The invasion has been so slow and steady, you might not have even noticed. Seattle is not being taken over by an alien race, but by the wine industry.
Sure, it’s always been a great town for wine enthusiasts…boutique neighborhood wine shops, tasting rooms, plentiful wine events, and, of course, proximity to some fantastic grape growing regions.
But the last few years has seen a marked surge in urban wineries, tasting rooms, and one large wine store with free daily tastings (which is both convenient and dangerous to live near). A quick glance at the Seattle Wine Map illustrates just how successful the invasion has been.
Proprietors of the new metropolitan wineries and tasting rooms say that they selected an urban location for several reasons: more direct access to a major market, the saturation of wineries in Woodinville, and, in some cases, the desire to have a neighborhood clientele.
Locating in a residential neighborhood was a key reason that Jason Domanico, owner of Domanico Cellars with his wife Jill, gave for opening their new winery and tasting room at the edge of Fremont and Ballard. Besides making for a quick and pleasant commute from their home, their location gives thousands of Frellardians a welcoming and casual tasting room within walking distance.
Domanico’s offerings, when I visited a couple of times recently, included a crisp and definitive Riesling, a lush and layered rosé, and three wonderful reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a blend, which were a steal at $21 each for such opulent and enjoyable wines). Being able to pop in Friday after work for a $5 glass of their Le Monstre Cabernet is almost enough to convince me to move to what Jason calls “East Ballard”.
For the Seattle wine consumer, the urban colonization trend that Domanico typifies is fantastic…being able to walk or bike to tasting rooms is a dream, and I truly appreciate the diversity of winery and tasting room aesthetics: some are beautifully crafted and appointed, and some are functional and rugged. This is the same diversity that I appreciate in the wines themselves!
I will always love the quick drive to Woodinville, and I’ll never give up the occasional weekend trip to Eastern Washington or the Willamette Valley where I can stroll among the vines. But in between those great adventures, I couldn’t be more pleased with the opportunity to walk down the street to visit a local tasting room and talk to the winemaker about the latest harvest and how fulfilling it is to serve great wine to great neighbors.
Domanico Cellars / 825 NW 49th Street / 206-465-9406 / www.domanicocellars.com
List of Seattle urban wineries: seattlewinecalendar.com/wineries
