Venturing east to experience Washington Wine Country is well worth the trip, but it’s one that can be costly and time consuming. Luckily, you don’t have to travel far to indulge in great wines.
Between Olympia and Hood Canal, the region boasts its fair share of places to imbibe reds, whites, rosés and other sip-worthy vintages. Enjoy a day hopping place to each place or extend your tasting tour to include an overnight stay at one of these nearby locations.
1. Salish Seas Organic Liqueurs
Names for the shimmering waters which surround it, Salish Seas Organic Liqueurs is a feast for the senses. Each spirit offered at Salish Seas Organic Liqueurs is a handcrafted, small batch masterpiece made from all organic ingredients.
Free of artificial colors and flavors, Salish Seas’ selection of more than 20 different spirits are a natural way to imbibe. Experience all Salish Seas has to offer at its Lacey distillery and tasting room — conveniently located next to Stottle Winery’s Lacey location.
For more information and tasting room hours, visit Salish Seas Organic Liqueurs’ website.
2641 Willamette Dr. NE, Suite D
Lacey, WA 98516
360-890-4927
2. Medicine Creek Winery
Located in the Nisqually Valley, Medicine Creek Winery and Tasting Room is as much a feast for the tastebuds as it is for the eyes. Boasting a variety of rich and robust reds, this boutique winery is the lovechild of winemaker Jim Myers, who is also known for his work restoring old horse-drawn vehicles. As you enter the winery’s tasting room, a stunning stagecoach — the inspiration for the winery’s labels — is displayed front and center. A testament to this winemaker’s multifaceted talents, the stagecoach took Myers 12 years to build — no wonder he’s so proud of it!
For winery updates and current hours, follow Medicine Creek Winery on Facebook.
947 Old Pacific Hwy SE
Olympia, WA 98513
360-701-6284
3. Madsen Family Cellars
At Olympia’s Madsen Family Cellars, tasting room visitors and wine club members can delight in a wide selection of wines — there’s literally something for everyone. If white wines are what you fancy, indulge in Madsen’s refreshing Chardonnay. In the mood for something with a bit more tannins? This boutique winery offers a wide selection of reds to sip from, including its Sangiovese, Merlot and multiple Cabernet Sauvignon varietals. With so many wines to sip and savor, you may need to take a few bottles home to continue the tasting experience.
Madsen Family Cellars’ tasting room is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit Madsen Family Cellars online. (The tasting room is conveniently located in the warehouse behind the driving range.)
2825 Marvin Rd. NE, Suite D
Olympia, WA 98516
4. Northwest Mountain Winery
Winemaker Ray Curtis is a veteran in the industry. With 30 years of experience under his belt, Curtis has devoted his life’s work to wine, a passion he now shares with those who visit his Olympia tasting room.
In addition to a great selection of wines, what visitors of Northwest Mountain Winery also find is great ambiance. The second Saturday of each month from March through October, Northwest Mountain Winery hosts its popular Fire Pit Nights. Here, visitors can gather around the fire while enjoying a glass of wine and great company. Live music is also often on the menu.
If you can’t make it to a Fire Pit Night, there are many other opportunities available for experiencing Northwest Mountain Winery’s varietals. The tasting room is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, visit Northwest Mountain Winery online.
2629 Reinhardt Lane, Suite Q
Olympia, WA 98516
360-464-7125
5. Walter Dacon Wines
Just past Olympia, Walter Dacon Wines in Shelton is a well-loved tasting room not to be missed. Specializing in Rhone- and Mediterranean-style wines, Walter Dacon Wines is committed to making wine in the old way, adhering to centuries-old traditions.
You can learn more about Walter Dacon Wines online or by visiting the tasting room firsthand Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m. For more information, visit Walter Dacon Wines’ website
50 SE Skookum Inlet Rd.
Shelton, WA 98584
360-426-5913
6. Hoodsport Winery
Venture out a little further and you’ll find at gem of a winery in Hoodsport. Hoodsport Winery is scenically located on the Olympic Peninsula, offering its guests great wines paired with unmatched ambiance. Established in 1978, Hoodsport Winery is a Washington wine industry pioneer. When the winery opened, it was one of only sixteen other wineries in the state. Today, it joins the more than six hundred others that have opened since.
Visitors of this established winery can enjoy sipping from a variety of wines, but be careful — you may lose track of time as you get lost in the view. From the tasting room, visitors can enjoy a scene of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains all at once — a picturesque pairing for a sumptuous day of wine tasting.
The tasting room is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information, visit Hoodsport Winery online or in-person at its Hood Canal tasting room.
23501 US-101
Hoodsport, WA 98548
360-877-9894
7. Stottle Winery
Start or end your your tasting tour at Stottle Winery. With two locations in Lacey and Hoodsport, Stottle’s exquisite wines are everywhere you are. Whether sipping at the Lacey or Hoodsport winery, visitors are invited to experience the handcrafted quality that is evident in each pour.
Both of Stottle’s locations are open year-round, with varying hours depending on the season. Visit Stottle’s website for current hours, tasting fees and a sneak peak at the winery’s beautiful tasting rooms, which are available for private events as well.
2641 Willamette Dr NE
Lacey, WA 98516
360-515-0356
24180 Highway 101, Suite B
Hoodsport, WA 98548
360-877-2247
8. Hardware Distillery
After a day of sippings wines, cleanse your palate with something a bit stiffer at Hardware Distillery. This Hoodsport distillery offers a wide variety of spirits to sip on in its tasting room, which looks out upon scenic Hood Canal.
After taking a tour of the distillery and sipping from Hardware Distillery’s selection, take a bottle of your favorite spirit home and enjoy concocting a spirited created in your kitchen testing out one of Hardware Distillery’s many booze-infused recipes.
Hardware Distillery is open year-round with winter and summer hours. Visit Hardware Distillery’s website for a list of current hours.
24210 US-101
Hoodsport, WA 98548
206-300-0877
With so many outstanding tasting rooms from Olympia to Hood Canal, we’ve only just managed to scratch the surface. For more information about area tasting rooms, visit the South Sound Wine Trail online and Explore Hood Canal’s website.
