Jessica Munnell (right), Tom Merkle, Rachel Mercer, Wautoma Springs. Image copyright Richard Duval.

Wautoma Springs, based out of Prosser, will open a satellite tasting room in Woodinville. The tasting room will be located in the Warehouse District.

“This was just too great of an opportunity for us to pass up,” says owner and winemaker Jessica Munnell.

Wautoma Springs will share space with Bunnell Family Cellar, which has operated a tasting room in the area for over a decade. Munnell says that the draw of being close to metropolitan Seattle’s large consumer base was irresistible.

“It’s really beneficial for exposure. Hopefully it will get our name out there a bit more.”

At the Wautoma Springs Prosser tasting room, food and wine pairings have been an important part of the winery’s experience. The pairings are made by Rachel Mercer, who manages the tasting room and serves as chef. The Wautoma Springs Woodinville tasting room will offer more of a “self-serve” food and wine pairing experience.

“We’ll have a lot of really delicious tinned fish and seafood, as well as other gourmet items, really good cured meats and cheeses available for purchase,” Munnell says. “You can have a little picnic.”

Having a shared tasting room with another winery does bring some regulatory complexities. The two tasting rooms need to have separate point of sale systems.

“If you’d like to taste wines from both wineries, you sure can. You just have to pay two separate tabs,” Munnell says.

Munnell and grower Tom Merkle started Wautoma Springs in 2010 with 250 cases of wine. However, the winery was largely on the backburner for years while Munnell raised a family and served as winemaker at Mercer Estates for five and a half years. Munnell also worked briefly as a consulting winemaker for Vintage Wine Estates.

In 2017, Munnell and Merkle increased production at Wautoma Springs. The tasting room opened in 2019. The winery now produces approximately 3,200 cases annually.

Bunnell Family Cellar, meanwhile, is also based out of Prosser and opened its Woodinville tasting room in 2012. The winery has previously shared the space with Newhouse Family Vineyards, where Bunnell served as winemaker.

Owner and winemaker Ron Bunnell announced on Facebook earlier this year that he would be retiring from winemaking after 40 years. Bunnell Family will, however, continue to sell through its wines.

The Wautoma Springs Woodinville tasting room will open August 2^nd.

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