The Woodhouse Family Cellars winery is located in an industrial business park southwest of downtown Woodinville. But don't let that dissuade you from paying them a visit to sample their wines. This family owned and operated winery has taken strides to make you feel welcome in their unique setting.

The raised herb gardens leading into their tasting room are a nice touch, as this would otherwise be a rather drab entrance. When you enter the tasting room, you can't help but feel really small due to the cavernous warehouse space. With an adjoining commercial kitchen, it's clear this winery was designed with large events in mind. There is a large picture window allowing you to peek into the barrel room, which is a great feature. I love it when wineries do this, because it helps connect you to the winemaking process.

The oversized photographs of Bordeaux on the walls were pleasing to the eye, but I would have preferred to see shots of Washington state vineyards. Don't get me wrong. I welcome the opportunity to connect to the who, what and where of French wine. But why not showcase the vineyards and growers in our fine state? What better way to go beyond the bottle than to feature photos of the places in Washington producing grapes that comprise the wines being poured?

Without many folks around, it did feel a bit empty on the Saturday I visited. In fact, even with music playing in the background, the place was a bit somber. In general, the tasting room lacked the energy and excitement I felt at other Woodinville wineries on this same day. Even still, what it might have lacked in creating a buzz factor, they made up for it by providing friendly, enthusiastic service.

For a $5 fee (refundable with wine purchase), the winery offered tastes of their Kennedy Shah portfolio of wines. They poured a white blend, cab, syrah, tempranillo, malbec and petit verdot. With two servers waiting on the small crowd, the service was great. The server pouring for me was very knowledgeable about their wine and eager to answer all of my questions.

I enjoyed sampling the variety of wines in the Kennedy Shah line, especially the tempranillo. But I have to admit getting confused when the server tried to explain the five brands Woodhouse Family Cellars sells. Without anything to see or bottles to hold, I just couldn't get my head around the multitude of wines this place makes and sells. The nearby Novelty Hill-Januik winery has the same challenge, but overcomes it by displaying all of their wines in their tasting room, allowing visitors to peruse the shelves and learn more about each wine.

Overall, it was a good tasting experience, but unfortunately I found it hard to connect to their wines or winery in any special way. Regardless, it's still worth a stop on any tour of Woodinville Wine Country.

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