San Juan Vineyards
If you should find yourself on the Washington State ferry to Friday Harbor, don’t pass up the chance to visit San Juan Vineyards. A mere 10 minutes from the ferry landing, San Juan Vineyards is located 3 miles north of Friday Harbor on Roche Harbor Road.
San Juan Vineyards was the creation of Steve and Yvonne Swanberg, who, together with their insurance-agency partner, Tim Judkins and his daughter Madison, founded the winery in 1996. Sadly, Steve was later diagnosed with cancer, and he lost his battle with the disease in mid-2006. Today, Yvonne manages the winery.
You’ll find the San Juan Vineyards compound has some rather unusual features. A turn-of-the-century one-room schoolhouse houses the tasting room and a well-stocked gift shop. The 1896 schoolhouse features original hardwood floors, a blackboard, and plenty of chalk to write: “I will not throw wine corks at Jimmy anymore.” Outside the tasting room is an ample deck with outdoor furniture, perfect for picnicking and enjoying a glass of wine. From the deck, you can see across the road to a grassy field where a horse and a camel lazily graze. Did we say “camel”? Yep. Her name is Mona, and you don’t need to worry about being spit upon— she’s friendly. Evidently, the banana-belt climate of San Juan Island agrees with camels. Also on the grounds is a replica of a church found on the Hawaiian island of Molokai.
Recently, Chris Primus joined San Juan Vineyards to take on the duties of winemaker. Chris will be responsible for producing 4,000 cases of wine annually, including a full line of white and red wines. Oh, and one rosé wine called “Afterglow Blush.” Hmmm. San Juan Vineyards’ estate wines feature siegerrebe and Madeline Angevine grapes, both grown in the winery’s 7-acre vineyard. The grapes used to produce the winery’s Bordeaux- and Rhone-style wines hail from the Columbia Valley and the Columbia River Gorge.
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San Juan Vineyards was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the San Juan and Lopez Island WineTrail on page 46!
