Our Top 50 Washington Wineries

NYE WineHappy New Year! As we begin 2018, it’s time for our annual Top Washington Wineries List. We have returned to our original list of 50, after it climbed up to 65 wineries last year. Why? As time goes on, our palates change, and our wine experiences become more focused. In addition, in 2017 we visited Walla Walla again for the first time in a few years, which shone the light on some new favorites.

Regardless, the way to get on our list is fairly simple; we only have three criteria: wineries must offer great juice and good people who provide an excellent wine experience. Perhaps we had fun or learned something in a tasting room, a wine shop tasting, or at a wine event. Perhaps someone from the winery gave us a call, or sent us a personal note or samples. Or perhaps we were invited to an incredible winery party.

These people might be the winemakers or the winery owners; in some cases, they are the hard-working staff in a tasting room who went out of their way to make us feel welcome, or the amazing workers in the vineyards where it all begins.

We welcome Saviah Cellars to our list this year – we have become such fans of their wines, ranging from the very special “The Funk” (which we opened on New Year’s Eve) to “The Stones Speak” (which we adore) to “The Jack” (one of our everyday wines).

We also welcome Result of a Crush (which also specializes in funky wine from The Rocks) and Amavi Cellars, whose tasting room staff were so much fun during our visit to Walla Walla in May. And another standout winery, which joined the list for the first time last year, Two Vintners, remains one of our favorites, particularly “Some Days Are Stones” which we tasted for the first time over the holidays and loved it. Here is the full list.

Write for Wine’s Top 50 Washington Wineries (in alphabetical order):

  1. Alexandria Nicole Cellars
  2. Amavi Cellars
  3. Ambassador Wines of Washington
  4. Andrew Will
  5. Avennia
  6. B. Leighton
  7. Barrage Cellars
  8. Barrister Winery
  9. Bartholomew Winery
  10. Betz Family Winery
  11. Boudreaux Cellars
  12. Canvasback
  13. Chateau Ste. Michelle
  14. Columbia Crest
  15. DeLille Cellars
  16. Double Canyon
  17. Dunham Cellars
  18. Efeste
  19. Fall Line
  20. Fidelitas
  21. Fielding Hills
  22. Figgins
  23. Force Majeure
  24. Forgeron Cellars
  25. Guardian Cellars
  26. Hard Row to Hoe
  27. JM Cellars
  28. L’Ecole 41
  29. Lauren Ashton
  30. Leonetti
  31. Long Shadows
  32. Matthews Winery
  33. Mercer Estates
  34. Obelisco Estate
  35. Otis Kenyon
  36. Quilceda Creek
  37. Result of a Crush
  38. Reynvaan
  39. Ross Andrew
  40. Saviah Cellars
  41. Spring Valley Vineyard
  42. Tildio
  43. Two Vintners
  44. Upchurch Vineyard
  45. Va Piano
  46. Vin du Lac
  47. Walla Walla Vintners
  48. William Church
  49. Windy Point
  50. Woodward Canyon

To these people, we thank you; we support you. Cheers to Washington state wine!

Happy New Year!
Margot and Dave
Write for Wine — it’s Wine O’clock Somewhere!