In episode 54 of the Cooking Chat podcast, I sit down with the owner and vintner of Dineen Family Vineyards for a virtual winery visit to their estate in Washington's Yakima Valley.
I've been enjoying Dineen wines for several years now, including as a wine club member, and have found them to be especially food-friendly at home. In our conversation, we cover the Yakima Valley, the winery's story and winemaking approach, and how their wines pair with food.
Below, you can listen to the full interview, followed by highlights from our discussion, along with Cooking Chat pairings I've tested at home and additional pairing ideas from the winery. I hope you enjoy this first installment in a new series of Cooking Chat Virtual Winery Visits.
Listen to the Podcast: Virtual Visit to Dineen Family Vineyards
Here's episode 54 of the Cooking Chat podcast, featuring my conversation with the owner and vintner of Dineen Family Vineyards.
In this virtual winery visit, we cover the Yakima Valley, the winery's story and winemaking approach, and how their wines pair with food.
You can also listen on your favorite podcast platforms, including: Apple podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music.
About today’s guest
Marissa Dineen is the second-generation owner and vintner of Dineen Vineyards, where she continues the legacy of passion that began with the vineyard's first plantings over 20 years ago. A Washington native, she ventured abroad before returning home to lead the family business.
Marissa is a graduate of the University of Washington and studied Viticulture and Enology at Washington State University-claiming, as she says, a win in every Apple Cup. Her curiosity emerged early, beginning with a high school bike trip through Europe and continuing with college studies in Germany. These experiences led her to live and work in Europe for 15 years, where frequent visits to Old World wine regions-particularly in France-helped shape her palate and deepen her understanding of winemaking traditions.
It was also in Europe where she met her French husband and welcomed her daughter, Charlotte-her proud Franco-American "JV" and, as she notes, her most important accomplishment. Today, Marissa's ethos is: "Agriculture connects us with the earth, wine connects us with one another." For her, food, wine, family, friendship, and meaningful conversation are at the heart of life-and every day is worth celebrating.
Food pairings for Dineen wines
One of the things I've consistently appreciated about wines from Dineen Vineyards is how well they pair with the foods I make and enjoy. They produce an array of red and white wines with balance, complexity, and structure, making them especially versatile for pairing with a range of dishes.
Below are some pairings I've tested in the Cooking Chat kitchen, along with additional ideas shared during my conversation with the winery.
Pairings I’ve tested in the Cooking Chat Kitchen
Heritage Blend (Cabernet based)
The 2022 Heritage Blend ($52, 14.4% ABV) is Dineen's flagship Bordeaux-style wine, combining all five Bordeaux varieties for a layered, balanced profile. In our tasting, it showed both structure and freshness, making it enjoyable now but also capable of aging over time. While delicious with steak, you can do a lot more with this one! My pairings with the current and past vintages include:
- Lamb Ragu – During a previous conversation, Marissa suggested this wine can work with a hearty meat sauce. I wouldn’t have thought of this, but it worked great!
- Mushroom & Olive Pizza – yes, you read that correctly! I opened our latest bottle of the Heritage to taste with Marissa during an early Friday evening podcast interview. And Friday is pizza night here! This wine has great structure – red berry fruit, pepper, and notable acidity, which helped make the pizza pairing delicious.
Roussanne
Roussanne is often found in white Rhone blends, but it can also make a good varietal wine. Dineen's Roussanne offers a combination of floral aromatics, freshness, and a fuller mouthfeel that makes it especially versatile with food. During our conversation, Marissa noted that it pairs well with vegetables, herbs, and even Asian dishes, thanks in part to its texture and subtle umami character.
- Ground Turkey & Cabbage Stir-Fry This turned out to be a particularly nice pairing, with the wine's texture and moderate acidity working well alongside the savory flavors of the turkey and the slight sweetness of the cabbage and miso.
Pairings suggested by Marissa Dineen
During our conversation, Marissa shared several favorite ways to enjoy these wines with food:
- Roussanne - Pasta with a light cream sauce, vegetable dishes, herb-driven recipes, and a range of Asian dishes (she noted the wine's texture and even some umami character make it especially versatile).
- Heritage Blend - Steak (especially with an herb crust), lamb dishes such as a ragù, tuna steak with a parsley shallot sauce, and even pizza thanks to the wine's ability to handle a wide range of flavors.
A note from my conversation
One theme that stood out in my conversation with Marissa is the focus on balance and freshness in the wines. Even with a structured wine like the Heritage Blend, the goal is to make something that is enjoyable upon release but can also evolve over time.
She also emphasized versatility at the table, noting that wines like the Roussanne are designed to pair with a wide range of foods-from vegetables and herbs to Asian dishes-rather than being limited to traditional pairings.
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