Press

2020 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year

“The winery of the year is selected based on longevity, quality, reputation, industry involvement, facilities and other considerations.” -Wine Press Northwest. A winery can only win this award once in the lifetime of the winery. Any of the 2,000+ wineries in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia) are candidates for this honor provided they have not previously earned the distinction. 

The prestige of this award is best illustrated by the honor roll of producers that have been selected:

2020: Clearwater Canyon Cellars, Lewiston, Idaho
2019: Palencia Wine Co., Kennewick, Wash.
2018: Long Shadows Vintners, Walla Walla, Wash.
2017: Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, Roseburg, Ore.
2016: Walla Walla Vintners, Walla Walla, Wash
2015: Maryhill Winery, Goldendale, Wash.
2014: Stoller Family Estate, Dayton, Ore.
2013: Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, Wash.
2012: Thurston Wolfe Winery, Prosser, Wash.
2011: Zerba Cellars, Milton-Freewater, Ore.
2010: Vin du Lac, Chelan, Wash.
2009: Wild Goose Vineyards, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
2008: Dunham Cellars, Walla Walla, Wash.
2007: Elk Cove Vineyards, Gaston, Ore.
2006: Barnard Griffin, Richland, Wash.
2005: Ken Wright Cellars, Carlton, Ore.
2004: L’Ecole No. 41, Lowden, Wash.
2003: Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, Summerland, British Columbia
2002: Columbia Crest, Paterson, Wash.

Thank you to all of our Enthusiast Club Members near and far! Your support made it possible for us to earn the distinction of Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year. We share this honor with all of our grape growers. It is their hard work that allows us to make great wines. We are also honored to bring this award home to the Lewis-Clark Valley wine industry.

2015 Idaho Winery of the Year

Thank you to all our growers and wine lovers here in the valley for helping us be honored by Wine Press Northwest as 2015 Idaho Winery of the Year! Your support makes all the hard work worth it.

WSU Alumni Achievement Award

The Washington State University Alumni Association must appreciate a good glass of wine! Nicole “Coco” Umiker, co-owner and wine maker at Clearwater Canyon Cellars was honored for her nearly two decades of winemaking success in the Lewis-Clark Valley. She was honored for being part of bringing the Lewis-Clark Valley winemaking industry back to life.

Lewis-Clark Valley AVA Acceptance

Our beloved Lewis-Clark Valley is now an American Viticultural Area! What is an AVA? It’s a designation that allows us to put "Lewis-Clark Valley" on our labels, signaling that the valley is a recognized producer of wine from grapes grown here in our area. The quality of life and culture of our community will thrive as our wine industry grows here. This has been proven in similar communities here in the Northwest. This new chapter in our region beholds many wonderful and delicious opportunities. It only took 7 years, but we did it! We are now planted in the Lewis-Clark Valley American Viticultural Area.

Idaho Century Farm Designation

The Nichols Family Farm, the fruitful vineyard that makes Clearwater Canyon Cellars possible, was named an official Idaho Century Farm in 2016 by the Idaho Historical Society. The land was originally owned by Coco Umiker’s late grandfather, Ralph E. Nichols.

Surviving Ovarian Cancer at Age 11

Coco Umiker, our fearless and passionate winemaker, has released numerous hits with wines going gold and platinum at major West Coast competitions. Since surviving ovarian cancer as a pre-teen, Umiker has gone on to become part of the wine world through her education and – along with her husband, Karl – establishing Clearwater Canyon Cellars and a reputation for creating award-winning wines.

Accolades

ALBARIÑO

  • 2022 Albariño

    Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2021 Albariño

    Double Platinum & Top White, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging
    Double Gold & Best of Class & Top White & Best of Show, Great Northwest Invitational
    Gold, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'
    Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational

  • 2020 Albariño

    Double Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational

  • 2019 Albariño

    Platinum, Best of Class, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'
    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational
    Double Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2018 Albariño

    Judge's Pick, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'

  • 2017 Albariño

    Gold, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'

ESTATE SYRAH

  • 2021 Estate Syrah

    Double Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational
    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

  • 2020 Estate Syrah

    Double Gold, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'

  • 2019 Estate Syrah

    Platinum, Great Northwest Annual Platinum Judging
    Double Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition

  • 2018 Estate Syrah

    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    Double Gold & 94 pts, SavorNW Wine Awards
    Double Gold & Best of Class, San Francisco Chronicle

  • 2017 Estate Syrah

    Judges' Selection Medal/Best Other US State Red, TEXSOM International Wine Awards

  • 2016 Estate Syrah

    Double Gold & 95 pts, SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2014 Estate Syrah

    Silver, TEXSOM International Wine Awards
    91 Points, Tasting Panel Magazine
    Outstanding!, Great Northwest Wine
    19/20, Rand Sealey's Review of Washington Wines
    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Double Gold, Idaho Wine Competition

  • 2013 Estate Syrah

    #61, Great Northwest Wine's 'Top 100 Wines of 2015'

  • 2012 Estate Syrah

    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition

RENAISSANCE RED

  • 2021 Renaissance Red

    Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition

  • 2020 Renaissance Red

    Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging
    Double Gold & Best Red, 
    Bellingham Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2019 Renaissance Red

    Double Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, Great Northwest Wine Invitational 

  • 2018 Renaissance Red

    Double Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold & 90 pts
    , SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2017 Renaissance Red

    Double Gold & Best of Class & 96 pnts, SavorNW Wine Awards
    Gold, Finger Lakes Wine & Spirits Competition
    Double Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition
    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2016 Renaissance Red

    Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition
    Gold & Best of Class, Idaho Wine Competition
    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2012 Renaissance Red

    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition

MERLOT

  • 2019 Merlot

    Gold, Dan Berger Wine Competition

  • 2018 Merlot

    Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Double Gold & Best Of Class,
    Finger Lakes International Wine Competition
    Gold
    , Cascadia Int'l Wine Competition
    Gold, Sunset Int'l Wine Competition

  • 2017 Merlot

    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Competition
    Double Gold, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, Finger Lakes Int'l Wine Competition

  • 2016 Merlot

    Judges' Pick, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'
    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

  • 2015 Merlot

    Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

  • 2014 Merlot

    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2012 Merlot

    Double Platinum & Best Merlot, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Double Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    #23, Great Northwest Wine's 'Top 100 Wines of 2014'

LOUIS DELSOL CABERNET SAUVIGNON

  • 2022 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2021 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Double Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition
    Double Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging

  • 2020 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, Bellingham Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2019 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Double Gold & Best of Class, Idaho Wine Competition

  • 2018 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Double Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational
    Double Gold, Great Northwest Invitational
    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    Gold, Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

  • 2017 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Competition
    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2016 Louis Delsol Cabernet Sauvignon

    Gold & Best of Class, Idaho Wine Competition
    Gold, Dan Berger International Wine Competition
    Double Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

MALBEC & RESERVE MALBEC

  • 2022 Malbec

    Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition
    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2021 Malbec

    Gold, Great Northwest Wine Invitational
    Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2020 Malbec

    Gold, San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition

  • 2019 Malbec

    Double Gold, Great Northwest Wine Invitational

  • 2018 Malbec

    Gold, Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

  • 2017 Malbec

    Double Gold & Best of Class, Great Northwest Invitational Competition
    Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    Double Gold & 96 pts, SavorNW Wine Awards
    Double Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2016 Malbec

    Judge's Pick, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'
    Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    18.5+/20, Rand Sealey's Review of Washington Wines
    #12, Seattle Times Top 50 Wines of 2018
    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2015 Malbec

    18.5/20 pts, Rand Sealey's Review of Washington Wines
    Gold & 91 pts, SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2014 Coco's Reserve Malbec

    19/20, Rand Sealy's Review of Washington Wine
    Outstanding!, Great Northwest Wine Review

  • 2014 Malbec

    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Competition
    Outstanding!, Great Northwest Wine Review

THE WINE PROJECT

  • 2020 The Wine Project

    Gold, Great Northwest Wine Invitational
    Double Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition
    Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2019 The Wine Project

    Gold, SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2018 The Wine Project

    Double Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold & 91 pts
    , SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2017 The Wine Project

    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    Gold & 91 pts, SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2016 The Wine Project

    Gold & Best Petit Verdot Blend, Cascadia Int'l Wine Competition
    19/20, Rand Sealy's Review of Washington Wine

CARMENÈRE & RESERVE CARMENÈRE

  • 2022 Carmenère

    Gold, Sunset International Wine Competition
    Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2020 Coco's Reserve Carmenère

    Double Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational

  • 2020 Carmenère

    Gold, Sunset Magazine Wine Competition 
    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition

  • 2019 Carmenère

    Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging
    Double Gold & Best of Class, Great Northwest Wine Invitational
    Gold, San Francisco International Wine Competition

  • 2019 Coco's Reserve Carmenère

    Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging
    Double Gold,
    Great Northwest Wine Invitational

  • 2018 Carmenère

    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging
    19/20, Rand Sealy's Review of Washington Wine
    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    Gold & Best of Class & Best Red Wine, Cascadia Int'l Wine Competition
    Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational 

  • 2017 Carmenère

    Double Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging '20
    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging '19
    #3, The Seattle Times 'Top 25 Regional Wines of 2019'
    19/20, Rand Sealy's Review of Washington Wine
    Double Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    Gold, San Francisco International Wine Competition
    Gold & Best of Class, Cascadia Int'l Wine Competition

  • 2016 Carmenère

    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, SavorNW Wine Awards
    19/20, Rand Sealey's Review of Washington Wines
    Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition

  • 2015 Carmenère

    Double Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    Double Gold, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging

  • 2014 Carmenère

    Double Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Double Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    #11, The Seattle Times 'Top 50 Regional Wines of 2016'
    Double Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

  • 2013 Carmenère

    Double Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition

  • 2012 Carmenère

    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    Gold, Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition
    #24, The Seattle Times 'Top 50 Regional Wines of 2014'

  • 2011 Carmenère

    Platinum, Annual Wine Press Northwest Platinum Judging
    #84, Great Northwest Wine's 'Top 100 Wines of 2013'
    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition

  • 2010 Carmenère

    Gold, Great Northwest Wine Competition

SELWAY

  • 2010 Selway

    Double Gold, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging

  • 2013 Selway

    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging
    Double Gold & 97 pts, San Francisco International Wine Competition
    19/20, Rand Sealey's Review of Washington Wines

  • 2014 Selway

    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging
    Double Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition
    19/20, Rand Sealy's Review of Washington Wine

  • 2017 Selway

    Double Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging
    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    19+/20, Rand Sealy's Review of Washington Wine

  • 2018 Selway

    Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition

  • 2019 Selway

    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition

PETITE SIRAH & RESERVE PETITE SIRAH

  • 2014 Petite Sirah

    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging
    Gold, Cascadia Wine Competition

  • 2015 Petite Sirah

    Gold, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'
    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging

  • 2018 Coco's Reserve Petite Sirah

    Gold, Idaho Wine Competition
    Platinum, Wine Press Northwest Annual Platinum Judging

  • 2019 Coco's Reserve Petite Sirah

    Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging
    Gold & Best of Class, Great Northwest Invitational 

LOCHSA CHARDONNAY

  • 2017 Lochsa Chardonnay

    Double Gold & Best Chardonnay, Cascadia International Wine Competition
    Outstanding!, Great Northwest Wine Reviews
    #15, Seattle Times to Wines of 2018 Under $30

  • 2018 Lochsa Chardonnay

    3rd Place Overall, Sip Northwest 'Best of the Northwest'

  • 2019 Lochsa Chardonnay

    Gold & 91 pts, SavorNW Wine Awards

  • 2020 Lochsa

    Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational 

  • 2021 Lochsa Chardonnay

    Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging 
    Gold, Bellingham Northwest Wine Competition

NON-VINTAGE WAHA

  • Non-Vintage Waha IV

    Double Platinum, Great Northwest Platinum Judging
    Gold, 
    Great Northwest Wine Invitational

  • Non-Vintage Waha II

    Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Annual Platinum Judging
    Gold
    , Idaho Wine Competition
    Gold, San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition

OTHER RESERVES & SPECIALTY WINES

  • 2023 Rosé of Cabernet franc

    Gold, American Fine Wine Rosé Competition
    Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2022 Teammate

    Double Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2021 Coco's Reserve Sagrantino

    Double Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational

  • 2021 Umiker Estate Reserve

    Double Gold, Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2021 Coco's Reserve Spice Market

    Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Platinum Judging
    Gold,
     Pacific Northwest Wine Competition

  • 2020 Century Farm Cabernet franc

    Gold, San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition

  • 2019 Coco's Reserve Rock n'J Blend

    Gold, Cascadia International Wine Competition

  • 2019 Coco's Reserve Blend No. 5

    Double Gold, San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition

  • 2018 Coco's Reserve Spice Market

    Double Platinum, Great Northwest Wine Annual Platinum Judging
    Gold, American Fine Wine Invitational

  • 2016 Coco's Reserve Blend No. 5

    Gold, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
    Gold, Savor Northwest Wine Awards