4 nights in a Suite, gourmet picnic, wine tastings...

Anyone familiar with Washington wines knows that Cabernet Franc is not the typical grape used around these parts. Most local vintners go for the bolder, more straightforward Cabernet Sauvignon.

But Lance Baer decided to concentrate on Cabernet Franc in his signature Ursa, a red wine that comes across as more nuanced, and perhaps a little bit irreverent.

That detail says everything about a man who spent his life defying expectations, examining alternatives and finding a path that was uniquely his own. His modus operandi was: Start with careful research, trust your instincts and stay authentic.

“He would always examine things, always question things and always have his own philosophy on things. He would say, ‘Here’s the way I want to do it,’ and he would do it that way,” said his older sister, Lisa Baer.

From the Seattle Times, read the article here

Big push to bring more of wine country to Western Washington KOMO, WA - May 25, 2007 Right now, there are 40 wineries in Woodinville but only 5 of them are regularly open for tasting. The biggest is Chateau Ste. Michelle, where Martha ...

The train is pricey, but fun. I’d encourage you to take one last trip before it goes away. The train goes along Lake Washington, up to the Columbia Winery in Woodinville. They of course have free wine tasting there. For a little extra, ...

Lance Baer, the owner-winemaker of Baer Winery in Woodinville, Wash., died early today due to complications from liver failure. Baer, 38, had been in Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland for the last two-and-a-half weeks, undergoing treatment ...

"But in Woodinville wine country, wine enthusiasts will be able to wander the "highway" on foot to sample food and wine in covered pavilions on Chateau Ste. Michelle's sprawling estate. You're not likely to get lost, ...

Lettie Teague, reporter for Food & Wine Magazine and “one of the wine world’s best bargain hunters,” paid a visit to Woodinville, and her article can be found here.

Some highlights:

….several of the top 30 wine companies were sold within recent years, including (and most famously) Robert Mondavi. Yet there is one big wine company that is doing quite well: Washington state–based Chateau Ste. Michelle. My question was, why?

After all, the chief wine that Ste. Michelle makes is Riesling, a grape that most people still don’t fully understand or appreciate. Chateau Ste. Michelle is actually the biggest Riesling producer in the world. It’s not even located anywhere fashionable—not Napa or Sonoma, but the Pacific Northwest. Its name isn’t trendy; its labels aren’t cute. In fact, they are a bit dull—not unlike those of Bordeaux. (Perhaps they took that “château” thing a bit too seriously?)

But the shortcomings fortunately fall outside the bottle: Chateau Ste. Michelle makes some of the country’s most reliable value wines, year after year, especially Riesling, Cabernet and Merlot. Although this may not sound glamorous—not like making a 500-case, 100-point wine—it is, to me, equally laudable. After all, a wine that’s made well in large quantities (Chateau Ste. Michelle produces more than a million cases a year) not only reaches more wine drinkers, it’s also much harder to pull off.

Read the full article at the source.

Jul 07, 2007 (Sat): Woodinville Wine Cellars Stillwater Creek Vineyard Day Trip & Pavilion Lunch Saturday, July 7, 2007 8 am to 7 pm Woodinville Wine Cellars is excited to share one of our favorite vineyards with our loyal fans. ...

Char gave us a bottle from this small Woodinville producer. For a change the wine is not named after the winemaker or owner’s children. Ross Andrew Mickel is the winemaker. Ross trained at DeLille and Betz and the pedigree shows through ...

Char gave us a bottle from this small Woodinville producer. For a change the wine is not named after the winemaker or owner's children. Ross Andrew Mickel is the winemaker. Ross trained at DeLille and Betz and the pedigree shows through ...