Bartholomew Winery

Very knowledgable, friendly host and interesting reds, especially the blends! The port was my favorite, served with a Raspberry Truffle made across the street. Space in the Old Rainier building is left with old pipes protruding. Very cool!

Finally checked the Rainier Brewery Building off my transplant-​to-​Seattle-​bucket-​list and since, apparently, the universe is kind, there was a winery on site, so I got to do some wine tasting while doing so.
The partner and I had a good experience at Bartholomew overall. The whites were solid, though we weren’t particularly awed by any one of them. The winemaker does get points for making some unusual varietals, particularly the Aligoté, and for doing a couple of different treatments of Pinot Gris.
On the red front, things were more interesting. They do a lot with Carménère, using it in two blends and making a 100% as well. All of them were really good. This is a tough grape to work with as well as a bit of Washington rarity, and the winemaker’s really got his head around it. Surprisingly, the other two single varietals (Cab Franc and Primitivo) didn’t really shine and the Cab Franc in particular had green pepper/​pyrazine notes that I just couldn’t groove on. They had two nice dessert wines, a late harvest Chenin with an incredible nose and well-​balanced palate and a, wait for it, a «Port» style based on Souzâo — more points for working with an unusual grape.
The winemaker’s wife poured for us since he was at a GSBA event (more kudos there, thanks for supporting the community!), and she was a terrific hostess. We got to sample the full selection of their wines, and she was really thoughtful and attentive to us as a couple.
Bottom Line: Head down here to check out some good, wine making that’s taking some interesting risks with unusual grapes and more often than not succeeding.

I would describe this winery as unique and fun! I could rave all day about the wine, but the winemaker Bart, is constantly changing the types of wine he makes so I don’t want to tell you too much about a certain wine if it won’t be there when you visit. What I can tell you is that there are a large variety of wines and they are all very good.
Also, the service you will get is phenomenal. Bart is very personable and loves to share his passion for his craft!

Stumbled across this gem while getting my oil changed at a nearby dealership. Bart and his wife were very hospitable and knowledgable on their wines. They offered an excellent tasting experience as I carefully selected a bottle to take home. They offer a 3 – 6 bottle membership as well that I will be taking advantage of in the future. Really great spot, off the beaten path, and certainly a hidden gem in Seattle. Go check them out!

We really love the wines here. Can’t say we have ever had a bad wine. Bart always seems to be willing to try something new and he never disappoints. Friendly and fun atmosphere, definitely a spot to check out if your in Seattle.

Had my Bridal Shower here. I suggest having a Bridal Shower here on a Sunday like I did. It was so fun and a quiet place. Super convenient and easy. Great tasting wine!

Bridal Shower! When we were a bit stuck on a good location for a Bridal Shower then we found this place! For the price of a tasting for each person attending we could use their «back room» which should really be called the «Red Room». The walls are red and the lighting is terrible but everything else is wonderful! (If photos are very important to you then you won’t want to take them in the red room).
The wine, the people, the venue was all wonderful. Parking was okay but plentiful. I parked in a spot labeled «Tullys» but it was a Sunday and didn’t seem to be an issue. I agree with other reviews, this place would be difficult to find in the dark but otherwise easy to find. I think the space is a bit smaller then I expected but it was very clean and tidy.
The bathroom was nice and clean, I appreciate clear instructions when dealing with an old bathroom… :)
I will come here again and you should too! Great location for a sip and snack before hitting an M’s game.

A close friend of mine from back home said he went to college with a friend who owns a winery in my new town of Seattle. I finally had the chance to check it out after passing by on I-​5 and dropping off a visitor at the SeaTac Airport. Within the Old Rainier Brewery building (yes, the one with the original lit up «R» logo), sits Bartholomew Winery that was established in 2007. Named after the owner Bart himself, Bart and his wife took a fun hobby of wine making growing into its current state of a winery. He is so dedicated that he drives over the Cascades to Eastern Washington wine country (more specifically, the Columbia Valley, Snipes Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, and Rattlesnake Hills) weekly during the summer. Once he returns with his juicy gold, he processes it into wine in West Seattle.
Their tasting room is small but exposed down to the bare basics of brick and concrete walls. They offer FREE wine tastings which is a huge plus with such high-​quality wines (compared to Woodinville, Walla Walla, or elsewhere). Bottles range in price from $ 17-​$ 32. I absolutely fell in love with the complexity of their Cabernet Franc (100% Cab Franc) and unique Jaxon blend (Cabernet Franc, Malbec & Tempranillo). Not to be missed is their sweet, yet high-​alcohol Late Harvest Chenin Blanc and my favorite port I’ve ever tasted, Souzão Port. We were sold after our first tasting and jumped in to joining the Wine Club. Their Wine Club membership is FREE with a 3 or 6 bottle allotment twice a year, and 15−20% discounts on future wine purchases. They hold many events a year such as release tastings which had cheeses and chocolates to nosh on. It is also worth mentioning that they rent out the space to members for intimate private parties of 25 people or less. My partner and I are so addicted that we must have a bottle of each the Port and Late Harvest in our house at all times for after those rough workdays.
Their Business Philosophy by Hippocrates states it well: «Ars Longa, Vita Brevis: Life is short, the art long, opportunity fleeting, experiment treacherous, judgement difficult…» Amen to that!
Wine Tasting Schedule: Saturdays and Sundays Noon to 5 pm.

Excellent space and tasty wine. The owner is super friendly an explains everything. He’s pretty creative with his blends, and I definitely recommend doing a tasting. The space is outstanding, so definitely worth a trip!

We are from West Seattle and rode our bikes over and had a great visit with the owners! There were 8 tastings that are free and we bought a couple bottles of wine that we really enjoyed! It is really nice to have a winery near our place! We will definetly be back!

A swell release party in Georgetown!
— 2008 Viognier — $ 14:
crisp and clean
good minerality
great price
— 2008 Cuvee Blanc — $ 15:
Viognier dominant
soft and subtle
easy to drink
— 2007 Railway Red — $ 22:
Cabernet Sauvignon dominant
great nose
chewy wine
will benefit from cellaring
— 2008 Muscat — $ 10:
Snipes Mountain grapes
so affordable and its not sweet
so it will pair well with a sweet dessert
Congratulations to Bart on these new releases;
the tasting room is looking superb…

Bartholomew Winery is in a great space in the old Rainier Brewery building, and they have fantastic wines on top of that. On a rainy Saturday afternoon, we were warmly welcomed at the Bartholomew tasting room. They were pouring 2 whites and 3 reds. We tried their 2 whites: Sauvignon Blanc and Cuvee Blanc, both very light and pleasant. There were 3 reds: 2007 Orsa (mostly Syrah, some Grenache and Mourvedre), 2007 Reciprocity (half Cab Sauv, half Camenere) and 2007 Jaxon (half Cab Sauv, half Merlot). I really loved the reds… they were all packed with flavor and depth. My favorite was the Carmenere with its spicy essence, so we bought a few bottles of that one. The wines were delicious and the hospitality made our day.

Great wines and wine selection! Nice tasting room, with lots of room to mingle. Oh and the wine glasses are HUGE! It’s in the hictoric Old Rainier Brewery building, which can be easy to find from a distance but a bit harder to find at night and in the dark. Once you know how to get there though, it’s super easy to find the second time. I did get a bit lost trying to get back to the freeway from here the first time I came. Parking is free and right outside the door, so you can’t beat that. You should definitely try it out, if not for the wine, but then to check out a piece of Seattle history!
Try the Reciprocity!

It’s a small wine world. My boyfriend and I occasionally make our way to Woodinville (okay, more than occasionally) in order to see what new tasting rooms have popped up. Generally, we like to focus on newer winemakers, but there are a couple of places that we’ve consistently returned to: Gard/​Smasne Vintners, Patterson and Mark Ryan.
If you know those names, then know that Bart (I didn’t know his name until randomly stepping through the doors of his Georgetown tasting room) and his wife, whom used to work with Gard/​Smasne have brought great expertise to the craft of winemaking. It seems they’ve learned a lot.
I enjoyed all of their offerings. All of their wines are affordable, and are delicious blends. From their «inaugural offerings» I preferred Orsa (what a surprisingly high amount of Mourvedre, but in a good way!) and Reciprocity.