My husband and I recently spent a long weekend with friends at their vacation home on the shores of Lake Chelan in North Central Washington. Lake Chelan, the third-deepest lake in the United States, is a 50-plus-mile-long, fjord-like lake stretching deep into the Cascade Mountains. It boasts 300 days of sunshine a year, and its shores and surrounding hills, which once primarily nurtured pear, apple and cherry orchards, now are draped with acres of vineyards and more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms. The region has also long drawn visitors from the Puget Sound region (Seattle) and beyond for outdoor activities that range from cross-country skiing in winter to hiking, rock climbing, fishing and a host of water sports in the summer.

Nearly 20 years ago, when Harry and I lived in East Wenatchee, Washington, about an hour’s drive down the Columbia River from Chelan, we visited the area quite often, and we figured it had been at least 10 years since we had last visited. While we expected to see changes, we nevertheless were impressed with how many more houses (most large vacation homes) had filled in around the lower reaches of the lake, and how many more vineyards there were. On our first full day back in Chelan, we decided we should head out and visit a few of our old haunts and explore some of the newer wineries as well.

Friends Paul and Julie mentioned that one of old favorites, Karma Vineyards, had recently been sold to new owners, and we decided to stop in and check it out. Karma had long been known for producing Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines and lovely grounds that were a favorite venue for weddings. We were pleased to see that the grounds are still beautiful, with water features, perennial plantings and special details surrounding the outdoor tasting patio. We also got a brief tour of the caves where the sparkling wines develop on the racks and are hand-riddled. It was blissfully cool there, and we could see some of the decorations that remained from a wedding party held there the night before.

From there we moved on to a much newer winery, Siren Song Vineyard Estate and Winery, which sits on a low hill overlooking the lake and is housed in a beautiful building in the style of a French country estate. From the front fountain and garden in the circular turnaround to the arbor leading to the main door through to the back terrace and wedding arbor,   the grounds are beautifully maintained. Guests can enjoy several spaces, with a large, welcoming indoor tasting room as well as open and covered areas both at the front and the back of the property. The owners passionately believe in the pairing of food and wine and offer French bistro-inspired foods and chef-crafted pairings, both for tastings and in special dinners and events. I would love to come back and take a cooking class or two in the beautiful kitchen/classroom on site, but on this day we just made a quick stop before moving on to our next target.

We were eager to revisit a friendly little place we had known in the past, located in a small tasting room in the town of Manson on the north shore of the lake. However, in the intervening years Hard Row to Hoe moved up into the hills above the lake, and we made our way up winding roads to its new location, with green vineyards planted hard up against the dry sagebrush beyond. The tasting room is a cool oasis on the sunny hillside, with visitors greeted by a gurgling water feature and ornamental grasses and flowers as they climb stairs to a grassy, tree-shaded lawn and the rustic tasting room. Planted among the greenery is an old painted iron bedstead, a winking reference to the name of the winery. Legend has it that back in the 1920s, miners far up the lake used a rowboat “taxi” service to take them across the lake to Manson and a bordello there . . . hence the winery’s Hard Row to Hoe moniker. The folks here, in addition to having a great sense of humor, make delicious wine and make everyone feel welcome. We circled up our Adirondack chairs under a tree and settled in with our wine and some cheese and crackers and enjoyed the pleasant ambience.

We finished the day at a newer winery also located on a slope high above the lake, Benson Vineyards Estate Winery, that Paul and Julie recommended we visit. They often offer live music on their lawn overlooking the vineyards, but on this late afternoon it was peaceful and quiet. After ordering a glass of wine in the modern tasting room, we headed out to comfy sofas on the deck and watched the sun glinting off the water. It proved the perfect spot to end our day of exploring and wine tasting in this beautiful place.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor