A recent press release from the good folks at Wine Yakima Valley touted their new “Grown to Greatness: Wine and Food Summer Escape.”

This self-paced, eight-week event highlights the four Yakima Valley growing and wine-producing communities in two-week successions throughout July and August: Zillah, Yakima, Red Mountain and Prosser.

Visitors can take part by visiting the tasting rooms for special offers, enjoying two community events, or by taking the bounty home with them in the form of recipe decks.

“Food and wine go hand-in-hand ,” the press release says. “And along with this taste tour comes culinary experiences and take-home recipe cards you won’t find elsewhere.”

Guests can purchase a recipe deck complete with over 30 original recipes paired with featured wines from Wine Yakima Valley wineries. The deck is available for $15 and comes stocked with winery cards detailing features of each wine community, location, wines, hours, etc.

Ambitious wine lovers can visit all of the wineries over the eight-week promotion to taste their featured wines and get their recipe deck stamped.

Those who get at least 15 wineries to stamp their deck from July-August will be entered to win a VIP pass that gains them access to all 2012 events including Red Wine & Chocolate, Spring Barrel Tasting, Wine & Summer Food Escape, and Catch the Crush.

Those who present their recipe deck in hand will also receive special offers from the featured community wineries during their corresponding two weeks, including special reserve tastings, case discounts, or additional food pairings.

During their featured weeks each winery will also offer a local Yakima Valley-grown or -produced food item paired with their wines.

Yakima Valley’s extensive local bounty includes some of the best items in the state such as peppers, peaches, cherries, cheeses, and beef.

Food-and-wine pairings include: Peach Habanero Chutney with Riesling at Mercer Estates and Fries Family Apple Cake with Riesling from Desert Wind Winery.

Schedule of Events

July 1-15, Zillah

Named after the daughter of the town founder, Zillah is 18 miles south of Yakima on the north end of the Yakima Valley. This agricultural ‘bread-basket’ has been recognized as a producer of high-value, award-winning wines.

Grown to Greatness event: Zillah’s Chuck Wagon Party. Saturday, July 9, 6:30-9:30 p.m. Mosey over to the Knight Hill Winery barn for a chuck wagon-style dinner from Longhorn Cattle Co. which brings its 1870’s chuck wagon to the party with beef brisket, cowboy beans, salad, sourdough biscuits and wild mountain mixed berry cobbler with crunch top. This highly unique, multi-course, Dutch oven dinner is $90 per person and includes wine pairings from Agate Field Vineyard, Claar Cellars, Cultura Wine, Knight Hill Winery, Severino Cellars, Two Mountain Winery and Wineglass Cellars. After dinner enjoy music and try your hand at line dancing.

July 16-31, Yakima

Most wineries here are small family operations where unpretentious hospitality is the norm. Many are located within a rural countryside with unparalleled beauty. Enjoy a glass of wine while gazing at the beautiful snow capped Mt. Adams or overlook the diverse agricultural abundance of the Yakima Valley.

Grown to Greatness event: Yakima Barrel Cave Dinner. Friday, July 29, 7 p.m. Dinner with Chef Chris Peterson of Kirkland’s Milagro Cantina at the Cave at Gilbert Cellars. This cocktail party and wine pairing dinner at one long communal table in the Cave features Yakima’s own bounty of produce, meat and fish. Each of the five-courses is paired with a different Yakima winery, including AntoLin Cellars, Gilbert Cellars, Kana Winery, Naches Heights Vineyard, Southard Winery, Treveri Sparkling Wines and Wilridge Vineyard. $75 per person.

Concerts: Hey Marseille will perform on July 28 at Gilbert Cellars and Portland-based Blitzen Trapper will perform on July 30 providing additional entertainment during the two-week Yakima promotion.

Aug. 1-14, Red Mountain and Community

Located between Benton City and Richland, the Red Mountain American Viticultural Area, a subset of the Yakima Valley AVA, is the smallest in the state. The reputation of the wines produced in this appellation–Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Syrah–has brought the Red Mountain AVA worldwide acclaim.

Aug. 15-31, Prosser

Prosser offers one of the fastest growing wine villages in the lower Yakima Valley. It boasts many of Washington’s well known labels and has become a destination for wine lovers. It is also one of the more agriculturally diverse areas in the state.

Yakima and Zillah event tickets can be purchased online.