Different Strokes

Everybody has different tastes and preferences in wine. What one person likes, another might not. Some like red some white, and even then, there are a million different taste combinations. I always tell customers in the tasting room, it is OK if you do not like my wine, I make a very specific style of wine. Being a small boutique winery, I have chosen to focus on what are my vineyards strengths, and I craft a wine towards these. If you would like a soft fruit bomb, I am sorry, my vineyard does not produce that type of wine, but there are many great wineries that do. As the great philosopher Popeye said "I's am who's I am". Embrace and try different wines, appreciate the variety. I think many wine stewards forget this, and try to force their personal taste on everyone.

Both the east side of Washington State and the west side of the state are blessed with two of the best wine shops in the world. Up in Anacortes at Compass Wines, Doug, Will, Laura, Sara, and Meghan run the most incredible wine shop you will ever visit. Rare Burgundy or Bordeaux. Check. Cult Cab from Washington, they got your vintage. But it is not the incredible selection that makes Compass so special, nor how informative the staff is on wine. What makes Compass great it is how down to earth they make wine. Walking into the shop, there is no air of pretense or stuffiness. These people dig wine and want to share it with you. From a bargain seven buck bottle, to a five thousand dollar vertical, Doug and crew enthusiastically will help you out.

On the east side of the state, we have the Spokane Wine Company located in the Huckberry's on Monroe. Lou Ann and Drew are two of the best in the world when it comes to helping the customer find the perfect bottle. Here are the two best examples of wine industry people who realize that everyone has different taste. Multiple times I have watched as these two take the time to ask questions, listen, and then figure out what type of wine the person is after.

When someone asks me for a good wine shop, I am never afraid of recommending these two locations. And I have the thank-you notes and emails from happy customers to prove these places do a great job.