Tri-Cities Washington is Wine Country

The Heart of Washington’s Wine Country

With more than 150 wineries within an hour’s drive, the Tri-Cities of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland are truly at the heart of the Columbia Valley which includes the Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope appellations. It is easy to conceive that Columbia Valley wineries would produce high-end, premium wines since the Tri-Cities area lies on the same latitude as the world-famous Burgundy and Bordeaux regions of France. The region’s hot summer days and crisp, cool evening breezes naturally stress the vines, and when combined with the Columbia Valley’s rich volcanic soil - it creates the conditions necessary for making great wine.  The area annually boasts more than 300 days of sunshine and the Tri-Cities, comprised of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and West Richland, is actually a desert region receiving less than seven inches of rainfall annually.

The Columbia Valley Difference

The Columbia Valley difference Columbia Valley wineries are still young enough to be intimate, yet experienced enough to produce world class wines. Visit one of the wineries in the Columbia Valley and you will often be greeted by the winemaker and invited to tour the vineyards, labs or warehouse. Often you will find that the winemaker is the vintner and owner, too. And our wineries are playful - offering an experimentation and intimacy long since abandoned by large, commercialized wineries - yet serious enough to have captured the attention of wine lovers from around the world.  Columbia Valley Winery Association member’s tasting rooms welcome visitors and offer complimentary tastings. In addition, the wineries host special events throughout the year to celebrate their industry; from Sweet Retreat, to a “Kestrel” Festival, “Catch the Crush,” and Thanksgiving in Wine Country, to Valentine’s Day Red Wine & Chocolate, holiday lightings and grape-vine wreath making - there are as many events as there are wineries.

Red Mountain - A World-Class Red-Wine Appellation

More award-winning wines have been made from Red Mountain cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes than from any other region in Washington. An almost magical combination of soil and climate makes Red Mountain fruit unique from grapes grown elsewhere in the state. In fact, the Red Mountain region has become well-recognized as perhaps the single best terroir yet developed - and was recognized in 2001 as Washington’s smallest (and most select) American Viticultural Area (AVA) or approved appellation. Located just outside Richland, the slopes of Red Mountain face west toward Yakima and south toward the Columbia River Gorge.  Cooler air from the Columbia Gorge pushes into the warmer Yakima Valley near Red Mountain, cooling hot days into brisk nights and helping maintain balanced acids as the grapes ripen. These growing conditions create a nearly ideal micro-climate for the development of big, yet balanced wines. Red Mountain’s inaugural red was Lemberger, an experimental German variety, introduced by Kiona Vineyards.  This was the first Lemberger released in the Northwest and the wine was an immediate and continued hit. Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, however, soon became the benchmarks for these varietals in Washington - offering big, intense fruit with high amounts of natural tannins and acids.  Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 43 percent white to 57 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments it finds many grape varieties to thrive throughout Washington’s microclimates. There are more than 12,000 vineyard acres of white wine varieties and 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varietals statewide.

Come visit Tri Cities Washington wine country today. When considering Tri City Washington real estate, please consider Joe and Colleen Lane of The Lane Real Estate Team for all your Southeast Washington real estate needs.

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