Palouse Winery

I have always loved exploring new areas and trying new things, but when I have visitors in town, I really take the role of tour guide very seriously!! While I know initially people are visiting to see me [to catch up and what not] I know they are also visiting the town/state where I happen to be at the time. I feel like they want to see the area too. To those people who have visited, you know that I'm up for the challenge. I would say that my friend from back home [and mentor from Nanticoke Memorial Hospital] Katie Gordy fits this bill better than most!! She is visiting this week, and boy do I have a packed itinerary for us!! There is a new winery [or four] that just so happen to be smack dab in the middle of our tour!! Hahaha  

Let’s go ahead and do some island hopping on just a couple of the 419 plus islands located on the Puget Sound!! I know it "sounds" [no pun intended.. haha] a little daunting, but only about a dozen of these islands are inhabited. More than half of those being privately owned and occupied so they not open to the public. It was customary back in this day and time, in order to honor a person you admired, you named a new discovery after them. So, when Captain George Vancouver discovered the island back in 1792, he named it after James Vashon, an esteemed colleague.

To this day there is no bridge to take you there, as they are trying to preserve the rural character and isolation of the area and the island. So, Katie and I jump into Steele, and head to the Ferry that will take us all across part of the Puget Sound over to Vashon-Maury Island!! It has the added name of Maury to it because Maury Island is a little “appendage” island off of Vashon Island and only accessible [by car] when you are actually on Vashon Island. The only way you use to able to get to Maury Island was during low tide. Now it is connected by an isthmus [that term takes me back to high school!! LOL] built up by the locals back in 1913.

Vashon is 13 miles long and at its widest, 4 miles across. This makes up the 37 square miles of residential, commercial, and agriculture property on the island. The ferry ride with beautiful and if you can believe it [being in the PNW] we had a little rain on the way!! Haha!! However, our spirits were not to be dampened.. [in fact, we had a lot of rainy, overcast weather during Katie’s visit and we didn't melt!! LOL] After reaching the island our first winery stop was Palouse Winery. They had a beautiful little patio [as seen in the photo above] and we had the place all to ourselves!!

Palouse Winery was founded by George and Linda Kirkish in 2003. Prior to taking this new direction in their lives, they raised four children and ran a contracting business for an airline. They started out buying about half a ton of Cabernet Franc Grapes from Yakima and they have never looked back!! George and Linda named their winery after the Palouse region, a large area that includes parts of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. The territory was named after the Palus Indian tribe and when it was combined with the French word “pelous” [which means short, thick grass] they came up with Palouse.  

Once they stated on this path, they took classes regularly and sought expert advice at the UC Davis oenology [meaning study of wine] program. In the beginning of 2005, George and Linda were able to expand the winery and they moved to the location where Katie and I have now stopped to visit to enjoy the island life drink some wine. Haha!! They produce about 1,400 cases of wine each year. They have been named “Best Puget Sound Winery” of the year, as well as numerous other medals.

 Our Wi

Palouse Winery has a lot more to offer than just their passion for making delicious wines and the breathtaking scenery at their tasting room. You can have a private party, go listen to live music, and there are more activities listed on their calendar of events!! It is definitely worth a ride across the ferry!!

If you want to continue on this epic winery journey with Steele, Katie, and I... tune in next week!! Wine with Wixy will be stopping by another winery and tasting room located right here on Vashon Island!!

Cheers to you my wine loving friends, and TTFN!!