Yakima Valley Wineries

2007-2008 Northwest Wine Country Vacation Guide

Established in 1983, the Yakima Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) was the first in Washington State; it predates the mammoth Columbia Valley AVA by one year. Wineries here range from large, corporate entities, such as Hogue Cellars (800-565-9779; hoguecellars.com), with an impressive number of varietals to choose from among its Hogue, Genesis, and Reserve tier wines, to distinctive family-owned operations such as Chinook Wines (509-786-2725; chinookwines.com), which makes expertly crafted, reasonably priced wines designed to pair with food, and Hightower Cellars (509-588-2867; hightowercellars.com), with elegant red wines made by Tim and Kelly Hightower at their stunning Red Mountain facility.

Choosing just a handful of wineries to visit from among the 50 in the Yakima Valley is like choosing among the crown jewels. But here’s my short list of Yakima Valley wineries worth your time and trouble. Begin your tour at one or two of the tasting rooms in or near downtown Yakima. These include Desert Hills Winery (509-453-0503; deserthillswinery.com), Donitelia Winery (509-452-9900; donitelia.com), and Kana Winery (509-453-6611; kanawinery.com).

Located in the historic Larson Building in downtown Yakima, Kana Winery emphasizes Rhône varietals and single-vineyard wines. Its tasting room offers wines by the glass or bottle, “happy hour” six days a week, and periodic art and music open-house events. Sample intriguing wines such as Dark Star Red Table Wine (a Rhonê-style blend) or Old Vines Lemberger.

Now get on I–82 and head east toward Sagelands Vineyards, which bills itself as “the western gateway to Yakima Valley” and is just 10 minutes from downtown. Sagelands and 15 other highly regarded wineries, such as Portteus Vineyards (509-829-6970; portteus.com), Hyatt Vineyards (509-829-6333; hyattvineyards.com), and Eaton Hill Winery (866-328-6644), are located in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA, established in 2006 and scattered north of the town of Zillah.

Sagelands offers panoramic views of the Valley and Mount Adams. Winemaker Frederique Spencer, a native of Provence, France, focuses on making a variety of reasonably priced wines, including quality Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley’s “Four Corners”—the Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Walla Walla Valley, and the Rattlesnake Hills. The Sageland Vineyards Merlot Four Corners is a multi-award-winning wine and a veritable bargain at just $13. (800-967-8115; sagelandsvineyard.com)

Continuing east on Highway 82, at exit 52, close to the town of Zillah, Claar Cellars’ tasting room has a family-oriented, Old World feel. Founders Audrienne and Russell Claar first planted grapes above the Columbia River near Pasco, Washington, back in 1980 and opened the estate winery in 1997. Today, the next generation of Claars (Christa Claar Whitelatch and husband Bob) runs the operation. French born-and-educated winemaker Bruno Corneaux makes about 25,000 cases of wine annually, including award-winning Johannisberg Riesling and Corneauxcopia, a hedonistic red blend. (509-829-6810; claarcellars.com)

Take exit 63 off I–82 and follow the signs north to Tefft Cellars, which started in 1991 and makes a wide variety of wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Italian varietals, Port, sparkling and dessert wines—even darn-good boxed wines—under the expert direction of owner/founder Joel Tefft. Enjoy vineyard views from the tasting room and picnic deck or spend the night at the Outlook Inn Guest House, a cozy villa with three bedrooms and a secluded deck. Medal winners include Villarocca (a “Super-Tuscan”), Nebbiolo, and Villa Toscana (a Chianti-style blend). (888-549-7244; tefftcellars.com)

Head out of the Rattlesnake Hills AVA by getting back on I–82 and driving east toward Sunnyside and Apex Cellars. Established in 1988 by businessman Harry Alhadeff and winemaker Brian Carter, Apex lives up to its name with consistently high-quality wines under three labels: Apex, Apex II, and Bridgman. In 2004, Brian was joined in the cellar by French born-and-educated winemaker Jean-Claude Beck, who will take over when Brian departs to work full time at Brian Carter Cellars in Woodinville. Don’t miss sampling Apex’s award-winning Sauvignon Blanc, Late-Harvest Semillon, and Syrah. (Note: Apex’s tasting room will move to the Winemaker’s Loft in Prosser [exit 80] in late 2007.) (800-814-7004; apexcellars.com)

Lots of wineries cluster around the burgeoning city of Prosser. You won’t be disappointed with visits to Thurston Wolfe Winery, where winemaker Dr. Wade Wolfe specializes in unusual varietals such as Lemberger, Sangiovese, and Petite Syrah, and also makes PGV, an outstanding Pinot Gris/Viognier blend, and Sweet Rebecca, an orange Muscat/Brandy-fortified dessert wine (509-786-3313; thurstonwolfe.com). Or Hinzerling Winery, the oldest winery in the Valley (founded in 1976), where winemaker Mike Wallace is known for his fabulous Ports and Sherries (800-727-6702; hinzerling.com). Or Snoqualmie Vineyards (2006 “Washington Winery of the Year”), where winemaker Joy Andersen crafts beautiful wines such as “Naked” Gewürztraminer or Riesling (made from certified organic grapes) and Cirque du Rosé. (509-786-5558; snoqualmie.com)

But the draw-card winery in this area is Desert Wind Winery. The two-story, 34,500-square-foot, $3.5-million “mega winery” is designed in dramatic early-Pueblo style. A 2200-square-foot tasting room with French doors leads to a 6000-square-foot stone patio with views of the Yakima River. The winemaking facility, banquet rooms, a commercial kitchen, an exhibition kitchen, two outdoor patios, and The Restaurant at Desert Wind are other parts of the extraordinary complex, not to mention four individually decorated guest rooms, including a 670-square-foot bridal suite.

Doug and Jo Ann Fries, of Duck Pond Cellars (Oregon) fame, manage the vineyards while son Greg serves as winemaker. Don’t miss a sample of his Ruah, a full-bodied, Bordeaux-inspired blend with lush blackberry fruit or Bare Naked (unoaked) Chardonnay. (866-921-7277; desertwindwinery.com)

On to Red Mountain, a small slice of land in the east end of the Yakima Valley, but one of the most exclusive and desirable AVAs in the country. From I–82 take exit 96 to Benton City but don’t cross the bridge into the city. Instead, immediately turn right onto Hwy 224 heading towards West Richland and follow the signs to Red Mountain.

Here you’ll find imposing architecture at Col Solare (which is open to small groups by appointment only), a joint venture between Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle and Italian winemaker Marchese Piero Antinori (800-297-2561; colsolare.com), and Terra Blanca, with panoramic views of the Yakima Valley and the perfect terrace for a wine–inspired picnic. Cobbled walkways invite guests to wander past a small pond or waterfall, into the courtyard or grotto, or through the vineyards and the meticulously landscaped grounds.

Owner/winemaker Keith Pilgrim, along with wife and partner ReNae, purchased their 300 acres on Red Mountain in 1993; the first estate grapes were harvested in 1997; today Terra Blanca produces about 32,000 cases of wine per year. More than 80 percent of the winery’s production is made up of red wines; don’t miss Keith’s deeply satisfying estate-grown Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Chardonnay. (509-588-6082; terrablanca.com)

Notable neighbors on Red Mountain include Kiona Vineyards Winery, owned and operated by the Williams family, gutsy pioneers in this once-remote region. John and Ann, and son Scott specialize in elegant estate-bottled Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Dry Riesling, among other varietals. The family opened a new tasting room in spring 2007. (509-588-6716; kionawine.com)

Hedges Family Estate is another family-run operation that specializes in sumptuous blends of estate-grown red varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah) and reasonably priced CMS blends made from non-estate, Columbia Valley-grown grapes. Started by Tom Hedges and French-born wife Anne-Marie, this self-described “wine estate on Red Mountain” features a chateau surrounded by gardens and vineyards and blessed with incredible views of Red Mountain and the Yakima Valley. (509-588-3155; hedgesfamilyestate.com)

By Braiden Rex-Johnson