Earlier this week, Frank and I had the opportunity to make another pilgrimage to Woodinville. This time, we went to see Tenacious D at the Chateau Ste Michelle amphitheater.
Now, I’m not a crazy Tenacious D fan, but I have seen School of Rock and I think Jack Black is badass. That, coupled with the chance to drink some good wine and eat phenomenal food was too good of a deal to pass up.
Wine Tasting
We got there just in time to taste wine at the Long Shadows tasting room. This winery is based out of Walla Walla and has been around since 2003. The winery is known not only for amazing wines, but also for an amazing group of top-notch winemakers.
We tasted through their flight list, starting with a refreshing Extended Age Chardonnay. We then moved on to the Sangiovese Red Blend, Merlot, Cabernet/Syrah blend, then ended on the Syrah. Each wine had wonderful depth and complexity.
Having never tried their wines before, I was officially hooked! As soon as we were finished, I was eager to settle in and start all over again, but we had to move along.
Bites & Drinks
After our wine tasting, we walked a couple of doors down to the Heritage Restaurant & Bar. Here, Frank ordered a glass of Pinot Gris from an old favorite, Alexana Winery, and I got a glass of Cava.
We both shared the seared scallops, a bread display, and a pear & frisee salad. The presentation and service were excellent. I was a little disappointed to have to run out so soon… but we had a show to go to after all!
The Show
We brought our bikes in order to get a little fresh air… and save $30 on parking. The tasting room and restaurant were half a mile away from the entrance to the Chateau Ste Michelle grounds. Close to the entrance, there was a large bike rack, so we had no problem finding a spot for our bikes.
The line to enter the amphitheater moved fast, and we were curled up on our camping blanket in no time at all.
Since Frank and I weren’t concerned with being up close to the band, we arrived 30 minutes before show time and were able to get a spot in the back.
Once we were set up, I went to retrieve the wine. Chateau had a huge tent offering a wide selection of wines by bottle or glass. I opted for the Austral Red Blend, and I was impressed. It was smooth and had good flavor.
Club members had their own section where they could taste wine out of glasses, but I certainly didn’t feel like I was missing out on where I was.
The Venue
Near the wine tent, there was a tent offering frozen rose slushies and several more tents with various food options. The food ranged from burgers to ahi tuna tacos to gelato. I ended up getting a salmon salad with wasabi dressing, and Frank got potstickers.
There was also a water station and enough porta-potties that there was never a line. I have to say it was a pretty well-organized venue. It’s almost like they do it all the time!
The show was great, and the weather cooperated for a change. The evening ended with an encore and a couple of Americanos before Frank and I made our way back to the bikes.
We took the long way back to the car, stopping to take some scenic pics because… why not?
It wasn’t until much later in the evening that I realized it was the summer solstice! Overall, not a bad way to spend it.
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