Running Springs Wine Tasting Room

Running Springs is what you might call a virtual winery. The wine made from its grapes is bottled by Tefft Cellars under the private label Running Springs Vineyard wines. The wine is subsequently sold at Thompson Fruit Stand in Naches, “the gateway to Mount Rainier.” For Running Springs Vineyard, the dilemma had been what to do with all its wine grapes. Enter Tefft Cellars for production and Thompson Fruit Stand for distribution. Running Springs’ goal is to produce estate wines, but in the meantime, this arrangement seems to be a good temporary solution.

In addition to sampling some fine wines, you have the pleasure of visiting Thompson Fruit Stand. John Thompson is often found at his Naches fruit stand, exuding Yakima Valley hospitality and offering much more than fresh fruit and wine. John is a bit of a farmer turned Renaissance man. At the “fruit stand,” you can sit and enjoy ice cream at the traditional soda fountain, pick up a double tall mocha at the latte stand, shop for other farm produce (canned goods, honey, etc.) and merchandise, and look over John’s restored “trolley tour” bus parked on the side. During October, you can visit the nearby pumpkin patch, which features two pumpkin cannons, and blast away or catch a hayride. In short, visiting Thompson Fruit Stand is down-home fun, and depending on the time of year, you are likely to cart away fresh corn, apples, peaches, cherries, as well as a bottle of Running Springs Vineyard merlot.

A word to the wise: If you are visiting Thompson Fruit Stand for the first time with the intent of sampling wine and making a quick exit, forget about it. There is a lot to explore here, and when you add in the warm hospitality, you need to budget at least a half hour, or longer if a root beer float grabs you at the soda fountain.

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  Running Springs Wine Tasting Room was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Yakima WineTrail on page 272!