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Wine tours have long been appreciated by people who enjoy opening a fine bottle of wine in the evening. The opportunity to try regional wines and learn a bit about the local vineyards in a particular area is an enjoyable and relaxing way to spend a day or an afternoon, depending on how much time you have.
The most popular areas for wine tours in the past few decades have been the Sonoma and Napa Valley Regions in California, Michigan wine country, Oregon and the Lake Erie and Niagara wine regions. The state of Washington has become increasingly popular in the past five years, however, and is now second only to California in domestic wine production.
Washington wineries focus on fine wines made with locally grown varietal grapes. Most of the vineyards are relatively small in size, making for numerous family owned and operated wineries that offer wine tastings with a warm and inviting atmosphere. In fact, wine has become such a popular enterprise in Washington that two of the most popular state festivals are Seattle’s “Vines of Washington” and the “Tri City Wines Festival.”
There are several regions in Washington that have particularly fine vineyards and plenty of wineries that offer wine tours to the public:
• Columbia Gorge/Cascades
• Rattlesnake Hills
• Horse Heaven Hills
• Wahluke Slope
• Puget Sound
• Yakima Valley
With an eye to drawing upscale tourism, there are several companies that offer wine tours through each of these regions ranging from motor coach to private limousine. You can even plan ahead to get a banquet license in order to drink wine in the limo or SUV on a private tour if you wish.
Washington state wine tours don’t stop at offering some of the finest wines in the country, friendly staff and beautiful vineyards. The scenery around many of these wineries is simply stunning. Wind-swept cliffs, mountains in the distance and views of the sea can all be spotted during your travels from one winery to another on Washington wine tours.
With over four hundred sixty eight bonded wineries, most offering regularly scheduled wine tours, you can spend more than one harvest season exploring the Washington wine regions. It’s an invigorating change from the California scene, and you’ll have the opportunity to find some little-known and exceptional wines to bring back to your friends. Add the beautiful scenery and hospitality, and you’ll discover that Washington wine tours are gaining popularity for a reason.
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