Lacey, WA

The Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater area has for many, many years enjoyed a lovely swath of forest & river (namely Fort Lewis and the Nisqually Delta) to the north, separating us from the metropolitan central Puget Sound.
But we do have all the little gems of city city life- great theaters, music, political sideshows, etc. We just get to enjoy them in a more relaxed, personal setting.

The slow pace fosters a whole bunch of wonderful family-owned businesses too. And because they operate on personal scale, they are unique from each other, and very different from the big stores selling so much of the same stuff in strip mall after strip mall (I just returned from Tucson, if you want to hear about strip malls).
It also means we rely on each other to share when we find a new gem! So I am doing my duty as a South Sounder to bring you news of yet another wonderful Winery, right in our backyard!

MADSEN FAMILY CELLARS

A couple weeks ago I was driving through the Hawk's Prairie area of Lacey (NE of I-5, out near Cabela's & Shipwreck Beads in the Meridian Campus area) after showing some houses. I was headed toward the I-5 exit off Marvin Rd and saw the small sign out of the corner of my eye. My car decided to follow it (my car is well trained to look for things like this). After going past some sports fields I saw some metal buildings. Thankfully it was a Sunday, they were open for tasting!

I was greeted by the proprietors (not pictured) and the very friendly wine greeters/ wine guardians (pictured). Inside was much as you would imagine a metal building housing a wine makers to be: full of wine in barrels and a small counter at which to sample & chat & purchase.

I was on my way to lunch, so was not able to stay too long or try everything, but the proprietors were very friendly and I was able to sample a few of their offerings.

The wines:

Of course they have the Washington classics: Cab sauv from Red Mountain grapes, a Yakima Riesling and even a couple Chardonnay- they are very proud of their unoaked.

Right now (March 2009) they have a small batch of a Raspberry white wine blend which I liked (I am not a big fan of these usually) as it is not sweet, but tart. It is undergoing a secondary fermentation in the bottle, so it would be a lot of fun to use a variety of ways. I am thinking summery vinaigrette? Maybe a special sparkling mixer? I told my restauranteur friends to check it out.

My personal favorite (and the wine I took home that day): a dry Gewurztraminer! I loved this wine! It was light and dry and really balanced. In fact, it is all gone now. I need more. So I have to go back soon, and this time I will try more of what they have to offer. (For those who wine-shop by the eye, they do have a lovely label- the whole local artist / local business connection is great.)

I hope all you South Sound wine lovers take some time to stop in too.

Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 12 to 4.
Directions: From I-5 take Exit 111 to North on Marvin Rd (I-5 is going east-west at this point) past the 2nd roundabout, and watch for the little sign on the Left and follow to the shop.
The address (and map link): 2825 Marvin Rd NE, Lacey WA.

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If you are moving the the Olympia / Ft Lewis area and believe that small businesses like this winery are important to your quality of life, I would love to help you make this your home and learn about the area. (And all those shops!)
I help Buyers, Sellers & Investors throughout the South Puget Sound buy & sell homes.
Call me or email me with any questions, or CLICK HERE to find homes for sale in NE Lacey near the winery.

I am writing this as I get ready to leave for another closing in Lacey. That's right, things are still selling and there are three reasons why.

1. The house was priced right from the start
2. The house was prepared to sell
3. The house was marketed properly

Sounds pretty simple doesn't it? Don't play games with your most valuable investment.

I am currently working with buyers and sellers from all over the country and world. Unless your house is marketed on the Internet with pictures, how can I sell your house to someone in Iraq, Panama, or Korea?

Hire a full time professional to sell your house.

• Make sure they know the web and use it to sell your house
• Get an agent that publishes your listing on the best national websites
• Get as many pictures as possible in the listing including a virtual tour.
• Make sure that your Realtor or Agent communicates with you

When you hire a professional, interview more than one Realtor. Dare to compare the services and listen to what they have to say. Make sure you draw on their experience to make the right choice.

Authored by Paul S. Henderson, Realtor ®, RE/MAX Professionals, Lacey, WA.

(http://phenderson.net) or http://www.lacey-washington.com

©2008 Paul S. Henderson, All Rights Reserved

Celebrate the Cypress, a new model in the hard-to-find one-story home market.

Ramblers are rare - and quality, new construction Ramblers are even harder to find.

The Cypress model is a 2610 square feet, 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home in the Campus Highlands Estates community on Lacey's Woodlands Golf Course.

Views of the golf course dominate the inside of the home and the outside features a covered patio, perfect for entertaining with a built-in refrigerator, BBQ and gas fire pit.

The interior is appointed with Brazilian Teak hardwood flooring, generously sized spaces, elegant wainscoting on the walls, as well as crown mouldings. The home surprises with an innovative floor plan, design and materials.

Some of the distinctive features are radiant heat flooring in the master bathroom, quartz counter tops in the kitchen, and silent, self-closing custom kitchen cabinets.

Like all the Bennett Homes at Campus Highlands Estates, this beauty is "built green", with energy saving and low environmental impact features. The Cypress is available on several lots and prices range from the mid $500,000 to the high $600,000.

The model home is open to the public 7 days a week, or simply call me to arrange your own personal tour.

Sandy Nelson
Olympia Realtor®, GRI, ASP, Built Green
360-789-7505
www.SandyNelsonRealEstate.com

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All the real estate information on the Internet can not compare to the real time, on-the-ground expertise of a local, skilled Realtor ®. Among all the South Sound real estate resources available, the most powerful tool is my phone number.
Planning a home purchase or the sale of your home will be much more enjoyable when you work with a friendly and knowledgeable professional. I'm dedicated to helping you make informed decisions and providing you with exceptional skill and service.