Top Shelf: Spring Barrel Tasting 2009

This past weekend was Spring Barrel Tasting in the Yakima Valley. One of my best friends from college, Alisa, lives in Prosser with her husband, Jordan Ferrier, and their three beautiful boys. Jordan is a wine maker at Hogue Cellars (on the right, with Ray, a wine maker from Chateau St. Michelle). Jordan takes pride in his knowledge of wine chemistry, which makes him the perfect tour guide for this event. I felt lucky to be with Alisa and Jordan, as they chauffeured me from winery to winery.

Our first stop was Goose Ridge Estate Vineyards and Winery. One of the reasons they call it Spring Barrel Tasting is because wineries offer tastings straight from the barrel. There's nothing like the oaky, non-filtered taste of a good red wine and the barrel at Goose Ridge was very satisfying. I am a fan of the pinot wines, however, which seems to be the trendy "flaveur" these days. I took home the pinot gris for a nice price of only $8 a bottle.

Next stop was Gamache Vintners, located atop the White Bluffs of the Columbia Valley. This family-owned estate offered free tastes with a sold out malbec to die for. The sign, at right, welcomed you into their tasting room.

The next two wineries are my favorite: Bookwalter Winery and Chandler Reach Vineyards. I am not a wine snob, but I am a sucker for romantic scenery. Yes, the wines were good. The No 22 and No 23 reds at Bookwalter are worth a case or two, but the grounds are worth the trip alone. Cozy up on the lush sofa in the tiny lounge and share the Salumi plate or take your party outside on the patio with the fireplace that overlooks the vineyards. If you consider yourself a wine snob, they got you covered, too. (Above: Taking a break at the Bookwalter grounds, Alisa sits with her brother, Andres, former chef at local Seattle restaurant Stumbling Goat).

Chandler Reach Vineyards is not your average winery. It's a villa. Take a walk around the place and you feel like you're thousands of miles away in Tuscany. Stop in, grab a glass (or bottle) of vino and take it outside to one of the cute little cafe tables. Better yet, sit on the green grass, take off your shoes, and experience the views of Rattlesnake Hills on one side, Horse Heaven Hills on the other, and the Yakima River flowing right through the valley.

After lingering on the grass at Chandler Reach, we stopped for a tour at Mercer Estates. Mike Hogue partnered with the Mercer family to create this winery. He walked us through the lots, stopping to pour us a sip as he explained the process from grape, to barrel, to bottling, to production.

Our last stop was Desert Wind Winery. Absolutely beautiful. If you love wine and views of the hills and river, stay here. This was the only winery I saw where you can actually spend an entire weekend. Perfect for a girls weekend get-away, or a romantic setting with the one you love. Where the other wineries were either free or only charged a $5 tasting fee, this one was a bit pricey, forcing you to pay $10 for five tastes and a tacky wine glass. But the Barbera barrel tasting is outstanding and the Chardonnay Bare Naked is worth the name.