Thinking of a day trip to Bainbridge Island? Then Eleven Winery is one of those stops I’d definitely add to the itinerary. It is an easy place to slow down for a tasting, especially when you want to try something beyond the usual Washington wine lineup.
Eleven Winery offers tasting flights in the $20–25 range. I opted for the flight at first and worked my way through six pours, then did a reserve tasting. I liked that the lineup moved through a mix of styles, from a Port-style dessert wine to rosé, reds and a fruit-forward white. Aidan was my host and he was very specific, walking through the details of each pours.
The Tasting
2022 Angelica
We started with Angelica, a Port-style dessert wine aged in barrels. It is light, rich and sweet, with a golden, honeyed character. It was a fun way to ease into the tasting because it is not the kind of wine I usually reach for, but it immediately felt distinctive.
2023 LEM
The LEM was a completely different direction. It is a Lemberger with a big personality—very fruity on the nose, with cherries and berries, followed by black raspberry and cherry on the palate. There is also a subtle earthy quality underneath the fruit. It has enough brightness and acidity to keep it from feeling heavy, making it a surprisingly versatile food wine.
2025 La Primavera
La Primavera was the dry rosé in my flight and brought a lighter, fresher change of pace. Eleven describes it as fruity and dry, with a crisp finish and medium acidity. It is the kind of rosé that feels made for a sunny afternoon—bright, easygoing and refreshing without being overly sweet.
2023 Syrah
The 2023 Syrah was the more serious red of the lineup: dry and full-bodied, but polished rather than weighed down by oak. It has the kind of smooth, confident character that makes sense with dinner, and it was one of the pours that reminded me that Washington Syrah can have plenty of structure without losing its elegance.
2022 La Ronde
La Ronde was another step up in richness. This Bordeaux-plus blend is dry and full-bodied, with the kind of complexity and depth that makes it feel like a wine you could sit with for a while. It has a darker, more serious personality than some of the earlier pours and showed why it has become one of Eleven’s more substantial reds.
2024 La Donella
And then there was La Donella, which ended up being my favorite. This Sauvignon Blanc is fruit-forward and full-bodied, with Mandarin citrus and crisp apple on the nose and palate. There is a little sweetness up front, but it fades quickly into the finish, with a subtle hint of anise appearing as you linger over it. That combination of fruit, texture and just-enough sweetness was exactly what caught my attention.
I liked La Donella enough that I committed to a full glass. That is usually my sign that a tasting has done its job.
And Then I Bought a Bottle
I also ended up bringing home a bottle of Ratio Blanco because I found it interesting. It is a bright, fruity and dry blend built around Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier, with a touch of Pinot Grigio. It is the sort of bottle that is easy to imagine opening when you want something uncomplicated but still a little different.
What I enjoyed about the Eleven Winery tasting was that the wines did not all blur together. There was a real progression through the flight, and enough variety to keep me interested from the first pour to the last. And, as usual, my favorite part of a tasting is when one wine stands out enough that I want more of it—which, in this case, meant a full glass of La Donella and a bottle of Ratio Blanco coming home with me.
If you are spending a day on Bainbridge Island and enjoy wine tasting, I’d make room for Eleven Winery. Go for the flight, take your time, and see which makes you want to stay for another glass.