The Wine Knows

Famous for its nine-course meals based on fresh, regional ingredients, The Herbfarm in Woodinville, Wash., is one of the true treasures of the Pacific Northwest food and wine scene.

Owned by Ron Zimmerman and Carrie Van Dyck, the Herbfarm started on Zimmerman's parents' herbfarm in Fall City, about 30 miles east of Seattle. Zimmerman was the first chef, and the restaurant quickly became a destination for city dwellers. Zimmerman and Van Dyck were developing the style of "Northwest cuisine" - long before it became vogue.

In January 1997, an electrical short caused the restaurant to burn, taking much of Zimmerman's prized wine collection with it. Because of permitting nightmares, the restaurant could not be rebuilt on the farm, so it lived temporarily at Hedges' tasting facility in Issaquah while the new facility went up across the street from Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville. The restaurant opened in May 2001 and has gained acclaim since.

Zimmerman maintains the wine cellar, easily the greatest collection and wine list in the Pacific Northwest. It has owned our award for Best Northwest Wine List for the past seven years.

In January, The Herbfarm collaborated with Ste. Michelle Wine Estates to put on a dinner honoring Wine Press Northwest's 10th anniversary. The meal was a hit with attendees, who enjoyed a specially crafted meal built around the wines of various Ste. Michelle properties.

Eric Degerman, Wine Press Northwest managing editor, represented the magazine and interviewed Zimmerman, which you can watch here: