How far can I stretch $25 at popular Prosser wineries? Budgeting in wine country

The Columbia Basin is known for many things, including salmon, farmland and of course, the sweeping Columbia River.

But it’s also particularly regarded for its wine grapes. The Columbia Valley viticultural area encompasses more than 11 million acres, according to the Washington State Wine Commission, and often produces high-quality wine due to the ideal growing conditions.

Many of Washington state’s popular wine brands grow their grapes right here in the area. Because of this, there are tasting rooms, vineyards and wineries all around the Columbia Basin.

In Prosser, there’s about a dozen wineries in one block called Vintners Village. The block of locations features primarily wineries, along with a few other businesses. Just walking through the village, you can try numerous iconic Washington wines in front of picturesque backgrounds.

But how affordable is it?

I set out to see if it was possible to visit Prosser’s Vintners Village with only $25. How much can you get on a budget?

Vintners Village in Prosser, WA

There are 10 wineries currently on site, all operating with their own daily hours. Many are closed on early weekdays, with extended hours on weekends. Your options will depend on the time and day of your visit.

I went on a Wednesday afternoon, and had limited options. I went again on Thursday, earlier in the afternoon, and found much more was open.

The block in Prosser isn’t difficult to drive to, requiring mostly freeway driving from Tri-Cities. Once you get into Prosser, it’s only a few minutes to Vintners Village, and signs mark the way. There are numerous parking options, but you really only need to park once. It’s easy to walk from winery to winery, as walkways connect the separate buildings.

The current list of wineries includes:

• Airfield Estates
• Bunnell Family Cellars’ Wine O’Clock
• Cork and Taps by Domanico Winery
• Coyote Canyon Winery
• Evergreen Family Wines
• Martinez and Martinez Winery
• Smasne Cellars
• Thurston Wolfe Winery
• Wautoma Springs
• WIT Cellars

There are also two shops, Sister to Sister on the Ave. and Yellow Rose Nursery in Vintners Village. The Prosser Economic Development Association is based in one of the shared buildings. And 7 Gables Pensione Bed and Breakfast sits on the corner, for guests opting to stay overnight and soak up even more time wine tasting.

During my visit, I checked out many of the winery options, but only made purchases at a couple. Here’s how it went.

WIT Cellars in Vintner’s Village

My first stop was WIT Cellars, where wine tastings are offered for $20, though the fee is waived with a purchase of $49 or more. White wine flights are available for $15, and red wine flights for $20.

The tasting lineup changes every couple weeks, according to Jenalee Mariotti, WIT’s Tasting Room Lead and Event Coordinator. It currently features a 2023 Riesling, 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Mourvèdre, then a Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, both from 2020.

Mariotti told me the story of Mazzacano Cellars, behind the Cabernet Franc option in the tasting lineup. Its label represents a love story between two of the owners, a couple who incorporated multiple family elements into the design.

WIT stands for “We’re In-it Together,” representing the core of the WIT Cellars vision.

“WIT speaks to thoughtful, meaningful interaction with friends, a lightness of mood, and a certain elegance of style — which is the spirit of WIT Cellars,” states their website.

While I was there, a group that had tried a couple flights came in from the patio to check out. Almost all of them bought bottles to take home.

Seasonal Varietal beer options are available for purchase, as is the easily-recognizable Cougar Gold cheese.

The back patio features a sitting area with gorgeous views, plus a stage for the concerts held on occasion. Mariotti mentioned they’ve begun hosting dance classes in the back as well.

Prosser’s Martinez and Martinez Winery

After leaving WIT Cellars, I took a walk along the pathway. I ducked in and out of a couple wineries, but was mostly focused on getting familiar with the layout.

I made it through to the Winemakers Loft, where Coyote Canyon, Martinez and Martinez, and Desert Moon wineries reside. Located front and center with open double doors directly behind a three-tier fountain with a wine bottle at the top is Martinez and Martinez Winery.

Heading inside, I took in the upscale rustic vibe, with centerpieces in mason jars on every table. I prefer white wine over red, so I got the white wine flight for $15. The flight included a Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, both from 2022, then a Viognier/Roussanne blend, Albariño and Rosé, all from 2023. It came with a pack of oyster crackers to use as a palate cleanser.

The Albariño was my favorite; it has notes of grapefruit, lemon zest and starfruit, balanced with hints of green apple, rhubarb and caramel.

While I was there, a trio of women came in and ordered red wine flights, also available for $15. They asked about the different wines, and about the winemakers, who are a father/son duo. The company is family-run and emphasizes their Mexican American heritage.

Cork and Taps at Vintners Village

At the other end of the Village is Cork and Taps by Domanico Cellars, one of the establishments also offering food. They have a pizza truck, Cascade and Crust Pizza, outside every Thursday. With a large back patio open until 7 p.m., Cork and Taps is often the last place open at Vintners Village.

The patio is pet- and family-friendly, and occasionally features free live music.

All of their food options, except for the large charcuterie board, are under $25. They have multiple salads, warm sandwiches and pub classics like pretzels and chicken.

While they had wines by the glass and beers on tap within my budget, after walking in the warm spring sun, I wanted to try one of the two wine slushie options. Staff recommended I try the mango over the guava dragonfruit, since I prefer a sweeter flavor profile.

It had just the balance I was looking for, and was a refreshing treat to enjoy on the back patio as evening rolled around.

Budget-friendly deals at Vintners Village

There were many options throughout the Village for under $25. Almost every location offers a tasting, flight options or both for less.

Recently rebranded to Evergreen Family Wines, the location that homed Milbrant Family Wines now includes all 11 labels under the Evergreen umbrella. The new owner is a lifelong Washingtonian.

They offer a $20 tasting of five wines, and currently offer a Mix and Match deal of 12 wines for $100. One of the wine options is being discontinued, and the rest are changing labels following the rebrand.

The signs outside still read Milbrandt, but they’re in the process of getting new Evergreen Family Wines signage by the Pasco-based Signs by Sue, according to the location’s Operations Manager Karen Ballew.

Ballew told me about the collaborative culture within the Washington wine industry. She said she loves WIT Cellars’ name, since it exemplifies that mentality. Vintners Village works, she said, because when one place succeeds, they all succeed.

Thurston Wolfe Winery offers a mixed flight for $15 and a red wine flight for $20. This fee is waived with the purchase of two bottles, though. Right now, they have multiple bottles available for under $25. They also host beginner swing dance classes, with the $7 fee covering the class and a glass of wine. The next class is scheduled for June 7.

I had to circle back to Coyote Canyon Winery, as a large tour group had filled the space when I first walked in. I found out from one of the attendees, an older man from Oklahoma, that they were visiting while on a cruise stop, and head out to Portland next.

Coyote Canyon Winery offers five-wine tastings for $20, waived with the purchase of three bottles, and is always running specials of some kind on full bottles. There are several current sales offering bottles for less than $25.

Wine O’Clock by Bunnell Cellars also offers several wine flight options in budget. Their food menu changes weekly, but most food is under $25 as well. Current options include pizzas, sandwiches and smaller plates like salads and bread dishes. The wine menu stays a little longer, with the current options lasting through June, according to Susan Bunnell.

They’re currently offering discounts on wines that received Gold or better at the Washington State Wine Awards.

While there simply wasn’t enough time to visit every location, it seems everyone had a budget-friendly option including multiple wines.

Events at Vintners Village

Coming up in June is the Prosser Wine Music Festival. Free to attend, it’ll feature live music at participating Vintners Village wineries June 20 through 22. For each time slot, there will be two live performances on site, so attendees can migrate from winery to winery.

It’s the second year of the festival. Staff at Cork and Taps said the inaugural year was pretty big, drawing in a lot of people to the Village.

The following weekend, Evergreen Family Wines will take part in the multi-county Rosé Revolution event, with live music on Friday and Saturday. They’ll offer discounts on rosé in celebration of their collaboration with Danielle Kartes of Rustic Joyful Food, who will be onsite meeting fans and signing bottles.

The Winemakers Loft is hosting a summer music series, Lounging at the Loft. Different live music will be featured every Saturday from July 12 through September 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. Food trucks will be on the premises as well. Each event will have a $15 cover.

Overall, I found many budget-friendly options at Vintners Village, and many reasons to return. There are more wines to taste, more events to attend and flavor pairings to discover — and it’s all possible on a budget.

Do you have a recommendation for the next location in the Herald’s On A Budget series? Send your ideas to Karlee at kvandeventer@tricityherald.com.