Castillo de Feliciana Vineyard and Winery

Rarely does the WineTrail Guy gush over a particular winery. After all, my motto is to leave it up to my readers to discover their own preferences. However, in the case of upstart Castillo de Feliciana Vineyard and Winery, I will make an exception to the rule and strongly recommend that you allow time for this gem. Here’s why.

First, owners Sam and Deborah Castillo made one brilliant move in getting their new winery off the ground. They hired young winemaker Ryan Raber. It wasn’t by accident or a chance meeting at a Walla Walla soiree that they glommed onto Ryan. Rather, they all share a common place of origin — the lovely hamlet of Duvall, Washington, outside of Seattle. It was there that Sam Castillo established his dental practice and became affectionately known to locals as “Dr. Sam.” The Castillos knew Ryan had graduated near the top of his class from Walla Walla Community College’s Institute for Enology and Viticulture program in 2005. And they appreciated all the medals and awards his wines received when he was chief winemaker for Tertulia Cellars. But more than that, I suspect it was his youthful energy and good character that won their hearts.

The winery itself lies just over the state line south of Walla Walla and features a Mediterranean style that brings to mind the red-tile-roofed abodes in southern Spain overlooking the blue Atlantic. In this case, however, the view from the house features a maturing vineyard surrounding the property. In keeping with the Castillos’ Spanish heritage, their wines lean toward the varieties of the Iberian Peninsula with wines such as tempranillo, albariño, and red blends made in a style suggestive of Spain’s Priorat region and comprising a healthy dose of grenache (garnacha).

Let me suggest that you make Castillo de Feliciana the last stop on your day’s tour. Just outside the tasting room are an open fire pit, inviting chairs, and a view of the Blue Mountains in the distance, reminding one of the mountains found in Spain’s Rioja region. Sitting there, soaking in the moment and sampling their tempranillo, I found myself wanting to suggest to Sam or Deb that they start serving paella — it would be the ultimate dish to pair with this wine!