November was the featured wine region of the WineryHunt Washington 2020 card, and it was also my mom’s 65th birthday. My mom is currently the only person in my quarantine bubble so we decided to drive the 2.5 hours east of Seattle to the quaint Bavarian town of Leavenworth, WA. What is a Bavarian town doing in Washington state? You can read the story here (but tl:dr it was created to bring business to the town!)

If you take away nothing else from this article, remember these 3 things:

Wear a mask. It’s mandatory and is going to be how these wineries are able to stay open safely. Masks are the new fashion accessory, just accept it.
Bring a blanket & dress warm. The other accessory you never knew you’d needed is a travel blanket that you can bring with you since all seating is outdoors only. Some places have heaters and fireplaces, but don’t rely on that! Bundle up with gloves, winter jackets, hats, and wool socks.
Be patient. There are no reservations at most of the wineries right now, and limited seating to ensure all protocols are adhered to! So be patient, wait your turn, call ahead to see what kind of capacity they are at currently, and tip the staff.

My 2-day wine tasting itinerary:

Day 1:
- Icicle Ridge (part of WineryHunt)
- Silvara Winery (part of WineryHunt)
- Patterson Cellars
Day 2:
- Plain Cellars (part of WineryHunt)
- Goose Ridge Winery
- Bergdorf Cellars
- Archibald James

Day 1: Stop 1… Icicle Ridge

They have multiple locations but the Log House is 10 minutes outside of town and stunning!

I took Friday off work so we could have day 1 without the weekend crowds. First up we drove out to Icicle Ridge Log Home Winery which is about 10 minutes outside of downtown. Icicle Ridge also has a downtown tasting room that does have outdoor seating, but if you have the chance to drive to the Log House you won’t be disappointed! It opens at noon and we were the first ones there.

We were seated at one of the two propane fire tables, so we were able to peal off our layers to enjoy the sunshine. I got an all red flight which included 4 different reds: Summer Blend, 18’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. My mom, who is a white wine & rosé only drinker, had a flight of Riesling, Chardonnay, Blondes Gewürztraminer, & Rosé. I have to say that all of the reds were amazing! I even got to try their 2018 Reserve Cabernet Franc as a special treat and if I ever need a splurge wine that’s going to be my next purchase (it’s $95, so definitely not on the budget). My mom’s favorite of her white flight was the Riesling, which was dry and a great way to start the flight.

My tasting fee is waived as part of the WineryHunt of Washington membership, but normally the flights cost: $20 for white, $24 for mixed, and $28 for red. You can also purchase by the glass: $12 for white, $15 for red, and $20 for reserve!

Day 1: Stop 2… Silvara Winery

Where the view and outdoor fire are as breathtaking as the wine.

Hopping right over the river, we headed to Silvara Winery next. Their wine room is amazing, make sure to peak inside at how beautiful and cozy their interior is! All tastings are outside on the lawn, with a select few in their modified outdoor spaces with 2 plastic walls for wind protection. We sat next to one of 2 outdoor fireplaces, and I believe they are adding a few more to make sure there is enough warmth to go around.

This is also one of the stops on WineryHunt of Washington so my tasting was included. I tasted the red flight, which included 6 tastings which were brought out all at once in a wine holder with a card describing each wine. My favorite of all the reds was the Petit Verdot ($42 so a little above budget but delicious!)! My mom did a modified flight of the 2 whites and 1 rosé, and she really enjoyed the Vintner’s Reserve White Blend which is $24 so within budget!

Day 1 : Stop 3…Patterson Cellars

The perfect view of the mountains on a clear day!

Driving back to the Oberton Inn, we parked our car and walked to Patterson Cellars. Their current outdoor tasting is in the street space that has multiple heaters spaced out for optimal warmth while tasting. For $15 for a tasting of 5 different wines. Another great stop for white and red wine lovers. I had the mixed flight which included 2019 Pinot Gris, 2017 Syrah, 2017 BDX, 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, and ended with a 2017 Port. My mom’s white and rosé flight included 2019 Pinot Gris, 2019 Chardonnay, 2019 Rosé, 2019 Rosé of Cabernet Franc, and ended with a 2018 Late Harvest Roussanne.

We loved the sunset view so much, we both grabbed an extra glass of wine. I picked the 2017 BDX and my mom chose the 2019 Pinot Gris! Definitely a perfect view of the sunset over the mountains if you get seated by 3 PM!

Day 2: Stop 1…Plain Cellars

A quick 25 minute drive outside of town, but you feel like you are in a winter wonderland.

First thing in the morning we got up to drive out to Plain Cellars which is about 25 minutes outside of downtown. Plain Cellars also has a downtown tasting room that does have outdoor seating, but this outdoor space feels like you are out in the middle of this little winter oasis! It opens at noon and we were the first ones there. This was the 3rd winery that was included on the WineryHunt membership so my tasting was included, but it you didn’t have the membership, for $10 you can have a tasting of 6 different wines you get to choose which ones out of their entire wine list that you’d like to try.

They are heavy on red wine options (great for me) but they do have a Viognier so my mom just skipped a tasting and grabbed a glass. My absolute favorite was the 2015 Eclipse, $35 a bottle so only slightly over the budget.

Day 2: Stop 2… Goose
Ridge

I’ve been a Goose Ridge partner for about a year now, so it’s always fun to get to visit one of their tasting rooms!

Next up we drove back into town to park our car and grab a spot at Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery outdoor patio. Goose Ridge has about 5 open tables at any time so I would suggest making a recommendation in advance! This was yet another amazing pick for both red wine and white wine drinkers! They had an entire white & rosé wine flight of 5 wines for my mom, and I had a red flight of 5 wines.

I walked away with the 2015 Sol Duc which is $55 but worth every penny, and my mom grabbed 2 bottles of the 2019 Pinot Gris which is $20. Please stop in here, the Goose Ridge staff was so friendly and I loved the atmosphere!

Day 3: Stop 3… Bergdorf Cellars

Where I had my first glühwine of the holiday season.

Stopping at Bergdorf Cellars was a complete whim! While sitting at Goose Ridge we looked across the street and saw this place with a few tables 1 outdoor fire pit. Getting the closer table possible, I order the flight with is 8 wines, mostly red, and my mom enjoyed a glass of the sparkling of pinot noir! My absolutely favorite part about this tasting was that it ended in a glühwine! It called me back to the days in Brussels during Christmas time, wandering the Christmas markets while sipping on 2 euro mulled wine. This was a fun stop and such a pleasant surprise.

Day 2: Stop 4… Archibald James

Where we ended up after a little tip from @SipsWithSare!

The last wine stop on the trip was walking all the way down to the other end of the downtown village area to Archibald James. They are open just a little bit later than the rest of the wine tastings rooms, so we made this the last stop of the evening before turning in. I got the tip about this place from @sipswithsare who happened to be in Leavenworth the same weekend! They had a white flight for my mom and a red flight for me, each flight is $15 but waived with purchase. We walked way with the 2018 Viognier ($26) and the 2016 “Big Bled” ($32). So much outdoor space, and quite a few heaters to keep you cozy!

Please enjoy your trip, be responsible, and support Washington wineries.

Happy Sipping,

Chelsey