Miscelaney

Riddle me this. What do you get when you combine fantastic wine, delicious food, a jivin’ band, a fun-spirited crowd and one of Seattle’s perfect summer days? Fabwineyumfoodjivincrowdsunnyitus? Well, maybe. But the answer I was looking for is Woodinville Wine Cellars 5th Annual Summer Celebration.

This past Sunday I (again) had the good fortune of being part of this fabulous, annual event. For a $55 ticket, guests gain entry into one of Woodinville’s premier boutique wineries for a fun-filled afternoon which includes an amazing meal, an etched Riedel logo-glass (filled with some of Sean Boyd’s award-winning wine), live music, a relaxed yet festive atmosphere, a now-infamous cork-toss game, fun-loving company (including mingling with the winemaker) and, by hook or by crook, sunshine.

The food this year was provided by local favorite Italianissimo. Chef/owner Kent Betts entertained the crowd by hand-tossing and b-b-qing his fresh pizzas in the open-air food station. Accompanied with a pesto lasagna, crab-filled crepes, and gelati for dessert, there wasn’t room for too much else…except wine and dancing. The Blues Orbiters got the crowd to their feet and kept them entertained with an energetic blend of originals and favorites from “the rich blues tradition”. And let’s not forget the cork toss. Much harder than it looks, let’s just say if you were playing for three bottles of Sean’s wine, you may get a little serious, too.

Guests purchased bottles of Woodinville Wine’s current releases to enjoy throughout the afternoon on the lush picnic grounds. Choices for the day were the delightfully refreshing  2008 Sauvignon Blanc, the ever popular 2006 Little Bear Creek, the smooth-drinking 2006 Syrah and the flagship 2006 Indomitable (same Ausonius goodness, just a new name). Sean also shared the highly coveted 2006 Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon and let guests sample the upcoming fall release L.M.S. which is their very yummy Malbec.

Always a wonderful event, WWC fans return year after year knowing they are in store for a really perfect summer’s day. I consider myself soooo lucky to be involved with this Northwest wine gem, and morever, to also call this fun-loving yet crazy-talented group my friends. If you haven’t tried any of Sean’s wines yet, do yourself a favor. They are superb.

Tasting room hours are Saturdays, 12-5pm April-November. www.woodinvillewine.com.

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