The Wine Knows

Over the weekend, I stopped by Thurston Wolfe Winery in the Yakima Valley town of Prosser, Wash., to chat with co-owner/winemaker Wade Wolfe. Watch the Northwest Winecast here on YouTube:

One of the interesting tidbits is he's finishing up harvest with two red grape varieties unusual for Washington: Petite Sirah and Touriga Nacional. The first is a Rhone grape most prevalent in California and makes a big, sturdy, gorgeous wine. The second is a Portugese grape used in traditional Ports. As a table wine, it's low in tannins and soft and appealing on the approach.

Interestingly, Thurston Wolfe is in the midst of a growing group of wineries. There are now several producers within a few steps of Thurston Wolfe, including Willow Crest, Airfield, Olson and the Wine Loft (which has several producers inside). Another winery, Milbrandt, is getting ready to build there, too.

With a Starbucks at the end of the street, a wonderful plant nursery and new restaurants going in, Prosser is really turning into a great destination.