Cuillin Hills Winery

Went with a member. Liked that it was a very laid back non-​pretentious place. Tired of those with snob appeal. I hope this winery area does not become that.
This place only offers reds — big reds. Appreciated they also had dips and snacks. Will consider their membership only due to the referral. The owner did not try at all to interact with me. His wife at least took the time to hand me a membership card.

I’ve tasted here a couple of times and have been impressed with the wines. I love red wines, and Cuillin Hills has some wonderful ones.

Tried this place recently and what a disappointment. Im not sure who owns this place or wine but very unhelpful. You have let me call him plumper very unpleasant and showed no intetest in being there. Most tasting rooms ive been too you have the pouring people Dress appropriately guess he missed this memo. Seems like they were only interested in taking your money and not explaining any of the wine. After leaving we were stopped in the street by a few ladies who were very disgusted with the service they had encountered. Lesson learned. Maybe get plumper out of there and it would be more enjoyable. As for the wine. Wasn’t anything to rave about. Stay away, more fun and better wine down the street. Save your self the hassle they are rude to customers. Wish I didn’t have to give ANY stars and the only reason is the fact I had too.

Cuillin Hills has a small tasting room in the warehouse district-​and is easy to miss. In fact I’d missed it for several months, but when the winemaker at Stevens Winery suggested a visit, we decided to seek it out. Right away, I was impressed with the reds-​Rhone style blends like «Shackled”-complex but easy to drink. The tasting room staff are very laid back-​friendly and informal. Tasting fees are reasonable-​$ 5, waived with a purchase. I’d highly recommend adding this winery to your tour list.

We’ve stopped and tried a few times and have had a bit of a mixed review. The first time we didn’t enjoy all that much, just not our «cup of tea.» However, the last few times, there’s been at least one that we’ve enjoyed quite well. We’ll be back to try again…
The tasting room is quite small and simple. The staff is usually the winemaker and owner who is quite knowledgeable. The price points are close to quality and about normal for the area.

Two grand new releases:
— 2008 Guillotine, Grenache, Columbia Valley [$ 29]:
a good stinky, fragrant nose
nice spice and pepper on the mispalate
drink now
— 2008 The Dungeon [$ 29]:
67% Syrah and 33% Mourvedre
definitely seek this out
think dark cherries
fragrant, smooth, delicious
Derek rocked on this one…
The Cuillen folks served salty French Fries to accompany these wines…

Derek makes fantastic Rhone and Bordeaux blends from a tiny little space in Woodinville. I’ve only met him twice but he is a very personable character who’s really interested in making excellent wines at good prices.
As with all hearty red wines his Dungeon, Shackled, and Claret blends are best cellared for a few years.
I’ve just started cracking into his wines that I bought in 2008 and they’ve been a delight so far. These aren’t your eye-​level Safeway wine aisle offerings. they are complex and deserve some time to develop.
In my wine fridge I’ve got about 10 spots dedicated to Cuillin Hills, and so far I’ve been happy with everything.