What can we get for our friends this holiday season besides local wine from Woodinville? (Which is delicious and makes a great gift!) This year since I can’t gift “experiences” due to the current worldwide situation, I’m gifting things that get used up so they don’t clutter up my friends’ houses… things like perfume, candles, lotion, paper calendars, stationery and ...

Chateau Lill sent a wave of excitement through the Woodinville wine community recently when they announced that they have opened their property for patio wine tasting. We immediately booked a reservation so we could go experience it for ourselves! When you arrive at the Chateau, you will be instantly impressed with how beautiful this estate truly is. There are no ...

There’s a new “beginner” wine book out, and I think it’s the perfect gift for a couple of friends who are new to wine and want to learn more about it. Wine can be intimidating, and easygoing books like these make learning about wine fun and approachable. I plan to be very careful just who I gift this book to, ...

I’ve only been part of the wine blogging scene for three and a half years, but I’ve been on social media since the days of MySpace and Friendster.. and I’ve been on the Internet (or early versions of it) since – wait for it – the 1980s. (Yes, I’m old!) I’ve been running websites since the early 1990s, and building ...

Our weather here in Woodinville has been surprisingly sunny, and relatively warm for December (It’s been in the low 50s! To us Seattle locals, that’s sort of balmy). I’ve been hosting a few impromptu backyard bonfire social-distancing get-togethers for wine loving friends. I usually don’t have much time to plan ahead, so I was glad to find these prepackaged Cello ...

There is something about this 2020 holiday season that has got me yearning for all kinds of traditional holiday treats and pastimes that I have not observed in many years. Maybe it can be looked at as a silver lining to all of the hardships that this year has brought upon us. That’s how I am choosing to look at ...

Today was Wine Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve and also our first trip to Woodin Creek Village and the new Rocky Pond Winery tasting room in Woodinville. Jen and I were so impressed with the gorgeous new space. We can’t wait to come back and sit inside when the day comes that wineries can serve inside again. Meanwhile, we admired Rocky Pond ...

What’s new in the world of Woodinville wine this Autumn 2020? Let’s take a peek at some of the newest offerings available from wineries and tasting rooms at the Apple Farm Village in the Hollywood District of Woodinville wine country. 425 Cellars is the newest winery here at Apple Farm Village in Woodinville. They put together a special Thanksgiving 3-bottle ...

We’re approaching our four year anniversary writing about wine in Woodinville, Washington; Lake Chelan, Washington; and Washington state wine in general, on our occasional field trips to Prosser, Walla Walla and the Tri-Cities area. (Spokane and Vancouver, we hope to visit your wineries next spring!) Boy have we learned a lot along the way on our wine tasting journeys and ...

I enjoyed a couple of lunches outdoors at Vivi Pizzeria + Ristorante this week, both on a rainy cozy Monday and on a surprisingly sunny Saturday. I chatted with restaurant manager Tessa and restaurant owner Tanya about their outdoor dining, their wood-fired pizza and other tasty dishes they serve, and about Vivi Pizzeria + Ristorante’s Thanksgiving food offerings. Tanya treated ...