Patio Sipping
The summer months have arrived, which means enjoying wine on the patio. If you’re looking for a great wine and slice of Pacific Northwest summer, head out to DeLille Cellars Carriage House. For me the summer doesn’t officially arrive until the tents are off the patio and the brightly colored umbrellas are up at DeLille’s Woodinville tasting room.
Years ago, when I first visited the carriage house, I was perplexed – how can a Washington Winery have exclusively outdoor tastings – what about the months and months of rain? I soon found that DeLille’s tents, and the large heaters, makes for a cozy winter tasting. But once those tents are down, there is no better way to enjoy a sunny Pacific Northwest afternoon than tasting thru the lineup of one of Washington’s premier wine makers.
On my first visit, I learned that Delille Cellars, founded in 1992, was one of the first wineries in Woodinville. The wines are prime examples of both white and red Bordeaux-style blends, made with grapes coming from the Red Mountain AVA in Eastern Washington. According to their website, “DeLille Cellars has crafted over 200 wines with successive vintage ratings of 90+, totaling over 500 individual 90+ scores from leading critics.” Few other Washington wineries are as accomplished!
The tasting room staff is all very knowledgeable in the wines they are pouring. Not only do they know about the wine being poured, they also can rattle of facts about previous vintages of the same wine. All the members of staff seem to be fountains of knowledge in the vineyards. On one visit they gave us a little lesson on the differences between the 8 main vineyards that DeLille’s grapes are sourced.
A perennial favorite from DeLille Cellars wine is their 100% Roussanne. The current release is the 2017 and it’s sourced from one of Washington’s top vineyards: the Ciel du Cheval. On the nose you get green apple and a bit of nectarine and dried apricot; the palate zings with lime zest and Meyer lemon. If you have not experienced a Roussanne before, I recommend getting a bottle to try. Roussanne is a fabulous white wine for people that aren’t fans of the common Chardonnay.
This summer you can find me on DeLille’s tasting patio, sipping delicious wine and soaking up the sun. I have to enjoy it while I can – this will be DeLille’s last summer at the carriage house. This fall they move into their brand new, state-of-the-art winery and tasting lounge at the old Red Hook Brewery. Don’t worry though, there will still be patios to enjoy these delicious wines on beautiful Pacific Northwest Days.
