Vancouver, Washington, may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of wine country, but this charming city offers a vibrant and growing wine scene. Located just across the river from Portland, Oregon, Vancouver boasts a variety of wineries and tasting rooms that showcase the rich flavors of the Pacific Northwest.
Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or a casual sipper, Vancouver’s wineries offer something for everyone. From historic vineyards to modern tasting rooms, the city’s wine offerings are as diverse as its landscape. Many of these establishments are situated along the scenic Columbia River waterfront, providing guests with beautiful views to complement their tasting experience.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the top wineries and tasting rooms in Vancouver, WA, highlighting what makes each unique and worth a visit.
Key Takeaways
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Maryhill Winery Vancouver Tasting Room: Offers a wide range of Washington wines with views of the Columbia River.
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Barnard Griffin – Vancouver: A family-run winery known for its award-winning wines and welcoming atmosphere.
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Airfield Estates Winery Vancouver Tasting Room: Features wines named after vintage aircraft, paying homage to its aviation history.
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Brian Carter Cellars Tasting Room & Wine Bar: Specializes in European-style blends and offers a cozy wine bar experience.
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Amavi Cellars & Pepper Bridge Winery: Showcases Bordeaux-style wines from Walla Walla Valley.
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Willamette Valley Vineyards Vancouver Tasting Room & Restaurant: Combines wine tasting with Pacific Northwest-inspired cuisine.
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Valo / Massalto: A newer addition to the scene, offering vibrant wines in a modern setting.
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English Estate Winery: Located on a historic farm, this winery offers estate-grown wines in a rustic setting.
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Burnt Bridge Cellars: Known for its Bordeaux and Rhône varietals, offering a community-focused tasting experience.
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Stavalaura Vineyard: A small-batch winery offering unique wines and a peaceful vineyard setting.
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Bethany Vineyard & Winery: Family-owned winery known for its scenic views and quality wines.
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Windy Hills Winery: Offers a spacious tasting room and a variety of wines in a tranquil setting.
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Pomeroy Cellars: Set on a historic farm, this winery offers small-batch wines and a charming atmosphere.
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La Uva Fortuna Farms: A boutique winery offering handcrafted wines and a personalized tasting experience.
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Confluence Winery: A hidden gem known for its friendly staff and excellent wines.
Wine Tasting on the Waterfront of Vancouver, WA
The Vancouver Waterfront is a great place to check out some of the best wineries in the state and the Pacific Northwest. You can find tasting rooms for all kinds of wines along the north shore of the Columbia River. Whether you’re a casual connoisseur or an enthusiastic oenophile, you’re sure to be impressed!
This small area surely has a nice concentration of great tasting rooms. We’ve picked a total of 7 within walking distance of each other. Such great quality and so many amazing wines in one place. Crazy!
Maryhill Winery Vancouver Tasting Room
Maryhill Winery opened a new tasting facility in Vancouver, Washington, in 2019. The new facility is located in the city’s renovated waterfront zone and offers visitors the opportunity to sample a wide range of Washington wines.
Of course, the location is quite exquisite and the wines are perfect. On the other side of the coast, you have a great view of Oregon’s Portland. It’s a nice wine-tasting experience in Vancouver, WA.
Barnard Griffin – Vancouver
The brainchild of founders Deborah Barnard and Rob Griffin, Barnard Griffin Winery began in 1983. What started out as an attempt to produce some wine with grapes that were borrowed and cellars that were rented ended up being one of the most important wineries in Washington.
They’ve joined the Vancouver, WA waterfront recently with a nice tasting room and a great selection of wines. If you want to try a family-run business that also boasts some of the most awarded wines in the state then the Barnard Griffin Tasting Room is your spot.
Airfield Estates Winery Vancouver Tasting Room
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Airfield Estates is a premier winery and vineyard in the Yakima Valley, Washington. It is family-owned-and-operated, and boasts a unique history – part of the property was once an airstrip! The name Airfield Estates pays homage to this fascinating past.
Of course, when visiting the tasting room in Vancouver it’s a fun fact to know but what matters are the wines. They’ve got a great selection available and they have a good waterfront property. It’s a beautiful place for wine tasting and definitely one that we can recommend.
Brian Carter Cellars Tasting Room & Wine Bar
Great wines, great food, and a superb location? Yes, please! Of course, don’t expect to dine here, but they have good side dishes that go well with their wines.
The main inspiration for Brian Carter Cellars lies in European heritage. The bottles provide an excellent showcase for Brian’s passion for crafting outstanding European-style blends from Washington State’s distinctive terroir.
Amavi Cellars & Pepper Bridge Winery
Another great place for wine tasting on the Vancouver, WA waterfront is Amavi Cellars & Pepper Bridge Winery. They have a small but stylish tasting room. If you want to visit you should call ahead due to space limitations.
Although they have a limited selection what’s good about this place is that you can sample wines from two wineries at once. And the limited selection also guarantees that only the top stuff makes it all the way to the tasting room.
Willamette Valley Vineyards Vancouver Tasting Room & Restaurant
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The Willamette Valley Vineyards Vancouver Tasting Room & Restaurant is a brand new addition to the Vancouver WA wine tasting scene. It only opened a few months ago but it’s already attracting a great crowd due to excellent wines and high-quality food.
We recommend the daily tasting menu here. Featuring fresh, seasonal dishes from the region, the menu is the perfect complement to the vinery’s traditional Oregon wines. The three-course tasting menu has been carefully curated to offer you a variety of delicious options. Or, you can browse the full menu, which includes suggested wine pairings, vegetarian and vegan alternatives, specialty cocktails, and more.
Valo / Massalto
This winery is definitely one of the greatest in the waterfront region. The wines are excellent, and the service is courteous and enjoyable.
The owner/chef designed a small meal menu with wonderful nibbles. Stop in and enjoy some of their great wines while asking plenty of questions!
Their wines are superb, moderately priced, and ample. The atmosphere is quite nice.
Wine Tasting in the Winery, in and around, Vancouver, WA
Okay, it’s time to expand our horizons. It’s definitely a great experience to sip wine on the waterfront however visiting a winery in person is always an interesting thing to do. So let’s see what are the wineries where you can do some wine tasting in Vancouver, WA.
Do note that these wineries have limited hours for wine tasting.
English Estate Winery
Tasting Hours: Mon-Wed 4-7 PM / Fri 3-7 PM / Sat-Sun 12 – 6 PM
Probably among our favorite places for wine tasting in Vancouver, WA. The English Estate Winery boasts amazing wines, incredibly nice pricing, and beautiful scenery. The vineyard is very pleasant to walk around and explore.
For only $10 you can sample 6 different wines from their collection, but the fee is waived if you actually purchase a bottle.
English Estate Winery is a truly local winery that’s also very close to Vancouver, WA downtown making it an easy visit and an easy recommendation.
Burnt Bridge Cellars
Tasting Hours: Wed-Thurs: 1-7 pm / Fri-Sat: 1-8 pm / Sun 1-5 pm
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Burnt Bridge Cellars is a great place for wine tasting if you don’t want to get out of Vancouver, WA but want to avoid the upscale waterfront area.
They have their tasting room in the downtown area. There’s a nice selection of wines and snacks that go well with them. One of our favorite programs here is the Friday 1 hour dinner. Great food along with excellent wines. What better day to spend a quiet Friday evening?
Stavalaura Vineyard
Tasting Hours: Sat-Sun: 12 – 5 PM
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Located north of Vancouver, WA, Stavalaura Vineyard is a great place to grab some local wines and taste some as well.
Stavalaura Winery currently produces wines from three grape varietals cultivated in their vineyards, as well as grapes sourced from other notable Eastern Washington wineries. Their grapes are Pinot Noir), Zweigelt-Rebe, and Golubok.
So if you want to see a small vinery that has quality wines and it’s an up-and-coming player in the region then Stavalaure Vineyard is a great visit.
Bethany Vineyard & Winery
Tasting Hours: Fri-Sat: 12-6 pm / Sun: 12-5 pm
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Bethany Vineyard & Winery sits in a beautiful location. It’s a great visit even if you only come out to see the scenery, but then you would be missing out on the actual wine.
Their prime wine is Pinot Noir but they also produce twelve different wines in total. The fruity taste is highlighted by spending a limited amount of time in new oak before being transferred to neutral oak, where it will stay for up to two years or longer, depending on the variety.
Windy Hills Winery
Tasting Hours: Fri: 3-7 pm / Sat: 12-6 pm / Sun: 12-5 pm
Windy Hills Winery is another family-owned estate in Vancouver, WA. This vineyard has a beautiful setting with a great view of the surrounding area. The interior is vast and open, with a lodge/cabin atmosphere. The wine is great, and dogs are welcome outside.
Windy Hills Winery offers an excellent selection of red and white wines at surprisingly affordable prices. This is one of the favorite wineries for locals to visit and grab a few bottles to take home.
Pomeroy Cellars
Tasting Hours: Thur-Sun: 12-6 pm
The first thing you’ll notice is the stunning countryside and how peaceful the setting is. But what you’ll really fall in love with is the feeling of being away from it all.
The vineyard grounds are beautiful and there are plenty of activities to enjoy, like wandering around and experiencing the living history farm. The best part is the amazing staff and owner!
Pomeroy Cellars are great for visiting and doing some wine tasting. We can’t recommend this place enough.
La Uva Fortuna Farms
Tasting Hours: Thur-Fri: 4-9 pm / Sat: 12-9 pm / Sun: 12-7 pm
La Uva Fortuna Farms is an Italian kitchen and a vineyard. They’ve got a wood-fired kitchen with amazing pizzas. This is a great place not only for the wine but for the food as well. They make some of the most authentic Italian food in the area.
When it comes to the wine you’ve got an option for tableside tasting. For $10 you can taste 4 wines accompanied by olive oil bread. It’s a pretty good deal if you ask us!
Confluence Winery
Tasting Hours: Sat-Sun: 12-5 pm
Finally, we have Confluence Winery when it comes to wine tasting in Vancouver, WA. The tasting fee is $15 but it is waived if you buy at least 2 bottles of wine which is a real possibility after you try their tasty offerings.
Confluence Winery prides itself on being a small-time manufacturer. They keep their wines limited but keep the quality very high.
Confluence takes its name from the point where rivers meet, as well as the aim of creating a stunning site and property where people can gather, relax, enjoy themselves, and sample high-quality wines.
Conclusion
Vancouver, WA, offers a delightful wine tasting experience that rivals more well-known wine regions. With its diverse selection of wineries and tasting rooms, visitors can enjoy a variety of wines, each with its own unique story and flavor profile.
Whether you’re looking to enjoy a glass of wine with a view, learn about the winemaking process, or simply relax in a cozy setting, Vancouver’s wineries provide the perfect backdrop. Many of these establishments also host events, offer food pairings, and provide opportunities to purchase wines directly from the source.
So, the next time you’re in the Pacific Northwest, consider adding Vancouver, WA, to your itinerary for a memorable wine tasting adventure.
About the Author
William Chase is the travel enthusiast behind GotYourPassport.com, where he shares practical guides and tips to help travelers explore with ease. A lifelong adventurer with a love for uncovering hidden gems and stress-free travel solutions, William believes that good planning makes every trip more enjoyable. His own experiences navigating Corfu’s diverse nightlife inspired him to write this post, so fellow travelers can enjoy the island’s vibrant evenings.
FAQs –
Q: What is the best time to visit Vancouver’s wineries?
The best times are during the spring and fall when the weather is pleasant, and many wineries host special events.
Q: Are reservations required for wine tastings?
It varies by winery. It’s recommended to check with each establishment beforehand.
Q: Can I purchase wine directly from the wineries?
Yes, most wineries offer the opportunity to purchase bottles during your visit.
Q: Are there food options available at the wineries?
Many wineries offer food pairings or have on-site restaurants. It’s best to inquire in advance.
Q: Is there public transportation available to the wineries?
Public transportation options may be limited. Consider arranging for a designated driver or using ride-sharing services.