MikeL's Guide to WA Wineries
Hoodsport Winery
N 23501 Highway 101, P. O. Box 597, Hoodsport, WA 98548
Phone: 360-877-9894, 1-800-580-9894, Fax: 360-877-9508
[Label source: the winery]
Click here for map/directions.
Page last updated: 22-Sep-2003, Page generated: 11-Sep-2005

Old Hoodsport Island Belle label (B&W)
New Hoodsport Island Belle label (B&W)
Old Island Belle label
New Island Belle label
Newsletters: Sep 2003 (.html), Apr 2002 (.pdf 392kb), Feb 2002.
(To display the .pdf files, you may download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader from http://www.adobe.com/.)
Production: (1998) 20k cases (about half is fruit wine)
Vineyards: none; contracts with Misty Isle Vineyards, Stretch Island for Island Belle grapes
Distribution: West Coast supermarkets, Canada, Sweden, England
History:
Hoodsport Winery owners Dick and Peggy Patterson, came from Montana and Wyoming. Dick taught at Tacoma Community College, and Peggy did some substituting there and taught at PLU. Neighbor Wayne Hazel was a winemaker, and Dick Patterson was a home winemaker for about 20 years. When the current winery's property became available, they got together and bought it. Dick and Peggy are still the majority shareholders.

They acquired the highway 101 property at an especially scenic area of Hood Canal location present just past the Skokomish Indian Reservation in the town of Hoodsport in the summer of 1973. There they opened a gift shop, and commuted to their other lives in Tacoma, until moving to Hoodsport in 1978. Hazel and Patterson were the original winemakers. The current winemaker is young and energetic Brent Trela, a U. C. Davis graduate.

In the early years there was a camaraderie with other winemakers in the state including Chinook Winery in Prosser, Washington Hills in Sunnyside, Columbia Winery in Woodinville, Livingston Winery in Spokane, and others in the Seattle and Puget Sound Area. From '83 - '88 shareholders did a lot of the hands-on work producing about 10,000 gallons. They developed a staff of 10 - 15 full time people, and now make close to 60,000 gallons, about half of which are fruit wines.

Daughter Ann Patterson works with the winery in Marketing and PR. Dick Patterson said, "In the early years the work was physically demanding, making the wine and improving that product. Now the work is more the office work of a small business."

Hoodsport is the only winery making wine from the "Island Belle" grape. This is actually a Labrusca variety (not a Vinifera which the classic wines are made from). These vines were planted nearly one hundred years ago in the southwestern Puget Sound, and are still bearing fruit today. (See Old St. Charles for more details.)

In 2000? they opened a new satelite tasting room in the historic Harmon building in downtown Tacoma.
Sources: [TW-Purser] [Tomassi] [the winery]

The Wines: (Spring 1999)
[Visit their website (click on link near top of this page) for more details on any of these wines.]
Whites:
  • 1997 Chardonnay
  • 1997 Riesling [semi-sweet 3.35%RS]
  • 1997 Gewurztraminer [off-dry 1.0%RS]
Reds:
  • 1997 Merlot
  • 1997 Island Belle/Merlot
  • 1997 Lemberger/Cabernet Sauvignon
Other:
  • Raspberry
  • Rhubarb
Winemakers:
Brent Trela
Brent Trela ?-present
Dick Patterson (Consultant) 1978-present
Wayne Hazel 1978-?
Of special note:
Hoodsport celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2003.

Events: Red Wine and Chocolate Winter Tour, President'sDay weekend, 15,16,17-Feb-2003.

Spring Barrel Tasting Tour, 26,27-Apr-2003.

Welcome to MikeL's WA Winery Guide (http://vintners.net/wawine/)
up to MikeL's WA Winery Guide -- Main Index
Copyright © 1995-2016 Mike Lempriere