Touring Wine Country

Interested in touring Washington Wine Country but not sure where to go? Worried about tasting and driving or getting lost? Well, fear no more . . . there are those who can help.

Several touring companies have cropped up the past few years to aid visitors in touring once you're in wine country and also companies in Seattle who can take you over. Today there are simply no excuses for not visiting.

"We want to bring tourists here to this side of the state and really offer them a chance to bond with particular wineries, and the wine they produce," said Kerry Warden of Sunset Coach Tours in Prosser.

Kerry and her husband Paul bought a beautiful limo bus originally designed by NBC to be used during the Atlantic Olympics as their VIP lounge. They offer wine country tours in the Yakima, Columbia and Walla Walla Valleys, as well as Red Mountain. Their tours are for groups of 12 or fewer specializing in personal vineyard tours, wine tastings, and winemaker dinners. Visit www.sunsetcoachtours.com for more information.

Another well established touring company is Laura LoPresti's Washington Wine Tours. Offering both private winery tours and a schedule of monthly tours, Washington Wine Tours picks up from both Seattle and within wine country.

Laura's discovery of the Wine Country came during her time working at Ray's Boathouse and later at the Washington Wine Commission. She took her growing passion for the state's flourishing wine industry and wanted to visit every winery in the state. Now she helps others do the same. Visit www.washingtonwinetours.com for for more information and a schedule of tours.

Also in Seattle, both Alki Tours and the Victoria Clipper have scheduled touring trips to Washington Wine Country. Both focus their tours around regional holiday weekends such as Red Wine and Chocolate rather than private touring.

Sacco's Ultimate Vintage Tours (SUV Tours) in Kennewick offers weekend tours in the Yakima Valley, Tri Cities Area and the Walla Walla Valley. Carmen and Denise Sacco (right) invite tour members to establish which wineries they want to include in their itinerary from a list of recommendations for each tour-package destination. Up to six wineries can be chosen, and voila! - a customized tour for your own small group.

"Wine tasting is a personal venture," insists co-owner Carmen Sacco. "You don’t have to be a wine expert to recognize and appreciate fine wine. Taste and learn for yourself which varieties satisfy your palate."

All tours include an old fashion Italian picnic lunch, bottled water and picture taking. The maximum group size is eight priced per person with a minimum group fare for small groups. For more information, visit www.saccotours.com or call the Saccos at (509) 783-7060.

There you have it folks, several options for assistance in touring Washington Wine Country.