21 Cellars

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Located in a little brick building on North 21st Street in Tacoma, look for the red wine bottle sign set out when they are open. For first time visitors, it can be a little hard to find but don’t give up because often the best wine tasting experiences occur in small production places. And that’s precisely what you find with a trip to 21 Cellars where winemaker/owner Philip Coates often explains the process he uses crafting award-winning wines in his north Tacoma winery. This gives you the added bonus to ask questions yourself and discover the winemaker’s history and winemaking style. (I’m always curious to learn what their favorite wine is and when they got the wine bug.)

Generous pours of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon await your palate’s pleasure. The sauvignon blanc bearing the name OmRikki got my attention with its crisp acidity and lasting flavors of pear and apple. Although it was a cold wet day outside, I could easily imagine this wine pairing perfectly with a warm summer day.

21 Cellars splashed on the scene in 2011 when its 2006 Pont 21 Cabernet Sauvignon was named Top 10 New Washington Wines by Seattle Magazine. The word “pont” is French for bridge as in Pont Neuf in Paris, so we can only surmise that Pont 21 is a bridge to a great tasting experience. With production kept small, 21 Cellars surprisingly produces another cabernet sauvignon named Promesse 21 using grapes from a different vineyard in the Columbia Valley. Be sure and taste both Pont 21 and Promesse 21 to experience two different cabernets from the same winemaker.

Twenty-one: The age when we become adults; the age when we can drink legally; the winning number in Blackjack and now 21 Cellars where a boutique winery fortifies its cult followers with wines of distinction.