Yakima Valley Grapes Meet Carnitas Plates
West Yakima · Yakima · Mexican · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You don't walk into a Yakima combo-plate spot expecting to see Taittinger on the menu, and yet here we are. The list is short — 19 wines total — but it leans into the Pacific Northwest's backyard in a way that feels intentional rather than lazy. For a neighborhood Mexican restaurant, this is a genuine surprise.
The list runs a tight Pacific Northwest corridor with some California backup — Washington and Oregon dominate, which makes sense given Yakima's position in wine country. You've got local credibility with Bergevin Lane's She-Devil Syrah and Three Rivers Merlot representing Washington, Willamette Valley Vineyards holding it down for Oregon, and California filling in the gaps with Terra D'Oro Zinfandel and Wines by Joe Pinot Noir. The sparkling section is a genuine flex: Taittinger Brut La Francaise, J Vineyards Brut Cuvée, and Anna de Codorniu Rosé Cava on a margarita-forward menu is a wild and good choice. Gaps exist — no Tempranillo, no Malbec, nothing that nods to Mexican wine culture — but what's here is curated, not random.
Ten by-the-glass options is a solid count for a casual spot, and the roster includes actual wines worth drinking rather than pure house-pour filler. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and Goose Ridge g3 Chardonnay keep things approachable for the crowd that wants something cold and white. We'd love to see more rotation, but the foundation is respectable.
Bergevin Lane She-Devil Syrah — null
Bergevin Lane is a legitimate Walla Walla producer making serious Syrah, and finding it at a casual Mexican spot at restaurant-list prices is exactly the kind of discovery Yakima makes possible. Order it with the carne asada plate and stop overthinking it.
Anna de Codorniu Rose Cava
Most people at a Mexican restaurant go straight to the margarita list and ignore the sparkling section entirely. That's a mistake here. A dry Rosé Cava has the acidity and bubble to cut through cheese-heavy enchiladas and fried anything — and it costs a fraction of the Taittinger sitting next to it on the menu.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Kim Crawford is fine. It's also available at every grocery store in America for under $15. There's nothing wrong with it, but when there are legitimate Pacific Northwest producers on this same list, defaulting to a mass-market New Zealand import feels like leaving the interesting stuff on the table.
Wines by Joe Pinot Noir + Carnitas plate
Oregon Pinot has the kind of bright acidity and red fruit character that doesn't fight with slow-cooked pork — it lifts it. Carnitas can get heavy fast, and a lighter-bodied Pinot keeps the meal moving rather than doubling down on the richness.
The Bottom Line
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.
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
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
Downtown Yakima · Yakima · Bar / New American
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.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McKinney · Mexican
Mi Cocina McKinney put exactly zero thought into their wine program, and it shows in every predictable bottle on that nine-label list. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Mexican
Cantina Los Mayas has built something genuinely rare: an all-Mexican wine list with real depth, fair prices, and the conviction to stick to it. If you care even a little about discovering what Mexican wine actually tastes like, this is the place to do it.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Tucson · Mexican
Boca is clearly a tequila and cocktail destination first, and the wine program reflects that — it's an obligation, not a passion. Come for the tacos and the agave spirits, and leave the wine glass at home.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.