Miscelaney

By Thea Nyberg

I don’t pretend to be a wine connoisseur. Not even at parties. That being said, I do enjoy a good late afternoon winery tour every now and then. So when the crisp fall air in Seattle becomes impossible to deny any longer, it’s the perfect time to make a pilgrimage east to the latest Washington wine Mecca: the Lake Chelan Valley. With September temperatures well into the low 80s, you can extend your summer “glow” by at least a weekend or two.

 Here’s a quick roundup of what I experienced on a recent getaway:

Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards

Formerly known as Balsamroot, the owners seemingly changed the name and label to prompt people like you and me to ask, “What does that mean?” Which, of course, I asked. Well, it involves an early 19^thcentury house of ill repute on upper Lake Chelan, some miners and a row boat. I’ll let you do your own research to fill in the blanks. The bordello theme is a bit overwhelming, but at least shows commitment to message. Make sure to look closely at the wallpaper for an amusing eye trick.

Standout Sips: The 2006 Miss de Miner (note the play on words), which is a cab-merlot blend, and the 2006 Zinfandel.

Insider tip: Beat any late summer heat waves on the patio outfitted with misters.

Tildio Winery

Fronted by a row of vibrantly purple lavender bushes, Tildio Winery is perched on a hill overlooking Roses Lake. Their approach is gentle. The staff is helpful without being bossy and knowledgeable without being pretentious. A difficult balance to achieve in the world of wine.

Standout Sips: The crisp 2008 Viognier and the 2006 Robusto, a spicy blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

Insider tip: The veranda offers a spectacular view of the lake and beyond. Grab a bottle (or two) and a cheese plate and pretend you are lord of the manor surveying your land.

Web site: www.tildio.com

Web site: www.hardrow.com

Lake Chelan Winery:

Avoid the gift shop and indoor tasting room riddled with tour bus folk and head straight to the backyard BBQ to get down with a huge platter of ribs. Dripping with tangy sauce, wine in hand, you’ll have the best seat in the house on one of their picnic-style benches.

Standout Sips: The ribs are best paired with the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon or the 2006 Syrah.

Insider tip: The BBQ only runs from May to October, so hurry up!

Web site:  www.lakechelanwinery.com

 Where to Stay: Recently renovated Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan slashes its rates after Labor Day, meaning great deals at $99 and up for deluxe rooms. Web site: campbellsresort.com

Getting around: The Lake Chelan AVA web site offers a printable map to stake out your best course of action.

Naturally, this is only a small sampling of what the Chelan Valley has to offer. But I can only drink so much wine in two days. Nefarious Cellars, Tsillan Cellars, Vin du Lac and Tunnel Hill Winery are nearby wineries, just to name a few. And being only three hours from Seattle, it’s just one more reason to return again and again.

Thea Nyberg is a homegrown Seattle girl, a mom, a writer, a caffeine addict with a wicked sense of style who has an aversion towards her growing celebrity and is a contributing writer for Miscelaney.

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