Columbia Rivers converge nearby so there should always be plenty of water for years to come. You’ll find Red Mountain in the midst of scenic Benton County. The mountain itself, which might more accurately be called a sizable hill, takes its name from the native cheatgrass, which turns a dark red every spring. It’s an arid, desert climate, and the lush vineyards offer a welcome respite from the naturally dry countryside. The views here are gorgeous. Many of the tasting rooms provide visitors with an opportunity to enjoy the landscape while sipping on an award-winning Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, famous wines are one of the main reasons that people make the journey to Red Mountain. Three of Quilceda Creek Vintners Cabernet Sauvignons received a coveted grade of 100 from Robert Parker’s publication, internationally respected The Wine Advocate, over the space of several years. Quilceda does not have a tasting room on Red Mountain but they do have an established estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Red Mountain enjoys an enviable and surprising reputation for an AVA that
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was just established in 2001. Of course, enterprising grape growers had been in the region long before that. It all started back in 1975 with Jim Holmes and John Williams. They planted 12 acres of grapes that year—the first Red Mountain vineyard. Little did they know…it was history in the making. Kiona Vineyards (http://www. kionawine.com) has grown to 250+ acres and is a must do when visiting Red Mountain. It’s still owned and operated by the Williams family. Their line up is sizable by Washington standards, with whites, reds and more. The current tasting room which opened in 2007 replaced the humble, original site in the founders basement. It is an architectural beauty and a testament to the rewards of hard work, risk taking and talent. Holmes went on to establish the respected and award making Ciel Du Cheval vineyards (http://www. cielducheval.com). Their grapes have been sourced and used by talented winemakers to produce hundreds of award-winning wines. Many of the Red Mountain vineyards are family affairs where day-to-day operations are still managed by the people who own and work the land. That’s part