Guide to Wine Scores

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

Washington Tasting Room Magazine recently sampled a vertical flight consisting of three consecutive vintages (2015-2017) of Mourvèdre from Seattle-based craft producer :Nota Bene Cellars. Each bottling was sourced from Heart of the Hill Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA. Vintners Tim Narby and his wife Carol Bryant have been at this a long time and are staunch believers in using … [Read more...] about Vertical Vintages of Mourvèdre from Nota Bene Cellars

Sandor and Sabrina Faludi put their heart and soul into every release at this fashionable winery in Woodinville’s warehouse district that opened in December of 2019. Winemaking runs deep in Sandor’s bloodline—his grandfather was a winemaker with a small vineyard in Hungary where Sandor grew up. These latest releases from Prohibition Cellars continue to impress. Visit & … [Read more...] about 3 Releases from Prohibition Cellars

Vintner Stephanie Jones links her passion for winemaking to her avid exploration of the great outdoors. Horseshoe Basin, a stretch of unspoiled backcountry in the north Cascade Mountains, is one of her favorite trailheads and holds a special place in her heart, she says. Stephanie’s recent “trailhead series” is named after this pristine wilderness—a bold, savory red blend of … [Read more...] about Glacier View Cellars 2018 Horseshoe Basin Red Wine

Jaine is a captivating new brand from Matthews Winery devoted exclusively to handcrafted white, sparkling and Rosé wines. The official tasting room, affectionately called Jaine Cottage, brings a breath of fresh air to the center of the Hollywood District in Woodinville, where the vibe feels more like a comfortable setting at a dear friend’s vacation house than a typical tasting … [Read more...] about Jaine Cottage Captivates and Inspires

In mid-2021, Heritage by L’Ecole Wine Bar opened in downtown Walla Walla in the marquee ground floor position at the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel. Deemed one of Walla Walla’s most respected flagship wineries, L’Ecole Nº 41 was founded in 1983 and has been receiving guests for decades at their historic Frenchtown Schoolhouse in Lowden. Visitors to the winery can experience … [Read more...] about Heritage by L’Ecole Nº 41

Jim and Andrea Dahlman grew up in Washington and have deep roots and a connection to the Pacific Northwest. “Wine truly begins in the vineyard and the story of our wines begins with the people who grow the grapes,” Jim tells Washington Tasting Room Magazine. He sand Andrea are purposeful in their task to seek out smaller vineyards and growers in Washington and Oregon, exploring … [Read more...] about 3 Releases from Dahlman Cellars

Isaac Schmid has been on a trajectory to open a winery as far back as 2003. He left the trades as a journeyman electrician and re-entered the workforce in the restaurant industry. After earning a sommelier certificate in 2009 he apprenticed with Joseph Miglino, owner of Martedi Cellars in Monroe. When Martedi relocated to Woodinville in 2013, Isaac was granted an opportunity to … [Read more...] about Synne Cellars Makes An Entrance in Woodinville

Westport Winery in Aberdeen was founded in 2008 by Blaine and Kim Roberts. This splendid coastal destination is also home to Ocean’s Daughter Distillery, the Sea Glass Grill restaurant, and the International Mermaid Museum, the only one of its kind in the world. The breadth and scope of the wines have grown in recent years, evidenced by this latest batch of releases. Visit: … [Read more...] about Westport Winery Releases 6 New Reds & Whites

Among vintner Lisa Warr-King Packer’s latest releases are a series of single-vineyard reds. Crafted with deep fruit flavors and a backbone of acidity (that Washington State is famous for producing), these wines are enjoyable now, yet hold great promise of aging potential as well. Lisa's eponymous winery is in the heart of Woodinville's warehouse winery district, where she … [Read more...] about Single-Vineyard Reds From Warr-King Wines

Owner and winemaker Sandor Faludi was named one of Washington Tasting Room Magazine's "Winery's to Watch" in 2020 for his work producing solidly-crafted red wines. Here are two new releases we reviewed this summer as this Woodinville talent continues to shine with other varietals in his repertoire. Well worth a visit, the winery and tasting room are located in the Woodinville … [Read more...] about 2 Summer Releases from Prohibition Cellars

Terry and Lisa Davenport say they left corporate careers in Seattle to start an estate winery in Walla Walla’s pastoral Southside neighborhood, but it could be that the property, (the site of a former winery) serendipitously found the Davenports and their family. “With 20-year-old vines, a tasting room and production facility in place, the property literally invited itself into … [Read more...] about Kinhaven Offers Great Wine & Blue Mountain Views in Walla Walla

Kendall Mix has a long pedigree in winemaking. He has been making Lawrelin wines since 2000, which began as a modest side project back when he worked at Chateau Ste. Michelle. His career led him to Goose Ridge Winery, then later to Milbrandt Vineyards and Wahluke Wine Co., where he is head winemaker today. One significant aspect that distinguishes Lawrelin from any other winery … [Read more...] about Taste Aged Wines of Distinction at Lawrelin Wine

Founded by two Air Force veterans, Jens and T.J. Hansen, Uva Furem has the distinction of being Washington’s 1,000th bonded winery. The tasting room and wine production facility in Maple Valley sit on a mountainside property that used to be an organic honeybee farm. The first vintage was 2016 and debuted when the winery opened its doors in April of 2020—just after the … [Read more...] about Uva Furem Winery Proves Deadly Serious With New Releases

There is an old adage that great things often come from humble beginnings—and this particular winery, located in a suburban neighborhood north of Seattle, may indeed be one of those next great happenings. The wine production, at least for now, happens in a modest space adjacent to the home in Shoreline, WA where Kevin and Kathryn Mueller live and raise their children. “Kevin … [Read more...] about 3 Releases from Virtue Cellars