Santana at Maryhill Winery
written by Jeremy Storton
Craig and Vicki Leuthold are living a dream. They live on the shores of the Columbia River in sight of Mt. Hood in the western distance. Excellent wine flows from their home like water from faucets. Their yard is extremely well cared for and includes four tournament quality bocce ball courts. And, last June 25th, Carlos Santana played in their back yard for two and a half hours.
The truth is, they are the owners of Maryhill Winery and since 1999 they have turned their winery into an award winning destination. Maryhill is one of Washington State’s most prolific wineries, winning thousands of awards and hosting tens of thousands of guests every year.
I was fortunate enough to be one of the guests in their backyard this past June. Despite temps reaching for 100 degrees, it wasn’t just the weather that heated things up. Carlos Santana also melted the crowd with his iconic guitar riffs and his Latin rock. This was the kick off performance for Maryhilll’s concerts just outside the tasting room. John Legend, Willie Nelson, Earth, Wind and Fire, Tears For Fears and Nobel Prize winner, Bob Dylan, among others, have also taken the stage at Maryhill. This is to say that when the Leuthold’s throw a party, they know how to throw a party. Santana was just the first in a powerful lineup of world class acts. Later this summer guests will enjoy their Viognier or Rosé of Sangiovese while listening to Boz Scaggs with Michael McDonald, ZZ Top with The Doobie Brothers or Steve Winwood. On September 17th, Maryhill Winery will close their summer performances with The Goo Goo Dolls and Phillip Phillips.
If tickets or dates are out of the question, one simply needs to stop by on the weekend to discover the recipe for delight by pairing the sauvignon blanc and charcuterie fused with live music and a view. Nearly every weekend since Memorial Day, Maryhill winery has brought in some of the Northwest’s best musicians to play on their vine covered terrace. And, for a mere $10 guests can taste the wines offered in the tasting room. But for $20, guests can enter the inner sanctum of the Reserve Tasting Room for the extra special treatment.
Maryhill Winery in Goldendale is on Washington’s Hwy 14 approximately 20 minutes away from the Dalles in Oregon. The tasting room is open daily except for days they hold concerts in the ampitheater.
Maryhill Winery’s wines include Albariño, Viognier, Rosé of Sangiovese, cabernet franc, merlot and syrah—and from an award winning wine maker, I suggest the Winemaker’s White or the Winemaker’s Red.
