As a kid, going to Lake Chelan was a major highlight of the summer. Packing up the camping gear and daydreaming about those long, seriously warm days of bobbing about on the lake and campfire dinners with the family was enough to make me giddy.
The excursion would officially begin with a quick stop at Zeke’s along U.S. 2 for the required burger and milkshake, and then, before long we were snaking along a beautiful stretch of river that would lead to the ever-intriguing, sweet-tooth-satisfying alpine village of Leavenworth.
Isn’t it funny how youthful memories of a special place and time can be associated with something thoroughly palate-pleasing? I have to admit to a previous addiction to Leavenworth’s saltwater taffy that could have required a 12-step program.
Flash forward a few decades (more than two, but way less than five!) and boy, have those palate memories shifted. On a recent hop over the hump, I found that I was taken back to those youthful trips laced with anticipation, but now it’s wine, instead of taffy, that triggers the fond associations.
It’s true, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
The evolution of the Leavenworth wine scene is progressing at quite a clip, and it’s great to see and taste. There are tasting rooms for 10 different wineries (representing the bulk of Washington’s appellations) and three retail shops that offer tasting right in the heart of Leavenworth. There are six operating wineries and vineyards that are nearby, and several more a short drive away.
On the surface, Leavenworth’s core charm and quaintness is the same as when a certain towheaded future wine geek passed through all those years ago, but take a fun peek around the Bavarian-styled, lederhosen-infused exterior and you’ll find Bacchus is alive and well.
Chelan presented a similar experience, because on the surface, things seem pretty much as I remember around the core of downtown. Of course, the inevitable development of homes dotting the hillsides and big box retail on the fringe seems an unavoidable evolution, yet the center of Chelan seemed unaltered by time. Campbell’s Resort holds a special spot in my heart, as it represented to me as a kid an icon of high quality, living-large vacationing.
Don’t get me wrong, the state park was awesome, but the lure of a “full meal deal” resort seemed to always beckon with serious horsepower.
Campbell’s has always had that prime location, but over the years it began to show its age (boy, that sounds and feels familiar), and a facelift has been in order for some time.
I’m here to tell you that phase one of the renovation of Campbell’s is a hit, as they began from the inside with a complete upgrade and modernization of the rooms. They are done in a really cool, retro beach theme, and are as comforting and soothing as the always stunning views of the lake and surrounding hills which all the rooms enjoy.
An exploration of downtown Chelan revealed many changes among the storefronts that could warm any oenophile’s heart. Wine-tasting rooms and wonderfully down-home yet upscale restaurants are definitely not on my inner child memory tapes of Chelan, but fit squarely with the wine touring destination into which Chelan has evolved.
One newly opened restaurant I have to mention, as it provided a thoroughly satisfying culinary adventure that will linger for some time. Alex, named for the owner, is up a back stairway above his already famous Alex’s Hungry Belly restaurant in the heart of Chelan. This new fine dinning restaurant simply rocks. From soup to nuts and from wine to dine, it was a wonderful surprise.
If you’d have told me years ago that there were going to be Jetson’s-like personal watercraft spewing rooster tails and deafening decibels into the air, and vineyards almost eclipsing the orchards around Chelan, I’d have told you to go jump in a lake.
With nearly 20 wineries among the rolling hills of Chelan, and a prestigious American Viticultural Area designation looming, Chelan has secured a spot as a world-class, multi-dimensional wine touring destination. It’s well worth another peek if it’s been a while since you cast a shadow on its shores.
The stories of the emergence of viticulture and wineries around Chelan are numerous, colorful and worthy of further exploration, and I’ll do so in future columns.
The giddy memories I have of summers in Chelan with Mom and Dad are most likely going to be framed with future experiences graced with fermented grapes.
Here’s a shout out to my Matriarch and architect of those gilded, fond memories of visits to Chelan and all the other sprinkles of kindness which laid the foundation for this particular cork dork — Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
Jeff Wicklund can be reached at 425-737-2600, 360-756-0422 or wick@purplesmilewines.com.
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