PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. — Most Washington wineries grow grapes on the eastern side of the state, but this estate winery embraces its location west of the mountains, in Port Townsend.
"It's a labor of love," said Margaret Stormer, co-owner of Rain Coast Farms and Vineyards.
Growing grapes and making award winning wines beneath second-growth cedars isn’t easy, but it has it’s rewards. When this land was purchased, keeping these trees standing was one of the conditions of the sale. Today, they add big-tree terroir!
"The grapes really do have the flavor of Rain Coast Farms. A lot of times, people will breathe in the air, and then they'll taste the wine. It's like they seem like one,” Stormer said.
Grape vines and cedars aren't the only things thriving at Rain Coast. This place also specializes in bringing people’s orchid houseplants back from the dead.
“Before they put them in the trash, we try to convince them to donate them to us,” said Dick Schneider, who’s the former owner of the farm. This plant-whisperer remains on property, running the Orchid Recovery Project.
"When people locally found out that I was trying to rehabilitate orchids, it was amazing. They started showing up, they were literally dropped on our doorstep,” Schneider said.
More than 1,700 orchids have come through Schneider's doors -- where he and helper Lindsay Mayo do their best to them back to life.
"We take them out, clean them up, we re-pot them, fertilize them, give them enough light, give 'em enough heat,” said Schneider. He also keeps a meticulous record of each orphaned plant - including its final fate.
Fortunately, most of the orchids recover - then they're given away, to help humans do the same.
"Then they're donated out to the healthcare system, either to Jefferson General Hospital or to hospice, or to even somebody who's not feeling well,” Schneider said.
Rain Coast’s orchid recovery greenhouses are also open to winery visitors. Multitaskers are encouraged to drop off an ailing plant - then pick up a bottle of wine.
"We just want people to enjoy and have a place to come and rest and have a glass of wine and talk and just leave all their problems behind,” Stormer said.
And if one of the problems you leave behind is a withered orchid, it may not stay that way for long.
Rain Coast Farms and Cellars will have a wine tasting and orchid tour on Saturday, July 14th from 2 pm to 4 pm. 12224 Airport Cutoff Rd, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Phone: (206) 930-1391
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