Liquid Musings

In between driving nearly 1,500 miles and seeing the sights and listening to the sounds of nature throughout Washington State, I was able to partake in some fine liquid sustenance (brewpub and winery reviews to follow).

Hale's Ale Brewing Company makes some fine beers (had a sampler) and their food was pretty good too.

Also visited Silver City Brewing Company outside Bremerton. I think I read somewhere that one of the owners or someone related to Silver City is a regular blogger, but can't recall where or when I read that (DL or LGF?). So, if you're that person, please know that I found your food and beer was excellent. Also, the homemade ginger ale was top notch. Definitely worth the trip.

Mrs. Lawhawk and I visited some interesting wineries in Yakima Valley. They ranged from small wineries to major establishments. Hogue Cellars was the largest of the wineries we visited and sampled a bunch of estate and reserve wines (the stuff they don't sell outside the winery). Their tasting room was nicely appointed, but was located in what amounted to a warehouse facility - definitely downscale from most Napa wineries and many Sonoma wineries.

At the other end of the spectrum was Windy Point winery. Good wines, small production, but their tasting room was magnificent. The manager at Claar Cellars said that Windy Point is the beginning of the Sonomaization of Yakima Valley. That could be a good thing - finding the wineries wasn't nearly as easy as in Sonoma Valley. Better signage and advertising throughout the valley would make the experience even easier than it was.

Claar Cellars provided some good tastings, and we bought two bottles, one of which was the Corneauxcopia, which was a blend of several varieties. It was our most expensive wine purchase on this trip, and we'll be saving it for a special occasion.

Of course, finding the wineries was part of the charm of the place. You get to drive throughout the valley and the first thing you notice is that vineyards aren't the dominant crop. In fact, there is no readily apparent dominant crop. Vineyards mix with grazing lands for sheep, cattle, and horses. Farms with other crops, from hops to apples mix in.

*more to come*