Getting There: Here's our web exclusive map of the Leavenworth wine route (Adobe Acrobat required)

It’s easy to understand why the once-depressed town of Leavenworth—surrounded as it is by Cascade peaks and pine-studded hills—reinvented itself as a Bavarian-themed alpine village in the 1960s. Now known for its lederhosen and bratwurst, it’s reinventing itself again, thanks to the vineyards that are rapidly replacing the area’s orchards. In the fall—when Leavenworth proper is overrun with Oktoberfest crowds—the nearby countryside snaps with crisp air and blazes with the changing colors of larches, apple orchards and numerous vineyards. It’s a perfect time to explore the valley and its wineries at the slower pace offered by a bike tour. Ride the rolling hills, stopping along the way to taste award-winning wines in tasting rooms ranging from tiny underground cellars to large, modern wineries.

Start your tour de vine by renting a bike at Das Rad Haus (1207 Front St.; 509.548.5615; dasradhaus.com), then head two miles east on U.S. Highway 2 and pick up picnic fixings at Smallwood’s Harvest just off of the highway (10461 Stemm Road, Peshastin; 509.548.4196; smallwoodsharvest.com), a huge country mercantile. Turn left off Highway 97 on Saunders Road and follow signs to Wedge Mountain Winery (9534 Saunders Road, Peshastin; 509.548.7068; wedgemountainwinery.com), where old-time winemaker Charlie McKee will proudly show off his underground cellar. Keep heading north, turn right on Highway 2, then right again on Main Street and follow signs to year-old Cascadia Winery (10090 Main St., Peshastin; 509.548.7900; cascadiawinery.com), a bright, state-of-the-art facility. At Icicle Ridge Winery (8977 North Road, Peshastin; 509.548.7019; icicleridgewinery.com), a quarter mile down the road, the Wagoner family has transformed their grand log home into an impressive tasting room, where guests are welcome to gather around the kitchen table or taste outdoors alongside a trout-filled pond that provides the perfect setting for a picnic.

Back on the bike, enjoy winding through pear orchards as the road rolls toward Chumstick Highway, take a right here and climb up the valley to Eagle Creek Winery, which also boasts a luxury chalet where you can rest for the night (10037 Eagle Creek Road, Leavenworth; 509.548.7668; eaglecreekwinery.com; $250 per night). Other wineries to visit on this 30-mile loop include German-themed Berghof Keller Winery (11695 Duncan Road, Leavenworth; berghofkeller.com) and, for the ambitious biker, Boudreaux Cellars (4551 Icicle Creek Road, Leavenworth; 509.548.5858; boudreauxcellars.com), where your 7-mile climb up a moderate hill will be rewarded with smooth, complex wines that inspired Seattle to name Boudreaux’s Rob Newsom winemaker of the year. With the valley’s wineries earning such accolades, it won’t be long until Leavenworth—like Napa, or even Yakima—becomes synonymous with wine country. Let’s just hope it stays biker friendly.

Must-try wines

Wedge Mountain Winery: Raspberry Dessert Wine ($20)
Cascadia Winery: Chardonnay ($15) made with fruit from vineyards in Quincy
Icicle Ridge Winery: Three Blondes Gewürztraminer ($21.50) and the newly released Vintners Reserve Merlot ($50)
Eagle Creek Winery: Montage ($18), a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and the White Riesling ($16)
Berghof Keller Winery: 2003 Red Baron ($18
Boudreaux Cellars: Cabernet Sauvignon ($40)