Taste Washington Month

It's March 1st, which begins a month celebrating Washington's wine and food culture. (There are two months - the other is August, Washington Wine month.) Taste Washington is an annual event celebrating Washington state's wine and food culture. The event began in 1997, making it one of the oldest and largest wine and food festivals in the United States. Over the years, it has become a highly anticipated event that attracts wine enthusiasts, foodies, and industry professionals from around the world.

The event features hundreds of wineries from across the state, showcasing their best wines and local restaurants, food trucks, and artisanal food vendors. Attendees can taste various wines, learn about winemaking, and sample the delicious local cuisine. The festival also includes seminars, workshops, and live music performances. Taste Washington is a must-attend event for anyone who loves wine, food, and exploring the diverse culinary offerings of the Pacific Northwest. Learn more at TasteWashington.com.

My first Taste Washington was in 2005, and I attended several seminars. The first was "Test your Wine IQ" by Master Sommelier Ms. Andrea Immer Robinson, a Master Sommelier, wine educator, and TV show host. The seminar included a wine tasting of what she calls "the big six" wines, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, and Syrah. She discussed the stylistic differences, explaining what flavor components are unique to the grape and what differences fermentation and barrel aging make in the finished wine.

The luncheon keynote speaker was Leslie Sbrocco. She is a renowned wine writer, broadcaster, and energetic, humorous, and accomplished speaker. She was very complimentary of the Washington wine industry as she spoke on why she believed wine should not be revered or feared, just enjoyed. Her comparison of Sauvignon Blanc to a classic white shirt has stuck in my mind over the years.

The session "Glass to the Max— Riedel" featured Maximilian Riedel, the 11th generation of the famous Riedel Wine Glass family, headquartered in Austria. His ancestors became famous for designing the first wine glasses and for designing them for each of the major wine varieties. I believe that specific glasses do make a difference in how wine tastes. And even now, many years later I still use the Riedel "O" glass that he introduced at the end of the seminar.

Since that first Taste Washington, I have volunteered and attended many more after I moved to Washington in 2008. While volunteering to set up, I met Jill, who later connected me with the opportunity to pour for a tasting room in Woodinville. It was my introduction to the industry and winemaking. After that, I worked in a couple of tasting rooms and volunteered to bottle and harvest help. I even poured for a winery at Taste Washington one year.

The Taste Washington event returns this year. Unfortunately, I have to miss it, but to celebrate the month; I will "Taste" a bottle from each of Washington's 20 American Viticultural Areas (AVA). Each AVA has unique flavors, climate, and soil - a terroir.

I now live in the Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington. It is "The Heart of Washington Wine Country," surrounded by vineyards, and has over 200 wineries within a one-hour drive. Yakima Valley, Prosser, Red Mountain, and Walla Walla are all easy day trips. And Goose Gap and Candy Mountain AVAs are just minutes from our house. Learn more at Visit Tri-Cities website. (https://www.visittri-cities.com/food-drink/wineries/)

There are many fantastic wines to explore during Taste Washington month and beyond. Whether you attend events or enjoy a bottle at home, there's no better time to discover the wines of Washington state.

Cheers to opening and sipping new and favorite wines to Taste Washington!