Woodinville’s first winery opened in 1976. Since then, the town has borne the fruit of dozens upon dozens of wineries and tasting rooms. It’s a mini-escape just 15 miles northeast of Seattle but still manages to feel a world away. February brings scores of special dinners and deals, but after the Valentine’s Day rush, you’ll likely find a mellow destination for tasting, touring and sleeping over.

Woodinville boasts four wine districts, each with clusters of wineries, tasting rooms, breweries and more. First-time visitors might focus their efforts on the Hollywood district, with brief forays to downtown and the warehouse district. The town is known for its reds, but you’ll find plenty of other options, too.

Hollywood district is a walkable knot of wineries in historic stand-alone buildings, converted businesses and contemporary strip-mall structures — enough to fill a day, and then some. As a bonus, it’s also within steps of one of the region’s best hotels.

Many Woodinville wines are grown in Washington AVAs. Stop by the Maryhill Winery to familiarize yourself with several AVAs’ terroir (soil and environment). Inside the former 1912 school known as Hollywood Schoolhouse — yes, it inspired the district’s name — you won’t miss the enormous interior mural and soil samples. Try a tasting at the bar or while seated in the historic, high-ceilinged ballroom.

Then stroll the elegant Chateau Ste. Michelle’s parklike, wooded 105 acres, your steps accompanied by music piped through speakers. The interior offers a curated gift shop, tasting room and daily menu. Unique winery experiences include a twilight rental of a waterproof igloo, complete with a gourmet charcuterie board, glassware and two bottles of wine.  

DeLille Cellars, a top American producer of Bordeaux-style blends, gathers grapes from Washington vineyards — earning 800 individual 90+ ratings from top international critics. Visit the Lounge at DeLille to belly up to a blazing bar, sample wines, and nosh on shareable plates like duck confit poutine or upscale nachos featuring candied jalapeños and cipollini balsamic béchamel.

Mark Ryan Winery offers wine in an approachable atmosphere for wine experts and novices alike, featuring the owner’s motorcycle collection and rock concert posters — songs and artists have even influenced some of the winery’s bottles. Nearby, Purple Cafe and Wine Bar is one of the town’s oldest places for fine wining and dining. Monday and Wednesday nights’ meal-for-two specials feature pasta or fried chicken with the goods.  

Dozens of wineries and restaurants compete for attention — other popular picks include JM Cellars’ “Bramble Bump,” featuring a 7-acre arboretum wrapping around the tasting room. Other tasting rooms roll out events such as a March pop-up food and wine class at Pepper Bridge Winery; check the Woodinville Wine Country’s events page for yoga and wine, crafting, book exchanges, food trucks, live music and more.

But suppose you’re not really into wine, at all. Seven breweries, six distilleries, and one cidery are on offer, too. Woodinville Whiskey Company presents a tasting room and distiller-led 45-minute tours by reservation. Just next door, the circa-1947 Hollywood Tavern feels like an upscale hideaway, with dark wood paneling, a cozy interior and warming entrees.

A day of tasting and driving don’t mix, so plan to spend the night. At the heart of the wine-tasting experience since 2003, Willows Lodge’s 84 rooms are just over the whimsical Dragonfly Sculpture Bridge. Those sleeping over can hop on complimentary bikes for a ride along the 26-mile-long, paved Sammamish River/Burke-Gilman Trail.

Or stroll the hotel’s gardens featuring artwork (grab a front-desk pamphlet to find them all), warm your bones in the sauna and take a dip in the steaming outdoor hydrotherapy pool. Use the private fireplaces and deep soaking tubs to relax before winter warm-up drinks (and live music on weekends) at Fireside Lounge.

The Barking Frog is a Northwest institution with fare plucked from Ecolibrium Farms just down the road — even in winter. Menus update seasonally, and the monthly special tasting menu changes but incorporates playful takes and wine pairings from new Barking Frog executive chef Dylan Herrick. An example: “Exploration of Carrot,” which offers the sweet root veggie in raw, roasted, preserved and crunchy forms.

The following day, wake for excellent baked goods at the brand-new Tarte, including breakfast croissants, breads and pastries. The petite shop also offers housemade hummus, cheeses and sausage, along with a small gift shop of gourmet foodie items and housewares.

Woodinville’s other districts are worth a next-day visit for the wine-obsessed. After all, the Warehouse District purportedly offers “more boutique wineries per square foot than any wine region in the world.”

The warehouse district is a section of a light-industrial area devoted to tasting rooms and near Woodinville’s other primary hotel, a Hampton Inn and Suites. While the area looks and feels like a series of warehouses, it’s also very walkable, with dozens of cellars, distilleries and breweries clustered together. Some provide outdoor seating, cheese plates and handsome interiors — and if you don’t like the wine or atmosphere of one, there’s another next door.  

Downtown, you’ll want to seek out Woodin Creek Village, a new walkable urban development with retail on the first level and apartments and condos above. You’ll find 11 tasting rooms, one of the town’s most popular breakfast joints (Rusty Pelican Cafe), restaurants and ice cream/acai shops.

Keep an eye on the area, though — the newer schoolhouse district promises a “Wine Walk Row” with curated tasting rooms. When it comes to wine, Woodinville (and its fans) just can’t get enough. Other new tasting rooms and mixed-use developments are rolling out as well.

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