Westport Winery’s Little Wild Marionberry Riesling earned a double gold medal and best of class award at the 7th Annual Cascadia International Wine Competition held in the Tri-Cities in mid-April. Director of winemaking Dana Roberts said, “I love working with the Sauer family at Red Willow Vineyard on everything we harvest there. The Riesling grapes were among our first contracts with them, so they are among my favorites.”
Little Wild features a photo by Tokeland artist Marcy Merrill of winery founders Blain and Kim Roberts Chow Chows playing the roles of the bears. A portion of the proceeds from this wine benefits the Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties Master Gardeners. A sculpture commemorating this wine by South Bend artist Warren Heathers is located on the Tapestry of Thyme in the winery’s 15-acre display garden.
Charterboat Chick, the winery’s varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, also earned a gold medal. These grapes were harvested at Mays Discovery Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and Conner-Lee Vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA. The label features a photo of Kim Roberts when she was working in the fishing industry in Westport in the 1980s. A portion of the proceeds from this wine benefits the Westport Charterboat Association. The sculpture commemorating this wine is a school of salmon carved by Dave Thompson of Ocosta.
Westport Winery Seaside received the 2019 Rising Star Award from the Seaside Chamber of Commerce. Westport Winery and the Roberts family were honored with Seattle Business Magazine’s Community Involvement Business of the Year for 2018. In 2017 the Westport Winery Garden Resort was named Greater Grays Harbor Business of the Year. USA Today named the Sea Glass Grill at Westport Winery Garden Resort one of the top five winery restaurants in the nation. The business has been voted Best Winery by King 5 Evening Magazine.
In 2016 Westport Winery was honored as one of the top twenty most-admired wineries in North America by Winery & Vineyard Management Magazine. The business earned Best Winery, Best Wine Shop, and Best Boutique Winery for 2016 by South Sound Magazine. They received the Grays Harbor Environmental Stewardship Award in 2015. They are finalist to the Best Washington Family Business competition by Seattle Business Magazine. And in 2011 they garnered Washington Winery to Watch by Wine Press Northwest.
In Oregon, Westport Winery Seaside and Seaside Kites are open daily from 11am to 6pm. To book Westport Winery Seaside Retreat (a three, king suite vacation rental) go to https://abnb.me/wm8iVGkHCT.
Family-friendly Westport Winery Garden Resort is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. The Sea Glass Grill at the resort is open daily or brunch, lunch, and dinner from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information or reservations call 360-648-2224.