Like a lead singer with a side solo project, Ginkgo Forest Winery located on the Wahluke Slope AVA in Mattawa along the Columbia River opened a tasting room across the Cascades in Old Town Tacoma. Because owner/winemaker Mike Thiede - a scientist by training and a farmer by choice - has a noted Washington-based brand, growing apples, 900 ginkgo trees and 15 different grape varietals, including impressive Sangiovese and Barbera wine, a surprisingly tasty Pinot Noir, and plenty of gold medals, he has earned the right to open a mini Ginkgo in tiny Old Town. Then again, Thiede and his wife, Lois, received a big push by Puyallup residents Sonie and Doc Hansen to open the tasting room. The Hansens, who began as huge Ginkgo Forest Winery fans, reached "associate" status after encouraging the Thiedes to enter several wine competitions, which ended with a first place in the 2008 Ray's Boathouse Retrospective in Seattle. Soon, the Hansen were pouring Ginkgo wines at festivals. Sonie convinced the Thiedes the Old Town Tacoma location would be a winning venture. "The drive to Old Town is much easier then back and forth over the Cascades," Sonie said with a laugh.
The Ginkgo Forest Winery Tasting Room held its grand opening celebration Saturday, pouring all 15 varietals, pairing each wine with a nibble such as animal crackers, blue cheese, Parmesan popcorn and amazing Raspberry Champagne truffle, which pairs marvelously with Gingko's Raspberry Sensation port. The tasting room, located in the former Sandpiper Gallery space, is handsome with marble tabletops, olive colors, hardwood flooring and art by local renowned artist Bill Colby.
The tasting room is open Wednesday through Sunday, offering $8 and $12 cheese plates with a salami option, five 1-ounce pours for $6, $6 glass pours with water and soda pop for a nominal fee.
Ginkgo sells its whites -2008 Gewürztraminer, 2010 and 2012 Rieslings, 2012 Viognier, 2012 Ginkgo Blanco, 2012 Ginkgo Rose and 2012 Rose of Sangiovese for $15; its reds - including double gold winner 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, gold medal winner 2009 Barbera, gold medal winner 2009 Wildwood Blend, bronze winning 2009 Malbec, and the Ray's Boathouse first place winning 2008 Pinot Noir - for $15-$24. I tasted all these reds and I will taste them again.
The dessert wines range from $10 to $22 for the raspberry-flavored three-year-old port Raspberry Sensation, infused with raspberry-flavored liqueur. Seriously good.
Ginkgo also offers a wine club with exclusive opportunity to buy its 2008 Ginkgo Red, 2008 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Mourvedre and 2009 Petit Verdot.
GINKGO FOREST WINERY TASTING ROOM, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday, 2221 N. 30th St., Tacoma, 253.301.4372