A guide to Seattle's burgeoning wine scene

Welcome to Washington, the second-largest wine-producing state in America. The fact that there are more than 900 wineries here may surprise some, but with 11 million acres of the state devoted to growing more than 70 varietals, it’s just a matter of time before visitors become Washington wine fans.

In Seattle, scores of urban wineries share their own vintages in tasting rooms around the city, while devoted wine bars pour wider arrays. Even more choices await oenophilic palates along regional wine tours or simple day trips from Seattle.

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What makes Washington’s climate ideal for wine?

The Columbia Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area, aka a grape-growing territory) is Washington State’s largest, encompassing a huge low-desert region just east of the Cascade Mountain range. Those mountains form a rain shadow across south-central Washington that brings moisture but inhibits clouds and precipitation. Combined with ideal soil for wine grapes and seasonal temperature fluctuations, the Columbia Valley’s vineyards produce vibrant fruit, minerality and dense tannins. 

There are also other AVAs in Washington (including Columbia Gorge, Puget Sound – where Seattle is located – and Lewis-Clark Valley), adding to the state’s hallmark of producing bold reds like cabernet sauvignon, syrah and merlot, as well as flavorful, versatile whites like riesling and chardonnay. 

While there are hundreds of notable wineries to explore, here is a shortlist of some of the best spots to swirl, sip and enjoy Washington’s exceptional viniculture.

Seattle wineries and tasting rooms

Latta Wines

SoDo & Woodinville

Latta Wines pours an impressive range of varietals from its tasting room inside SODO Urbanworks, South Seattle’s communal food and drink complex. It focuses mainly on red and white Rhone offerings, including malbec, mourvedre, roussanne and viognier, with extremely small production and sustainable farming by Upland Vineyard in the Columbia Valley.

Aluel Cellars

Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Ballard

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With tasting rooms in three Seattle neighborhoods, there’s a bevy of reasons to enjoy Aluel Cellars vintages, including special food-pairing events, limited-release parties, and paint-and-sip soirees. Aluel pours a nice balance of reds, whites, sparklings and rosé – some less common for this wine region, such as pinot gris, blanc de blanc, bordeaux, and its award-winning grenache blanc and merlot.

Locus Wines

Pioneer Square

Classic varietals are made well at Locus Wines, whose loft-like Pioneer Square tasting room is worth a visit. Expect to sip mostly single-grape vintages of semillon, sauvignon blanc, grenache, syrah and more, with some versatile blends that inspire extended tastings. Locus also owns charming a/stir on Capitol Hill, a Mediterranean-focused restaurant that’s fully gluten-free (and accommodating of other dietary restrictions).

WeRise Wines

Downtown

This tasting room is doing things a bit differently by sharing fantastic wines that showcase wines from diverse and underrepresented winemakers, noting on its site that “Black winemakers make up less than 10% of the wine industry, women less than 20%, Latinx 15%.” Head to WeRise Wines’ cozy downtown tasting room to enjoy glasses, flights and bites, including a particularly intriguing menu of many tasty Washington wines, plus a few from Oregon, California, France and South Africa.

Wine tasting outside Seattle

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Woodinville

As Washington State’s oldest and most famous winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle is a top attraction, just 20 miles from downtown Seattle. Visit its lovely grounds and French-style chateau to sample acclaimed vintages, which embody all of the best of Washington varietals, including excellent limited-release bottles and sparkling wines made in the Champagne tradition. Visitors can walk in for limited tastings or reserve ahead for expanded tasting, pairing and tour experiences.

TruthTeller Winery

Woodinville & Walla Walla

With tasting rooms in Woodinville’s Wine Alley and Walla Walla (in south-central Washington, where most of the label’s grapes are grown), TruthTeller wines are known for their personality. Expect a nice range of single-grape and blended whites and reds, making good use of viognier, albarino, gamay and petit verdot.

Bayernmoor Cellars

Woodinville & Stanwood

Family-owned Bayernmoor invites avid and amateur wine lovers to its friendly Woodinville tasting room, which also serves food, and to its estate winery in Stanwood, about an hour north of Seattle. They focus on sustainable winemaking and unexpected pairings. Better still, you’ll find a delicious cross-section of the best of Washington’s varietals, including red and white pinot noir, pinot gris, and a late-harvest sauvignon blanc that works as a bright dessert wine.

Descendant Cellars

Woodinville

Tucked away in the Woodinville commerce center with other small-scale wineries is Descendant Cellars. Since 2012, Mike and Chris Rupp have produced big reds in the Rhone Valley tradition, and a tasting here will bring new appreciation for high-quality, small-quantity wines that celebrate grenache, mourvedre and syrah.

Icicle Ridge Winery

Leavenworth

Stunning scenery and memorable wines await at Icicle Ridge Winery, a 2.5-hour drive through the Cascades from Seattle into the Bavarian Alps–style hamlet that is Leavenworth. Find tannin-rich reds, classic whites, and specialty fruit wines at Icicle Ridge’s two downtown tasting rooms. Or drive 10 minutes out to its Log Home Winery to sip and pair cheeses on a porch in the mountain valley.