8 Must Visit Yakima Valley Washington Wineries
Photo taken at Col Solare
Every year Lynward and I take an anniversary trip to discover new wineries. In 2019, we chose Washington and the Yakima Valley Wine Country, and they did not disappoint!
We began our vacation at Alki Beach and would go jaunting through Seattle. While there we warmed up with a winery tour at Northwest Tastings, an artisanal collaboration space between White Heron Cellars, Soulever Chocolates, and Glondo's Sausage Company. In addition to the great wine, we enjoyed a delicious charcuterie board, a welcoming atmosphere, and a beautiful view.
For our first wine tour, we meandered our rented silver Mustang convertible along I-90 through the Cascade Mountains to Yakima Valley Wine Country. There we stayed at the Cozy Rose Inn, a lovely Bed and Breakfast in Grandview, run by Jennie and Mark.
Mark gave us a list of his top five favorite wineries in the area, plus Lynward and I discovered a few more fantastic spots on our own. The wineries are a bit spread out, so it takes time to get from one spot to the next, make sure to keep that in mind when you plan your trip.
Without further ado, here are coffee.water.wine’s 8 must-visit wineries in Yakima Valley Wine Country:
This winery, which, as the website says, combines traditional techniques with cutting-edge science to craft world-class wines, was one of our favorites. Lynward and I try to keep our wine club memberships to one per vacation, and last year we chose Côte Bonneville’s Library Club.
With one shipment per year, a vertical of Côte Bonneville is made up of three different library wines, aged at least ten years. We chose 6 bottles per shipment. Other awesome club benefits, (which are even better if you live close to the winery) are access to limited production bottlings, invitations to Club Only events, notice to winemaker dinners, a complimentary tasting for four, and a 12% loyalty discount on all wines.
Co Dinn Cellars is close to Côte Bonneville, and in fact, Co consulted for Côte Bonneville for twelve years before founding Co Dinn Cellars in 2013. He shares their philosophy of using artisanal methods to make single vineyard wines but has a worthy flair that’s all his own. Make sure to pull up a chair and have a chat with Co while you’re visiting the winery—he’s a master at Google Earth.
At Hightower Cellars, owned and operated by Tim and Kelly Hightower, we really enjoyed the wines, the casual tasting room, and chatting with local wine members. This is a small, warm, welcoming winery that offers elegance and excellence without pretension.
At Col Solare, come for the amazing view and stay for the fabulous wines, which are the result of two amazing wine producers coming together for an ideal partnership: Washington State's Chateau Ste. Michelle and Tuscany's Marchesi Antinori. When you visit, make sure to ask for the three bonus wines—it’s definitely worth it.
Specializing in Bordeaux style wines, this husband and wife owned and operated winery has fantastic wine, great atmosphere, and a unique story. Greg and Shae Frichette decided to move to Washington on a coin toss and went into winemaking because they wanted to start a business that gave them goosebumps. They’re a limited production winery, so you’ll want to visit in person.
Domanico Cellars came highly recommended. We had a wonderful time with the winemaker, learning his story and the history of his vineyard. While the best experience would be to take in the Yakima vineyard, for anyone who happens to be in the Seattle area, there’s a tasting room and event space in the Ballard neighborhood, which also has a gallery, and offers beer and cider from local breweries.
Although Fidelitas has a tasting room only 45 minutes from downtown Seattle, we would recommend you visit the Red Mountain Tasting Room in the Yakima Valley to enjoy the breathtaking views on the patio as you enjoy acclaimed, handcrafted wines like my personal favorite—the 2017 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.
Though not strictly a winery, I didn’t feel right making a list about the Yakima Valley without mentioning our very favorite Washington restaurant, Wine o'Clock, owned by the Bunnell Family Cellar. This fabulous restaurant has outstanding wines and a mouth-watering menu. To make the most of both, consider choosing a wine flight or a dinner pairing. Lynward and I may have eaten at this local favorite more than once.
We had such a wonderful time in Yakima. The people were wonderful and the views breathtaking. We do plan on making our way back to visit Walla Walla and Horse Heaven Hills soon.
Comment below your favorite Washington wineries.