Dayton, WA
On a recent trip from Montana, we came from the east and discovered Dumas Station approximately 20 miles from Walla Walla in Dayton, WA. This former apple packing plant and train station is now a charming family-owned winery that was started in 2003. The barn-style tasting room is comfortable and dog-friendly. There are decorative touches as a nod to the area’s history.
On this gorgeous, sunny day, Pete was our host. He good naturedly ran back and forth from the interior tasting area to the comfy seating that we enjoyed with our dog, Angel. The tasting fee is $15 refunded with a wine purchase.
Dumas Station’s estate vineyard is Birch Creek in the Walla Walla Valley. The 900-foot elevation adds to the complexity of their red wines. They also source grapes from Breezy Slope and Minnick Hills. On our visit, we tasted the following wines:
2022 Vue Des Blues – this is a classic white Bordeaux-style blend. It is 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon in stainless steel. It was a warm day and we really enjoyed this wine. $29/bottle
2022 Pinot Gris – This was 100% Pinot Gris in stainless steel and I was very surprised that I didn’t really care for it. I think that people who really like a long finish on their wines may enjoy this. $29/bottle
2019 Cow Catcher Red – This was a good “Tuesday Wine”. I like the name as it does seem to be a catchall of wines – Merlot, Cab Sav, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Cab Franc. It has a nice flavor of baking spices and would complement a variety of different foods. $26/bottle (A good bargain at $20.80 for wine club members)
2019 Cabernet Franc – This was a very pleasant surprise for me. I am usually not a fan of 100% Cab Franc, but this was very good. Lots of pepper and complexity. This was my favorite wine. $39/bottle
2019 Merlot – This 100% Merlot was very good. It was extremely good and while I enjoyed drinking it, I think it would be even better if it was aged a few more years. We bought a bottle to check out our theory. $39/bottle
2020 Syrah – This is 82% Syrah and 18% Cab Sav. It had a nice peppery taste and some complexity. $39/bottle
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon – 94% Cab Sav and 6% Cab Franc, this wine had a concentrated flavor and really burst through after a couple of sips. This was definitely my husband’s favorite taste of the day. $45/bottle
2018 Reserve Petit Verdot – This Petit Verdot has 10% Cab Franc which I found interesting. It was a bit too much perfume and too chalky a finish for my individual taste. $55/bottle
Dumas Station is a lovely stop. It was nice to get outside Walla Walla and enjoy a smaller, family-owned winery. I would have enjoyed hearing a bit more about its history and about the winemaker. Doing a bit of on-line searching, I found that Dirk Brink, the winemaker, is from South Africa. He had an internship at Chateau Ste Michelle and has also worked at Kestrel and Bookwalter. I am looking forward to tasting here again to see how the wines change and mature under Dirk’s guidance.
Susan’s Score – Worth a stop if you are coming from that direction. I am not sure I would drive 40 miles round-trip for a visit.
