Townshend Cellars to move tasting room on Green Bluff to Spokane Valley facility

Townshend Cellar, located at Green Bluff since its inception in the 1990s, is going to move its tasting room to a new facility at Spokane Industrial Park.

The move comes after the owners could not resolve commercial zoning limitations for a facility they had developed on Green Bluff in 2013.

In an email letter last week to Townshend wine club members, the Townshends said they plan to open a tasting facility linked to their main production area at the industrial park.

The winery was founded by Don Townshend, who has included his sons, Brendon and Michael, into the business even as all three pursue other jobs.

Brendon Townshend, who is in the Washington Air National Guard, said the new tasting facility should open in August and will provide a new experience for wine lovers.

Guests will be able to see the production area, and the winery plans to offer blending opportunities so that visitors can create their own wines from Townshend’s extensive stock in barrel.

In the letter to Diamond T Wine Club members, Brendon Townshend wrote that “Townshend Cellar is planning something truly unique for your future wine tasting experience, so stay tuned.”

The letter said the winery wants customers to be involved in making their wine.

“We want your input on the product you put on your table,” he said in an interview following the letter.

The Townshends redeveloped the former Huckaba Christmas tree farm on Greenbluff Road with a new facility including an expanded residence that was used as a tasting room.

Spokane County officials told the Townshends they needed 500,000 gallons of water storage for fire protection to operate as a commercial enterprise in an area without adequate water flows to fight a large fire.

Installing that much water storage was far too expensive, Brendon Townshend said, so a decision was made to move the tasting room.

The tasting room at 8022 E. Greenbluff Road had limited hours since last winter and is now closed.

The Townshends also have quit producing the Lone Canary and Caterina labels, which Townshend Cellar purchased in 2010.

Townshend also purchased the Mountain Dome sparkling wine label and continues to produce Mountain Dome wines along with the Townshend lineup, which includes reds, whites and dessert wines.

The winery gained success with the acclaimed T3 and Vortex blends.

Brendon Townshend said a return to the Green Bluff facility is possible in coming years if zoning issues can be resolved.