Located just south of Walla Walla, WA on the Oregon side of the border, Castillo de Feliciana is one of our all-time favorite, tot-friendly wineries!
If you're a fan of Tempranillo, Albariño, and/or Sangria, this may become your new favorite destination.
Walla Walla, WA has about five million incredible wineries, based on my un-official count at this point. And unfortunately, just due to life being life, the Tots Crew only makes it over to this amazing wine mecca but one time annually. So one would think, in an effort to try as many as we possibly can, that it would be a rarity that we would choose to revisit any wineries that we have previously visited. And that is absolutely the case...except in very rare circumstances. Well, Castillo de Feliciana is one of those circumstances. Read on to learn why!
Tots Mom studied abroad in Southern Spain her senior year of college (GO DUCKS!) It was here that she discovered her love for Spanish wine, Tempranillo in particular. However, she was dealt a cruel hand in life and resides the Willamette Valley, where Pinot Noir reigns supreme (I'm being slightly dramatic, of course, but am happy to report that the Tempranillo varietal is becoming more common in our region - yay global warming!) So when the Tots Crew decided to visit Walla Walla for the first time in 2019, the hunt for delicious Tempranillo was high on Tots Mom's priority list. Being that it is impossible to Google "Tempranillo + Walla Walla" without Castillo de Feliciana appearing in the search results, a stop at this gorgeous property easily made it onto our itinerary.
Our first visit in 2019 was in mid-July, so it was HOT. Tot #2 was less than three months old but we found a table in the shade and immediately felt right at home. It happened to be their client appreciation event so owners Sam and Deborah were out there cooking hot dogs for all of us and just being plain awesome. I mean come on, what wonderful people! We spent a lot of time out at Castillo that first visit and honestly, just fell in love. Tots Grandma and Tots Grandpa became club members...and they are kind enough to share their wine shipments with Tots Mom and Tots Dad. Let me tell you, the wines that Castillo de Feliciana produces are simply outstanding. Every.single.one.of.them.
Although we had planned to visit Castillo de Feliciana in again in 2020, one week before our reservation appointment, wineries in Oregon had to cease on-premise consumption due to Covid-19. However, we stopped by the tasting room that year to grab a growler of their world-famous sangria and brought it back to enjoy at our Air-BnB. It's heavenly, truly. We were super bummed, of course, to not be able to enjoy the amazing ambiance at Castillo de Feliciana that year. So we were hell-bent on making it back for a visit in 2021.
We are happy to report that we did make it to Castillo de Feliciana during our September 2021 trip and it was all we had hoped it would be! The last weekend in September is the last weekend of the year to get their amazing Red sangria so do yourself a favor and make sure not to miss out. (Sangria season starts the first full weekend of May.) We have had a lot of sangria over the years and their stuff takes the cake, by a landslide. You can enjoy it onsite, or bring a growler home with you. If you do happen to visit in October, they produce their special Pink Sangria with proceeds donated to breast cancer preventative care at Providence St. Mary's Cancer Center in Walla Walla. We think this is pretty awesome.
Castillo de Feliciana was having their end of summer celebration on the day that we visited so it was even more fun and lively than usual. They had an amazing band and the Fiasco wood-fired pizza truck was on-site slinging pies. Mind you, this was the second day in a row this weekend that we had sought out Fiasco because it is just that darn good. If you're in the area or planning a trip there soon, make sure you give them a try. Their menu is seasonal so there's always something new to try. And what goes better with awesome wine than sensational, wood-fired pizza? The correct answer: Nothing!
P.S. Castillo de Feliciana also recently started brewing their own beer (and it's good, too!) so if you're not into wine or sangria, ask about what they currently have on draft!
When you visit Castillo de Feliciana, you will immediately be taken aback by the absolutely gorgeous grounds. It's a truly stunning property. Whoever maintains the landscaping needs to come swing by the Tots Crew's Home because we need some of that beautiful magic. There are a TON of different seating options at Castillo...at our last visit, we sat around one of their large concrete firepits which made perfect surface for Tot #2's coloring book party. (Tot #3 basically slept the whole time but that just means she felt comfy and right at home here!) They have a lovely indoor tasting room space, patio tables, lawn seating, and terrace behind the winery with some wonderful views of the Blue Mountains. There's no bad seat in the house - that's for sure. It totally depends on the needs of your party but they are happy to accommodate so just give the tasting room a call prior to your visit!
I don't think that I have adequately captured just how incredible their wines are as I have been busy "fan-girling" about every other aspect of this lovely estate. But trust me when I say, if you're a fan of Spanish-style wines, this is absolutely the place for you. Their Rosé de Tempranillo is to die for, their Miércoles Red Blend is a fan favorite in our house as an easy 'any occasion' kind of wine, and any of their Reserve Tempranillos will knock your socks off. We hope you enjoy your visit to Castillo de Feliciana as much as we have over the years.
Thanks, Castillo de Feliciana, for the amazing memories! We already have our next Walla Walla adventure on the books for late-September 2022 so you best believe we will be visiting y'all again then...Cheers!
What to expect when you visit:
Indoor and shaded outdoor seating
Awesome wine, sangria, and in-house brewed beer!
Check their website and social media often - They usually have live music and a food truck or two during weekends in the late spring/summer/early fall.
Beautiful grounds with ample green space if your tots need space to frolic (supervised, of course!)
If you sit outside, there's plenty of space to spread out a bit with a picnic blanket and kids activities
Their outdoor area is dog-friendly. WOOF!
No high chairs or changing tables so just come prepared with a back-up plan
They have a location in Woodinville, Washington too!
More Info:
Call or make a reservation online
Winter Hours: Friday - Sunday 11am - 5pm
Summer Hours: Thursday - Monday 11am - 5pm
Address: 85728 Telephone Pole Rd, Milton-Freewater, OR 97862
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