Ellensburg Canyon Winery

Gary Cox of Ellensburg Canyon Winery - 100th SHOW for Lines on Wines

Full Circle from FIRST to 100th SHOW. Lines on Wines (first-show guest Gary of ECW) and Ellensburg Community Radio (ECR) are celebrating their 6th anniversary!!!! SEE DAILY RECORD ARTICLE HERE

Gary Cox graduated from WSU with a Master’s in agronomy and soils, and spent much of his career working for the Hanford Nuclear site as a Master Watershed Steward and Compliance Officer.   One of his tasks was to investigate radioactive tumbleweeds.  He also spent time tasting wines with Walter Clore and learned the basics of viticulture at WSU.  When he finally decided to plant a vineyard in 1999, his love of fly fishing and belief in the Yakima River Canyon’s unique soils led him to root his vines there, on five acres about a mile inside the canyon from the Ellensburg side.  He planted Cabernet Franc, Riesling and Malbec, and began making wine commercially in 2011.  Ellensburg Canyon Winery  (ECW) was Washington’s 697th licensed winery.

The Yakima River Canyon is a beautiful destination spot for those who love the outdoors.  Visitors can float the river, fish, hike, bike, and stay in the luxury Canyon River Ranch accommodations, complete with riverside dining.  The first canyon stop on the Ellensburg side is Gary’s winery, offering regular tastings and a picnic setting.  Gary offers unique wines such as a white Cabernet Franc, appropriately called a Blanc Franc, a port-style ice wine, and 4 Cabernet Franc wines, each with a different oak regimen to enable tasters to learn how different oaks affect wine.   Gary loves to talk and teach about wine.   Listen here to learn about the benefits of mycorrhizal fungus, a different twist on the threat of phylloxera in Washington state, what makes the Yakima Canyon a unique terroir, and much more.  

Listen to the Interview