Prior to attending a gorgeous wedding at Lake Bonaparte we found ourselves with a few extra hours to kill in Omak. We were intrigued with signs for “Rockwall Cellars“. Neither Al nor I had ever heard of wine from Omak but with low expectations, we decided to give it a try.
What a pleasant surprise! The tasting room was cold storage for apples that has been completely transformed. It is bright and airy with a beautiful stained concrete floor that spills out onto a huge patio. There is plenty of seating both on the patio and in the cute bar stools that were made from barrels. 
The day we visited Doug Sheets was pouring. He and his sister and their spouses are the owners, wine-makers, broom pushers and on the day we were there handyman. Doug was very knowledgeable about the wines they offered as well as the areas where they sourced their grapes and the local area.
Not being partial to whites (but always looking for that perfect summertime wine) I was impressed by the number of whites that I enjoyed. I even purchased a bottle of the Rockwall Viognier 2010 – a very nice clean dry wine for $20. I also enjoyed a couple of the “decl wines” – a Rockwall Pink Gewurztraminer 2009, which Doug said was their most popular white wine and also a terrific fruity blend called To Di For – – Lula 2012 (named after their grandmother).
There was an interesting selection of reds. I was really taken with the labels on the Stampede Red. They were created by Rowdy Barry – a local Bullfighter, Rancher and Artist. They are stunning!
Not to be outdone by grandma, there is also a To Di For – – Eddie 2008 in honor of their grandfather. It was pleasant enough but I really enjoyed Rockwall Generation 2008 Red Blend. A mix of Cab, Merlot and Marechal Foch that has a lot of complexity and smokiness.
Doug was kind enough to give us a taste of his upcoming Malbec 2010. he promises it will be available by August 1st. If I don’t make it back for the Omak Stampede I will definately be ordering this wine online. Six bottles and shipping is FREE.
This is a terrific little winery with a great tasting room. If you find yourself in Okanagan County or anywhere nearby, Rockwall Cellars is certainly worth a visit.