Standing proudly as the jewel of the Northwest, Seattle is a visually stunning city with more than enough to offer any vacation goer. Incorporated in 1869, Seattle was an up-and-coming lumber producing town of just 2,000 people. With the discovery of coal nearby, and the establishment of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Seattle underwent a population boom in the 1880’s gaining almost a thousand new residents per month. In 1889, a massive fire almost derailed the city, but the opposite took place. A renewed effort toward civic improvement left the city in better standing than it was before the fire. Seattle currently has a population of over 240,000 and is the center of culture and commerce for the region.
Seattle is nestled between the waters of Puget Sound and Lake Washington, and tucked away in the shadows of the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges. This gives you panoramic vistas no matter where you look. You’ll find a mild marine climate that encourages the vast rainforests of the area to flourish. You’ll find just about everything you can imagine when it comes to Seattle activities. From whale watching to live sporting events, they have it all! The arts and culture in the city are vibrant and diverse with multiple shows, galleries, museums and events. For dining and nightlife, you’ll find plenty of unique restaurants, diners, clubs, bars and live entertainment venues. Seattle is also home to some of the finest events and festivals in the country, like the Taste Washington event in late March/early April.
Taste Washington is the ultimate way to experience the best cuisine and libations from all over the Northwest. For nearly two decades this event has brought thousands of people into Seattle from all over the region. With over 220 different wineries and 70 restaurants, there is something here for every palate. You’ll even get the chance to participate in seminars where you can gain in-depth knowledge about different wines, vineyards, and much more. Make your next getaway one you won't soon forget and head to Seattle for Taste Washington. ResortsandLodges.com got the opportuntity to interview Kauilani Robinson, Event Representatvie from Visit Seattle, to talk about the event.
RAL: Tell me a little bit about the event.
KR: We are proud to be entering into the 19th year of Taste Washington. Our event is the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event. Seattle’s premier culinary experience, Taste Washington will feature more than 225 wineries, 70 Pacific Northwest restaurants, and 60 culinary exhibitors from across the region for the ultimate four-day epicurean experience.
The event continues to gain popularity and this year we are expecting over 5,000 attendees. People come to Seattle from all over the state and the Northwest to participate in our event. Plus, you won't find many other wine events that will have well over 200,000 pours throughout the course of the event. Taste Washington is held from March 31st to April 3rd, and each event takes place at its own venue:
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Red & White Party at AQUA by El Gaucho
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The New Vintage at Motif Seattle
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Seminars at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
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The Grand Tasting at CenturyLink Field Event Center.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
KR: Now in its 19th year, Taste Washington started in 1998 with the vision of sharing Washington’s distinctive wine and culinary experience with the nation. From its humble beginnings, the event has quickly grown to become the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event. This annual exhibition truly showcases the unique culinary offerings of Washington State.
Another aspect that sets this event apart from others is that we strive to be environmentally friendly. Some of the steps we will be taking include: recycling all empty wine bottles, recycling any wine glasses left behind by guests, providing composting stations in each of our tasting pods for easy access by each restaurant and posting recycling stations throughout the event.
RAL: Take me through the activities people will find at the event.
KR: Here is a breakdown of what people will encounter:
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The red & white party: Now in its third year, the red & white party is the perfect way to kick-off and uncork Taste Washington events. Held at AQUA by El Gaucho on March 31, this elegant event provides attendees with pours of vintage library wines, one-of-a-kind barrel samples and reserve wines.
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Taste Washington on the Farm: Taste Washington on the Farm serves up three unique culinary excursions on April 1, giving participants the opportunity to get mud on their boots to visit local farms and meet the people who grow, produce and create the gourmet, artisanal products from the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Each unique excursion pairs a local chef, a Washington winemaker and a Pacific NW farmer. Excursions included day-trips to Mountain Lodge Farm in Eatonville, WA; Seattle Tilth’s Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands; and to an 18-acre farm run by Trellis Chef Brian Scheehser in in Woodinville, WA.
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The New Vintage: Geared toward the up-and-coming wine lover and aficionado, The New Vintage is held at downtown Seattle’s distinctive Motif Seattle on April 1. Featuring a Rosé Lounge, the musical styling of DJ Tina T and perfectly paired bites from an all-star culinary line-up. Now in its second year, The New Vintage features pours from more than 45 wineries and chef stations from Executive Chef Jason Stratton, Mamnoon; Chef de Cuisine Stuart Lane, Spinasse and Artusi; Chef Derek Ronspies, Cochon; Executive Chef Steven Ariel, Trace and Chef Shota Nakajima, Naka.
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Taste Washington Seminars: Hosted at Four Seasons Seattle Hotel on April 2 and 3, Taste Washington Seminars offer participants an educational, entertaining and enlightening experience into the world of wine. Each seminar is led top national wine personalities, sommeliers and producers to dive headfirst into what makes Washington State a world class winegrowing region. Seminar experiences include tastings and interactive panels covering topics ranging from the rise of Riesling, an exploration of Cabernet and much more!
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The Grand Tasting: Taste Washington’s events culminate with the largest event spanning two days. Held in CenturyLink Event Center on April 2 and 3, The Grand Tasting features more than 225 Washington wineries and 70 Pacific Northwest restaurants. Serving up the latest and greatest of Washington State wine varietals and culinary offerings, The Grand Tasting is the best way to wrap up the Taste Washington weekend. At the dessert bar, the Fonte Coffee Lounge will offer samples of fresh-brewed coffee, handcrafted espresso beverages and cold brew on tap. The Alaska Chef Stage will host various live chef demonstrations from an all-star culinary line-up.
RAL: What can attendees expect to find for local lodging?
KR: There are 14 downtown Seattle hotels are offering Taste Washington hotel packages for Seattle visitors to take advantage of the spectacular weekend-long schedule of events. Hotels offering Taste Washington packages include Executive Hotel Pacific, Grand Hyatt Seattle, Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Seattle, Hilton Seattle, Hotel Max, Hotel Vintage, Hyatt at Olive 8, Inn at the WAC, Mayflower Park Hotel, Mediterranean Hotel, Motif Seattle, Renaissance Seattle Hotel, Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Lake Union, Sorrento Hotel, SpringHill Suites Seattle Downtown/South Lake Union, The Fairmont Olympic Hotel, The Paramount Hotel, The Roosevelt Hotel, and Warwick Seattle Hotel. Many hotel packages include something special like free parking, a complimentary bottle of wine or breakfast.
RAL: What does the event mean to the community?
KR: This is the perfect opportunity for Northwest wineries and restaurants to show off their great creations and to gain notoriety in the region. The seminars enrich the community by providing expert knowledge and hands on experience, that is difficult to find outside the event. The extra people that we bring into the community provide a boost to the local economy. People spend money at everything from hotels to gas stations and during this time of year the extra business is welcomed.
For more information about Taste Washington, please visit their website.
Photo Credit - Kristen Marie Photography