Sean P. Sullivan - Washington Wine Report Note: Site has moved to www.northwestwinereport.com

I have received comments that people would like more information about where they can find some of the wines reviewed in my reports (see sidebar listing) in their area. As several have noted, my wine reports are focused on retailers in the Seattle area as this is where I live.

Information about retailers in other areas within Washington and especially outside of Washington can be difficult to come by. Some wineries list on their website what stores sell their wine. Most do not. However, if you contact the winery, in many cases they can tell you stores that sell their wine. If not or if the winery is too small to have a wide distribution, the following are my suggestions for buying Washington wines. They are, in order:

1. Buy from the winery where possible. Many Washington wineries are small production operations. The wineries make a substantial amount more money when they sell their wine through the winery versus through a distributor. For example, for a $30 bottle of wine, the wholesale price may be $15, and the cost to the winery, say, $13. So if they sell a bottle from the winery, they make $17 profit. If they sell through a distributor, they make $2 profit. This is why those all mailing list wineries are doing so well. In terms of buying from the winery, some are set up to sell on-line. Some require faxing or calling with a credit card. In terms of supporting Washington wine, it’s worth the effort.

2. Buy from a local wine store. If you live in Washington state, many local stores have decent to exceptional selections of Washington wines. Regardless of whether you live in the state, most wine stores are happy to order a particular wine for you, even if they do not stock that wine. Buying from a local store also allows you to develop a relationship with the people who work there. You come to understand their taste in wine and they come to understand yours. This is an excellent way to become exposed to wines you might not otherwise come across.

3. Buy on-line…from a local store. Buying from on-line retailers can also be a good way to go. I recommend going with smaller, Northwest-located businesses, as again, this is an effective way to support the Washington wine industry. There are a number of stores that sell and/or specialize in Washington wine. Two that I will mention here (I am not affiliated with them in any way) who have exceptional selections are avalonwine.com and compasswines.com. There are a number of others.