November 14 weekend wine ideas for Clark County and beyond
The tent at Confluence Vineyards is toasty and festive with heaters and twinkling lights.
Weekend highlights:
- Sat, Nov 15-Confluence Winery is celebrating their 6th Anniversary from 12-5pm with live music, food pairings, barrel tasting and wine specials. Come enjoy the tantalizing bouquets of Confluence’s French oak-aged vintages.
- Sat, Nov 15 – The Northwest Food & Wine Festival at Doubletree Lloyd Center – It’s like a candy store for food and wine lovers from 4-8 pm. $75 includes samplings from a selection of over 600 wines and a smorgasbord of gourmet nibbles. Beer and spirits available, as well.
- Sun, Nov 16 – Stoller Family Estate in Dayton OR is opening up their Fermentation Room to volunteers and supporters of Meals on Wheels from 1-4 pm. Attendees will be treated to a special wine and food tasting wherein Stoller will donate 20% of the proceeds for sold holiday gift baskets to Meals on Wheels. Their sustainable tasting room alone is reason enough to make the drive. Experiencing their award-winning wines and supporting the mission of Meals on Wheels make it a win-win for everyone. Must RSVP by Nov 14 to Meagan at (503) 953-8130.
Upcoming events:
- Tues, Nov 18 – Volcano Views and Brews just came on my radar last night when I met Luke from the Mount St. Helens Institute. It’s a wine (and beer)-friendly monthly lecture series. This month there’ll be survivors and close witnesses discussing their account of the 1980 St. Helens eruption. Held at Loowit Brewing in Vancouver and repeating in Longview on Thu, Nov 20 at the Hop n’Grape. Guests begin assembling at 5:30 pm. Presentation begins at 6:30 pm.
- Wed, Nov 19-The Kiggins Theatre hosts the next Hello Vancouver! Doors open at 6 pm, pre-show antics begin at 7 pm and the entertainingly-emceed internet broadcast “community talk show”, complete with lots of local talent, ends by 9 pm. It’s a free event with different guests and topics featured each month and the reason it’s added here is that it’s a wine-friendly evening. Event-goers 21+ can purchases glasses of the cleverly-chosen Francis Ford Coppola wine to enjoy in the theatre. I’m not promising the most amazing wine you’ve ever had but it’s a terrific local gathering. Recommended for teens-adults.
- Sat, Nov 22 – Bader Beer & Wine Supply on Grand Blvd is hosting three wine tasting evenings Sat, Nov 22, Nov 29 and Dec 6 beginning at 6 pm. Tickets are $20 each and include a tasting of all five 2014-15 limited edition wine kits paired with small bites. Aspiring wine makers should plan to attend one of these fun and educational events. Limited to 32 people each night so purchase your ticket soon.
This weekend:
Downtown
Brewed – Carrying a selection of Columbia and Willamette Valley wines, the folks at Brewed are well-educated on the choices available. Current offerings include Charles Smith’s earthy Boom Boom Syrah, AniChe Cellars’ Barbariccia which is a sangiovese blend, Locati Cellars’ Barbera and the ever-sassy Naked Winery’s Penetration Cabernet Sauvignon and Foreplay Chardonnay.
Burnt Bridge Cellars – Sun, Nov 16 – Hosting a wine education class focusing on holiday food pairings from 3-4 pm. $20 includes a glass of wine. No idea if there are seats left but worth e-mailing Missy at missy@burntbridgecellars.com to find out. Tasting their award-winning wines Sat-Sun noon-5 pm. Burnt Bridge wines can also be found on wine lists around town including Willem’s on Main, Latte da Coffeehouse & Wine Bar and Roots Restaurant & Bar.
Cellar 55 Tasting Room – Fri, Nov 14 Five Star Cellars’ wine club fall release party from 5-8 pm. Not a member? Folks receive free tastings, appetizers & 20% off the first purchase of Five Star Cellars wine if you join Friday night. Also on Friday, listen to bluegrass band, Tried & Blue, perform from 6:30-8:30 pm while enjoying Farm to Fire Pizza for purchase from 5-9 pm. Come back on Sun, Nov 16 from 3-6 pm when Grape-ful Women will be hosting their Third Annual Wine and Toys event. $15 per ticket includes wine, food and an entry to win a Christmas tree. Attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped gift or gift card for a child. This event supports Family Solutions. RSVP deadline was Nov 12th but it doesn’t hurt to make a last-minute inquiry. Now open at noon Wed-Sun.
Charlie’s Bistro – Fri, Nov 14 – Old school crooners Boy & Bean share their love for prohibition-era jazz from 7:30-9:30 pm. Charlie’s has a great deal for wine lovers every Monday-50% off all bottles of wine $50 and under. Plus Saturday is always Flight Night from 4-10 pm.
East Fork Cellars – Hours for pouring their award-winning wines have been reduced to noon-5 pm on Sat for the winter months but folks can enjoy the new partnership with Gallery 360 in the same space, as well.
Evergreen Wine Cellar typically hosts a Friday night tasting from 5-8 pm for $5 per person but has several special tastings scheduled for the month of November. Contact Pam for her e-mail blast. Fri, Nov 21 will be wines specially-chosen for the Thanksgiving table.
The Grant House – Reserve your space sooner than later for their annual Sugar Plum Tea on Sat, Dec 6 from 1-3 pm. $30 for adults, $15 for 12 and under. Ballerinas from the Columbia Dance Production of The Nutcracker will be a special treat. Obviously not a wine-friendly event but The Grant House certainly upkeeps a nice wine selection in a cozy, historic establishment.
La Bottega– Terrific casual Italian dining with a wine list to complement each flavor profile. Tuesday night wines under $50 are 50% off and wines over $50 are discounted $25. Excellent way to enjoy some premium wines with their locally-focused menu. Wine tasting every Wednesday night from 5-7 pm. $12 includes four tastings and antipasti. Featuring Portuguese wines the entire month of November. Mark your calendar for their Sun, Dec 7 Wine Dinner pairing foods with Small Vineyards wine-an importer specializing in small Mediterranean wines.
Latte da Coffeehouse & Wine Bar – Their monthly wine tasting event (Thurs, Nov 20) will feature Thanksgiving dinner wine pairing suggestions beginning at 4 pm. Fri, Nov 21 Latte da will host a Sip and Paint event. $45 includes a glass of wine and all the materials necessary to create your own take
Niche Wine Bar has some great holiday events coming up including their annual Port tasting on Christmas eve
-home masterpiece in a bright and cheery space.
Niche Wine Bar – Keep some dates open. This cozy wine bar designed for wine enthusiasts is hosting their annual Beaujolais release party on Sat, Nov 29, bubble sampling on Mon, Dec 8 and their annual Port tasting on Christmas Eve from 4-8 pm. Features: 30+ pours available six days a week and a staff who knows their wine all in a relaxed atmosphere with walls decorated in local artists’ work. Live entertainment every Saturday night.
Willem’s on Main – Just celebrated their one year anniversary a couple weeks ago. Time flies! Excellent happy hour Tues-Sat from 4:30-6 pm to enjoy with their carefully-prepared wine list, 50% off bottles under $40 on Tuesdays. Next 4-course Prime Rib dinner will be Sun, Dec 14. Detailed menu and featured winery TBA. Reservations required.
North Vancouver
Farrar’s Bistro – Stop into this Felida neighborhood restaurant and see how Farrar’s knocks the sox off its guests with unique appetizers like gorgonzola cheesecake and comfort food like smoked bbq meatloaf. Why not complete the cozy blanket feel with a bold sauvignon blanc or big fat zinfandel?
Hudson’s Bar and Grill – Inside the Heathman Lodge near Westfield Shopping Center. How could sipping a warming glass of wine at a cozy fireside table with soft piano music playing in the background not sound good this weekend? Come find your own spot under the massive Northwest logs and enjoy ‘Hudson’s Hour’ from 4-6 pm. You could do a lot worse than a place boasting Maryhill Winery as their house wine.
Village Vineyard – Sat, Nov 15-Hosting live music by a solo guitarist from 2-5 pm. Check out my recent detailed post about this gorgeous destination winery. Normal tasting room hours: Sat noon-6 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm.
North County
Confluence Vineyards and Winery – Sat, Nov 15-Confluence is celebrating their 6th anniversary from 12-5pm with live music, food pairings, barrel tasting and wine specials. They’ll also be releasing their 2012 Syrah for the first time to wine club members. This Syrah starts with smoke and finishes with beautiful chocolate notes- a gorgeous evolution from beginning to end. Sat, Nov 22 – Local favorite, Matt Brown, is back from Nashville and playing from 2-5 pm. Confluence will be closed during the Thanksgiving Weekend Clark County wine tour so come grab some of your favorites beforehand.
Tasting room hours Sat-Sun noon-5 pm.
Koi Pond Cellars – Sat, Nov 15 from 5-7 pm live music by Adrian Martin. Mural and artwork by resident artist, Micah Boylan, graces the walls. Happy hour Wed-Fri from 4-7 pm. Live music often scheduled on Saturday nights from 5-7 pm. Open Wed-Sun.
Gougér Cellars – Thur, Nov 20 from 6-9 pm Gary will be pouring his wines at the Ridgefield Shorty’s Nursery location Ladies Night event. Fri, Nov 21 – A Sharon’s Paint & Pour event beginning at 6 pm. All the supplies needed plus your first glass of wine is included in the $40 fee. Special pricing for couples. Wed-Sun enjoy Gary’s award-winning wine line up with some non-alcoholic ice creams or food options that go beyond small bites. Live music some weekends.
Bethany Vineyards – Tasting their consistently elegant wines Fri and Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm. Walt’s currently experimenting successfully with a Russian grape- golubok-that’s growing well in our area.
Three Brothers Vineyard – Recently released two new wines – their 2011 Sangiovese Reserve would be an excellent choice to warm up during our bitter cold snap. Come out to take advantage of their Fall wine sale still in process. Tasting hours Fri 1-6 pm, Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm.
Pomeroy Cellars – Thurs, Dec 4 – and all other Thur through the month of December, Pomeroy will be open 5-9 pm with $4.75 glass pours, dinner-for-purchase and a game night. Sat, Dec 6 – 3:30-6 pm will be a do-it-yourself holiday gift and decoration party. The $50 fee will include all supplies and wine. Open Sat & Sun each weekend. Wed, Dec 31 – No plans for New Year’s Eve? The first 40 people to sign up will be spending it with Dan & Destiny beginning at 6 pm. $100 includes dinner for two, a bottle of Pomeroy Cellars wine and live music.
Moulton Falls Winery – Fri, Nov 14 – $5 on select glasses of wine from 4-9 pm, dinner from 5-8:30 pm and entertainment from 6-9 pm by Bobby Greer who boasts a musical relationship with Elvis among others. Sat, Nov 15 – From 1-5 pm, come meet local author, Spike Walker, who’s writings inspired the TV show “The Deadliest Catch” and the movie “The Guardian.” Live musical performance from 6-9 pm by Grammy award-guitarist, Doug Smith, and his wife, Judy Koch-Smith. With cooler days upon us, Moulton Falls has switched out their Sunday special from Sangria to glühwein (German-inspired hot spiced wine). Come enjoy a cup from noon-6 pm.
Heisen House Vineyards introduced two new wines at their Oct Crush Festival. If you weren’t there, check out their 2012 Sangiovese and 2012 Syrah this weekend. Open Sat noon-6 pm, Sun noon-5 pm.
Olequa Cellars – Next wine tasting will be Fri, Nov 28-Sun, Nov 30 for the Thanksgiving weekend Clark County wine frenzy along with several other area wineries. Wines by the bottle or by the glass.
Rusty Grape Vineyards – Wed, Dec 3 – Hosting Ladies Night from 6-9 pm complete with locally-sourced shopping. Check out their newly released Chocolate Syrah Port, sipping chocolate and vin chaud during this frigid spell. The tasting room is toasty thanks to the full-on move of their wood-fired pizza oven. Wednesday is 2 wood-fired pizzas for $15 and, beginning Nov 5 through the end of the year, a portion of Wednesday proceeds will go to a local charity. Thursday brings Thirsty Thursday from 4:3-6:30 pm with special prices on wines, beer and food and Sunday they do it again from noon-3 pm. Something’s always going on at the Grape. Open Wed-Sun.
Emanar Cellars – Sat, Nov 15 – Stop by from 6-8 pm to hear the classical crossover guitarist, David Rogers, who’s been written up in The Washington Post and New York Times. This weekend’s featured local wine is Bethany Vineyard’s 2010 Petit Syrah. Pair their Spanish wines with Spanish tapas Thur-Sat from 4-9 pm.
Pasta GiGi’s – Kathy is always cooking up a weekend special to go with her ever-expanding wine list and this weekend she’s taken my favorite dish, Crespelle, and put an anticipated fall twist on it; “butternut squash with a sage cream sauce, sautéed kale, wild mushrooms, and asparagus.” Amazing, fresh Italian food with a passionate wine staff like Lindsey and Kathryn– a pairing made in Heaven.
The little white house occupied by C’est La Vie Crêperie is just cozy, cozy, cozy
C’est La Vie Crêperie – Wine-O Wednesday is marked by $1 off mimosas, spritzers and wines by the glass. Keri gives people an excuse to drink wine with the most important meal of the day – breakfast. Perfectly-flavored mimosas with such inspirations as French toast with mixed berry compote and chantilly creme. Très bon. Open Tue-Sat 8 am-3 pm.
East County
Vinotopia – Located inside Cascade Park’s Cinetopia, Vinotopia has received Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence for the last five years. Aside from the dizzying array of wines by the bottle, guests can enjoy ½ off bottles of wines on Wednesdays and tastes or glasses of wine from a selection of over 100 daily. Pair that with their Tightwad Tuesday pasta buffet or live music from 6-10 pm every Sat in their dining room and you have a no-fail date night.
Roots Restaurant & Bar– My purée of cauliflower soup with spaghetti sauce and chanterelle mushroom entrée last weekend was over the moon. An extensive list of quality wines by the glass or bottle are showcased. From Cakebread to Domaine Drouhin to L’Ecole, you’d be hard-pressed to choose wrong and from 3-6 pm Mon-Fri and 9-11 pm Fri-Sat, pair your selection with locally-inspired happy hour bites.
English Estate Winery – Fri, Nov 14 – Be entertained by the sounds of John Jamieson, and a spaghetti dinner with dessert. Music and food begin at 6 p.m. Wed, Nov 19 beginning at 6:30 pm Rebecca’s Collections will offer a Wine About Painting event. “$40 includes a glass of wine, appetizers and all the tools you need.” Thur, Nov 20 – English Estate will be pouring their wines at the Mill Plain Shorty’s Nursery for their annual Holiday Ladies Night event from 6-9 pm. The only winery open Monday from 4:30-7 pm with $5 glasses of wine to start your week off right.
Birch Street Uptown Lounge – Come out this Sunday to see what’s up Dennis’s sleeves for his weekly wine flight pouring beginning at 4 pm. Live music every Fri and Sat night beginning at 8 pm to accompany classic cocktails, a thoughtful wine list and small bites.
Krystal’s Champagne Lounge – Wed, Nov 19 presenting wines by Walla Walla’s own Basel Cellars paired with light appetizers from 6-8 pm. $40 per person. Reservations required.
The Puffin Café floats along the port in Washougal. They have a limited and, quite frankly, not great wine selection but, if you’re in the mood to feel the island vibe without leaving town – and who couldn’t use a dose of the islands in this frigid weather – this is the place to be (they have indoor seating). Their food menu is tantalizing and their wait staff is genuine.
**If you like what you’re reading, follow Corks & Forks by clicking the ‘Follow’ button on the bottom right-hand corner or follow Corks & Forks (News/Media Website) on Facebook.
Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.