Blog Archives

Washington Wine Tasting: Darby Winery, West Seattle

Darby Winery in West Seattle is a great urban spot for wine lovers. Located in the West Seattle junction, it’s an easy walk to much of the neighborhood, and if you’re coming from further away, the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge makes it an easy drive. The Darby Story The winery started in 2002 when Darby English, the founder, and head winemaker, began making wine in his basement. His goal was to make the best wine in the state using the best products and winemaking techniques.  Three years later, he started producing wine for commercial sale. With less than 400 cases total, about half Syrah and half Viognier/Roussanne, the supply sold out extremely fast.  One year later, Darby tripled his wine production to 1,200 cases in one year and opened a tasting room. Locals loved his wine then, and […]

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Washington State Wine: Tasting at Dusted Valley Winery

Dusted Valley uses sustainable farming practices to create wines they want to drink. As part of the commitment to sustainable practices, it was the first Washington winery to use screwcap closures on all its wines. Wine tasting at Dusted Valley is easy – whether at the winery in Walla Walla, or the tasting rooms in Edmonds and Woodinville – there are many opportunities to try Dusted Valley wines. The Dusted Valley Story Dusted Valley Winery started out as a common dream shared by the Braunel and Johnson families. Both families had relocated to Walla Walla from Wisconsin and discovered a passion for making wine. In 2003, this dream became a reality, and the two families began Dusted Valley project in the southern outskirts of Walla Walla, Washington. Located in Walla Walla’s Southside wine district, Dusted Valley has a commitment to […]

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Wine Tasting at Bacovino Winery, Tukwila (Washington)

Washington State is the second largest wine-producing state in the United States. With over 1,000 wineries and over 80 varieties of wine from Washington State AVAs, wine production has become a multi-billion dollar business in the state. Wine is big business in Washington State. Since we finished building our wine cellar during the stay-at-home pandemic time, we’ve been visiting local wineries to perfect our tasting skills (there is some science and art to the process), get to know local wineries that we’ve overlooked, and make some purchases for our cellar. You’ll be seeing more winery and wine reviews coming up, both wineries in Washington State as well as those we’ve discovered in our travels. Pour a glass of your favorite, and learn more about Bacovino Winery in Tukwila, Washington. Why We Chose to Visit Bacovino Sometimes we have great reasons […]

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Guide to Jordanian Wine

You may be thinking to yourself, surely there’s some confusion here – Jordanian wine? That can’t be true! Well, this is one hundred percent true – there are, in fact, wineries in Jordan. And they are actively producing wine today. Jordan is famously known for Petra, the ancient archaeological site located in the southwestern region of the country. Near Petra, more than 80 ancient wine presses were found believed to date to Nabatean times. I visited Jordan as part of a paid partnership project with Globus Journeys. Saying yes to the Jordan Escape tour was easy-peasy. I had previously toured with Globus on their California Dream’: Northern California by Design tour and was impressed. I loved their attention to detail, the quality of their itineraries and guides, and the enjoyable environment they created among group members. This tour maintained the high quality I have come […]

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A Tasting Guide to Sicilian Wines

Some of the finest wines in the world come from Italy. These Italian wines are often associated with refreshing tastes, are wonderfully complementary with food, and evoke warm Mediterranean memories. I can’t help but think back to past visits to Italy every time I’m sipping an Italian wine. We’re heading back to Italy soon, and I can’t wait to discover new favorites. The country is full of delicious wines – from large producers to smaller local wines – but one wine area that is too often overlooked is the wines of Sicily. Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and its warm climate and fertile soils make it a perfect place for native grapes and wine cultivation. According to Sicilian wine history, Sicily is also the first Italian region to study Oenology – the study of wine tasting. […]

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