About Washington Wine & Chukar® Chocolate

I’ve wanted to offer wine gifts at Chukar for years for several reasons. Most notably, Chukar was born and bred in Prosser—the epicenter of Washington Wine Country. Chukar’s growth as a company has coincided with the development of our area as a notable wine grape region, and we couldn’t be prouder.

The second reason we’ve added wine to our great gifts is obvious—fine wine and fine chocolate just go together. They are a perfect pairing. In fact, the Yakima Valley (and many communities nation-wide) host a red wine and chocolate event every year that features our chocolate cherries.

Last but not least, my husband and I love Washington wine and our local wine culture. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Chukar to introduce our splendid regional wines with Chukar craft chocolate. A match made in heaven!

Introducing our Illustrator Series

To introduce Washington wine with Chukar chocolate, something special was required. Our creative team decided on a perfect way to thank Northwest illustrator Jim Hays and recognize his timeless artistry and heartfelt contribution to Chukar Cherries.

Chukar Cherries launched its first wine labels with illustrations by Jim Hays: two Illustrator Series wines.
Columbia Valley Red Wine Blend features an inquisitive Bob White bird.
Columbia Valley Chardonnay features the BEELIEVE honeybee illustration.

A few notes on a notable artist…

Both wine labels are illustrated by Jim Hays. Over 35 years ago, Jim and I started working together to create a library of Northwest fruit and nut illustrations to build the Chukar brand. It grew into a continuing friendship and partnership. Chukar’s introduction of Washington wine with Chukar chocolate is a perfect way to thank Jim Hays and recognize his timeless artistry and heartfelt contribution to Chukar Cherries.

Our First Two Signature Wines

So, without further ado, here are our first two signature wines:

Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Smooth, crisp, not overly buttery
Pair with…
Chocolate Cherries : Chocolate Cherry Quartet, Truffle Cherries, Cherry Bings, Cherry Blossoms, Orchard Medley
Chocolate Berries & Nuts : Raspberry Truffles, Honey Pecans

Columbia Valley Red Wine Blend

A blend of wine made using four different local wine grapes. It’s mostly Cabernet & Syrah with much less Merlot and Malbec. It’s robust and full-bodied with mild acidic notes: Cabernet Sauvignon (robust, full-bodied), Syrah (rich with acidic tones), Merlot (mellow, blending), Malbec (spice notes)
Pair with…
Chocolate Cherries : Chocolate Cherry Quartet, Classic Dark, Black Forest, Cherries For Wine, Cabernet Cherries, Truffle Cherries. Organic: Organic Chocolate Rainier Cherries, Organic Chocolate Tart Cherries, Organic Chipotle Cherries
Chocolate Nuts : Cocoa Pecans, Honey Pecans, Vanilla Almonds

(Back Story: Decades back when we were young farmers and cherry growers, the nearby Washington State University-Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center was helpful to year ‘round. At the time, Dr. Walter Clore and his associates were laser-focused on developing wine grapes that would flourish in our region, and their efforts proved FRUITFUL in every sense of the word.)