If you are anything like Carrie and I, by the time Thursday evening rolls around, you might be looking for a great place to meet up with friends for happy hour and live music! I know that I love to break up the week by doing something social before the weekend begins.
We arrived early, before the start of Happy Hour at Milbrandt Vineyards/Ryan Patrick Winery tasting room. They offer wine by the glass and bottle, and full tastings up until 5 pm on Thursdays. This glass of their Syrah dominant 2018 Rosé was exactly the refreshing treat I needed to start things off.
Here I am with my dear friend Cami, whom I have known since Kindergarten! Cami was sipping the 2015 Ryan Patrick Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon,. I finished my 2018 Milbrandt Rose. It was the perfect place to enjoy Woodinville wine and catch up with one another.
The tasting lineup at Milbrandt offered something for both white and red wine lovers. My favorite was the newly released 2016 Estates Malbec! This smooth, fruit-forward red had notes of cocoa and a lovely finish.
Tasting room manager Gareth and tasting room expert Tybryna kindly posed for me. These two were exceptionally friendly and helpful, and Tybryna took extra time to help us with our wine and food order.
This is a comparison tasting of Ryan Patrick’s 2015 Rock Island Chardonnay and Milbrandt Vineyards Estate Chardonnay that Tybryna offered us. I was partial to the tropical aromas and flavors in the Ryan Patrick.
The happy hour menu at Ryan Patrick/Milbrandt offers delicious small bites from neighbors, Heritage Restaurant and Bar. These house-cut fries were every bit as tasty as they look, but my favorite part was the saffron aioli! We were happy to say hello to owner/chef Breanna, who brought out a few things from the kitchen.
Any chocolate lovers out there? If so, you must try this berry mousse! It was a hit at our table and the berries and chocolate gave this a great balance of sweet and tart. It paired well with the 2014 SVS Katherine Leone Syrah.
How cute is this jar of key lime pie? I order it every single time I eat at Heritage. Yum! The toasted marshmallow topping and graham cracker crust and literally everything about this makes it a perfect dessert for my tastes.
I love this how these two tasting rooms flow into one another and offer guests various places to sit. For the Thursday night Happy Hour, you can arrange V.I.P. seating by reservation. We think this is the perfect way to start your weekend early and hope to see you next week between 5-8 pm!
Milbrandt Vineyards and Ryan Patrick Winery are located at 14450 Redmond-Woodinville Rd NE, Woodinville, WA. Thursday night Happy Hour is every week from 5-8 pm with a live musical performance and delicious food. Cheers to Thirsty Thursday! ~ Jen
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