The Winery

Tucker Cellars Winery is a sociable, informal place, located in the heart of the Yakima Valley. A picnic area is set among 20 different kinds of vinifera for those who enjoy sipping fine wine in the warm Yakima Valley sun. Come by for wine tasting and enjoy the wine country gift center. Family and staff are ready to accomodate you, pour wine, answer questions, and listen to stories . Enjoy A Taste of the Yakima Valley.

The Family

Tuckers are one of Washington’s oldest grape-growing families.

Dean Tucker, founder of Tucker Cellars in 1981 near Sunnyside, diversified the family farm by planting more vinifera grapes and expanding his business. Early vineyards and plantings from the ‘30s in Sunnyside include: American varieties like Chasselas Rose, 30,115 lbs.; Diana, 5,511; Brilliant, 3,051; etc., which netted about $55 per ton. European varieties included Muscat, 170,417 lbs.; Riesling, 22,773; Malvoisie, 84,208; Semillon, 35,470; and Mr. X, 792 which netted $65. The winery was formed to create a home for most of the wine grapes that were grown. Early years of grape production were limited to white varieies, mostly riesling and Chenin Blanc.

The winery is now owned by Randy & Debbie Tucker. Randy has been winemaker and Director of Operations at the winery since 1983.

Vera and Melvin (M.F.) (Deans Parents) used to sharecrop wine and table grapes for vinifera grape cultivation in the state of Washington. Dean recalls that his dad still grew grapes there until 1946.

In 1962 they sold 1793 grade cuttings from their own place, including Pinot Noir, White (varietal researchers, please note) Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay.

Vera and Cliff laughed over a photograph of the Tucker family booth at the Valley Harvest Festival during the second World War. Cliff went to work as plant foreman for Bridgman’s Upland Winery in 1938 and worked on the road as the marketer/salesperson just after the was, before computers defined the position.

“Our best wines were usually Rieslings, Sauternes, and a Chateaux Rouge which was semi-sweet,“Cliff suggests. “We had fermenters on the top floor and the winery was built on the side of the hill. The only time I thought we were really in trouble was once when I reported for work and tripped over the new winemaker who was lying on the floor.: He also recalls seeing Gallo’s tank trucks rolling up regularly in the 1950’s. The winery still stands on U.S. Grape property.

“I really liked a Zinfandel we made—I think we called it Burgundy,” he adds and Vera describes the berry clusters, one large with a little “baby” on the side. Cliff recalls clearly when Bridgman decided that research showed Johannisberg to be a better producer than Grey.

Bridgeman wasn’t happy with his first winemaker, but the next one stayed for about 20 years. Cliff recalls that wines were filtered for bottling from two huge stainless tanks, and he described the technical aspects of distilling Niagara and Delaware grape-alcohol.

Dean drove me back to his winery which he operates with his son Randy. The Tucker family operates the winery which is open daily from 10 to 5. Before I left, he recalled how many valley growers pulled all their vinifera out in favor of Concords which produce grapes for jellies and juice.

“When Ste. Michelle planted more vineyards in Paterson, I was tempted to do the same,” he noted, blue eyes atwinkle. “Instead, I built them a home.”