Winery Search
Browse our site or search for a Washington winery by wine region, city, or winery name.
Tacoma Wine Tasting
Everyday I hear of another cool thing going on in T-Town. So when a friend asked me to meet her at the Tacoma Wine Merchants and Enoteca in old town Tacoma, I thought... why not make a visit to a few wineries in town?
My first stop was Coates Winery on N 21st Street. The drive through old Tacoma's historic neighborhood is very pretty. Coates has such a limited production that they are not open for regular tasting hours until the release of their 2006 Pont21 in November 2009. So, I made an appointment with owner/Winemaker Philip Coates, who met me outside the charming, brick building and led me down the stairs to the unmarked basement winery.
There is something uniquely exciting about meeting a relatively new winemaker who is making great juice. To witness the beginnings, see how their winemaking style progresses and be a part of an up-and-coming wine area are what wine touring is all about for me. There are currently about 6 wineries in Pierce County. Some are making wine from fruit and others from grapes.
Coates source all grapes from Eastern Washington vineyards, most notably from the Wahluke Slope AVA. They have two labels; Promesse21 and Pont21. The 21 refers to their location on 21th Street and Pont is French for bridge, as in the 21st Street bridge which is just behind their building. Philip makes his wines in the old-world style. They have finesse, balanced alcohol and are not over-oaked, allowing the fruit to shine through.
Two more cool things about this winery; the labels on the bottles are hand printed by a Tacoma based print shop Beautiful Angle, and the prices of the wine are OUTSTANDING! Premium red wine for about $20.
Read more about Coates Winery.
My tummy was growling after my tasting and luckily there is a great little restaurant directly across the street from Coates Winery called Upper Crust Bistro & Bakery. Upper Crust is perfect for small groups with tables for up to 6 people. It's truly bistro style with everything made to order including salads, sandwiches, calzones and pizzas. I had a delicious sausage sandwich on house made ciabatta style bread. Just a note, be sure to leave enough time to dine, the small, friendly staff do everything so service takes time. They have outstanding baked goods to go as well.
Next I was off to Stina's Cellars in University Place. This small winery is in a business park, just down the street from Tacoma Community College. Perry Preston, owner and winemaker, has been making wine (and taking awards) since the 1990's. The winery has been bonded and at this Tacoma area location since 2005 and are open on
Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Perry Preston is a down to earth guy who is enthusiastic about making wine. He happily showed me into the heart of the winemaking production facilities giving me a tank sample of his unreleased 2007 Siegerebbe. This relatively unknown white wine is making appearances all over Puget Sound. Stina's Cellars Siegerebbe is fruity, crisp and delicious. Although he sources grapes from mostly Eastern Washington vineyards, Perry is looking at more Western Washington grapes including Siegerebbe to round out his white wine portfolio. The Sangiovese was a favorite as well.
The smell of oak barrels and the artwork adorning the walls gives the winery a cozy feeling. The tasting room is large enough to hold about 30 people and Perry offers it to rent for private events. Stina's Cellars offers a good variety of red and white wines and it's close proximity to the Fred Meyer shopping center make this an ideal stop to pick up a local wine and support a Washington artisan winemaker. Read more about Stina's Cellars.
My final destination was Tacoma Wine Merchants and Enoteca in the heart of Tacoma. As the name implies, this establishment consists of a retail space where wine can be purchased and a small wine bar where wines are served by the taste, glass or bottle. Owner Bill Bonnie is super knowledgeable about wines from around the world. Just tell him what you are in the mood for, and he will guide you to the perfect glass of wine.
The Enoteca is where I met up with a long lost friend (thanks to Facebook!). We sipped wine and got caught up over some delicious and wine appropriate snacks. Bill chatted us up about wine and as people started to file in for happy hour, it became a social scene. I was impressed by the number of people who stop in by themselves to find good company and the shared love of wine. This is a quintessential neighborhood bar with a twist- the focus is wine. Visit Tacoma Wine Merchant and Enoteca website.
Read more about and browse the wineries of the Puget Sound winery region.