Columbia Winery

Founded in 1962, Columbia Winery is one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in the state. From great wines to banquet rooms to cooking classes to a well-stocked gift shop, Columbia Winery offers the whole package. You would be proud to host a wedding reception here: You wouldn’t have to worry about parking (there’s plenty), or be concerned about the size of the tasting room (it boasts the largest tasting room bar in the state), or panic over whether the garden will be in ship-shape condition (it will be—it appears the winery employs a small army of gardeners).

From humble beginnings in a garage in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood, Columbia Winery was the creation of Dr. Lloyd Woodburne and nine other wine enthusiasts. They were Washington’s original “garagiste,” making their first wines with grapes from what would become Washington’s Columbia Valley viticulture region. It was this pioneering spirit that showed the world that Washington’s location, soil, and climate could create world-class grapes similar to those of the Bordeaux region of France, which just happens to run along the same northern parallel.

David Lake, Columbia Winery’s master of wine, joined the winery in 1979. His close working relationship with the premium grapes growers of Washington has spearheaded the production of many award-winning wines and introduced a number of varietals and blends new to consumers’ palettes. For example, he is credited for being the first winemaker to produce several varietals in Washington, including syrah, cabernet franc, and pinot gris. Columbia Winery’s fruit is harvested from a who’s who of Washington vineyards, including Otis, Sagemoor, Wyckoff, and Red Willow vineyards. As part of its tasting room experience, Columbia Winery offers an all-star lineup of award-winning wines, including David Lake’s Signature Series of fine wines.

With Columbia’s annual production of more than 160,000 cases of wine, you might wonder about the quality of its wine. However, as your taste buds will discover, quality can be found in every bottle, thanks to the strict production control of David Lake and his team of vintners.

WineTrail Tip: During the weekdays, tours are conducted at 2 and 6 p.m., so plan accordingly. Also, on the weekends, tours commence every 45 minutes.

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  Columbia Winery was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Woodinville Heritage WineTrail on page 142!