No plans for Memorial Day weekend? If you like excellent wine and revelry, start planning.

I can always tell when red wine comes from Red Mountain, located in the southeast corner of Washington state near the Tri-Cities. Red Mountain wines are bold, beautiful and big – some of my favorites.

The southward-facing slope of the mountain produces some of the state’s best grapes, which are then crafted into robust, rich reds by local wineries such as Fidelitas, Cooper Wine and Col Solare. In fact, grapes from Red Mountain are so magnificent that they are also the source for many wineries from Walla Walla to Woodinville — including Quilceda Creek, which has earned some of the highest ratings of any winery in the U.S.

When you combine amazing Red Mountain wine with delectable cuisine and panoramic views, you have a beautiful evening during Memorial Day weekend called Revelry on Red Mountain.

The May 28 event takes place on the terrace at Col Solare, a gorgeous winery overlooking Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima Valley. Twenty winemakers who either have property on or acquire locally-grown fruit from Red Mountain will be pouring. To accompany the wine, a culinary feast will be prepared by Chef Frank Magana, owner of Kennewick’s Picazo 7Seventeen – trust me, Frank’s creativity with food is spectacular.

You can also bid in a silent auction, sponsored by The Auction of Washington Wines and benefitting Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Washington Wine Education Foundation.

Best of all, seven Tri-Cities area hotels are providing special rates for Revelry guests who want to plan a weekend around the event.

For more information and tickets, visit the Auction of Washington Wines Web site.  The Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau also has lots of ideas for other things to do while you’re there.

So what are you waiting for? Make your long weekend something to remember!