To complement their nearly 65-wine portfolio, Maryhill Winery serves up small plates, salads and sandwiches from their commercial kitchen
Craig and Vicki Leuthold christening Maryhill Winery Vancouver- Maryhill Winery owners Craig and Vicki Leuthold christened their Vancouver satellite tasting room, to a cheering crowd, back in April.
With all of the fanfare one would expect as an anchor of a multi-million dollar development, Maryhill Winery opened their Vancouver satellite tasting room on April 11.
Located along the promenade of The Waterfront Vancouver USA, Maryhill’s newest tasting room encompasses approximately 5,000 square feet. Inside, there is seating for 60 to 70 although standing room occupancy far exceeds that number. In fact, over opening weekend, the expansive tasting room bar in the main space was four and five people deep, according to tasting room staff.
Visitors of Maryhill Winery’s anchor winery and tasting room, up the Columbia River Gorge in Goldendale, will be pleased to know familiar features continue with a circa 1885 Brunswick bar commanding the main tasting room, replete with signature ornate detailing. Floor-to-ceiling windows along the south side take full advantage of their prime riverfront real estate and cast natural lighting all the way through to the north entrance.
Entering streetside, guests are also greeted by a full commercial kitchen to the left that’s serving up small plates, salads and sandwiches designed to pair with Maryhill’s portfolio of nearly 65 different wines.
A grand piano shines along the east wall, hinting to the live music lineup being offered Friday through Sunday. Owner, Craig Leuthold, recently shared that schedule will increase with the arrival of the summer months.
What will also be a sought-after item is the ample, L-shaped patio seating. Currently fitted with chairs and cozy loveseats for 80, maximum capacity is rated at 100. Some of that does include private seating for club members only, set off to the west corner. On that note, the addition of a Vancouver tasting room has already proven a wildly successful business venture.
“We couldn’t have asked for a more successful opening. We signed up 400 new wine club members. That’s almost a 15% increase in two weeks. It’s monumental,” Craig said.
Together with his wife, Vicki, Craig established Maryhill Winery in 1999 and they opened the Goldendale tasting room in 2001. Although the brand offers a huge variety of wines, few of them are widely distributed to retail outlets. After two decades of trying to grow Maryhill outside the Pacific Northwest, they realized it was the personal touch of tasting consumers through their portfolio that was key. In order to do that, they would need to invest in more off-site tasting rooms to reach a larger base.
In 2017, Maryhill Winery opened their first satellite tasting room on the banks of the Spokane River in Kendall Yards — in keeping with their spectacular water view theme. Its success solidified their theory and, when the opportunity to join the Vancouver waterfront development came about, they knew they had a winner. Later this year, Woodinville, Washington will be home to their third satellite tasting room when Maryhill opens a nearly 10,000 square-foot space in the historic Hollywood Schoolhouse — and, yes, there is a peek-a-boo view of the Sammamish River from the upstairs club room.
A less expected silver lining to all this capital investing, Craig noted, is that it is also building their distribution business. More consumers being introduced to their wines by way of visits to their brick and mortar outlets means Maryhill is top-of-mind when people are shopping at retail outlets like Fred Meyer and a Maryhill viognier or rosé is more apt to end up in their cart. Craig said that retails sales have increased 25% since opening their first off-site tasting room.
The Leutholds are excited to be a part of the growing Southwest Washington wine scene. Maryhill sources from Washington State vineyards and are huge supporters of the diversity of grapes and climates available in the state. They joined the Southwest Washington Winery Association straight away and were happy to pour alongside 16 Southwest Washington wineries at the inaugural Savor Southwest Washington Wine event held on May 11 at Pearson Air Museum.
In regards to their new ‘Couve digs, Craig could not be more enthusiastic.
“We saw the space and we saw the vision of what Vancouver was doing,” he said. “I think it’s the most monumental thing that’s happened in that city certainly since the inception of Maryhill. We’re just beginning to see the development. People aren’t even living there yet. Imagine when offices and apartments are filled. It’s going to become a mini-city unto itself.”
