Local Wineries Celebrate Spring Release Season

While April showers bring May flowers, March kicks off spring release party season at Woodinville’s wineries and tasting rooms. The grape harvest and crush are long over, the wine has been bottled and aged, and now the highly anticipated moment of arrival is finally here. The wine is released, meaning it’s up for sale.

What Orson Wells famously said in a wine commercial three decades ago still holds true today — vintners will sell no wine before it’s time. So when is it time? When the winemaker says it is. And how does he know when the time is right?

“Bob (Ramsay) always says, ‘The wine tells me.’ He tastes it and decides when it’s ready,” said Lauren Vogt of .

Once the decision to release the wine for purchase is made, it’s party time. For the public, that is. The owners, employees and volunteers that plan release parties work hard to make sure you’re having a good time and learning everything you want to know about the wine you’re tasting.

A typical release party offers free tasting of the newly released wines, sometimes along with a selection of the winery's current lineup of previously released wine. There is usually free food ranging from artisan cheeses and local gourmet chocolates to heavy enough appetizers to bolster you for an afternoon of wine tasting.

Essentially, the release party gives you a chance to taste wine before you buy it and in many cases, receive a discount on purchases. For many wine lovers, it’s the time to make their wine purchases for the next year (or few months …), and they hit more than one wine release party to do their shopping.

“At the grocery store, you see hundreds of bottles of wine. You come in here, taste four wines and there’s one that’s outstanding, and that’s the one you get,” said Isenhower Cellars club member Phil Cottle during a recent release party.

Cottle and his wife Kathryn drank wine and munched appetizers at the private release party before picking up their wine club shipment. They make the trip from Enumclaw a few times a year to get their share of wine. As Friends of Isenhower members, the Cottles received first access to the latest release.

“We offer our wine club members first crack at buying the wines. After the wine club release, we start pouring the wines in the winery and tasting room,” Denise Isenhower said.

Whether private or public, the release party is a time to consider stocking up on whatever you fall in love with. Some of the wines being released sell out quickly, and you may find yourself in an unpleasant insert-favorite-wine-here dry spell, waiting impatiently for the next vintage, hoping you’ll like that wine as well as the one that got away.

When Bob Ramsay decided to make a 100 percent mourvedre, he only made 40 cases. Once it released, people began calling up to reserve cases, and it sold out quickly. Ramsay has since increased production of this unique varietal to meet demand and may be well on the way to becoming a brand synonymous with the grape. Winemaker and owner of , Scott Greenberg, found himself in a similar situation when his 2009 riesling and 2009 chenin blanc sold out quickly after release last year.

Whether you’re looking to fill your cellar or just a fun way to get to know what’s being produced by your local winemakers, check out a release party. Check the events below to find out who is celebrating a release this weekend.

Of course, once this release is over, there’s always looking forward to the summer and fall releases parties. 

Events for March 19 to 24

Saturday, March 19

• , 17721 132nd Ave NE, celebrates the release of its 2008 Odd Man Out (Malbec and Petite Verdot blend) and 2008 Merlot from noon to 5 p.m. No tasting fee.

• Northwest Totem Cellars, 15810 NE 136th Place, is offering special pricing during its 2007 Longhouse Syrah release weekend from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  

• , 19501 144th Ave. NW, Suite D300, is pairing a different truffle with each wine from 1 to 5 p.m.
  

• Apex at Alder Ridge, 14111 NE 145th St., has JUBILEE coming in to perform for this installment of its Saturday Unplugged Music Events series from 5 to 8 p.m. Enjoy food and wine specials while listening to a local band that uses its music to raise awareness and funds to fight human trafficking during this free event.

• , 19501 144th Ave. NE, Suite D700, is celebrating St. Patty’s on Saturday in the tasting room with one of Chef R.D.’s specialties, corned beef and cabbage from 1 to 5 p.m.

• , 16116 140th Place NE, invites Chef Bobby Moore back to the Estate House for its Spring Fling Cooking Class from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sign up to learn how to prepare some of ’s signature appetizers. The class costs $35 and includes a wine tasting. Space is limited; call or visit its website to register. 

• Goose Ridge Estate Winery, 14450 Woodinville Redmond Road NE Suite 108, hosts an evening of live music with Dean Backholm playing your acoustic favorites while you live it up over glass pours and wine specials from 6 to 8 p.m.

• , 19501 144th Ave. NW Suite D500, is celebrating the spring release of its 2008 Tempranillo and 2008 Granache blend, Miscolato, with a free tasting and appetizers from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• Patterson Cellars, 19501 144th Ave. NE, Suite D600, invites you to sample its newly released 2010 Chardonnay paired with assorted Beecher’s Cheeses from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, March 20

• , 16116 140th Place NE, welcomes the first day of spring with tasty treats for you to enjoy during your wine tasting in the tasting room and cellar from 1 to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 21

• , 15608 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road, hosts its weekly Wine Wednesday event from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. $15 buys you three pours from this week’s featured winery, Obelisco Estate, along with three Italianissimo appetizers.