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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Townshend Cellar comes out of hiding near Green Bluff


Jill Rider pours wine at Townshend Cellars last week for visitors from Montana. The winery is growing in popularity and specializes in red wines.  Spokesman-Review
 (CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON  Spokesman-Review / The Spokesman-Review)

Don Townshend’s winery at the base of Green Bluff may have the largest selection of wines in the Spokane region, but Townshend has something else to offer: great scenery.

For the past seven years, Townshend Cellar has become a reliably quiet getaway frequented by wine drinkers in the know, but not so much any more.

In recent months, the cellar tasting room and grounds have been discovered.

Nearly 200 guests were counted on a recent Saturday, typically the busiest day at Townshend, although there are other times when only a handful of people will be there. Last Friday, the numbers were small but steady, reported Jill Rider, who runs the tasting room for Townshend.

The winery is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and by appointment.

Although the grounds outside the winery are small by comparison to Arbor Crest (which overlooks the Spokane Valley from its historic Cliff House perch), the view from Townshend Cellar is no less appealing.

The Townshend grounds are high enough on the western slope of Green Bluff to offer a great view across the top of the North Side’s lush pine forest.

In the distance are the hills and valleys that mark the rugged terrain of the northwestern part of the city and county.

It’s a perfect place to go for a picnic and to enjoy some of Townshend’s well-crafted wine. With the arrival of shorter days this time of year, watching the sun set can be an extra treat.

Rider said she recently had a family come to the winery and lay a blanket on the lawn so they could enjoy the afternoon.

“It’s so perfect here,” Rider said, “and his wines are great.”

But now that Townshend is getting discovered, Rider suggested planning trips on Fridays or Sundays when traffic through the tasting room is lighter.

Harvest season, which is in full swing at the Green Bluff growing area, has increased the number of guests coming to the winery, she said.

Saturdays usually draw several limousines of wine tasters, who can quickly fill the tasting room, Rider said.

But visitors should not be shy.

“We have good people,” she said. It’s just that you might have to wait to get a taste of Townshend’s wines.

“Fridays are always steady. Saturdays are usually packed,” she said.

Townshend currently has 24 wines on his tasting list, including a newly released Red Table wine with a label showing a long-legged red table for $11.

The lineup has a wide range of lighter whites, including Rieslings, viognier and sauvignon blanc, as well as several dessert-style wines. Huckleberry port is worth trying.

His brut sparkler, done in cooperation with nearby Mountain Dome Winery, includes a blush of huckleberry juice.

An avid experimenter, Townshend a few years ago bottled a late-harvest merlot, which is still available, and is developing nicely in the bottle, Rider said.

The tasting list describes it as part sherry, part port.

Townshend is best known for his big, flavorful red wines. He likes to call his syrah “old worldy” because it has complex earthy notes.

The top wines sell for $20 to $28, but Townshend also has a lineup of less expensive reds, including one called T-3, which at $18 shows off Townshend’s blending skills.

“T-3 is what people know,” he said.

A new malbec varietal – one of the traditional Bordeaux grapes known for its plum-like flavor – is about to be released as Townshend’s 25th wine.

Townshend doesn’t sneer at white wine lovers or at people who want a less expensive bottle.

“It doesn’t matter if you like $5, $10 or $100 wines,” he said. “You are going to drink what you like.”

And it’s a plus to enjoy it in good company and fine surroundings.