In case you missed my story in yesterday’s Sun, three of the Bainbridge Island winemakers are opening up shop along Winslow Way.
Charlie Merrill, Jim Wilford and Paul Bianchi are joining forces to open Island Vintners, a tasting room next door to That’s Some Italian. Merrill is the owner and winemaker of Victor Alexander, Wilford is the winemaker for Fletcher Bay Winery and Bianchi recently joined the winemaker mix with his winery Amelia Wynn (named after his twin grandchildren born in 2008).
Merrill and Wilford will be the primary winemakers staffing the tasting room, but all three of their wines will be available for tasting. While the spot will be a tasting room, they hope people will choose to stay and enjoy their wines for a bit. They also hope to gain the attention of visitors coming off the Seattle ferry.
Their location is perfect to collect the foot traffic, and once the city finishes its street widening work along Winslow, they hope the wide sidewalks will help draw attention to their new location as people stroll by. (Cars won’t be allowed to park in front of the business like they can now, which the winemakers also think will help increase visibility).
The trio are hoping to ride the wave of recent publicity surrounding Bainbridge as a wine destination. After folks swing by their stop, they can continue the short distance down Winslow Way to Hugh Remash’s Eagle Harbor Wine Co., and then over to Matt Albee’s Eleven Winery tasting room, also located along Winslow Way.
