Westport Winery’s Little Wild Blackberry Riesling earned 94-points and the Chairman’s Trophy at the 2016 Ultimate Beverage Challenge held in New York in early June. Winemaker Dana Roberts said, “This is that perfect blend of blackberries with our Red Willow Vineyard Riesling.”
Little Wild was the first fruit blend created by the winery when it was founded in 2008. For years its label featured the family’s Chow Chow Khalis playing the role of the little wild bear. With this vintage, the next generation of Chows, Lulu and Curzon, reprise the role of the bear, or as they are known around the garden estate, the role of Tibetan Swamp Pandas. A portion of the proceeds from this wine benefits Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties Master Gardeners. A sculpture by South Bend artist Warren Heathers features a little bear gorging on blackberries while sitting on a tapestry of thyme in the resort’s 15-acre display gardens.
Pineapple Express earned 91-points and a gold medal at this prestigious competition. This wine, an homage to the Roberts’ family roots on Maui, is a blend of pineapple and Red Willow Vineyard Gewurztraminer. The label features an original watercolor of bird-of-paradise by Darryl Easter. A portion of the proceeds from this wine benefits the YMCA of Grays Harbor. A sculpture commemorating this wine created by Peggy Kala Hubacker features the Hawaiian goddess of wind near the tasting room’s entrance.
Westport Winery was named 2011 Washington Winery to Watch by Wine Press Northwest. They have been voted Best Winery by King 5 Evening Magazine for six of the past eight years. They were named the Best Washington Family Business Silver Medal winners in 2012, received the Grays Harbor Environmental Stewardship Award in 2015, and were name Best Winery, Best Wine Shop, and Best Boutique Winery for 2016 by South Sound Magazine.
Westport Winery Garden Resort is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. The winery (including the restaurant, bakery, nursery and gardens) is open daily offering lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.