Electrifying the Woodinville Warehouse District; II Vintners

By Emily Popp

Two Vintners is located in the Warehouse District of Woodinville. If you drove by at a time when no one was around, when the winemakers and staff were asleep in their beds, and the doors of the winery were closed and locked, you probably wouldn't know it was there. But when Two Vintners host a release party, well, you can't miss it.

The warehouse garage doors were rolled up out of the way, and in their place a band stood, strumming guitars and singing unique melodies: one about working the bottling line and another written for the “harvest widows” when their spouses were adrift in the toils of winemaking season.

Beside the wine-mused musicians: a sizzling grill. And from it flowed saucy spiced shrimp and pulled pork. Event attendees gladly turned over their “Two Vintners Grub” ticket for two succulent tacos and topped them with their choice garnish.

While crowds enjoyed the music and sun that poured over their parking lot party, others mingled inside where wine barrels were propped up as pouring stations. Yes, there was fun, but there was also learning: The wines are killer! Noted? Ok, here are my two favorites.

Exhibit A: The Grenache Blanc; a quite uncommon white beauty amongst Washington winemakers indeed.  Though, the Washington wine-drinkers can’t get enough. Apparently it sold out shockingly fast last year – let’s hope Winemaker Morgan Lee has stepped up its production so there will be more merry to go around. Melon, pineapple, sunshine.

Exhibit B: Zinfandel! Yes we’re skipping right up to the big boy on the block. Looks tough, intimidating, and mean, I know. He’s not. Though bold in fruit jam flavor and alcohol percent too (16.7%), this Zin is balanced and smooth and downright sexy. Blackberry, tobacco, cinnamon.

The packed room of aficionados swirled their wines while little reflections of disco ball light swirled the room. One-of-a-kind blueprints of famous works of art adorned the walls in hand-cast frames and a motion picture of some film or another projected onto the back wall curtain. It was a stimulating scene, abuzz with conversation and laughter.

This was a community, diverse in many ways, but united by a belief in this product of the times. While some drink the wine of old with reverence and nostalgia, others are here enjoying the evolution of the wine scene. The sunshine fades away outside leaving it to the hanging filament bulbs and red wine to warm the ambiance as the souvenir bottles are wrapped up, one by one.

There is a vibe that you feel when you’re at Two Vintners—you couldn't feel it anywhere else. From the character-driven wines, to the swirls of light, to the navy gray artadorned walls and the crowd that fills the space between, this is a place where 22 year olds fall in love with wine for the first time, and where 77 year olds fall in love with wine again. There’s no pretense—just pure, authentic, creative talent. It’s a gift to the world, signed Morgan Lee.

Posted in: 2 Vintners,best warehouse wineries Woodinville,Emily Popp,II Vintners,Morgan Lee winemaker,Woodinville warehouse wineries