Wine Cellars of Washington

Unedited

Five bucks and an ID that proves you are at least 21 years of age gains you access to the largest tasting venue in Washington – perhaps this side of the Mississippi River. Once the host wraps the wristband on your arm, you’re free to be a kid in a candy store and with glass in hand imbibe on Washington wines. With 25 wineries under one roof, you get to choose which ones to visit and which ones to reserve for another day. Most wineries do charge a small tasting fee for the chance to experience their wine. That fee, however, disappears with the purchase of a bottle of wine.

Wine Cellars of Washington is the brainchild of Scott Swoboda a local entrepreneur that has a penchant for restoring old building. In the touristy town of Snohomish with its Victorian architecture and antique shop on every corner, that’s sure-fire route to success. After spending the better part of the day rummaging around antique malls, you figure its 5 o’clock somewhere and time for wine time.

The two-block Washington Public Market and Wine Cellars of Washington involved serious coin to restore but Scott knows the value of a heritage landmark and the love people have for Washington wine. At their November 2011 opening, several thousand people came to taste Washington wine and explore over 100 vendors selling arts and crafts, jewelry, baked goods, antique figurines, flowers and more. It’s reminiscent of Seattle’s URBAN enoteca with seven winery tasting rooms under one roof but the similarity ends there in both décor and sheer size.

For a fee of $250 per weekend, wineries can pour to their hearts content and sell their wares. Finding 25 wineries to fill the slots evidently wasn’t a problem with the likes of Saint Laurent Winery, Kyra Wines, Cowan Vineyards, Haystack Needle, Useless Bay Wines and others filling the spots. In between sampling wines, visitors can order from the adjacent café with their food served at one of many cozy spots throughout the tasting venue.

No doubt Wine Cellars of Washington will draw visitors from Snohomish County to sample Washington wine and with plenty of other things to do in Snohomish. However, the question remains will people from Seattle drive past Woodinville to visit the antique filled Victorian town of Snohomish. That’s the gamble that Scott Swoboda faces but given the crowds that he’s garnered so far, I wouldn’t bet against it.