Local Wine Made Friendly and Fun: Port Gardner Bay Winery
One great thing about living in Everett is the opportunity to support local farmers, artists and makers directly. Whether you're grabbing flowers and food at the Everett Farmer's Market or jewelry and gifts at the upcoming Fisherman's Village Night Market, it's always fun to get out and find cool things with your friends.
Did you know you can buy wine made right in downtown Everett? Port Gardner Bay Winery is a wonderful wine shop on Rucker where you can sip, socialize and relax.
The comfortable and inviting front seating area. Relax with a glass of wine and watch the world go by // Christopher Bragg
I've been to my fair share of wineries and always enjoyed myself, but the rest weren't fun like this. Going to Port Gardner Bay Winery was a blast because owners Linnea and Chris Covington are longtime residents who love what they do and are delightful to talk to. I popped in unannounced and we chatted for an hour about wine and life in Everett.
Linnea and Chris, serving up their own reds, whites and stories // Christopher Bragg
Chris gave me the full tour downstairs where the wine is made, aged, and stored.
Back upstairs, I sampled four of their reds. My favorite was the one with the most Everett name, Rucker Red. I bought the PGB Red (named for Port Gardner Bay) because my husband's a big fan of malbecs. That one was produced elsewhere, but the Covingtons enhanced it a bit before bottling it.
Four great reds. Taste six for $8! // Christopher Bragg
The winery is open 4:30-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, which at first glance seems limited, but it's totally understandable considering they also have other full-time jobs. Weekdays from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., they run Structural Design Associates in the same space. Do you love anything enough to devote three nights a week to it on top of your full-time job? With all that plus the time it takes to make and bottle the wine, the mind boggles.
It's easy to see when talking to the Covingtons that community keeps them going. They host an open mic every Thursday, live music Fridays and Saturdays, monthly wine making classes and lots of fundraisers. They also support visual artists, serving as a gallery space and Art Walk venue.
Some of the great pieces by local artists available for sale // Christopher Bragg
If you've always wanted to get into winemaking, they have occasional volunteer opportunities in addition to their classes. Stop by Port Gardner Bay Winery for a bottle to take home, or stay a while, have a glass of wine and a snack, and learn all about this great local business.
Port Gardener Bay Winery
3006 Rucker Ave
Everett, WA 98201
(425) 339-0293
Christopher Bragg works from home in Everett and loves walking, swimming, and cats. You can find him all over town, but only if you keep weird hours and avoid crowds like he does.
