Luanne Highlander

The Yakima and Columbia Valleys may be the newest vineyard areas in the country. There are many varieties of wineries ranging from metal sheds with an elegant door to new adobe buildings complete with overnight suites and elegant restaurants. A small group of us ventured over the pass one weekend to check it out. From Bellingham it took us just 3 ½ hours to get to Yakima . Driving from Seattle, it would take under 2 hours. There are a few good overnight accommodations right in Yakima that I would recommend. The Hilton Garden Inn is the newest in the city with a full restaurant. The staff is friendly and the rooms are nicely appointed. There are several suites with kitchenettes and spa baths. Another great place Oxford Suites, is located right on the Yakima River . All rooms face the river with a river walk going several miles along the water. Big Jacuzzi tubs are right in the sleeping area. I thought it a very pretty hotel. Both the Hilton and Oxford Suites are close to several wineries within the city limits.

Our group walked downtown admiring the old architecture and dropped into a little wine tasting room called the Kana Winery. From the 2nd Street sidewalk and entrance, it just looks like a little wine bar. As you enter there is a curtained off area with a very large sitting room, complete with toned down lighting, fireplace and cozy furniture. “Kana” is Native American for the spirit or the fire within a mountain.  They have a happy hour between 5-6:30 PM.. Winemaker, Mark Wysling focuses on Rhone-style wines. Some weekends, a local jazz group plays as well. It was a wonderful surprise.

Later that evening we dined at a local institution called Zesta Cuchina, also located within the city. This is a classic Italian restaurant complete with the owner, visiting each table, great service and of course, good Italian cuisine. He is quite a character and obviously loved by his patrons! Get reservations, this place was packed.

Wine tour day arrived and we were off to see as many wineries in a day as possible. Our first stop was a beautiful vineyard and peach orchard called Windy Point. In 1972 Stanislaw and Patricia Stepniewski purchased Windy Point Fruit Ranch. Expanding on the orchards, they began planting grapes and built an expansive tasting room. They have a wonderful vista on the bluff overlooking their orchards and vineyard and currently produce about 3000 cases annually. They specialize in a wide variety of estate grown and produced wines.

Our next stop was down a dirt road to a metal shed. I had my doubts about stopping, but was assurded by our friend and guide that, "it would be a great!". The owners of Wineglass Cellars relocated from Seattle and opened in 1994. They are friendly, unpretentious folks and make some of the best Cabs and Reds in the valley. The tasting room is just a humble little metal building out amongst their grapevines, but don’t be fooled, the quality of their wines speak for themselves. While visiting, you might want to bring your bike. The owners also promote a 60 mile bicycle trip in the Zilla wine country.

We stopped for lunch in the historic part of Prosser . On the main street is a little restaurant owned and run by a New York family. New Your style pizza, home made soups and delicious salads are their specialty.

Vintner’s Village was our last stop of the day. This is a cluster of new buildings, representing over 11 local wineries. We were able to visit 5 of them within a short walk of each other. This cluster idea is quite new and an easy way to taste a bigger range of wines without having to drive all over the valley to find them. Many more buildings were in various stages of construction. I really enjoyed the unique themed architecture of each.

Our last day in Northwest wine country, and the only thing scheduled was a leisurely drive and Sunday Brunch at Desert Wind Winery in Prosser. This Pueblo style building opened in 2007. Currently this winery produces about 20,000 cases annually. There is a large wine tasting bar, unique gift shop, and restaurant. We had a very delicious meal and the manager gave us a tour of their five or so suites offered for overnight stays. These beautifully appointed and spacious suites are complete with balcony’s overlooking the Yakima River and all have large spa baths. All rooms are themed after the Lewis & Clark expeditions. We will definitely stay there on our next visit to explore farther south towards Walla-Walla.

A surprise element of the trip was the ability to get up close and personal with the vineyard owners, winemakers, and their families. To hear their passionate stories about why they own a vineyard, the hard work involved and dedication, was just as good as the sipping! I have been to the Napa-Sonoma area-Mecca for the west coast's vineyards and wineries, on wine tours previously. The castle like wineries, elegant homes and landscapes, high-end ultra gourmet restaurants and shops are really spectacular, but you don’t get the intimacy experienced in this relatively new winemaking area of the Yakima-Columbia valleys.

One such story originates from the Bonair Winery, also located in Zilla and part of the Rattlesnake Hills Wine Trail Association. Shirley Puryear, self proclaimed “wine goddess” and her husband Gail are the owners. Shirley gave us a personal tour of their vineyard and wine making facility, accompanied by their Australian Sheppard. She spoke with us at length, highlighting their humble beginnings. Arriving in 1985 from the bay area, they began “planting” the grapevines. Drilling into the ground to plant each vine with a two person auger (husband Gail manhandling the other side), they began what she describes as a “hobby gotten out of control”. The first year’s harvest was sold to another winery. Shirley said,  "it just wasn’t fun to just sell the fruit", and so they begain self-taught winemaking with the help of another local expert and friend. Gail, now the head wine maker, also built their tasting room to match an English country estate they admired on a trip to Europe. To hear their journey first hand, and to see the joy on her face as she speaks about the past 30 plus years was just fantastic. There stories and many others like theirs is what makes the area extra special.

This trip was an eye opener. There are over 300 wineries and vineyards in the Yakima-Columbia valleys. Many new ones are planted every year. Accommodations and restaurants are upscale and delicious and all is just a few hours drive.

Thanks to our friend John Cooper, President of the Yakima Tourism and Convention Center for accompanying us and being our tour guide. For more information about the area, wineries and attractions visit www.visityakima.com to start a wine tour adventure of your own.