For Tagaris Winery, every bottle begins with the soil. Founded in 1984 by Mike Tagaris, he has always believed that great wine starts with great farming. “Farming is our passion,” says head winemaker Frank Roth. “It’s the birthplace of our business and our livelihood. We don’t cut corners on farming, and that’s what separates us.”

Long before “organic” became a marketing term, Mike Tagaris was practicing it. His approach to the land mirrors generations of stewardship in his family’s Greek heritage, where caring for the earth is not just good business but a responsibility. At the family’s vineyards in Washington’s Columbia Valley, the team manages weeds, pests, and soil health through natural methods. Cover crops such as daffodils help with pest control, and the cold Northwest winters assist in maintaining vineyard balance.

“We’re out there pulling weeds and leaf-thinning by hand,” Roth explains. “Everything we do is about keeping the soil alive and the fruit healthy. When you taste our wines, you’re tasting the care that went into that vineyard.” Because Tagaris grows its own grapes, the winery maintains complete control over quality, from vineyard to bottle. Each harvest is approached as a unique expression of the season. Rather than chasing overripeness or high alcohol, Roth prefers to pick fruit when it’s “the most giving,” maintaining freshness and natural acidity. This results in wines that are vibrant, balanced, and food-friendly. These result in wines more in line with the approachable styles found in Europe than the heavier wines often associated with New World regions.

Once the grapes are harvested, Tagaris’s approach in the cellar mirrors its philosophy in the field: minimal intervention. The wines are crafted with organic yeast, minimal sulfites, and no animal-based fining agents, keeping them vegan-friendly and true to the fruit. “I don’t want to showcase the barrel,” Roth says. “I want to showcase the grape. People who care about organic farming want to taste what that means. If I show you the quality of the barrel, then I’m showing you the barrel. I want to show you the quality of our fruit.” Many of the wines are aged in neutral barrels or stainless steel to let the vineyard character shine through. And the results speak for themselves.

Tagaris’s commitment to sustainability extends throughout its operations. The winery uses steam cleaning instead of chemical detergents, recycles grape waste into compost for the vineyard, and operates with energy-efficient systems. “We’re always finding ways to be more efficient—insulating tanks, reducing waste, using motion-sensor lighting,” says Roth. “It’s about being responsible, not just for the wine, but for the place we make it.” For Tagaris, estate-grown means more than owning vineyards. It means taking accountability for every decision, from soil management to fermentation. As Roth puts it, “We’re here to showcase how awesome the grapes are, and how awesome the earth is when you take care of it.”

Header image sourced from Tagaris (Facebook).