Best Washington State Wineries to Visit

Flamboyant, plain-spoken (see the video on his website) Charles Smith, a former rock band manager and current wine guru, produces a string of labels, from luxury priced to everyday drinking (like Kung Fu Girl and Red Devil). His three tasting rooms include an industrial chic space converted from an old Doctor Pepper bottling plant in the Georgetown area of Seattle, aka Jet City (the floor to ceiling windows look out on Boeing field), a former auto repair shop in downtown Walla Walla converted by the top-notch Olson Kundig architectural firm, and the K Vintners outpost near Walla Walla on a 19th century farmstead. charlessmithwines.com

Cave B's wines are as close at hand to Seattle visitors as the winery's Woodinville tasting room, but to get the real experience—the 900-foot cliff, the panoramic views, The Gorge natural amphitheater music venue—you have to make the considerable drive to Quincy. Fortunately, the Cave B Resort provides a range of appealing overnight accommodations, and the Tendrils Restaurant will keep you fed while sipping the broad array of all-estate wines. caveb.com

Possibly the only winery you'll ever visit with an art-glass school attached. Rob Griffin's pioneering efforts in eastern Washington have resulted in some of the state's finest wine bargains—the entry level Cabernet is a steal—available for sampling at the winery's Richland Wine Bar and Eatery alongside an abundant menu of artisan foods. Wife Deborah Barnard, a fused-glass artist, extends the learning experience with her db Studio and Gallery. barnardgriffin.com

The Washington titan is one of the most reliable big wineries in the world, with tasty bottles to look for up and down the lineup, including excellent deals like the Indian Wells Red Blend, and unique bottlings like the Eroica Riesling in partnership with Germany’s Ernst Loosen. The hospitality center in Seattle's suburban Woodinville is ground zero for Washington wine tourism, with a slate of tour and tasting options, from casual drop-in, to the appointment-only Ultimate Tour ($85), plus numerous concerts and special events. ste-michelle.com

This joint venture between Ste. Michelle and Tuscany's iconic Antinori is in a design-magazine-worthy winery dramatically situated in a sprawling Wild West landscape on a slope of Red Mountain. The winery produces a luxury-priced red based on Cabernet Sauvignon that has been much acclaimed. The tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday, with tours offered Sunday afternoons. There is also a Col Solare Bottega for tasting inside Chateau Ste. Michelle's Woodinville winery. colsolare.com

Ste. Michelle's sister winery is well-known for fine bargains in Bordeaux-style reds and Chardonnays, but its Reserve tier wines, produced in the Petit Chai "winery within the winery" can be impressive too. The winery in Paterson, overlooking the Columbia River, offers self-guided tours daily, and free, guided tours on the weekend by reservation. Call ahead to reserve a wine and food pairing experience ($25). columbiacrest.com

Among the state's top wineries, this small, suburban Woodinville producer makes age-worthy Bordeaux-style wines under the DeLille label and top Rhône-style wines under the Doyenne name, and single vineyard wines from Red Mountain under Grand Ciel. There are two tasting locations, the Carriage House near the winery in Woodinville, and the Maison DeLille Wine Lounge, with frequent live music, in Kirkland. delillecellars.com

Master sommelier Greg Harrington pursued his dream, leaving downtown Manhattan behind to explore the vineyards of Walla Walla, and developing a dedicated following along the way for his deft, natural wines with Old World-style balance. The cozy tasting room is a must-stop for lovers of world-class red wine—check the website for hours of operation, or call ahead for an appointment. gramercycellars.com

Hedges was among the pioneers in putting Red Mountain on wine-lovers' maps for dense, lush reds including Bordeaux blends. The winery remains a family affair—run by the founders' son and daughter—producing biodynamically farmed wines from Red Mountain and more affordable wines under the HIP and CMS labels. Check the web-site for the tasting room schedule at the Benton winery, or call ahead for an appointment. hedgesfamilyestate.com

One of the state's larger producers, and one of the few to retain Riesling—one of Washington wine's first hits—as a major calling card. Hogue produces very well-priced wines in three pricing tiers for the general market, but a fourth tier, the tiny production "Terroir" wines, are available only to club members and visitors to the tasting room in Prosser. hoguecellars.com

One of Walla Walla's first wineries, this family-owned venture situated in a 1915 schoolhouse remains one of the region's—and the state's—standard bearers. L'Ecole has had successes across its line, but is probably best known for Bordeaux-style reds and arguably America's best Semillon. The tasting room in Lowden provides drop-ins flights for $5, but offers a schedule of tours and tastings, up to a 90-minute Reserve Tour ($30) by appointment. lecole.com

An extraordinary venture and one Washington's better kept secrets considering the scope of the undertaking: Seven limited production wines crafted by seven masters from around the world, including Bordeaux's Michel Rolland (Pedestal), Napa Valley's Philippe Melka (Pirouette) and the Nahe Valley's Armin Diel (Poet’s Leap). Long Shadows' two tasting rooms, one at the winery in Walla Walla, the other in Woodinville, offer various sit-down tasting options by appointment, starting at $20. Given that these wines often sell out quickly on the web-site, showing up may be the best way to taste them. longshadows.com

Milbrandt is a multi-generation family operation with nearly 2,500 acres of vineyard to draw from, including major parcels in the Wahluke Slope and Ancient Lakes regions. The tasting room in Prosser offers tasting flights ($5-$10) of the winery's extensive lineup (including 15+ different varietals), plus Vineyard Series wines available only there. milbrandtvineyards.com

With their spectacular views of Lake Chelan, Dean and Heather Neff—he makes the red wine, she the white—work some of the most scenic vineyards in Washington. Particularly well-known for their Rocky Mother Syrah and Stone's Throw Riesling, the Neffs produce a range of wines worthy of attention. Check online for seasonal tasting room hours and the availability of the lake view guesthouse. nefariouscellars.com

Part of the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates portfolio, this Walla Walla winery focuses on Merlot (while producing fine wines from other varieties as well), and serves as a reminder of how good Merlot can be when given the star treatment. Northstar's light-flooded, modern tasting room offers a diverse flight of wines for $7, but visitors with more time to spend should book the Blending Experience ($85), an expert-guided seminar in which you blend your own wine. northstarwinery.com

This sleek, architectural building in Woodinville is actually home to two wine enterprises, both helmed by the gifted Mike Januik, a Washington veteran most famous for his Cabernet Sauvignons, but with a deft hand for whites as well. A $10 tasting fee allows visitors to select four wines from the menu of 20+ offerings. There is a fire on winter days, and fresh-made pizza on the weekends. noveltyhilljanuik.com

A unique feature of Walla Walla’s wine scene is the airport, which is yes, an airport, but also an eastside wine tourist attraction with over 20 small wineries, including Buty, Dunham Cellars and Adamant, all within walking distance of one another, housed in a variety of accommodations, from boutique-y to vintage hangar industrial. gotastewine.com

The lovely contemporary pond-side winery with a view of the Blue Mountains is set up to receive visitors. Taste Waterbrook's popularly priced Bordeaux blends and Chardonnays outdoors in fine weather, and enjoy local and seasonal food from the winery's kitchen Thursday-Monday. waterbrook.com

A pilgrimage spot for Washington wine lovers, Rick Small's unassuming 1870s farmhouse tasting room in Lowden is all about the wine itself, which can be some of the New World's best. The man who pioneered the modern era in Walla Walla (with his friend Gary Figgins of Leonetti) has now had decades of experience with the top-notch vineyards that produce his acclaimed wines. Private tastings and lunches in season are served at the next door Reserve House. woodwardcanyon.com