Sip Northwest, Spring 2019

THE LODGE AT COLUMBIA POINT Upscale with PNW touches this riverside Richland hotel is a charmer whether enjoying wine in its classy wine bar or lounging by the fire pit watching the lights of passing boats Also onsite is the popular Drumhellers Food Drink CLOVER ISLAND INN Located on Kennewicks quaint Clover Island this nautical hotel on the Columbia River adjoins The Crows Nest Bar and Grill and is nearby other marina restaurants the Sacagawea bike trail and boat dock access and neighboring a small community of house boats CHERRY CHALET This intimate and quaint B B is found in the heart of Kennewick and gazes out at the familys cherry orchard Featuring two private couples suites opulent claw foot tubs and an outdoor fireplace the chalet also offers wine tasting in an onsite boutique winery as well as access to miles of nature trails 41 S I P N O R T H W E S T C O M TOP RIGHT PHOTO BY CROWERKS BREWS WITH HISTORY If you need a break from wine theres plenty of beer and spirits to fill your day interspersed with the citys modern history Beside Richlands B REACTOR NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK youll need to make a reservation to tour the worlds first full scale plutonium production reactor is WHITE BLUFFS BREWING named after one of the towns the government evacuated to make way for the Manhattan Project Theres a something for everyone mix of German farmhouse and Englishstyle beers in the taproom Try the Great American Beer Festival gold medal winning Red Alt alongside classic beer pairing grub from the BLUFFSTOP also known as Tom Pauls food truck In the nearby Port of Bentons city owned Tri Cities Enterprise Center is BOMBING RANGE BREWING CO which moved into the incubator in 2016 after neighboring White REST YOUR HEAD Solar Spirits Bluffs outgrew the space They pair their easy drinking beers with everything from pizza to mac cheese made in house SOLAR SPIRITS is another stop in the Center the majority of its owners coming from backgrounds in science and tech The solar powered distillery is 100 percent sustainable with the development of tracking software and the creation of a more energy efficient still Try the delightfully spicy Barrel Finished gin The Tri Cities other distillery BLACK HERON SPIRITS founded by winemaker turned distiller Joel Tefft and now owned by Mark Williams makes a variety of spirits including Lemoncello and Finn Huckleberry vodka Stop by the Richland tasting room to try the juniper forward gin brandy and a three pepper vodka You can also sample their wine label SUGAR HORSE CELLARS Though better known for its wine Tri Cities isnt short on breweries ATOMIC ALE BREWPUB EATERY is the oldest brewpub in Richland sticking with the nuclear theme The clean beers match great with a sandwich and game of Trivial Pursuit in the no frills pub Kennewicks ICE HARBOR BREWING CO has two locations the original family friendly pub and brewery is downtown while the Clover Island location boasts marina views Going for a soccer bar vibe MOONSHOT BREWING opens this spring by the former head brewer of Sunnysides SNIPES MOUNTAIN BREWERY AND RESTAURANT Ryan Wattenbarger and wife Hilary Bird Dinner at The Lodge at Columbia Point on the riverfront is a nice way to round out a trip to this unique wine region Start at the chic VINE WINE CRAFT BAR for apps and a large selection of wines from different AVAs then end at upscale DRUMHELLERS FOOD DRINK Bonus If you bring in a Washington wine thats not on their list theres no corkage fee on that first bottle l Lodge at Columbia Point