Portteus Vineyards & Winery

Paul Portteus first started making beer at age 19 in his houseboat on Seattle’s Lake Union. Despite an explosion of brewing beer that necessitated a remodel of the kitchen, Paul learned first-hand the lessons of fermentation. While majoring in philosophy at University of Washington, he took an extended tour of Europe by Norton motorcycle, discovering Europe’s many wine regions and enjoying amazingly affordable wines at night. It was from those early beginnings and an extended visit in the Sonoma Valley, that he and his wife, Marilyn, launched Portteus Vineyards & Winery in 1981. They were the 13th bonded winery in Washington at the time.

I met one of Paul’s sons, Seth at the Portteus tasting room in 2007. He was doing the pouring honors that day and I learned that his other passion was art – he’s a painter. Seth’s relaxed demeanor underscored the fact that he wasn’t trying to sell you anything. He lets the wines do the speaking responding to frequent questions about the size of the vineyards, the names of the winery dogs and more.

As you work your way through the lineup of estate reds, you might be surprised when you encounter the Portteus zinfandel. In true pioneer fashion, Paul became the first grower to plant zinfandel in Washington. After you swirl and enjoy the peppery notes of this wine, you will understand why zin is Portteus’ number-one seller.

Paul championed for the designation of the Rattlesnake Hills American Viticulture Area and obtained the official federal AVA title in early 2006. It was not easy; many argued that Rattlesnake Hills’ terroir was no different than that of Yakima Valley. But if you have the guts to ride a motorcycle through Bordeaux in the’70s and later weather the vicissitudes of the grape industry economy, then dealing with Rattlesnake Hills AVA politics is minor.

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  Portteus Vineyards & Winery was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Rattlesnake Hills WineTrail North on page 304!