A medium-sized winery close to Prosser, WA. Yakima River Winery is a family-owned vineyard producing premium wines. The winery produces only a few thousand cases of every growth. John and Louise Rauner have planted about a hundred acres and buy grapes from other vineyards in the region, concentrating on Big Red Wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz. They make some fortified wine as well.
The '96 Cabernet Sauvignon from Yakima River Winery is one of the best wines I've ever had. It's a very good rendition of a Cab, full-bodied, generous with the fruit and oak. Granted, after three bottles at Smith & Wollensky's anything will taste good, but this was something special. One of these days I'm going to get with the program and order a couple of cases.