Growing up in Whatcom County, I was acutely aware of the growing potential for berries, mainly strawberries. At the ripe age of 10, I was loaded onto a weary school bus, along with many of my schoolmates, and transported to the middle of nowhere to work in strawberry fields.
I may never be able to look at a box of local berries without remembering my berry career — but my view of the region has changed drastically. These days I appreciate the “middle of nowhere” for the bounty of farm-fresh food it provides.
A key element to my change of heart is the addition of vineyards and the creation of the Puget Sound wine region in 1995. Amazingly enough, our local wine region is part of Washington’s only official American Viticultural Area (AVA) west of the Cascades, and it’s responsible for about 1% of all the grapes grown in the state. And, as you may have guessed, this historical AVA is also the state’s coolest and wettest growing region.
With such a small percentage of grapes able to grow in such unfavorable conditions, who in their right mind would want to start a vineyard? Perhaps a family with fertile land, ideal south-facing slopes and the knowledge to make things grow.
This family exists, and their winery is Van Vino Vineyard in Blaine.
The winery is located in the heart of berry country, on a hill overlooking green pastures. During my visit, I was welcomed by Zach and Barb Deloof, the duo behind the vineyards. There’s quite a history attached to Van Vino — but instead of rewriting that which has already been (well) written by Dan Radil for Great Northwest Wine, this column focuses on what I tried at the winery.
First up was the 2021 Madeleine Angevine ($14). I was pretty impressed with the “Mad Ang” — as Zach called it — and its purity and balance. The floral aromas are delicate, the wine is crisp and clean with a nice dry finish. The simplicity of the Mad Ang is what makes it so easy to enjoy.
Another wine to come off the estate is the 2022 Siegerrebe ($14; pronounced zee-geh-RAY-buh). This beautiful wine showcases the potential of that 1% — it’s complex with intense aromas, shimmering gold colors, tropical fruit notes and just a touch of sweetness. The next time you’re craving Thai, Indian or Vietnamese food, have a bottle or two of this on hand.
The last estate wine Deloof poured was the 2021 Zweigelt ($28; pronounced TSVYE-gelt), which is the red grape workhorse of Austria. This wine convinced me that Van Vino has captured the essence of the region’s local varietals deliciously. The wine is Pinot Noir-like but dotted with lively dashes of freshly cracked pepper and bright notes of cranberry and pomegranate. Next Thanksgiving, serve this — your guests will be thankful.
The line-up of wines at Van Vino is quite extensive and Deloof is still in the stages of “seeing what sticks.” One wine he’s particularly excited about is the Estate Pinot Noir, which will be released next year. In the meantime, I highly encourage you to see for yourself just how great our 1% of Washington’s grapes are by visiting Van Vino at 9029 Markworth Road in Blaine.
Van Vino tastings are by appointment only. Wines are available for purchase online or at the winery. Info: vanvinovineyard.com.
Katie Bechkowiak owned Vinostrology wine bar in downtown Bellingham from 2013–19. If you have wine suggestions for her monthly column, contact vinostrology@gmail.com.
