There is something quietly magical about pulling off Thorpe Road on Spokane’s south side and finding yourself face to face with a Spanish Mission-style winery that looks like it was lifted straight from the Sonoran foothills and set down lovingly in the Inland Northwest. Latah Creek Wine Cellars has been doing exactly that since 1982, and if you haven’t made the short drive from downtown yet, consider this your official invitation.
Founded by Mike and Ellena Conway, Latah Creek is one of Washington State’s pioneering family wineries, and more than four decades later, the family is still at the helm. That continuity matters more than you might think. When you walk through the arched entryway into the tasting room, you are greeted not by a corporate pour list but by people who genuinely know every vintage on the shelf. The staff — often family members or longtime employees — talk about the wines the way a proud parent talks about their kids. Warmly, specifically, and with just enough detail to make you feel like you’re in on something.
The tasting room itself is airy and welcoming, with exposed wood beams, terracotta-toned walls, and a wraparound view of the surrounding landscape that changes beautifully with the seasons. Autumn, when the vines are turning and the air has that clean Pacific Northwest bite, is an especially fine time to visit. Grab a pour, settle into one of the patio chairs outside, and just breathe for a minute. You earned it.
Now, about those wines. Latah Creek sources fruit from top Washington appellations — the Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, and beyond — and the results are reliably excellent without ever feeling pretentious. Their Merlot has earned a devoted following over the years, and the Huckleberry Riesling is the kind of approachable, lightly sweet wine that converts even the most committed red-wine loyalists. If you enjoy sparkling wine, do not skip the Moscato Canelli. It is effervescent and fragrant and pairs perfectly with the afternoon light streaming through those big tasting room windows.
Latah Creek also operates a well-stocked wine shop where you can pick up bottles to bring home, along with a rotating selection of local gifts and gourmet provisions. They host periodic events throughout the year — harvest celebrations, barrel tastings, and seasonal release parties — that draw a cheerful mix of longtime regulars and curious newcomers. Checking their calendar before you visit is worth the thirty seconds it takes.
Getting there is straightforward. From downtown Spokane, head south on Highway 195 and exit toward Thorpe Road. The winery is just minutes from the freeway, making it an easy half-day detour whether you are coming from the city center or passing through on a road trip. There is ample parking, a relaxed pace, and zero pressure to buy — though you almost certainly will want to.
Latah Creek is the kind of place that reminds you why local, independent wineries matter. There is history in every bottle here, and a genuine sense of place that no big-label producer can replicate. Come for the Merlot, stay for the view, and leave with a case you’ll be opening for months.
