I was in need of a pick me up this week and took the trek down to Navy Yard to check out the new winery and restaurant, District Winery. Located within walking distance of the Nationals Park, District Winery is located on Water Street, right next to the Potomac River. 

I've familiar with the Brooklyn winery, the Williamsburg, NY offering from Brian Leventhal and John Stires so I was really excited to see how District would compare. The design of this location is really cool and modern. The outdoor patio space is wonderful but they need more of it. I only did the wine tasting this time. Wine tastings are first come, first serve which is pretty standard for wineries in the DMV. I did have to wait a few minutes (10 minutes or so) and I was called as soon as spot opened up. District offers 3 tasting options- seasonal ($10), Winemaker's choice ($12) and Premium Custom ($15). I opted for the custom tasting since the seasonal and winemaker's had more reds than I wanted to try. Sam, our pourer was fantastic! I was struggling on my last two selections and he asked some really helpful questions to guide him in choosing the last two wines for me. I went with the following (last two were suggested by Sam)-

• 2016 Chardonnay – Barrel Fermented Finger Lakes, NY   fresh pear, apple, creamy butterscotch   
• 2016 Dry Rosé   Madera, CA   bright, crisp provençal style
• 2014 Riesling – Skin Contact   Finger Lakes, NY   strawberry lemonade, green tea  
• 2014 Pinot Noir   Columbia Gorge, WA   light cherry cola, bright acidity  
• 2016 Pinot Noir Reserve   Suisun Valley, CA   spice, fruit, elegant and light 

He even threw in a sample of the 2016 Sauvignon Blanc which I missed somehow the first time. Thank goodness he did because that ended up being my absolute favorite. It was light, crisp with aromas of apple and melon. This would be lovely paired with a fin or shell fish.

A very close second was 2016 Pinot Noir Reserve. If you are not a big red wine drinker, I would give this a try. It smells amazing and has aromas of raspberry, blackberry with the spice coming in on the end. It is quite delicious!

If you are looking for a nice place to chill with friends or a date option, I would recommend District Winery! Great Service, good location, friendly and knowledgeable staff.