Wineries on tour

This weekend is the official launch of the all-island wine tour coordinated by the Winery Alliance of Bainbridge Island (WABI).

Tastings among the island’s six wineries will be held from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday through Monday.

It is part of a series of summer events promoting island wineries.

“The wineries want to make people in the Puget Sound area aware that high quality, interesting wine is being produced on Bainbridge Island,” said Hugh Remash of Eagle Harbor Wine Co.

Remash is one of the founders of WABI and is hoping the event will kick-start the summer sampling season. He is also banking that solidarity among the diverse wine-making operations on the island will help sustain the budding industry.

“The crucial thing will be for the wineries to be kind to each other and to cooperate,” he said. “If that happens we can have a pretty cool thing on Bainbridge.”

Many of the winery owners will be on hand to discuss their products and operations. Tastings will be either cheap or free. Some wineries have plans to sample limited editions, new releases and wine straight from the barrel.

Eagle Harbor Wine, Eleven and Victor Alexander also will open their downtown tasting rooms.

A full list of winery locations and additional information can be found at www.bainbridgewineries.com.