8 great wines from the cradle of Washington’s wine industry

It is known as the cradle of the Washington wine industry. After nearly 100 years of viticulture, the Yakima Valley is stronger than ever.

Nearly a century ago, William Bridgman began planting wine grapes around Sunnyside, and that sparked what has become one of the state’s strongest industries.

Today, the Yakima Valley is a diverse agricultural region. Yet amid the hops, apples, pears, juice grapes and row crops, wine grape vineyards continue to thrive. Today, the Yakima Valley is the largest growing region in the state at more than 16,000 acres of wine grapes.

While the Yakima Valley is thought of as somewhat cooler than other regions, all varieties of grapes thrive there, from Merlot to Syrah to Chardonnay to Riesling to Cabernet Sauvignon. Within the Yakima Valley’s borders are three separate American Viticultural Areas: Red Mountain, the Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain. Each of these adds diversity to the grapes being grown in the valley.

Many of the Yakima Valley’s wineries are clustered together, making touring fairly easy. They are grouped around the towns of Zillah, Prosser and on Red Mountain near Benton City. Learn more about the Yakima Valley wine region by going to www.wineyakimavalley.org.

Here are a few wines we’ve tasted recently that use grapes from the Yakima Valley. Ask for them at your favorite wine merchant or contact the wineries directly.

Rulo Winery 2012 Boushey Vineyard Grenache Blanc, Yakima Valley, $25: Walla Walla winemaker Kurt Schlicker makes wine from this somewhat-rare white Rhône variety. It is loaded with citrus flavors, leading with grapefruit and lime juice. It is a fun alternative to a green and snappy Sauvignon Blanc. (13.2 percent alcohol)

Reflection Vineyards 2011 Syrah, Yakima Valley, $33: This boutique winery in the Rattlesnake Hills near Zillah has crafted a superb Syrah loaded with aromas and flavors of blackberry, dark plum, boysenberry and blueberry. (13.7 percent alcohol)

Mercer Canyons 2012 Riesling, Yakima Valley, $13: This slightly off-dry Riesling opens with aromas of lime peel, Granny Smith apple, gooseberry and lemongrass. The flavor profile is lush and delicious with Bartlett pear and more Granny Smith apple. (12.9 percent alcohol)

Capstone Cellars 2009 Capstone Red, Yakima Valley, $15: This blend of Merlot (80 percent) and Cabernet Franc leads with notes of raspberry, black currant, cherry and milk chocolate. Inside, there are flavors of plum juice and dusty blueberry with sandy tannins and solid acidity. (13.9 percent alcohol)

Westport Winery 2012 Captain Gray Gewürztraminer, Yakima Valley, $25: The Roberts clan has turned Grays Harbor into wine country in Washington with its family-friendly operation. This off-dry Gewürztraminer carries classic aromas of rosewater, grapefruit, lychee and clove with a bit of petrol and cinnamon stick and flavors of fresh pear, peach and yellow grapefruit. (12 percent alcohol)

Wilridge Winery 2012 Crawford Vineyard Pinot Grigio, Yakima Valley, $17: Seattle attorney Paul Beveridge crafted this white wine with aromas and flavors of Granny Smith apple, lime, white pepper, anise, fresh hay and minerality. (13.5 percent alcohol)

Stottle Winery 2012 Elerding Canyon Vineyard Viognier, Yakima Valley, $25: Olympia winemaker Josh Stottlemyer has put together a delicious Viognier with aromas and flavors of dusty pear, Golden Delicious apple, orange and a twist of lemon. (14.5 percent alcohol)

Owen Roe 2011 Red Willow Vineyard Chapel Block Syrah, Yakima Valley, $55: Longtime Oregon winemaker David O’Reilly uses some of the Yakima Valley’s best grapes for this superb Syrah. It opens with intense aromas of dusty blueberry, dark plum, enticing dark chocolate and bacon fat. The fluid is rich and thick on the entry with dark plum and boysenberry flavors that are met with plump tannins. Its finish brings bright acidity that hints at juicy boysenberry and pomegranate. (14.1 percent alcohol)

Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue run Great Northwest Wine, a news and information company. Listen to their podcast on iTunes or at www.greatnorthwestwine.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.