East Spokane/Spokane Valley
Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
A stunning setting at the Cliff House Estate overlooking the Spokane Valley makes Arbor Crest a must-stop for wine snobs and dilettantes alike. A wide array of reds and whites, including offerings from van Löben Sels Cellars, makes choosing difficult, and repeat visits necessary. 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd.; Sat-Wed noon-5pm, Thurs-Fri noon-8 pm
Knipprath Cellars
Knipprath, a family-owned and -operated boutique winery, focuses on Northwest-grown Portuguese and Spanish grape varieties. They produce limited-quantity Iberian wine varietals and New World Ports, such as the Spanish Nudge, their Syrah Port aged with coffee and cinnamon. 5634 E. Commerce Ave., Spokane Valley; Wed-Sun noon-5 pm
Latah Creek Wine Cellars
The tasting room at this family-owned winery is so much more, including all manner of wine accessories for sale along with Latah Creek's wares at this spot just off I-90. And if the weather is right, the patio is not to be missed. 13030 E. Indiana Ave.; daily 9 am-5 pm
Liberty Lake Wine Cellars
A beautiful view of Liberty Lake and Mount Spokane, live music and occasional painting parties are all reasons to stop by this community-based winery. Their nine wines, of course, provide even more reason, including 2015 Finger Lakes Wine Competition winners: the 2011 Tempranillo and Petit Verdot and the 2009 Merlot. 1018 S. Garry Rd., Liberty Lake, Wash.; Sat-Sun 1-5 pm
North Spokane
Townshend Cellars
Townshend is beloved for producing meticulously crafted batches of dessert and port wines as well as reds. Its popular T3, for example, is a multi-vintage, multi-varietal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Try them all at their new-ish Green Bluff tasting room. The winery opened a new tasting room in 2013, but commercial zoning issues forced Townshend to move its whole operation for several years. Now, the tasting room has returned to its picturesque Green Bluff location. 8022 E. Green Bluff Rd., Colbert, Wash.; Fri-Sun noon-5 pm
South Spokane
Regal Road Winery
Serious locavores take note: Regal Road is one of the only wineries in our region to exclusively use locally grown grapes in the production of their wine. Winemaker Steve Schaub's vineyards are nestled high on Spokane's South Hill, where housing developments give way to the rolling hills of the Palouse and yield about 200 cases a year. 8224 S. Regal Rd. Tasting room open by appointment only.
North Idaho
Camas Prairie Winery
Camas Prairie Winery is the oldest independently owned winery in Idaho and the official producer of University of Idaho's Vandal Crest wines. But you won't find Camas Prairie in Moscow any longer. They've moved their operation to the tiny, historic town of Bovill. Pay them a visit, and sample their award-winning Lemberger, Muscat Canelli, or their expanding line of mead. 207 Main St., Bovill, Idaho; Thu-Sun noon-6 pm
Coeur d'Alene Cellars
Besides offering a full menu of all its wines, for tastings or by the glass, this tasting room is a hot spot for live music every Saturday, paint nights on Tuesdays and all manner of special Wine Club events and classes. 3890 N. Schreiber Way, Coeur d'Alene; Tue-Thu noon-5 pm, Sat noon-7 pm
Pend d'Oreille Winery
Located in a beautifully restored historic building, this little North Idaho winery offers great deals on tastings, a friendly staff and one of the only tasting rooms to offer refillable growlers of wine. 301 Cedar St., Sandpoint; Mon-Tue 10 am-6 pm, Wed-Sat 11 am-9 pm, Sun 10 am-5 pm
Sheppard Fruit Wines
Jim and Julie Sheppard joke that "no grapes were harmed" in the making of their elderberry, blackberry, cranberry, huckleberry, pear, rhubarb or raspberry wines. Made from fruit surrounding their Harrison, Idaho, home, Sheppard wines might be fruit-forward, but they're aged to promote a drier, more complex flavor. 102 N. Coeur d'Alene Ave., Harrison, Idaho; May 1-mid-Oct. Noon-5 pm daily
Small House Winery
The wine might be made in Sandpoint, but for the most part the grapes come from Washington and Oregon at this three-year-old North Idaho gem. Every glass comes from a handmade process courtesy of the small team that gave the winery its name, and the tasting room is as homey as you might imagine.1636 Baldy Park Dr., Sandpoint; Sat 11 am-6 pm and by appointment
