WESTPORT, Wash. – One of Washington’s most remote wineries has once again been honored as best Northwest winery, according to views of King 5 TV’s Evening Magazine.
“Considering we’re one of the smaller wineries in the world, it’s a compliment that our fan club supports us like that,” said Kim Roberts, who owns Westport Winery with her husband, Blain, and their children. “We’re excited. It helps put Grays Harbor on the map.”
The Roberts family opened the winery in 2008 and has created a destination business that includes more than 30 wines, a restaurant, acres of gardens, a pitch-and-putt golf course, a dog park and more. Roberts told Great Northwest Wine that about half of its customers are local, and the other half comes from the Seattle area or farther.
“People walk in the door and say, ‘I saw you on TV last night,’ ” she said. “They just get in their cars and drive two hours to see what all the talk is about.”
King 5 TV in Seattle runs two contests a year, and Westport typically does well in both, Roberts said. It has won best wine tour six times and best Northwest winery two times now. A few years ago after one of the early victories, Evening Magazine sent a film crew to the winery to create a brief video on the operation.
Westport Winery expands restaurant operation
For several years, Westport Winery’s on-site restaurant has been open daily for lunch. It is now expanding those hours to include being open daily for dinner. The hope is to continue to draw more folks regionally, including from nearby communities such as Aberdeen and Ocean Shores, as well as the Puget Sound region.
“It’s a big challenge for our staff and family to take on,” Roberts said. “We’re hoping those same fans are excited about our food, our wine and our story.”
The tasting room, gift shop, restaurant, bakery, gardens and nursery are now open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with the last dinner seating at 6:30 p.m.
Blain Roberts said of the expanded hours, “With several prominent local restaurants closing in the past few months and many on limited winter schedules, we want to make sure our community members and beach visitors have the opportunity to enjoy fresh, homemade fare daily.”
The outdoor gardens at Westport Winery now cover 16 acres of the 68-acre estate, featuring themes as well as sculptures from more than 40 regional artists. Earlier this year, the winery began providing space for weddings.
In addition, Westport Winery has donated more than $300,000 in cash to local and regional charitable organizations in the past seven years.
Also this month, Westport Winery was named one of the 10 best winery gift shops in the state by Washington Tasting Room magazine out of more than 800 wineries in the state.
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