Isenhower Cellars

I don’t know why people don’t review wineries more, especially when they come across one so fabulous as this one. I’ve been to Isenhower in both Woodinville and Walla Walla and the people alone make it a worthwhile place. Always a smiling group, these people aim to tell the story of how two former corporate pharmacists followed a dream and began making wine. The winemaker sets himself a part from others in that he doesn’t follow any set of rules in winemaking. He makes wine the way he wants to make wine, and is really good at it. I like supporting small businesses, especially ones with such amazing wines and family values. You won’t see their wines on shelves the stores really, they like to keep it small. But, the second you buy a bottle it will be a conversation starter for all. They are kind of off the beaten path, so make sure you google them. Nice folks, outstanding wine.

One of two Washington wineries that I was inspired enough to become a member of. My fiancée and I stopped in here, mostly on a whim, and were really impressed by the quality of the wines, the ethos of the winemakers, and the friendliness of the staff.
The wines: a couple of whites, a rose (at times), occasionally a sparkling Roussanne (a really fascinating find!), and a variety of reds, mostly Bordeaux-​style blends. All the wines are made with native yeast fermentation. They range from around $ 15 for their (still fantastic) lower end blends to around $ 40 or so for their higher end wines (notably their annual series of blends named after the owners’ three daughters with labels designed by the girls). No duds to speak of, and some real gems too — the aforementioned sparkling Roussanne, the Purple Paintbrush (a lower end blend), the River Beauty Syrah, the A Bloc Malbec.
Their wine club is also one of the more generous around. The base commitment is 3 bottles (of their selection) twice a year. In exchange, you get free tastings, 20% off all other purchases, invitations to releases & parties at both the Woodinville tasting room and the winery out in Walla Walla, and first access to their very limited production wines.
There are a ton of tasting rooms and wineries in Woodinville but it’d be a shame if you didn’t make it in to Isenhower.

We were treated to excellent service, by the wonderful Sima Henson. If you are in the Woodinville, visit this winery. I recommend this venue for any wine enthusiasts.

No atmosphere. Young, flavorless wines. Not worth the tasting fee.

This place is A+, the wine is excellent and the prices are great. You must stop by if you are in Woodinville.

We rolled through Woodinville and were quite surprised to find that these weren’t exactly wineries, but a series of tasting rooms in a fairly industrial looking area. Well… wine is wine so we pulled into one of the first places that was open. (FYI — it was Friday and many places only seem to be open on Sat/​Sun).
We were the only ones there at the time and were greeted promptly by a friendly woman who poured some samples for us. She told us about the wines and the winemaker and seemed very knowledgeable. We liked all of the wines we tasted — some, of course, more than others but there were none that I would describe as bad or off or even not to my taste. I believe the tasting would have cost $ 10 (it was written on the board) but we bought a bottle and I think the fee was waived (husband paid). Being new to the area the woman also recommended a few other stops in the area, but for tastings and food. They have a wine club, which I’m seriously considering looking into if they’ll ship here. :-)

The wines were good but would be better at a lower price point with the exception of the Block A Malbec which I bought.

Ok, I am not sure what I expected, but it was great. They have a great selection of wines. I was really impressed with the quality and price. We started with the Cab Franc Rose. I am not a fan of roses, but this had a good body and flavor. Their 100% Cab Franc was described as an Old World production style. I was told they did not purchase any yeast to add to the wine and it was all naturally occurring. What ever it was they did was delicious. We bought a couple and came back for more.
We were so impressed with the quality and price of the wines that we joined their wine club.

Love this place! Been a wine club member for 2 years now. Great wine at a great price point.

We were introduced to this lovely boutique winery earlier in the summer, when their wines were the libations for a farm dinner at Dog Mountain. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to visit the tasting room to find out if the wines were as good as I remembered, or if it was simply the beauty of the evening coloring my palate.
It’s definitely the former! Highlights were the White Paintbrush (Rousanne/​Marsanne, two of my favorite white varietals), an ’08 Wahluke Cab Franc, and the ’08 Horse Heaven Syrah. My actual favorite Isenhower wine is currently in short supply here in Western Washington, but if you’re a fan of Spanish-​style wines go find the El Conquistador (Tempranillo/​Syrah/​Mourvedre): it’s one of the absolute best bottles around $ 30 I’ve consumed. In fact, most of their wine is under $ 30, and it’s often better than many a more-​expensive bottle from elsewhere.
Isenhower might be under your wine radar because they’ve entirely forgone distribution, relying instead on their wine club and tasting rooms for sales (as well as a few restaurants here and there). But don’t let its unfamiliarity deter you. Marni in the Woodinville tasting room will take excellent care of you, and it’s a friendly, relaxed space tucked away almost just across the street from the behemoth that is Januik/​Novelty Hill.
Great wine at an excellent value is increasingly difficult to find in Woodinville, but it’s all you’ll find at Isenhower. Go!

Marni and the Staff at Isenhower Woodinville! Good juice at a good price!

The wine wasn’t that good. The serving staff was VERY rude. While NOTHING in the tasting room states a cost, be prepared to pay for their mediocre wine tasting and unpleasant service.

We came upon the Maison Bleue /​Isenhower wine tasting room purely by accident, but what a lucky accident! I was looking for a different winery on Woodindville-​Redmond Rd that apparently hasn’t quite opened for business yet, but they are going to be neighbors with Maison Bleue /​Isenhower which are two different wineries sharing the same space. Maison Bleue is based out of Prosser, WA and Isenhower is based out of Walla Walla. We tried a viognier, roussanne, chardonnay, Grenache, merlot, syrah, cab franc and blend called the Red Paintbrush (cab sauv, merlot, cab franc and petit verdot). The tasting room is brand new so still under a bit of interior improvements, but the service was pleasant and friendly and the wine was very good! We brought home a bottle of the Isenhower Red Paintbrush blend, though I was tempted to get their «Road Less Traveled» Cab Franc and Maison Bleue’s Grenache.

I’ve been a fan of Isenhower for years, and they’ve just opened up a tasting room in Woodinville.
You can truly taste the terroir in his products — from the Grenache to the Syrah. I’m a big fan of the latter, as well as his Cabernet Sauvignon. White wine lovers should try the Roussanne-​Viogner blend.
I’d consider this a «must stop» if you are touring Woodinville’s winery.