Winery hopping in the Yakima Valley is an unforgettable journey of delightful discovery for those seeking the good life and great wines. Across this sun-soaked WA wine region, in the same latitude as the great wine-producing regions of France, magnificent vineyards feature trellises laden with rich grape varietals. Local vintners invite you to savor their prized harvests and collect their handcrafted, award-winning wines.
Mineral-rich soil and entrepreneurial spirit have created a Washington State wine growing culture serious about its product but festive in its presentation. Whether a major producer or limited production, the character each vineyard portrays is as varied as the region's varietals. Each is tremendously fun to experience, especially as part of a vacation.
Winery hopping in the Yakima Valley is an unforgettable journey of delightful discovery for those seeking the good life and great wines. Across this sun-soaked WA wine region, in the same latitude as the great wine-producing regions of France, magnificent vineyards feature trellises laden with rich grape varietals. Local vintners invite you to savor their prized harvests and collect their handcrafted, award-winning wines.
Bonair Winery is situated in the Rattlesnake Hills of the Yakima Valley, Washington State's foremost wine growing region region. No, we don't have rattlesnakes in our vineyards. Every March 17, St. Patrick's Day we drive the snakes out of the vineyards. This is Washington States most scenic wine country. There are no industrial park wineries. (Unlike California, most wineries in Washington State are in cities and their grapes come from hundreds of miles away often blending vineyards that are 100 miles apart.) In the Rattlesnake hills you drive through orchards and vineyards, just like wine country is supposed to be.
Claar Cellars produces award-winning Premium wines including: Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Sangiovese. They are available for tasting, daily from 10am to 6pm, in our Tasting Room in Zillah, WA. We will soon have in production Syrah and Cabernet Franc. We will produceabout 25,000 cases of wine annually.
Hyatt Vineyards was established by Leland and Lynda Hyatt in 1983. Evolving from a modest Estate vineyard surrounding the Winery, Hyatt Vineyards has grown to 180 acres in four separate sites all within 3 miles of the original plantings. Each of the four different vineyards, Cherry Hill, Three Rocks, Roza Ridge and the original Estate Vineyard display significantly distinct soils, elevation and exposure. Varietals include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Riesling, Black Muscat and Zinfandel. From the Winery's first release in 1987, awards, medals and very favorable press have followed consistently year after year.
We are a small family-owned winery, using grapes primarily from our Vineyard del Sol near Sunnyside. We also use grapes from other small family vineyards in the Yakima Valley.
We are believers in letting the grapes become wine. We are Winegrowers not Winemakers. Our job is to eat grapes and imagine what wine they wish to be—then provide the best conditions for the transformation into great wine. Sometimes we use barrels, sometimes tanks. Most often a barrel is the cocoon where the juice transforms into a dry table wine. Sometimes the wines yearn to be sweet and luscious and a temperature-controlled tank is the cocoon. (But then Angelica is sweet, luscious, and barrel-fermented [it’s just complex]).
In 1981 our first 8 acres were planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot. Then we planted all the other varieties which weren't supposed to have succeeded either. There are now 74 acres invested in wine grapes.
In 1981 Washington State had 13 wineries. Only 2 or 3 of those were in the Yakima Valley. In 2005 there are over 350. Our advice to approximately the last 300 of them is to find something else to spend their money on. Of course this is what they told us in 1980. Who listens?
Founded in 1987, Silver Lake Winery is Washington's largest consumer owned winery. At Silver Lake we offer award-winning premium, super-premium and ultra-premium wines that you can enjoy today or cellar for the future. At Silver Lake we have a passion for wine and the wine lifestyle. Come join us for a taste of both at our tasting room.
