Brats in the vines

In past summers, Whitestone Winery hosted a catered sit-down dinner called Dine in the Vines, complete with live jazz, in the middle of their vineyard. The setting is spectacular — perched on a rocky down-slope on the south shore of Lake Roosevelt, the rich emerald vines are a shock of vibrant color amid the landscape’s stark geology — but it’s rugged and remote and lacks electrical power.

Delivering fancy food to guests in such a location was a huge challenge for everyone involved, says winemaker Michael Haig, but visitors raved about the event. While planning this year’s dinner, Haig had a revelation.

“What people remembered about the event were the views, the wine and the music,” he says. “The food was secondary. We thought, let’s do something that we can prepare ourselves.”

And what they can do is barbecue. Stocked with bratwurst and sausages from Egger’s and Sonnenberg’s, Haig and the rest of the Whitestone family will grill up a BORDEAUX BBQ in the vineyard on Saturday afternoon. Whitestone’s wines will flow freely, and 6’ Swing will entertain, but the atmosphere will be far more casual, more like an open house than a party with fixed hours.

“It’ll be all you can eat and all you can drink,” says Haig. “People don’t have to stay the whole time — they can come and go.” — ANN M. COLFORD

Whitestone Winery’s Bordeaux Barbecue in the vineyard is Saturday, Aug. 8, from 1-5 pm. Tickets are $55, available at the Spokane (111 S. Cedar St.) and Wilbur (115 NE Main St.) tasting rooms, online at whitestonewinery.com or by phone at 838-2427. Advance purchase is required.