Whidbey Island Vineyards & Winery

I’ll let you in on a secret: It doesn’t rain all the time on Whidbey Island. Contrary to popular belief, the growing season is quite dry, and the northern latitude means long summer days with cool nights. Add to the equation the proximity of Puget Sound and you get mild winters, creating unique conditions for grape growing. Owner and winemaker Greg Osenbach planted Whidbey Island Vineyards’ first grapes in 1996, and today the winery produces unique white wines that are a perfect complement to Northwest seafood. As Osenbach states on his website, “We plant varieties from the cooler parts of Europe—France’s Loire Valley and Alsace, Germany, and Eastern Europe. The resultant wines are delicate, crisp, and fragrant.”

Today the 7 acres of grapes include some lesser-known varietals, such as Madeleine Angevine and siegerrebe. These grapes make delicious white wines that you won’t find in Yakima Valley. Make sure you try the winery’s “Island White” wine. This “durable blend” of Madeleine Sylvaner and Madeleine Angevine remains Whidbey Island Winery’s most popular white. The “Island White” would pair wonderfully with pecan-crusted halibut, but it’s also delightful by itself, sipped on the back porch in the summertime—or, in the case of Whidbey Island, on the beach with a picnic.

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  Whidbey Island Vineyards & Winery was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Island County WineTrail on page 52!