airfield estates
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
LOCATION : Hollywood District
HOURS (as of Jan 2023): Mon-Thurs 11-5pm, Fri/Sat 11-7pm, Sun 11-6pm
TASTING FEE (as of Jan 2023): $15 (mixed flight)
Since arriving on the scene in 2010, Airfield has rapidly carved out a niche in Woodinville wine country. With their retro design sensibility and vast variety of bottle offerings, this estate winery seems to have found a home in the historic Hollywood District, where relics of the last hundred years are integrated seamlessly with the modern commercial district that has only existed for the last twenty.
Airfield’s recently remodeled tasting room is well lit and comfortable, with plush couches and a gas fireplace adding to the welcoming aesthetic. The tasting room staff are knowledgeable and unafraid to crack a joke; one feels like a regular as soon as one settles in at the bar. On the walls you’ll find photos and other memorabilia from the estate’s rich history in Prosser, WA, where the wines are still made today.
Airfield’s notable story begins around 1920, when founder H Lloyd Miller acquired a promising agricultural site with one glaring issue; no irrigation. After lobbying the federal government, Miller secured a canal project, but before it could be completed the second world war added complications. In 1941 Miller leased a portion of his property to an Army Air Corps flight school, which erected a number of hangars, runways and other infrastructure on the site. After the war Miller took ownership of the buildings, acquired his long-sought irrigation system, and established Airport Ranch, which over time became Airfield Estates. Now planted with 830 acres of Vitis Vinifera (wine grapes) and 350 acres of Concord, the estate produces a wide range of varietals including Dolcetto, Pinot Meunier and Muscat Canelli in addition to more common offerings.
The $15 tasting includes five pours (a more premium “Founders Flight” is offered for $20). Airfield takes care of its white wine drinkers—with 13 white wines produced annually—but also delivers on its varietally bottled and blended reds. The brand includes several series, including the prestigious “Founders” series and the affordable “Vineyard Salute” red and white blends. Often incorporating nose art and other imagery from their aviation past, some of the reserve-tier bottles have colorful monikers like “Lightning,” “Mustang” and “Spitfire,” named after various models of aircraft used in the second world war.
Bottles range in price from $18-$50. You can find just about anything at Airfied, from sparkling and late-harvest whites to 93-point Rhône red blends. Those disinterested in tasting may be tempted by a mimosa (made with Airfield’s delicious Blanc de Noirs sparkling of course) or even a locally brewed IPA. A charcuterie plate is available and additional food offerings can be ordered and delivered from Village Wines at the end of the strip.
Reservations are recommended but not required for groups under 6; for larger groups arrangements must be made with the tasting room directly. Minors are allowed inside, and dogs are allowed on the heated patio. If you’d like to visit this historic and versatile winery, let us know in your pre-tour survey and we will make sure not to miss it.
Salut, and enjoy Woodinville!
