Yakima's backyard poured into a glass
Downtown Yakima · Yakima · Bar / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cowiche Canyon Kitchen Patio Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Cowiche Canyon, you get the immediate sense that someone actually thought about this wine list — it's not long, but it's local and it means it. The focus on Yakima Valley and Washington State producers feels intentional, not lazy, which already puts it ahead of half the downtown bar lists we've seen.
Fifteen labels, nearly all Washington, and the usual suspects are here — L'Ecole No. 41, Owen Roe, Januik — alongside smaller local names like Gilbert Cellars and JB Neufeld that don't always make it onto bar menus. The red selection leans toward the big, food-friendly styles Yakima Valley does well: Cabernet blends, Merlot, and a Syrah from Owen Roe's Ex Umbris that earns its spot. The list is short on exploration — no Grenache beyond the rosé, no Riesling beyond a Clean Slate house pour — but within its lane it's cohesive. A couple of Treveri sparklers and a Vietti Moscato round things out without embarrassing anyone.
The entire bottle list doubles as the by-the-glass program, which means you've got fifteen options and real range from $10 to $21 a pour. That's a generous glass program for a patio bar in a mid-sized city, and the inclusion of the Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah and Gilbert Cellars Allobroges by the glass earns real credit. No obvious rotation or seasonal swap-outs, but what's here is consistently drinkable.
JB Neufeld Vacation Sauvignon Blanc — $11
JB Neufeld is one of Yakima Valley's more underrated producers, and at $11 a glass this is an honest, well-made local Sauvignon Blanc that would cost you more at a wine bar with less personality.
Gilbert Cellars Allobroges
Most people at this bar are ordering the Cab blend or the Pinot Noir, but the Allobroges — a Rhône-inspired blend from one of Yakima's solid family producers — is the kind of thing you don't expect to find at a place with wood-fired pizza on the menu. Don't sleep on it.
Chloe Prosecco
With Treveri Blanc de Blanc on the same list — a proper Washington State method champenoise sparkler — there's no reason to reach for a mass-market Italian Prosecco import. Treveri is the move every time.
Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah + Wood-fired pizza
Ex Umbris has enough dark fruit and savory smoke to stand up to char and cured meat without steamrolling a pizza. It's a classic Columbia Valley Syrah doing exactly what it was built to do.
The Bottom Line
Cowiche Canyon isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing right by its backyard — local producers, fair prices, and a patio that makes the whole thing go down easy. Send a friend here, order the Syrah, enjoy the sunshine.
Naches Heights · Yakima · Winery Tasting Room
Wilridge is a genuine surprise in a region most wine drinkers ignore — a biodynamic estate tasting room with the range and conviction to back up the views. If you're anywhere near Yakima and you skip this, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Downtown Yakima · Yakima · Winery Tasting Room
Kana is a Wild Card in the best possible way — a downtown Yakima tasting room doing focused, Rhone-leaning Washington wines in a room that actually has energy. If you're passing through Yakima and think you know what to expect from a winery tasting room, Kana will pleasantly mess with that assumption.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Yakima Valley · Yakima · Wine bar / tasting room
Freehand Cellars is what a focused, honest estate tasting room should look like — small list, fair prices, people who actually know what is in the glass. If you are passing through Yakima Valley and you skip this stop, you made a mistake.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Yakima · Yakima · Pub / American
Mickey's Pub isn't a wine bar and doesn't pretend to be, but the Wednesday half-price bottle deal makes it genuinely worth a stop if you're already in the neighborhood. Stick to the Pacific Rim, skip the Conundrum, and enjoy the fact that you're drinking Columbia Valley Riesling in Yakima for next to nothing.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Yakima · Yakima · Mexican
Xochimilco is not a wine destination, but it's doing more with its wine list than most restaurants twice its ambition level. If you're eating in Yakima wine country and want something local in your glass with your enchiladas, this is a legitimate option.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Yakima · Yakima · Winery Tasting Room
AntoLin is a genuine local find: unpretentious, fairly priced, and pouring a tighter roster than most Yakima tasting rooms twice its size. If you're rolling through downtown Yakima and want to drink something real, this is your stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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