The 7 Best Washington Red Wines to Buy Now in 2026
Washington can trace its earliest winemaking roots to 1860, when German and Italian immigrants first planted grapes. Today, it is the second-largest wine-producing state in North America. Unlike other regions that have a reputation for one style of wine, Washington offers a wide range of varieties to satisfy any oenophile’s cravings, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Riesling.
The Columbia Valley AVA is the state’s largest region and crosses the border into northern Oregon. It contains almost all its other AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley, Ancient Lakes, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Naches Heights, and Yakima Valley. Hot sunny summer days, cool nights, and the Columbia, Snake, Walla Walla, and Yakima rivers provide an ideal environment for ripening grapes to perfection.
Although the entire state makes excellent wines, the Walla Walla Valley is probably its best-known subregion for quality wines. It is divided into four distinct districts: the Westside Wine District, the Airport District, the far Eastside District (including the Mill Creek growing area), and the Southside District, where most of the wineries are located. Downtown Walla Walla is a great destination, too, because there are over 30 wine tasting rooms within walking distance of each other, and you can stop for a snack or meal, or, better yet, buy a few bottles to ship home.
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Dunham Cellars 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Image Credit: Dunham Cellars As a young man, Eric Dunham enjoyed drinking fine wine from his parents’ cellar, and he declared his desire to be a winemaker in the 1980s. He worked at Hogue Cellars and L’Ecole 41 before launching his eponymous winery in an old World War II airplane hangar in Walla Walla. A few years later, he was joined by David and Cheryll Blair, who had a passion for pairing hospitality with great wine. Dunham Cellars 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is inky purple in the glass and has aromas of cassis, black cherry, and a touch of rolled tobacco leaf that transition seamlessly to the palate with flavors of vanilla, black raspberry, and red currant.
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Pursued by Bear 2022 Columbia Valley
Image Credit: Pursued by Bear Actor Kyle Maclachlan returned home to Washington to make wine and named his winery Pursued by Bear because Shakespeare’s stage direction in A Winter’s Tale calls for a bear to appear on stage and for the subsequent line “I am gone for ever. (sic) Exit, pursued by a bear.” His winemaker is Daniel Wampfler, and together with the winemaking team, they are producing some amazing wines. Their 2022 is a blend of 92 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance comprised of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It has enticing aromas of cherry, violet, blueberry, and red plum with a sturdy tannic backbone and flavors of black cherry, cassis, and black plum.
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K Vintners 2019 Royal City Syrah Columbia Valley
Image Credit: K Vintners Legendary winemaker Charles Smith founded K Vintners in December 2001 and sold 330 cases of his first vintage of 1999 K Syrah from the trunk of his car. We’ve tasted quite a few of his wines, but his 2019 Royal City Syrah still stands out as one of our favorites. It has aromas of violet, blueberry, and black plum with velvety tannins and flavors of red and black plum, black raspberry, and black currant.
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L’Ecole 41 2020 Pepper Bridge Vineyard Apogee Walla Walla Valley
Image Credit: L’Ecole Baker and Jean Ferguson founded L’Ecole 41 in 1983, and today it is one of Washington’s oldest family-owned and family-run wineries. Their daughter, Megan, and her husband, winemaker Marty Clubb, joined the family business in 1989. Besides making and selling wine, the couple has been active in local wine associations as well as the Washington Wine Institute. Their Pepper Bridge Vineyard wine is a single-vineyard Bordeaux-style blend composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. It introduces itself with aromas of rose petal, cassis, black plum, and a touch of eucalyptus. Soft and round in the mid palate, it has flavors of brown baking spices, dark cocoa powder, black raspberry, and black currant.
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Long Shadows Vintners 2021 Feather Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley
Image Credit: Long Shadows This 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon is blended by Napa Valley winemaker Randy Dunn with wines made from grapes sourced from a variety of Columbia Valley AVAs. This enchanting wine is dark ink colored in the glass with aromas of new car leather, pencil lead, black plum, black currant, and cedar box that open to flavors of ripe black currant, black raspberry, and black plum accented by vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and toasted spice. It has silky tannins and a nice, long finish.
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Figgins 2021 Figlia Walla Walla Valley
Image Credit: Figgins Gary and Nancy Figgins established Leonetti Cellar in 1977, and in 2001, their son Chris took over the position of head winemaker. Today, he focuses on Figgins Family Wine Estates as the CEO and director of winemaking. A blend of Petit Verdot and Merlot, Figgins Figlia has aromas of purple flowers, red raspberry, and a whiff of mocha. It opens nicely on the palate with flavors of pencil lead, crushed violet petals, raspberry compote, and roasted espresso beans.
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Doubleback 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley
Image Credit: Doubleback The idea for Doubleback winery originated when National Football League quarterback Drew Bledsoe retired in 2007 and “doubled back” to his hometown of Walla Walla to open a winery with his wife, Maura. Their first releases quickly drew the attention of wine critics, including ourselves, and we’ve continued to taste the current releases for more than a decade. Winemaker Josh McDaniels was the inaugural winemaker, and today, he functions as the CEO and director of winemaking. Doubleback 2022 opens with aromas of red plum, graphite, cassis, red raspberry, vanilla, and red licorice. It has rounded, plush tannins and flavors of plum, vanilla, and black cherry that lead to a finish that goes on and on and on.
