I was delighted to visit the Barnard Griffin Winery tasting room in Vancouver. This winery offers scrumptious wines in a beautiful location.
Barnard Griffin Winery
About Barnard Griffin Winery
The winery was established in 1983 as a “spare-time venture for Washington wine-wunderkind, Rob Griffin, and his wife and partner, Deborah Barnard.”
According to their brochure, “Barnard Griffin is one of Washington’s most consistent, award-winning and well-recognized wineries. [They] strive to make exceptional wines that speak to the Columbia Valley. [They are] committed to quality, consistency and character – with wines that are built from Washington’s best vineyards, crafted to celebrate the best days, as well as just a regular Tuesday.” How cool is that.
Rob is the longest-tenured winemaker in Washington.
The winery is headquartered in Richland, which is located in southeastern Washington at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. It is a little over an hour from Walla Walla.
They have tasting rooms in Richland, Vancouver and Woodinville, plus a glass studio in Richland, which Deborah runs.
Barnard Griffin’s Wines
We got to try six wines, and they were all fantastic. Happily, they serve their reserve wines in their tasting room. So, top-notch quality.
The tasting sheet
We tried a 2023 Albariño, a 2022 Viognier/Roussanne blend, a 2023 Viognier, a 2022 Roussanne, a 2020 Rhone blend called Côtes du Rôb and a 2018 Cabernet.
Having just done an Albariño tasting at my house, I was eager to try their version. It was delicious. Crisp and tangy and incredibly refreshing. Perfect for the 96-degree day!
Of the Viognier, Roussanne and Viognier/Roussanne blend, our favorite was the Roussanne. It was rich and complex, with floral and apricot notes.
The Côtes du Rôb and Cabernet were both brilliant. I’m going to age each of these for at least a few years, if not longer.
Two great reds
If you’ve tried Barnard Griffin’s wines, I’m sure you enjoyed them. If you haven’t, please do so. You’re in for a big treat.