Winery 101

You may recall that one of the WSJ’s wine columnists’ new year’s recommendations was to visit a new winery.

Well, here’s their advice on how to make that visit successful.

I will say this about the metro Seattle area (particularly the otherwise stultifying Eastside): I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to visiting “local wineries”; even “local wineries with decent product”.

So I plan on hitting at least three in King County. Plus the Walla Walla, Columbia Gorge and Yakima valleys.

I truly could not say that about the wineries within a 60-minute drive of Fairfax County Virginia. I recall a trek I made with my neighbors about a year ago to several wineries in Loudoun County. At one of them—I’ve tried Googling on “wineries owned by polo-playing mid-easterners with blonde trophy wives”, but still can’t find the name—the 18-year-old good-ol’ boy who was giving us the tour assured us that the winery produced “one of the ten best champagnes in the world.”

Uh—scuze me?

For one thing, the name “champagne” is only allowed to be applied to wines coming from the département of Champagne.

For another, nothing out of that place was in the top ten of anything. Unless it was the top ten of themselves.

Well, regardless—there’s probably no state in the Union that doesn’t have wineries now. So take on board the suggestions of Gaiter & Brecher, head on out to the one nearest you, and enjoy.