Best Wineries near Seattle

I'm from California so when I think of wine country, I think of Napa Valley, but my husband calls Woodinville "wine country" where we have found some excellent wines, wineries and tasting rooms.  The unique thing about Woodinville is you get to meet all of the wine makers, hear their story and listen to how passionate they are about their wine.

JM Cellars- This is the closest it comes to Napa Valley in Washington.  The JM Cellars property is gorgeous from the meticulous landscaping to the beautiful decor inside.  There is a wood burning firepit as you walk in to the tasting room which is lit up with candles and features chunky wood decor with mirrors and lanterns covering the walls. 

JM is a family owned winery run by husband and wife, John and Peggy.  They have put their whole life into making JM a reality and have done an excellent job.  JM usually has a Chardonnay that is very tasty and has several red wine varietals that are very pleasant.  This is a must check out place in Woodinville.  Also a perfect venue for events, my husband and I are actually planning to have a joint birthday party there together.

Mark Ryan- Mark Ryan is a very well-known winemaker and does a fantastic job at it.  He has a tasteful and alternative decorated tasting room in Woodinville with rock posters on the wall and a showcase motorcycle in the middle of the room.  Mark also has a wonderful Chardonnay and the best red wines.  He names his wines after Pearl Jam songs.  Some of our favorites include Lonely Heart and Dead Horse.

Sparkman Cellars- Sparkman is a small tasting room with beautiful art on the walls and is very family friendly.  They offer juice boxes for the kids and have a play area in the corner with books, toys and a coloring table.  Very nice when you bring your two year old along wine tasting with you.  The staff is over the top nice and fun as well.  They have a large variety of wines and my husbands favorite is Kingpin, a big yummy cab.

Novelty Hill/Januik- I wouldn't say Novelty Hill/Januik has the best wines, but the venue is super cool.  It is very urban and modern including a neat gas fireplace on the wall and a fun bocci court outside.  The tasting room is big and they offer really good wood fire pizza.  This is the perfect place to go on a sunny day, get a group together and sit outside with a few bottles of wine and some pizza.  You can enjoy the beautiful scenery, watch folks place bocci ball and sip your wine in the sun.  A very nice overall experience.