While Seattle gets most of the tourist attention for Washington visitors, nearby Woodinville is only 20 miles away and has many attractive amenities and points of interest. For example, Woodinville is often considered the center of Washington viticulture and is a fun place to visit for those who love outdoor wine experiences. Here’s what you need to know about this city’s 10 best wineries.
Where is Woodinville?
Woodinville is located to the northwest of Seattle and originally started as a small farming and logging community in the 1880s.
However, the region’s viticulture experience has transformed the community, making it a popular destination for those tired of the hustle and bustle of Seattle.
Since the first Woodinville winery opened in 1976, over 100 new wineries have opened up, giving you plenty of great options to visit.
Popular Wines From Woodinville
Woodinville’s climate is relatively warm and dry, with sandy and gravelly soil typical to the area.
This growing climate is perfect for multiple grape types, like Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s also common to find Malbec and Petit Verdot in this region.
However, like Seattle and most Washington viticulture regions, Woodinville is known primarily for red wines. That makes it a perfect destination for red lovers, though you can also find some whites and even rose wines here.
10 of the Best Wineries in Woodinville
Choosing 10 of the best Woodinville wineries was very hard: there are over 130 different options here, each of which is worth your time. However, we feel confident that we picked the best.
When it comes to Woodinville Wineries, few have the experience and reputation of Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery.
This sprawling estate takes up 105 acres of woodland with multiple seating areas, including a cocktail lounge and an outdoor patio where you and your friends can relax.
During hot or rainy days, you can sit beneath the patio’s tented section, keeping you safe from the sun and rain.
The surrounding rural area includes beautiful vineyards and trees, including well-maintained bushes with attractive shapes and carefully trimmed branches treated to prevent pest problems.
Book private library tastings or patio flight tastings and enjoy this winery in a more intimate setting.
You can also enjoy summer concerts and watercolor painting classes, particularly during the busier summer season.
Don’t forget you can also book the private banquet room, manor house, and chateau lobby.
This winery sells robust Cabernet Sauvignon options alongside Merlot and Semillion. The Mourvedre is also strong, considering it’s not a wine generally associated with the area.
Address: 13244 Redmond Woodinville Rd NE, Redmond, WA 98033
Phone Number: 425-861-9823
Betz Family winery is a small-batch and family-owned winery that limits visitors to by-appointment private viewings.
However, these experiences let you and a small group enjoy a winemaking experience like no other in the area, particularly if you’re interested in learning how to make wine.
During your private winery experience, you learn about how Betz makes wines, what fragrances you’ll detect when you sip their wine, the ways they create their wines’ unique tastes and a multitude of different educational experiences that will teach you all you need to know about the winemaking process.
You’ll also learn about the importance of letting the wine breathe and get the chance to try some delicious private-stock blends.
If you’re interested in learning how to make wines at home, this experience is one you simply cannot turn down. It’s the best wine educational experience in the area.
Betz specializes in various wine types, including multiple Cabernet Sauvignon vintages and a Bordeaux-style blend of multiple red wine types. Joining their private club gives you access to more wines, as well.
Amenities of visiting this winery include:
A dedication to charity and fundraising experiences
Address: 14710 Woodinville – Redmond Rd NE, Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone Number: 425-481-5502
When visiting this tasting room, you get access to two independent wineries that work together to provide a diverse array of wines.
Thanks to both wineries working together with Mike Januik, a skilled winemaker well-known in the region, this unique setup is possible. When Januik is involved, quality is assured.
When you visit, the first thing you’ll notice is a casual and elegant atmosphere that goes well with their many flight options.
Each flight has four wines, including options focused on red or white wines. So pick a diverse array of tastes to try out the best varietals of this high-quality winery.
Head outside to relax in the winery’s beautiful gardens, surrounded by the beautiful scenery typical to Washington.
While here, you can also order delicious homemade pizzas (pizza goes well with reds) and larger dinners for the whole family, which makes this a perfect destination for you and your kids.
Wine varietals here include options like Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, though the combination of two different wineries into one tasting room gives you far more options than you might expect.
Address: 17311 135th Ave NE, Ste A450 Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone Number: 425-806-9463
Brian Carter Cellars is a popular Woodinville winery that still feels like a hidden gem.
Brian Carter likes to experiment with different tastes and varieties, including wine from Rhone, Bordeaux, Italy, and even Spain.
This diversity makes this winery great to visit if you want to try many wine styles.
Their downtown tasting rooms in Woodinville and Vancouver include comfortable indoor and outdoor seating experiences, with heating fires located at each outdoor table.
These fires help make this a popular destination even during the winter, as they should heat your seating area without affecting your wine quality.
Work with the friendly and intelligent staff to find wines you might like, such as red blends, white and rose options, dessert wines, and various club selections.
Brian Carter himself can help you find a wine that you’ll enjoy by focusing on which of the flight options you enjoyed the most.
As Brian Carter often experiments with wine types, available wine options vary each season heavily.
For example, their Corrida and Graciano are surprisingly plentiful and aren’t the kind of wines you usually find near Woodinville.
Other amenities you may experience when visiting this winery include:
Wine education events that teach you more about viticulture from around the world
Cruises down the Douro River in Spain that include meals and airport transfer!
Multiple wine clubs you can join to get discounts and access to other varietals
Columbia Winery is one of the essential wineries in Washington, as they debuted the first Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah varietals in the state.
Fans of these wines should visit here because Columbia still provides the best varietals of these wines in the region.
Visiting here gives you access to a relaxing tasting room with tasting and bottle services in indoor and outdoor seating areas.
Book ahead to ensure you get a seat, as Columbia is often quite busy. Book spots in wine tasting classes to learn more about making high-class wine.
These classes, led by Shelly Fitzgerald, are one of the biggest reasons to visit this winery.
These in-depth classes not only teach you about winemaking but about how soil types, weather, and growing styles can influence wine quality.
Try these classes if you’re interested in at-home winemaking.
High-quality wines at Columbia include Malbec, Syrah, Viognier, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Many of these wines are club-exclusives, so join up to access more wines and money-saving deals.
Started by Chris Gorman in 2002, Gorman Winery is one of the newer options on this list.
However, it has quickly become a popular small-batch option, as Chris produces 8,000 cases a year of various varietals. It has since earned a reputation as a fun and somewhat irreverent winery.
The two available tasting rooms include subtle decorations, classy music, and visits from Chris Gorman himself.
The atmosphere provides a friendly and relaxing place to hang out, even if you have just a few glasses of wine and want to relax for a few hours.
If you’re a musician who loves playing to the public, you may particularly enjoy Gorman’s because many open mic nights and other events are available here.
Other events, like concerts and dinner pairings, all help to make this winery a fun and relaxing place to visit.
Popular wines include various combinations, like The Devil You Know includes Merlot, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and an Old Scratch Cabernet with many tasty varieties.
Just a few amenities you might experience when you visit include:
Multiple wine clubs you can use to save yourself money
Various release parties throughout the year
Dinners with Chris Gorman that includes vintages from his private stock
Matthews Winery is a unique winery that provides a farm-centered winemaking experience.
They use a farm-to-table pairing method that uses sustainably-grown grapes harvested by hand and other careful methods, all of which give this winery a strong reputation for the area.
When visiting, you can relax on the lawn with a picnic lunch or at a table and enjoy the fantastic scenery.
Unlike some more downtown-centered tasting rooms, you get beautiful views of open fields, vineyards, and hills that will create a relaxing and frankly unforgettable experience.
However, the inside tasting room is also quite attractive, with a farmhouse style that includes high ceilings, wooden tables and chairs, a high-class sound system, and a comfortable bar.
Drink here, meet new friends, head out to the patio, and get food from the outdoor kitchen.
Great wines here include reds like Claret, Cuvee, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, along with whites like Sauvignon Blanc. Though the reds are a bit better, all wines here are a great choice.
Address: 14525 148th Ave NE, Suite 122, Woodinville, WA, 98072
Phone Number: 206-713-8005
Guardian Cellars was opened in 2007 by a happily married couple who fell in love with each other around the same time they discovered winemaking.
This unique story tells you a lot about what to expect here: an intimate and family-oriented experience that will draw you in with its high-quality wines.
They produce 9,000 cases a year of 16 different wines.
Visit one of the two available tasting rooms and relax in comfortable seating with relaxing music piped through the high-quality sound system.
You can enjoy four of their wines by ordering a flight featuring grapes from one of their many vineyards across the region.
Don’t forget that you can also reserve a spot at this winery ahead of time to ensure a place in their tasting rooms.
Once here, you can also relax outdoors and enjoy the appealing scenery and house-like exterior design of this attractive winery.
When trying this winery, make sure you get the Gunmetal, Syrah, and Cabernet blends. These varietals are so popular that they sold out by the end of the day when they debuted on opening day.
Other amenities that you’ll enjoy when visiting this winery include:
An appealing wine club that saves you money on each purchase
Private bookings are available for an appropriate rental price
Picnic-friendly outdoor areas where you can enjoy a lunch
Address: 14300 NE 145th St Suite 101, Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone Number: 425-489-0544
DeLille Cellars is one of the more modern wineries in the region, with a rather sophisticated atmosphere that should appeal to those who want a more high-class experience.
However, as one of the older wineries on our list, opening in 1992, it provides the winery experience many people crave.
For example, you can access over 700 different wines, many of which have scored 90+ ratings in various publications.
If you want the highest quality wine in the region, you can’t top DeLille. They also have an attractive and stylish tasting room where you can relax during your stay.
Their daily tastings include flights of five different Bordeaux or Rhone wines. Join their club to get access to one extra pour.
No matter your membership, you also get access to a cheese plate that will give you a comfortable snack that makes your tasting more enjoyable.
Wine options here vary, depending on the season. However, they typically produce great Minuit, Cabernet, Chaleur, and Pinot varieties. In addition, their Chaleur Blanc typically gets over 90+ every year, making it an excellent option for most.
Other amenities here include:
Multiple live concert events throughout the year
Specialized date nights for romantic situations
Delicious cuisine options that go beyond traditional cheese pairings
Address: 14300 NE 145th St, #102 Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone Number: 425-398-1045
Last but not least is Sparkman, a family-owned winery with one of the biggest tasting rooms in Woodinville.
The large, high-ceiling concept gives you plenty of breathing room, and the seating includes multiple chairs, couches, and central tables that should make your visit comfortable.
If you prefer outdoor seating, there are outdoor couches on a comfortable patio where you can relax with a glass or bottle of your favorite Sparkman wine.
However, there is also a private seated experience in an exclusive Library Room that you can book to make your experience more personal.
While visiting, you can choose from reds and whites to create a diverse tasting experience. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Rousanne, and Chardonnay.
Other amenities you may experience when visiting include:
An affordable wine club option to save you money
Wedding and social event bookings
Grapes from multiple vineyards across the area
Overall Best Winery in Woodinville
With its combination of two wineries and excellent food options, Novelty Hill-Januik Winery tops our list as the best winery in Woodinville. However, you honestly can’t go wrong with any of these options, so why not try one out today?
Hi, my name is Emma Miller, and I am a wine enthusiast, and self-proclaimed oenophile from Ohio, in the United States. There is nothing better than tasting new types of wine, and over the years I have become somewhat of a wine connoisseur.
