Washington wine country Washington wine country

A unique destination in
Washington wine country
Tagaris Winery and Taverna Tagaris make expertly
crafted wines and upscale dining a perfect pairing
By Laurie L. Dove
C
onveniently nestled along the
Columbia River, Tagaris Winery
is a destination for wine tasters
and foodies alike. Tagaris Winery
includes a state-of-the-art processing facility
and 400 acres of vineyards, as well as
more recent additions: Taverna Tagaris, an
upscale restaurant featuring fresh, seasonal
ingredients; and Patio Kouzina, a seasonal,
al fresco restaurant
with an impressively
sized charcoal grill, live
musical performances
and plenty of open sky.
The Estate Room offers
private meeting space,
and a new 4,000-squarefoot expansion allows
Tagaris to host larger
private events.
Come for the wine, stay
for the food. The sandy
soil and sunshine make
the Tri-Cities region of
Spokane, Seattle and
Portland an ideal
place to grow
grapes, and Tagaris
Winery has taken
it to an art form.
Established by
owner Michael
Taggares in 1987,
the winery’s
award-winning
varietal wines
are getting
noticed. The
destination
has become
so frequented,
that the Tagaris
complex is
10
vIE W P OINT
on target to host 45,000 guests this year —
and has already topped last year’s total.
“We’ve had a very rapid growth, considering
[the restaurant] is barely four years old,” says
Penny Morgan, President of Tagaris. “The
Washington wine industry is on the cusp
of an explosion. In the next 10 years, we’ll
see an exponential growth
in Washington wines.”
Well established in the eastern
Washington wine-growing
region because of its awardwinning varietals — and with
its Mediterranean-inspired
menu — Tagaris is positioned
to accommodate its admirers.
“There is a charm and
a romance affiliated with a fine dining
and winery union. The winery has a
mystique, and when you combine that
with an organic farm-to-table culinary
experience, it just turns it up a notch.
Tagaris has become a destination where
you can stay for hours, have a fine dinner,
listen to music and watch the moon
rise to meet the stars,” says Morgan.
Venues with a view
Tagaris Winery comfortably hosts events for
several hundred people, but its thoughtfully
planned setting provides an intimate
ambiance that never feels crowded. The
venue also offers picturesque views of
Tagaris’ 32-foot basalt fountain, outdoor
firepits and acres of vineyards, as well as
two dining areas serving Tagaris wines and
a menu filled with organic local foods.
The Tagaris complex offers plenty of reasons
to linger over dinner, from signature ovenfired flatbreads and bison steaks to dishes
like Spanish Clam Pepperdelle and Spring
Rack of Lamb, with appetizers featuring
local artisan cheeses and more.
“We started with the idea that people who are
out wine tasting need a little bit of food, and
we quickly began to see that we should be
offering a full-blown fine dining experience,”
Morgan says. Now with private event facilities
and an expanded patio, Tagaris is a destination
not only for wine tasters but also for business
meetings, wedding receptions and
company parties.
“Each time you visit, you can sit in a new area
and have a different experience,” Morgan says.
For more info
The Tagaris Winery
844 Tulip Lane
Richland, WA 99352
509-628-0020
www.tagariswines.com
The Premier Business Magazine of t he Colu m bi a B a s i n