Wow, can't believe it's been 10 years since I first reviewed North Sound! It still ranks as one of…read moremy fave breweries in the PNW, and I'm lucky enough to not live very far from it now. It's my top spot to visit for a beer after some yard work, a trip to the dump, or paying the bills. Lucky for me, they're still brewing up their legendary Goosetown Brown, which is rich, malty, full of flavor, and served in a full pint glass filled to the rim. Love that, over the years, they've added more outdoor seating (much of it covered) and, if you're really lucky, a sushi food truck many weekends.

Stopped in for a growler fill and the service was subpar, the lady working the taps was not very…read morefriendly and there is no organized line to order beers resulting in getting cut in line by the locals.

Having rudimentary knowledge of meads, I was intrigued to find this unique shop. While the location…read moreis right on the outskirts of the main Anacortes area, you can only access it while going northbound. It's a clean looking, well appointed space with furniture made from local wood. Once inside, you'll be warmly greeted by Mark, the owner and Vino, his Hungarian Vizsla puppy. There are so many different meads to taste and Mark happily went through the differences of each one. Ranging from sweet to dry, I was more than willing to try them all. My favorite was the Christmas in a Glass; think Chai. It was obvious that their use of premium local whole fruit and local honey, instead of fruit concentrates resulted in a much better product. I loved that they focused on using local products. Definitely will stop by whenever I'm in the area again.

My husband and I really enjoyed the tastings of the meads that they make. We picked up a bottle of…read morethe land with the chocolate and currants. We really learned a lot from owner, who seems very passionate about his craft.

Came back to try the wines since we were in the area. Donna and her husband were both in the shop…read moretoday. Very friendly and a cozy venue. 2023 Syrah was the best but they were all good. We got the Syrah again. We will visit again when we are in the area.

August 12, 2025 - La Conner, WA…read more We discovered a charming little tasting room along the boardwalk next to the Swinomish Channel. Alissa welcomed us warmly and poured a flight of whites for me and a flight of reds for my husband. We shared both flights, so we each had the chance to sample them all. We enjoyed the wines so much that we left with a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Gewürztraminer, and a Syrah--$165 well spent. Also note that they are dog-friendly!

This is such a great place. Located in a neighborhood and the brewery is in the lower level of his…read morehouse. He makes some unusual beers. Had one that had the smell and taste of a jalapeño but without the heat. Steve is the owner, brewer and beertender. Great guy. If in Oak Harbor WA. Check this place out

I had Crossed Arrows Brewery's beer a while back. At the time it looked like they were planning to…read moreopen a taproom in Gig Harbor. It was as it often is like watching a pot and waiting for the water in it to boil as far as anticipating a new brewery to open. But as time passed I got distracted by other things. It appears now they have moved their operations to the Oak Harbor area on Whidby Island. I saw no announcement that a taproom was open but as before as when they looked like they may open a tasting room in Gig Harbor the best thing to do to try their beers is to look at their Facebook page or website for where they have their beer as a guest tap. A while back I had two of their beers at the Narrows Airport at the restaurant there. They were both IPA's but different from each other and pretty enjoyable. This was a great location for them to have had their beer on tap as you could enjoy the airplanes take off and fly in. I wish them well and success for them in Oak Harbor.

Absolutely amazing place for wines. Absolutely amazing…read more I wanted to find somewhere to buy a bottle of wine for friends we were going to have dinner with later that day: he's a chef and the former part-owner of a series of very popular restaurants in Seattle (owned by his family)... so no ordinary wine was going to do. We spied Compass Wines by accident driving from Anacortes toward I-5 Southbound, and took a chance that they might have a good selection of wines with which to choose from. Indeed they do. The individual who helped me not only recommended an exceptional wine -- a 2016 vintage of a Cabernet Sauvignon -- but one that impressed my friend... who is not easily impressed. Not at all. What's more, they were featuring Scotch -- and while my partner and I seldom drink, we occasionally have a bit of scotch every once in a while (we still have a few bottles purchased ten years ago... almost all of them have only had 4-5 ounces consumed). My partner and I are very partial to Macallan, but the Gordon & Macphail won out. Single malts rock! It's been my experience that those wine stores that have great selections cater to regular customers who know a great deal about wine -- but they tend, more often than not, to be a bit snobbish and look down upon those of us whose knowledge of wine wasn't genetically-encoded in our DNA. Not these people: the proprietors were very forgiving and helpful, and they know their wines! (And Scotch!) The individual helping me took all the time I needed to gather information about which Cabernet to buy, and it certainly paid off for me! That kind of service should be a standard for other companies to emulate. What impressed me more was their selection of Leonetti Cellar wines: I've known Gary Figgens, the owner of Leonetti Cellar, for over 40 years -- and have a number of their wines in my cellar. I'd give Compass Wines a sixth star if possible... just on the merit of featuring Leonetti Cellar wines, one of six favorite vintners. I do know enough about domestic wines to understand that this store has a superlative selection -- and I'd love to come back and talk about foreign wineries and wines. I know a good deal about Australian, New Zealand, German and Austrian wines.., but I'd like to come back just to see what I might learn. A friend of mine, working in London for a prestigious law firm, thought he might purchase a derby to wear. He spent three and one-half very enjoyable hours in conversation and being fitted for a derby, and felt so impressed by the impassioned storekeeper that he write him a letter thanking him for a memorable day. While I intended to pop into the store and quickly buy a bottle of wine, I spent 83 minutes in conversation about Cabernet Sauvignon, Scotch, and Scotland. There are many wine stores in Washington -- and the U.S. -- but very few of them are of the quality of Compass Wines in terms of selection, knowledge, and customer service. Try them!

Great service. Listened to me. Did not try to upsell. Wanted a sweet vermouth to sip. Tastes…read moregreat.

We were lucky enough to see this place on our way to Birdsview Brewing company and circled back to…read moreit afterwards. The wines that I chose to taste were great! The winery building is so nice! Cozy and welcoming. We really enjoyed meeting and spending time with the people there. Now that we know of this place, we are going to come back and camp when they have live music.

We had visited Eagle Haven Winery years ago, and were disinclined to return. However, we heard…read morethere were new owners, so we thought we'd give it another chance. First off, the wines were much better than before. Maybe because some of the legacy wines have had 7 years to mature, and the others are also pretty decent. This isn't Napa, but definitely a great place to check out in NW Washington. In addition to the wines, they have a substantial apple orchard, and are making some interesting Apple Ciders. They also have a great outdoor venue with lots of diverse musical acts in the summer season. Oh, and occasional comedy acts in their inside space. Or room for weddings and other group events. But maybe the best part is the staff - real, friendly and welcoming. Mark, the "owner" (there are other partners) is very gregarious, and if you and he have the time, he has 1001 stories to tell. The only thing lacking is a better food offering, but they are in the process of getting a commercial kitchen, so stay tuned!

This is our official first wine tasting with Archipelago Wines. I will say that it was unlike any…read moreother and better than the rest. As soon as we arrived Chris ( one of the owners and wine maker) had an incredible spread of local cheeses and crackers laid out for us. He offered those who were not drinking a juice. He then started to go through the different wines. Provided us with what they do to make the wines and much more. Marti showed up who is the other owner and wine maker. She helped with the wine tasting, provided us an update on what they're doing and let me tell you they are above the curve on what they offer. No other wineries are doing the same thing. They've been incredible with the challenges that they may have faced but the wine is awesome. Then we sat around and we're able to talk like a large family and friends, try different wines and both Chris and Marti drank with us. Like I said they are unique and that's what makes this winery a great choice. You aren't going to get this same experience from the other wineries around. Love this place.. Before I forget we were blessed to have a sample tasting of the 2021 Sea Rows Blanc de Noir and let me tell you, get it while it lasts :)

My daughters and I had a lovely sunset picnic at San Juan County Park with Chris. The wines we…read moretasted were crisp, light, and mostly sparkling - great for picnics, charcuterie, seafood, and summer gatherings. What we loved the most is it was just the kind of informal but elegant treat we have often arranged for ourselves, but without the work!

A fun place to wine tase. We popped in to enjoy some local flavor and were greeted with a fun and…read morefriendly proprietor. No change to taste their wines, just by donation which was as refreshing as their wines. Great gift shop items as well

A small, quaint local wine and related sundries shop -- with free wine tasting (three wines), and…read moremore for a donation. Close to the Friday Harbor ferry dock. The proprietor was an engaging conversationalist who made the experience delightful.