Bethany Vineyard Is Closing After 26 Years
One of Clark County's first vineyards is saying goodbye. The family behind the lakeside Ridgefield winery says the cost of keeping it going has become too much. Update: the weekend equipment sale set to start Oct. 9 has been postponed, but the tasting room is open and the kitchen equipment sale is still on.
One of the first vineyards in Clark County is pouring its last glass. Bethany Vineyard & Winery, the family-run spot on NE 259th Street known for its lake views and that floating patio, has announced it is closing for good after 26 years.
The news came in a letter addressed to "our wonderful friends and guests," and the reason is the one nobody in small business wants to say out loud: the math stopped working. The family wrote that the cost of maintaining the property, caring for the vines, and covering the everyday expenses of running a vineyard has become more than they can sustainably manage.
The good news, if there is any: they're not locking the gate tomorrow. In a follow-up post on Instagram, the family thanked everyone who came out over the weekend and said there's no official close date yet. The tasting room will stay open Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. through November.
The wine sale is already underway. The big everything-must-go equipment sale was supposed to kick off this Friday at 10 a.m., but the morning of, Bethany announced it's been pushed. More on what's still happening below.
In their own words
The letter is worth reading in full if you can find it, because it doesn't read like a corporate closure notice. It reads like a family that knows exactly what the place meant to people. They describe Bethany as somewhere friendships started, milestones got celebrated, and families gathered, and they call the decision heartbreaking but the right one for their family.
They also thank pretty much everyone who ever walked through: customers, wine club members, event guests, musicians, vendors, and employees. Then they list what they hope people hold onto, which is the weddings, the anniversaries, the birthdays, and the afternoons by the lake.
The final sale, now postponed
If you've ever looked at Bethany's patio furniture and thought "I want that," your moment is still coming. Just not this weekend.
On Friday, Oct. 9, the morning the closing sale was set to open, Bethany posted on Instagram that the weekend equipment sale is postponed. They didn't give a reason or a new date. If you already had the truck gassed up, I'm sorry. Me too.
Here's what is still happening this weekend: the tasting room is open, the wine sale is running, and the kitchen equipment sale is still on. So if you've been eyeing commercial kitchen gear, or a stainless steel table for the garage you swear you'll organize someday, that part hasn't moved. Bethany hasn't spelled out exactly which items fall under the kitchen sale versus the postponed one, so if you're going for something specific, call ahead.
Bethany Vineyard Final Sale · Updated Oct. 9
Twenty-six years of somebody's best day
If you've lived in Ridgefield for more than five minutes, you either got married at Bethany, went to a wedding at Bethany, or sat on that floating patio pretending you weren't going to order a second glass. It was the lakeside one. The slow-down-and-finish-your-wine one. The place you brought out-of-town guests when you wanted to show off a little.
It also matters that Bethany was early. Long before Ridgefield had six wineries and a reputation for them, this family was out on 259th Street growing grapes in small blocks and picking them by hand. A lot of what makes this area a wine destination now was built on places like this taking the first swing.
The family's letter is honest about how hard that is to sustain. Running a small family vineyard is expensive, physical, never-done work, and the economics don't care how beloved you are. That's not a scandal. It's just a loss, and it's okay to call it one.
So here's my unsolicited advice: you have until at least the end of November. Go sit by the lake one more time. Bring the friend you met there, or the person you married there, or just yourself and a book. Buy the bottle. Say thank you in person.
What happens to the property?
Unknown. The family hasn't said anything publicly about the future of the land, and we're not going to guess. When we know, you'll know.
In the meantime, Ridgefield still has plenty of places to pour a glass and support local growers. Our guide to Ridgefield wineries covers the rest of them, and we'll be updating it to reflect Bethany's closure.
Quick answers
Is Bethany Vineyard closing permanently?
Yes. The family announced it has decided to close Bethany Vineyard & Winery after 26 years, citing the rising cost of maintaining the property and operating the vineyard.
Is Bethany Vineyard still open?
For now, yes. There's no official close date yet, but the tasting room will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 12 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m. through November.
Is the Bethany Vineyard equipment sale still happening this weekend?
No. Bethany posted on Oct. 9 that the weekend equipment sale is postponed, and a new date hasn't been announced. The tasting room is still open and the kitchen equipment sale is still on this weekend.
When is the Bethany Vineyard final sale?
The wine sale is going on now, and the kitchen equipment sale is on this weekend. The larger equipment sale, originally set for Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 at 10 a.m., has been postponed. We'll update this post when it's rescheduled.
Can I bring my kids to the sale?
The sale flyer lists it as 21 and over, so plan on leaving them home.
What's for sale?
According to the original flyer, basically everything: furniture, patio furniture, farm and wine equipment, event supplies, decor, wine, refrigerators, kitchen equipment, stainless steel tables, and planters. Kitchen equipment is available this weekend; call ahead to ask about anything else.
What about my wine club membership or a booked event?
The closure announcement didn't address memberships or existing bookings. Call (360) 887-3525 or email [email protected] to ask directly.
More from Meanwhile in Ridgefield
Was Bethany part of your story? The wedding, the proposal, the anniversary, the random Saturday you really needed a glass of wine by the water? Tell us in the comments or tag us on Instagram. We'd love to collect a few of those memories before the gate closes for good. And to the Bethany family: thank you for taking the first swing, and for 26 years of letting the rest of us in.
