WineTrail: Prosser WineTrail South
Owner: Desert Wind Winery LLC
Winemaker: Greg Fries
Opened: 2001
Tasting Room: Open to the public
Amenities: Picnic
Tasting Room
Gift Shop
Wine Club
Restaurant
Lodging
Tuesday, April 11th, 2006 Winery owners optimistic despite delays, detailsBy Mary Hopkin, Herald staff writerPublished Tuesday, March 14th, 2006PROSSER, Wash. - As Lisa Fries gives a tour of the vast unfinished interior of Desert Wind Winery, she's filled with excitement, disappointment and frustration. She's excited about the future of the 34,500-square-foot, Santa Fe-style building that overlooks the Yakima River off Interstate 82 in Prosser. She envisions the weddings and parties that will occur in the warm, elegant banquet room. And she thinks about the exotic culinary treats that will be created in the winery's kitchen by various chefs from around the world. But she is disappointed that the project, which started more than three years ago, isn't finished. And she's frustrated that it could be as late as July before customers can sip Desert Wind's Bare Naked Viognier in the winery's own tasting room. The Fries family -- Doug and JoAnn, the parents and founders of the Duck Pond Winery in Dundee, son and winemaker Greg Fries, and daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Scott Jenkins -- announced plans in 2002 to build a production facility and winery in Prosser. In 2004 the family celebrated when they crushed the grapes from its 540-acre Mattawa vineyards at the new 16,200-square-foot production facility. And they broke ground on the winery, which they hope will be completed in July. "It's taken a lot longer than we anticipated," said Lisa Jenkins, whose official title in the family-run business is operations manager. "We had hoped to have it open last fall --then this spring." But construction delays and obtaining easements took longer than any of them imagined, Jenkins said. And the project has "evolved and changed" from the original concept, she added. "We tried to do a lot of the things we are missing at home," she said. At home refers to Duck Pond Cellars, the winery the family built in Dundee, Ore., in 1993. Although more than 40,000 people visit the Duck Pond winery each year, the winery is about the same size as Desert Wind's production facility and it houses the bottling line, leaving just a small portion for the tasting room. The family wanted Desert Wind to be different, and offer a distinct experience to complement the wine. The main floor will boast a large tasting room, 4,755 square feet total, with a bar and an area where guest chefs will create special appetizers and dishes to be paired with Desert Wind wines. Down the hall, to the rear of the entrance, is a 3,265-square-foot banquet room with seating capacity of 150. Both the banquet room and the tasting room will open onto a large patio overlooking the Yakima River. Upstairs there are three guest suites and one bridal suite, each with a private balcony overlooking the patio and a cozy fireplace inside. The bridal suite also will have a jacuzzi tub. There also are changing rooms that can be used by bridal parties
Where To Buy: Winery On-line
Phone: 800-437-3213
, 503-538-3199
Fax: 503-538-3190
Website: www.desertwindvineyard.com
Enlarge Map
Directions: Desert Wind’s southwest style winery is located just off I-82 in Prosser. From I-82 heading east or west, take exit 82 and head toward Prosser. Take the first right and arrive at Desert Wind Winery (just past the Walter Core Center) overlooking the Yakima River.
Desert Wind Winery
Few wineries in Washington can boast that they offer a place for wine tasting, for dining, for overnight lodging, for attending a cooking seminar, and for getting married, but the 34,000-square-foot Desert Wind Winery in Prosser offers just such amenities and more. Designed by Tate Architects of Pasco, Washington, the Pueblo-style building opened its doors in early 2007 and readily distinguished itself from other wineries in the lower Yakima Valley in sheer size and ambiance. In a state with few destination wineries, Desert Wind sets the bar high with thoughtful touches such as flat-panel TVs in the suites, warm earth tones throughout, full-length mirrors in the bride and groom changing rooms, and a set of French doors leading to a magnificent view of the Yakima River.
Desert Wind Winery is co-owned by the Fries and Jenkins families, who started Duck Pond Cellars in Dundee, Oregon, in 1993. After considerable study, they decided to locate Desert Wind Winery conveniently off I-82 in Prosser, in the heart of wine country. Next to the winery is the yet-to-be-opened Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center. Given the location, Desert Wind Winery can expect plenty of visitors throughout most of the year.
The spacious tasting room has a grand living room feel complete with a fireplace and a big wine bar. But perhaps the most surprising find is the wine itself: gorgeous, luscious, fruit-forward. Current offerings include barbera, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and (my personal favorite) a Bordeaux blend called “Ruah.” Full-bodied with lush fruit flavors, Ruah’s price tag of $15 makes this one of the best values in the state. Total production is at 20,000 cases annually. Better hurry, wine this good will be gone with the wind.
