Yakima Valley Wine Country; Miles and Miles of Vineyards!
Yakima Valley Wine Country boasts over 70 wineries, many of them award winning. It was the first recognized appellation in Washington State, and dedicates over 12,000 acres to growing grapes. Follow the Yakima River, and you will be on a great wine discovery tour and wine vacation.
A great grape growing region, the soil is silt-loam, with good drainage, which makes the vines happy. Not a whole lot of rain in the area, only an average of about 8 inches a year, but there is plenty of sunshine. The summers are warm, and the winters are cold. Here you will find Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon; but Syrah and Riesling are making a strong showing.
Yakima Valley is committed to growing the best grapes and producing the best wine possible, and those in the industry work every day to achieve this goal. No chest pounding, not boastful, just proud of their craft and traditions.
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Take interstate 82; from Yakima on the northwest, to Tri-Cities on the southeast of the valley you will find plenty of wineries along the valley's towns. Zillah, Granger, Sunnyside, Grandview, Prosser. Each town makes a special contribution to the development of the wine industry.
But there are other things to do besides wine tasting. Try your hand at fly-fishing on the Yakima river, perhaps you will catch a rainbow trout for your picnic. River rafting is exiting pastime, or just camp along the river. Take in the murals at Toppenish; this town has over 70 murals depicting the Old West, and the number is still growing.
Yakima Valley is indeed the heart and soul of Washington Wine Country. To get there by car, it will take about 2+ hours from Seattle (142 miles, 2 hrs 15 minutes), Spokane ( 170 miles, 2 hrs 30 minutes) or Portland, Oregon (130 miles, 2 hrs.).
Take a few days to explore this wonderful place.
Yakima Valley Wine, The Best That Washington Wine Country Has To Offer!