Guide to Wine Scores

Entrepreneur Marty Taucher and esteemed winemaker Chris Peterson partnered in 2010, forming a tour de force that consistently turns out impressive vintages. They recently purchased the prominent Tapteil Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA, in addition to Tapteil’s former tasting room on the property, which has been transformed into Avennia's Red Mountain tasting room adjacent to … [Read more...] about Avennia Creates Bold Presence On Red Mountain

This pioneer winery was founded in Prosser, WA by the husband and wife team of John and Louise Rauner in 1977. John Rauner was the first wine commissioner with the Department of Agriculture and a nd chairman for the Washington State's first appellation, the Yakima Valley AVA. Louise and John went on to launch the Yakima Valley Winegrowers association in 1982, leaving an … [Read more...] about Yakima River Winery 2017 Last Cast Red Wine, $45

Innovators like this boutique warehouse winery have helped to shape Woodinville’s reputation as a destination for world-class wine. Page Cellars was started two decades ago by James and Rothelle Page. Upon retiring last year they relayed the baton of ownership to Todd and Dee Krivoshein, former club members as well as cellar volunteers who were keenly familiar with the … [Read more...] about 3 Releases from Page Cellars

If you love French wines and live in Seattle, consider yourself fortunate. Princess and Bear Wines is a new tasting room in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle that is importing small batch, affordable wines from over 40 independent French winemakers exclusively from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. This wild and unspoiled appellation in the South of France is currently … [Read more...] about Princess & Bear Wines in Seattle Offers Chance to Taste Uncommon French Imports

Mike Metheny, a former aerospace engineer, along with business partner Lisa Swei, a technology expert, fall into that delightful echelon of people with magnetic personalities. Their balanced upbeat-nature is contagious not only to winery guests, but seems to flow through their carefully French-oaked reds and stainless steel-aged whites. With a bevy of awards and genial hosts, … [Read more...] about Three of Cups Expands Woodinville Footprint with Winning Combination

Rallying around a slogan of “wine, food and the great outdoors,” Leigh McMillan and Kristen Dorrity chose Bellingham for their second tasting room location when they decided to branch out from West Seattle. Welcome Road is named for a road near Mount Baker where Leigh and Kristen own a cabin. The pair have been making their Yakima Valley-sourced wines for well over a decade, … [Read more...] about Welcome Road Winery Opens Satellite Tasting Room in Bellingham

As a vintner and lifelong drummer drawn to the arts and culture, Matt Frazier says he had a revelation about wine during a visit to Chicago’s Art Institute. He stood gazing at a stunning Impressionist painting by Renoir and realized that great wine was akin to fine art in the sense both could be appreciated by the masses, not just those with deep intellect on the subject … [Read more...] about Drum Roll Wine Marches to a Different Beat

Tim Oas produces assorted red and white wines but his eye has been trained on Zinfandel from the very start of Story Cellars' first commercial vintage back in 2014. Oas continues to shine a spotlight on the masterful potential of this variety grown with grapes culled from the hot slopes of Red Mountain, as well as the cooler climate of the Columbia Gorge region. These bold and … [Read more...] about Story Cellars Shines Light on Northwest Zinfandel

Brock and Erica Lindsay built this Manson, Wash. winery from humble beginnings into one of the premier wineries overlooking Lake Chelan. As a viticulturist and vintner, Brock's has what it takes to craft solid New World reds, whites and rosé wines that are as enchanting as the lakeside views from their back patio. Visit and taste at the winery's sleek and modern tasting room … [Read more...] about Succession Wines 2021 Rosé

When Ciel du Cheval Vineyard was planted on Red Mountain in 1975, Richard Holmes was there assisting his father, Jim Holmes, alongside members of four other families (including John and Scott Williams of Kiona Vineyard fame). In 2012, after 37 years of growing grapes for some of the most hailed wineries in Washington, Richard and his family decided to allot a portion of their … [Read more...] about 2 White Varietals from Côtes de Ciel on Red Mountain

Epic views of the glacial waters of Lake Chelan are abundant from Silver Bell’s sleek tasting room that opened in the summer of 2021. The modern winery facility on six beautiful acres is the result of four years of sweat equity, constructed by hand literally from the ground up by entrepreneurial owners Alan and Diane Holtzheimer. “We built the current winery ourselves with the … [Read more...] about Silver Bell Winery Lands on the Shores of Lake Chelan

Owners Kim and Larry Harris opened their first tasting room during the summer of 2021 in Woodinville’s Woodin Creek neighborhood. Although they produce a Chardonnay, a Cabernet and Rosé with grapes from eastern Washington growers, the real story centers on their series of estate Pinot Noir grown north of Seattle. They began planting vines on the family’s estate land in … [Read more...] about Trio of Pinot Noir from Bayernmoor Cellars

This outfit consistently turns out head-turning wines, and the caliber of guest services scores high marks, too. Since 2009, Washington Tasting Room magazine has followed Charlie and Lacey Lybecker’s wine "journey," if it’s fair to call it that. Considering their many accomplishments over the past decade on a deep dive into Washington-grown Rhône-style wines, the term “journey” … [Read more...] about Cairdeas Winery’s Deep Dive Into Rhône Varietals

Red Mountain Trails Winery founders Teresa and Jeff Owen have built up their family business quite literally on horseback. The couple have been leading horseback rides and horse-drawn wagon rides through vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA since 2013. It seemed only logical when Red Mountain Trails expanded their offerings in 2016 to include a “wine tasting by horseback tour.” … [Read more...] about Red Mountain Trails Offers Tastings & Horseback Tours

Kelsey Albro Itämeri is behind the latest “incubator winery” to hatch at the Port of Walla Walla's Incubator Winery Facilities along Piper Avenue near the airport. She came to winemaking via a long and winding road, having tried her hand at many occupations in the years following college: political campaign manager, reality TV production assistant, executive assistant at … [Read more...] about Itä Wines Hatches in Walla Walla

Known as one of Washington’s vanguard wineries to raise the benchmark on Bordeaux and Rhone varietal blends in the state, this year marks DeLille Cellars’ 30th anniversary. Veteran director of winemaking and viticulture Jason Gorski, along with winemaker Nick Bernstein and together with their cellar team continue to impress with impeccably-balanced red blends that manage to … [Read more...] about DeLille Cellars Hits 30th Anniversary Milestone

This Woodinville winery continues to churn out small-lot red and white wines with amazing alacrity. Concentrating on fruit culled from both the Royal Slope and the Wahluke Slope AVAs in eastern Washington, the winery is in the heart of Woodinville’s warehouse winery district. Visitors will find a full lineup of current releases, and a few library wines to boot. Located at 19501 … [Read more...] about 4 Releases from Warr-King Wines

Alphonse de Klerk of Rolling Bay Winery has a natural gift for crafting solid red and white wines. It could be said he is the foremost ambassador for Upland Vineyards, the largest family vineyard operation in the Snipes Mountain AVA, a subset of the Yakima Valley appellation. Alphonse has been producing classically styled wines with grapes grown at Upland Vineyards for many, … [Read more...] about Rolling Bay Winery Explores the Square Root of Pinot Gris

Reviews of 20 Washington-grown Rhône style wines, proving that Washington terroir is every bit as bold, brash and exciting as France’s.  … [Read more...] about Top Picks: Winter 2021/22 Reviews