Alexandria Nicole Cellars
I meet Jarrod & Ali Boyle, owners of Alexandria Nicole Cellars (ANC), at a Winemaker’s Dinner that I prepared about 6 years ago in Gig Harbor, hosted by Hope Moore. This was the start of a great friendship and the quick story of how I came to reside in Prosser.
On my second trip to WA Wine Country, ANC was our destination. Tricia (@wifeofchef) and I headed to Prosser for a stay with our hosts- the Boyles- up on Destiny Ridge. The weekend was packed full of vineyard tours, winery tours and a little wine tasting along the way. The one thing we expected to do here in wine country was eat some incredible local “wine country” cuisine. So I tasked Jarrod with finding us a chef-owned wine country place for all of us to have dinner. It just didn’t exist here back then. So I hit the market, picked up ingredients for dinner and headed back to the Boyle’s to cook. Jarrod invited some neighbors over- since he had a chef in the house making dinner- and the wines were opened!! Somewhere around the 4th bottle, ideas of us moving to Prosser to open a restaurant were flying and by the end of the evening the plans of a wine country restaurant were hatched. Picazo 7Seventeen’s doors opened in October 2007-but that’s another blog.
If you haven’t already heard- congratulations are in order for Jarrod & Ali as Alexandria Nicole Cellars was voted King 5’s “2009 Best of Washington Wineries” back in late October. They are currently slated to open their new tasting room in “Hollywood” Woodinville in just a couple of weeks. The tasting room will be on the first floor of the Hollywood School House, built in 1912 and renovated in the mid 90’s. This new spot will position ANC tasting room within walking distance from 15 other tasting rooms and is located just around the way from Willows Lodge and Columbia & Chateau St Michelle Wineries. ANC’s wine country tasting room is located in the birth place of Washington Wine Country, right here in Prosser, or you can always stop by the production facility to see how all the magic happens up on Destiny Ridge.
Alexandria Nicole Cellars sources fruit for their amazing wine from their Estate Vineyard- Destiny Ridge- located centrally in the Horse Heavens Hills AVA, overlooking the Columbia River. Destiny Ridge was first planted with Block “1” Syrah on October 12, 1998 with just 25 acres. Today the 327 acre Destiny Ridge is planted with 254 producing vines and 22 different varietals, including Jarrod’s favorite Cabernet Sauvignon and Ali’s, Syrah. Many of the varietals include the exocentric favorites like Petit Sirah- “Mr. Big”- and Grenache- my top pick. Glamping (glamorous camping) is a fun way to visit and experience Destiny Ridge first hand. There are three tents available to rent May through September.
Have you heard about “The Girl Next Door”, I have… there is the Roll in the Hay Chardonnay and Oo oo la la Syrah. More on ANC’s second label next time…
Comments: