Vicki Corson, President Media Contact: Deborah Anastasi Black
North Sound Wineries Association 360/895-4320
(360) 417-3564 206/799-4233 Cell
corson4@tenforward.com deborahblack@wavecable.com
Press Release
for immediate release
North Sound Wineries Extend Red Wine & Chocolate Celebration
Public invited to savor heavenly pairing over two delicious weekends
Jan. 30, 2006 – The North Sound Wineries Association, a group of 10 distinctive award-winning small wineries located on the North Olympic Peninsula, Bainbridge and Whidbey Islands and Greenbank Farm, a local wine retailer, is adding a second weekend to its annual celebration of everyone’s favorite pairing. The popular Red Wine & Chocolate event will take place Feb. 11-12 and Feb. 18-19-20 this year, enabling visitors to enjoy the region’s best handcrafted red wines and an array of chocolate delights in an early Valentine’s Day celebration or save the savoring for a President’s Day Weekend get-away. The wineries/farm will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
“Red Wine & Chocolate is our most well-attended event, and draws visitors from around the Puget Sound area and beyond,” says North Sound Wineries Association President Vicki Corson. “With a 3-day weekend following Valentine’s Day, it makes sense to keep the celebration going. We hope the extra weekend will give even more people the opportunity to experience this beautiful area and discover some great local wines – not to mention some delicious local chocolate! Those who visit all 11 wineries throughout the weekend will be entered in a drawing for an elegantly packaged North Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound Islands gift basket.”
The North Olympic Peninsula can be accessed in less than three hours drive from areas in north, south and central-eastside Puget Sound. Ferry service to Bainbridge and Whidbey Islands enables visitors to experience all 10 wineries and Greenbank Farm in an enjoyable, comfortably-paced weekend.
Tickets are available online or at any of the member wineries for $20.00, and entitle the holder to a commemorative wine glass and complimentary wine tastings. Visit www.northsoundwineries.org or call 800-785-5495 for further information.
About the North Sound Wineries
Noted for warm hospitality and the absence of pretension, each of the North Sound Wineries offers visitors a unique Red Wine & Chocolate pairing experience. Many will feature special pricing throughout the two-weekend celebration.
Camaraderie Cellars, located in Port Angeles, holds the geographic designation of farthest northwest winery in the continental United States. Its name expresses the very essence of what this award-winning winery is all about – good friends, good food and sharing. Camaraderie will feature chocolates from a variety of favorite Northwest chocolatiers – Roger’s Chocolates, Affairs and others – along with current releases of great Bordeaux red wines. A few library reds will be available, including a Cabernet Sauvignon flight. Visitors will also see the winery’s “work in progress,” a new tasting room currently under construction.
Black Diamond Winery, also located in Port Angeles just 10 minutes drive from Camaraderie Cellars, sits on 20 acres overlooking Tumwater creek which flows between the winery’s two-acre vineyard, garden and large orchard. Black Diamond specializes in a variety of fruit wines produced with estate and locally-grown fruits. Raspberry, Loganberry and Strawberry-Rhubarb are just a few of the wines that visitors can sample during the Red Wine & Chocolate celebration. Grape wines include Syrah, Siegerrebe and Pinot Gris.
A third Port Angeles winery, woman-owned and operated Olympic Cellars is located in a beautifully refurbished century-old dairy barn just off highway 101. The winery will feature My Sweet Syrah, a Syrah and Riesling blend, during Red Wine & Chocolate weekends, as well as Libby’s Famous Wine Cake and a Build Your Own Valentine wine special.
Lost Mountain Winery sits in a serene mountain valley above the town of Sequim, approximately 17 miles east of Port Angeles. Seeped in Italian family tradition, this small winery handcrafts limited bottlings of rich and robust award-winning red wines without added sulfites. Lost Mountain will pour its newly released 2003 Merlot during the Red Wine & Chocolate celebration, and pair imported French chocolate truffles with its 2002 Syrah. A specially priced 1/3 case sampler pack will be available throughout the event.
Two more wineries on the North Olympic Peninsula are located in historic seaport town of Port Townsend.
The chocolate fountain will be flowing at FairWinds Winery during both Red Wine & Chocolate weekends. Visitors can indulge their palates in a luscious pairing of dark chocolate and port. FairWinds was established by two retired coast guard couples in 1993. Its name recalls the days when "fair winds" brought exotic cargoes from around the world. The winery aims to produce some of the lesser known Washington State varieties, including Aligote, a white wine grape, and Lemberger, along with the more mainstream Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Sorensen Cellars is a family winery dedicated to the limited production of premium wines at affordable prices. The winery offers two labels: the premium Sorensen label, and Townsend Bay, which is oriented toward fun and value. Releases available for pairing with locally produced Gittard chocolates during Red Wine & Chocolate include the Sorensen 2003 Syrah, 2004 Rosé of Cabernet Franc and 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Hopping a ferry from Port Townsend or Mukilteo (depending on their route), visitors can make their way to Whidbey Island, home to two wineries and the Greenbank Farm tasting room and wine shop.
Greenbank Farm is a living-history farm, scenic recreation site and cultural community center with a wine shop/tasting room featuring locally-produced food and wines. Red Wine & Chocolate weekend visitors can gather in the main barn and taste red wines from each North Sound Winery, including Greenbank Farms’ private label Loganberry Wine, while sampling locally made loganberry fudge. The Farm will host an on-site gift market both weekends, featuring the creative genius of local artists, artisans and craftspeople. The market offers art, photography, jewelry, gourmet foods and handcrafted gifts perfect for that special Valentine.
Greenbank Cellars is situated in a renovated turn-of-the-century monitor-style barn, co-located with a nearby artist gallery. All wines are 100 percent varietals. Greenbank’s estate-bottled wines include a 2003 Siegerrebe and a 2003 Madeline Angevine. The winery will pair two inaugural releases, a 2003 Sangiovese and 2003 Alsatian Riesling, with truffles handmade by Ruth Moore on Red Wine & Chocolate weekends.
Whidbey Island Winery grows a variety of wine grapes on the island and is actively involved in research efforts to evaluate new varieties for the local climate, among them, several very promising reds. For the Red Wine & Chocolate celebration the winery will introduce two new vintages of its most chocolate-friendly varieties – Syrah and Cabernet Franc – paired with its very own Whidbey Island Winery Truffles.
Driving or ferrying over to Bainbridge Island, again depending upon their route, visitors can stop in and taste at two more North Sound Wineries.
Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery is the only 100 percent estate winery in the Puget Sound region. Visitors will be treated to a candlelight cellar tasting and the opportunity to pair both red and white wines with 10-12 varieties of Calibo Belgian chocolate.
Eleven Winery is owned and operated by the husband and wife “garagiste” team of Matt and Sarah Albee. The winery’s name harkens back to Matt’s bicycle racing days, and captures The Albees’ winning approach to winemaking. When racers are ready to give it everything they’ve got, they use gear Eleven. The Albees will serve their newly released initial vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon Port in chocolate cups during the Red Wine & Chocolate celebration.
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