Top 10 Wineries in Washington State
Washington is the United States' second-largest wine producer after California, yet it remains under the radar of many drinkers. The vineyards lie east of the Cascade Mountains in a high desert that sees barely 20 centimetres of rain a year — irrigation is essential, sunshine is abundant, and the long summer days followed by cold nights give wines of ripe fruit and firm acidity. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Riesling all thrive here.
1. Quilceda Creek, Snohomish
The state's most revered Cabernet producer, founded in 1979. Quilceda Creek's Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced largely from Champoux Vineyard and other top sites, has earned a long string of near-perfect scores and is the benchmark for Washington's age-worthy reds.
2. Leonetti Cellar, Walla Walla
The first commercial winery in Walla Walla, founded by Gary Figgins in 1977. Leonetti's Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve are cult wines sold almost entirely through a mailing list. A family estate that helped put the valley on the map.
3. Woodward Canyon, Lowden
Founded in 1981, the second winery in Walla Walla, known for powerful, structured Cabernet — the Old Vines and the single-vineyard bottlings — alongside one of the state's best Chardonnays. A pioneer estate of great consistency.
4. Cayuse Vineyards, Walla Walla (The Rocks)
Christophe Baron's biodynamic estate, planted in the cobblestone soils of the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Cayuse's Syrahs — Bionic Frog, Cailloux, Armada — are intensely savoury, almost Rhône-like, and among the most sought-after wines in America.
5. Château Ste. Michelle, Woodinville
The giant that built the modern industry, founded in its current form in 1967. Its Riesling, made with input from Germany's Dr. Loosen as the joint venture Eroica, and its Col Solare project with Antinori on Red Mountain, anchor a vast and reliable portfolio.
6. Andrew Will, Vashon Island
Chris Camarda's estate, celebrated for Bordeaux-style blends named after single vineyards — Sorella, Ciel du Cheval, Champoux. Elegant, restrained reds that argue for terroir over power in Washington.
7. DeLille Cellars, Woodinville
Founded in 1992, a specialist in Bordeaux-style blends. Chaleur Estate red and white, and the Syrah-based Doyenne wines, established the polished, food-friendly style that defined Woodinville's tasting scene.
8. L'Ecole No 41, Lowden
Housed in a historic 1915 schoolhouse, a Walla Walla pioneer founded in 1983. Known for Merlot, Syrah and the Ferguson Vineyard estate red on Walla Walla's slopes, plus a distinctive Sémillon.
9. Gramercy Cellars, Walla Walla
Master Sommelier Greg Harrington's estate, founded in 2005 and focused on cool-climate Syrah and Cabernet in a restrained, European-leaning style. A leader of Washington's newer, terroir-driven generation.
10. Betz Family Winery, Redmond
Founded by Master of Wine Bob Betz, known for Rhône-inspired Syrahs (La Côte Rousse, La Serenne) and Bordeaux blends sourced from the state's top vineyards. Precise, balanced wines from a deeply knowledgeable maker.
Washington's appellations
The vast Columbia Valley AVA covers most of the state's vineyards and contains the more specific sub-appellations that matter. Red Mountain, the warmest and most tannic, is Washington's grand cru for Cabernet. Walla Walla Valley, straddling the Oregon border, is the fine-wine heart. The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, with its river-cobble soils, is the Syrah specialist. Horse Heaven Hills and Yakima Valley supply much of the top fruit.
Visiting Washington wine country
Two scenes dominate. Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle, packs dozens of tasting rooms into a walkable district — convenient but far from the vines. Walla Walla, a four-hour drive east, is the immersive destination: a charming town surrounded by vineyards, with downtown tasting rooms and estate visits among the wheat fields. Spring and autumn are the ideal seasons.
Explore on the map
Every winery above is plotted on the interactive map. Filter to the United States and zoom to Washington to trace the Columbia Valley, locate Red Mountain and the Rocks District, and plan a route between Woodinville and Walla Walla.