Sip Your Way to Europe—No Passport Required
Sitting outside overlooking vineyards, enjoying a beautiful glass of wine with delicious food, and letting the afternoon unfold; sounds like a lovely vacation in Europe. Actually, it’s a vacation you can take right here at home with these beautiful places where you can experience a connection to Italy, France, and Spain.
This itinerary takes you to five wineries around Benton City and Red Mountain. Each brings its own international connection through family history, architecture, wine, or food. And each gives you a reason to slow down and enjoy where you are.
Choose a couple for an afternoon, or spread the experience over a weekend. Personally, I like having enough time to settle in and enjoy the places so I’d recommend spreading this itinerary out over two full days.
Day One
First Stop: Chandler Reach. A Little of Tuscany
For our first stop, head to Chandler Reach’s Benton City estate, to begin your day with a beautiful glass of bubbly while you take in the views.
Owner Len Parris drew inspiration from his travels in Italy, creating a Tuscan-style villa overlooking the vineyards and the surrounding valley. The estate is in the Yakima Valley wine region, with views toward Red Mountain.
The first time I visited, it was during their fall harvest festival, and I felt as though I had stepped into a winery in Tuscany. The architecture, the interior design, the way everything was styled, and the vineyards beyond the windows all came together. I felt instantly transported to Italy, and that was so much fun.
Beyond the delicious bubbly, there are three other wines here I especially want to highlight.
Their Super Tuscan is one I love. It fits beautifully with the Italian inspiration of the estate, and it’s a wine meant to be enjoyed with food – my favorite combination! Pair this bottle with a grilled steak, or for the vegetarian option, a grilled portobello mushroom burger topped with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions.
Their 100% Barbera is another favorite. It’s a nice opportunity to explore a grape you may not encounter as often on your usual tasting rounds. Chandler Reach recommends it with foods such as charcuterie and pasta.
Then there’s their 100% Carménère, another wine I love. Its dark fruit and savory pepper notes make it a delicious match with tacos.
This is also a great Friday afternoon stop if you are heading over from the West side of the State as this is the first winery you will encounter on this itinerary. Visit Chandler Reach Friday afternoon, pick up a bottle to enjoy with dinner, and then start out again on Saturday at our next stop below.
Second Stop: Palencia Wine Company—Spanish Flavors, Sparkling Wine, and Tacos
At Palencia Wine Company, our travels take a turn toward Spanish grape varieties and a food pairing I especially enjoy.
But first, there’s a story about winemaker Victor Palencia that makes this stop even more interesting. Victor was working in winemaking before he was old enough to legally drink wine. Because he couldn’t taste it, he developed a discerning sense of smell to help him understand what was happening in the cellar. That’s quite a way to begin a winemaking career.
His wines offer plenty to explore, including Spanish varieties such as Albariño. Some of my personal favorites are his sparkling wines. And one of my favorite ways to enjoy them? With spicy tacos from the on-site food truck: Culture Shock Bistro.
The bistro is located at Palencia Family Estate and currently lists Saturday hours from 1 to 6 p.m., making this a good stop to plan around lunch. Be sure to check the current menu and hours before heading out.
A Saturday lunch, a glass of sparkling wine, and time to relax at the estate; that’s my kind of afternoon.
Third Stop: Hedges Family Estate—an Evening in France
Our last stop of this first day brings a French connection to Red Mountain.
Hedges Family Estate’s co-founder, Anne-Marie Hedges, comes from the Champagne region of France. The estate’s French-inspired château sits among its vineyards, bringing that connection into the setting itself. The estate is beautiful, and the views are fantastic. Being there feels to me like stepping into a French winery for the afternoon.
During spring, summer, and fall, I love the idea of sitting outside, enjoying the weather, and taking in the surroundings. Hedges offers charcuterie and light bites, so this is a lovely place to have an afternoon snack with your wine.
In winter, ask about reserving a seat near the fireplace. A cozy spot, a glass of wine, and good company make a pretty appealing cold-weather outing.
One wine I always want to mention is their DLD Le Rosé. It’s one of my favorite rosés, and I pick it up every year when it’s released. If it’s available when you visit, it’s one I would encourage you to try.
Hedges is also worth keeping an eye on for events. Check their calendar before planning your visit as you might find something that deserves a special trip of its own. During harvest, their grape stomp offers another way to experience the estate. Their current listing identifies it as a club-member event, so if you’ve been considering joining a wine club and enjoy experiences like this, ask about their harvest celebrations and member activities.
Day Two
On day one we visited three wineries inspired by three European countries. Day two brings us back to Tuscany with a real direct link to a well-known Tuscan winemaking family.
Col Solare—a Connection to Tuscany
The Antinori family of Tuscany has been making wine for more than 600 years, with a history dating back to 1385. Col Solare began as a partnership between Marchesi Antinori and Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle, producing its first vintage in 1995. The Antinori family became the estate’s sole owner in 2024.
Think about that for a moment. A family with centuries of winemaking experience chose to invest in this corner of Washington! To me, that says something pretty special about the quality of the grapes we grow here and the potential they saw in Red Mountain.
Find a seat outside when the weather allows, look out over the vineyards, and enjoy the wine with that history in mind. You’re sitting in Washington wine country, but there’s a real connection to Tuscany in the glass.
If you want to spend more time here, Col Solare offers several ways to explore:
Taste of Tenuta: A moon car tour through the estate vineyards, followed by a private vertical tasting and small bites.
Feature Flight Tasting: A guided opportunity to explore four wines that connect Red Mountain fruit with the estate’s Tuscan influence.
Barrel Room Private Tour & Tasting: A more intimate experience inside the barrel room, available by appointment.
Book an experience, take your time, and take in the views.
Terra Blanca – Lunch in Tuscany
With its Tuscan-inspired architecture, barrel caves, and sweeping views across the vineyards and valley, this is a stop that invites you to slow down and settle in. Grab a glass, take in the scenery, and let yourself imagine an afternoon in the Italian countryside; no passport required.
My recommendation, make a tasting reservation followed by a table reservation at their Vineyard Grill, ranked Nol 7 among USA Today’s Best Winery Restaurants in 2024. The menu includes brick-oven pizzas, salads, and other dishes designed to complement Terra Blanca’s wines, with seasonal produce from the winery’s own garden.
By enjoying the wine flight tasting first, you can find your favorite bottle to enjoy with your lunch!
Terra Blanca also hosts several fun events so be sure to check out their event calendar before planning your trip to see if you want to include one of those in your itinerary.
Make the Itinerary Your Own
The best part of this outing is that you can shape it around the experience you want.
Before you go:
Reserve your tastings and any special experiences. During peak travel season the tasting rooms can get quite busy. I recommend reserving a table inside. You can almost always move to the outdoors if the weather is nice, but inside seating is limited so having a reserved seat indoors is your best insurance against a bad weather day.
Check event calendars for something you’d enjoy building your visit around.
Arrange a designated driver or transportation so everyone can relax. I always recommend TC Black to my customers.
And consider bringing a favorite bottle home. Pair it with a simple meal, gather around the table, and let a little of that getaway feeling carry into the evening. Check out my Wine and Food Pairings for recipes and inspiration.
That’s one of the things I love about living here: a beautiful vineyard setting, a family story that crosses an ocean, and a delicious food-and-wine pairing are all close enough to enjoy without a plane ticket.
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