Tucker Cellars

Located in Sunnyside, Tucker Cellars is just off I-82 at exit 69. This is the place to “enjoy a taste of Yakima Valley,” as the Tuckers like to say. And your taste buds will likely agree: You can sample and purchase third-generation Tucker farm products, from pickled asparagus spears to White Cloud popcorn to muscat canelli.

Randy Tucker and his wife, Debbie, own Tucker Cellars, and rely on the fruit and vegetables of nearby Tucker Farm to produce a full array of red and white wines, as well as a variety of pickled and packaged produce. This is “one-stop shopping,” Yakima Valley style. Don’t pass up the opportunity to experience what Yakima Valley is famous for: great produce and down-home friendliness.

Most interesting to me is the fact that Randy and Debbie are third generation grape farmers. That’s unheard of, but it is true. In the 1930s, Randy’s grandparents Melvin and Vera Tucker planted vitis vinifera vines from cuttings taken from other early Yakima Valley grape farmers. The sons of Melvin and Vera (don’t you love these names) continued on in the wine industry adding to the vineyard and working for William Bridgman’s Upland Winery. (Note: If Walter Clore is the father of the Washington wine industry than certainly, William Bridgman is the industry’s grandfather!)

The wines Tucker Cellars offer—and there are many—come courtesy of its 50-acre estate vineyard. Tucker Cellars doesn’t stand on formality. That easygoing attitude makes it a fun place to visit and experience Yakima Valley’s wines and produce. And the prices will leave money in the bank for your next generation.