are you a gambler or just feeling lucky? Guests at Olympic Cellars can play to “beat” the house “discount.” Most wines will be open for tasting including an expanded reserve list. Taste the grapes off our vines (still too young for wine), ring the Harvest Bell, and pose for the perfect photo opportunity with our new Vineyard Angel by metal artists John and Cynthia Dash.
www.olympiccellars.com, 360.452.0160.

Black Diamond Winery, Port Angeles
Come and sample our fruit and grape wines, including cranberry, strawberry-rhubarb, raspberry, Syrah and Ridge White. www.blackdiamondwinery.com, 360.457.0748.

Camaraderie Cellars, Port Angeles
Featuring our newly released 2007 Tempranillo and a number of other great red wines complemented by “poker party snacks.” Roll the dice at the cash register to determine your purchase discount! www.camaraderiecellars.com, 360.417.3564.

Harbinger Winery, Port Angeles
Sample our newly released 2007 El Jefé Spanish blend and 2008 Blackberry Bliss, enjoy complementary snacks, and take a harvest tour! On Saturday,
Oct. 10 Brew Master Steve Corcoran will be on hand from Noon to 4 p.m. to pour his latest selection of handcrafted beer. www.harbingerwinery.com, 360.452.4262.