Skip to main content

Event Review: Taste of Tulalip

photo


Guest post by Juli Crompe.

It has been a while since I've reviewed an event, but I am starting back up with a winner!

Taste of Tulalip was earlier this month, always the second weekend in November. I can honestly say it is THE best event I've been to.

Tulalip doesn't win the best hospitality award; having a line stretching outside to the parking lot, with guests waiting in the cold (and no coat check!). Not to mention they had stanchions set up which would have held a lot more people in the check-in line, in the warm tent, which they weren't using. A bit disappointing. But that is where the disappointment ends.
Walking in you were immediately greeted by tables of wine in the hallway. They were well labeled with large signs describing the various countries and states showcased. This year, Washington, Oregon, California, France and Spain were the wine regions involved. Even a wide variety of breweries from the US, Belgium and Germany were featured. This event really had it all.

Although it was a last minute decision to attend, I still managed to review the list of wineries in advance, key to setting a game plan. With this event, research was needed. Even so, I found myself lost in a sea of absolutely incredible wines.

Pro Tip 1: Chat with people when tasting a wine you like (and they like!). This often leads to recommendations from them about other wines at the event. This helped me find some hidden gems I probably would have passed by.

Pro Tip 2: Unlike most wine events, this one is filled with higher end wines not often associated with any other tasting events. Such as: Quilceda Creek (WA), Leonetti Cellar (WA), Domaine Serene (OR) and Nicolas Feuillate (France), just to name a few. Seek these out early as they often pour out before the end ends! This is the wine connoisseur's wine event.

Here is a sampling of some of the amazing wines I enjoyed:









Getting the last pour of Betz, around 5pm!




Tulalip is also known for their amazing food and this event was no exception. While the lines were long, there were many food stations throughout the event serving everything from lamb, seafood and buffalo to dessert and more. The food was superb.




Although this is one of the more expensive wine events in the area...and a bit of a drive, it is definitely worth it.

Pro Tip 3Tulalip offers packages for this event which include a room for a night. Something I highly recommend since there are so many things to do after the event including dancing, restaurants, bars (if you still can drink!), and more.

Make a weekend of it next year! If you are considering Taste of Tulalip, book now, as rooms sell out well in advance! As do many of their events.

Trust me, you won't regret it.

- Juli

Juli Crompe is a Non-profit Event Planner, Wine/Event Blogger and Wannabe World Traveler. She has a passion for travel, sustainability, great happy hours, her puppy and laughter. You can follow Juli on twitter @JKCevents

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle must

My Current State of Wine

"Do I still work in the wine industry?" Like many of you, the Covid pandemic altered my life trajectory. Today, I am going to re-cap where I am in the wine industry. My story will bounce back and forth for context. Remember, I like to connect the dots. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, Washington. First, everyone asks me, what happened to the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center (Clore Center)? Good question. The Clore Center, located in Prosser, Washington, birthplace of Washington wine, opened in 2014 as a not for profit. The primary mission of the Clore Center was to promote " Washington state wine ." I began working at the Clore Center in October 2015. My last title was, Wine Education Coordinator . We finally, sadly, closed our doors in November 2020.  It was my sincerest pleasure to work at the Clore Center for five years. I made many friends in the industry and in the community. I met many people from around the country and from around th

A Special Oregon Pinot Noir with Eastern North Carolina Inspired Ribs #OTBN #winePW 10

Open That Bottle Night - A great excuse for a Wine Pairing Weekend.  February 28th was Open That Bottle Night - I selected a bottle of wine I helped blend using barrel samples of Pinot Noir from R. Stuart winery in McMinville, Oregon. I was saving this bottle for a special occasion and knew it was likely time to open and drink. I hoped it had improved. "Blending wine is no task for mere mortals."   - William Pollard Jr.  Our Wine Pairing Weekend group decided Open That Bottle Night would be an appropriate occasion to pair our selected bottle of wine with something special as well. After some consideration, I decided North Carolina ribs would likely pair well with my special bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. For this post I'll review the wine first, then provide the recipe, and wrap up with the results of this wine + food pairing. *Note: What is Open That Bottle Night? Wife and Husband columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher invented Open That Bottle