Yakima Valley Vintners (YVV), Yakima Valley College’s teaching winery, will open its second tasting room in July, bringing its award-winning wines to a new location on the college’s Yakima Campus.
Starting Friday, July 2, YVV’s Yakima Tasting Room will be open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. to those making reservations in advance.
“Yakima Valley Vintners is excited to offer the Yakima community a convenient location where they can sample the outstanding wines crafted by students in YVC’s Vineyard & Winery Technology Program,” said Annette Wattenbarger, tasting room coordinator.
The Yakima Tasting Room is located on YVC’s West Campus next to the recently-opened Larson Gallery. It features an elegant tasting bar, seating indoors and in an adjacent outdoor sculpture garden, a variety of educational displays related to grape and wine production, a grape vine that was one of the first planted in the Yakima Valley, and artwork celebrating Yakima Valley’s grape and wine heritage.
“Our new Tasting Room was designed with our community in mind,” Wattenbarger said. “It’s a place where people can enjoy fantastic wines produced by the next generation of Yakima Valley wine producers. It’s a place where people can come to enjoy art and live music, and to learn more about our region’s grape and wine industry.”
Yakima Valley Vintners produces 400-700 cases of wine annually and its student-crafted wines have garnered more than 167 awards over the last 13 vintages, most recently six platinum, gold and double gold medals in the 21st Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Competition. YVV will continue to operate its Tasting Room on YVC’s Grandview Campus.
In addition to enjoying YVV wines, Wattenbarger said the Yakima Tasting Room will present a variety of educational opportunities for community members such as programs featuring alumni of YVC’s Vineyard & Winery Technology Program.
To make a reservation for a tasting, email yakima@yakimavalleyvintners.com. Expanded hours and days of operation are planned in the future.