Washington Wine Country - Yakima Stay and Sip

You’ve heard about Washington State’s epic mountain ranges and endless saltwater shores but did you know about Washington Wine Country? Washington is the second largest wine producer in the United States and is home to some of the best wineries in the world.

Owen Roe Winery in Washington Wine Country Yakima

Freehand Cellars in Washington Wine Country Yakima

Washington Wine Country is has three regions; Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley and the Tri-Cities Region. Although the earliest grapevines in Washington were planted in 1825 it wasn’t until the 1950’s when Washington winemaking really took off.

We decided to begin our journey in the Yakima region of Washington Wine Country which accounts for 40% of Washington State’s total wine production. We were pleasantly surprised by Yakima’s charming downtown area. Flowers line the sidewalks and hang from lampposts and restaurants offer almost exclusively local food and drink. Farm to table is easy for this region which is also known as “Washington’s Fruit Basket”.

While there are several wine tasting rooms in Yakima itself, if you want to see how and where the wine is made you’ll have to drive. Around 100 wineries surround Yakima so visitors can literally drive in any direction and follow the signs to bliss. As a history buff I have always been interested in visiting Owen Roe Winery so our strategy was to start there and see where the day led us.

For a moment it felt like we were in Europe traveling down dirt roads lined with grapevines. It was a privilege to see and be near the vines that produced the wine we were tasting. At every winery we visited we were greeted by highly engaged and passionate staff members. We felt like we made new friends at each stop and with all the wine club benefits each winery offers, maybe we have. Our primary stops were at Owen Roe Winery and Freehand Cellars.

There are many affordable hotel options in Yakima. We chose The Hotel Maison for it’s grand history and it’s proximity to downtown. The Hotel Maison was built in 1911 and is the former Masonic Lodge, so it certainly doesn’t lack in grandeur. Rooms were spotless and newly remodeled and staff was extremely professional. We liked it so much we stayed an extra night. (Use this code for extra points.)

Honorable mention to Cowiche Canyon Kitchen and Second Street Grill. Delicious local meals served with equally delicious craft cocktails. We also found this website to be extremely helpful: https://www.yakimavalleywinecountry.com