Waterville Winery

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The town of Waterville can boast that it is the highest town in Washington at an elevation of 2,622 feet but it’s not exactly at a crossroads of the universe. In fact, few Washingtonians know where Waterville is let alone that it exists with just over 1,000 Watervillians inhabiting this relaxed burg located about 30 winding miles north of Wenatchee.

Smitten by the wine bug, owners Matt and Lisa Wareham converted their garage into a winemaking production area and appropriately adopted the moniker “garagiste.” Using a blue dry-erase marker, winemaker Matt inked their label of a happy stick figure winemaker working the basket press at crush with the words “Vin du Garagiste” inked above the garage. This simple label graces the initial small lot batches of riesling, un-oaked chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon.

Knowing that folks don’t flock to Waterville the couple smartly located their tasting room down the street from Aplets & Cotlets tour center in the Mission District of Cashmere. It’s here in a converted fruit warehouse (along with Horan Estates Winery and Crayelle Cellars) where you find Lisa greeting folks and assuring them that the $10 price tag for their cabernet and chardonnay is for real. Talk about a steal – this might be the best value in the state!