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History
 

History

Airfield Estates is a fourth-generation, family-owned winery built on a legacy of vision, stewardship, and generations of farming in Washington’s Yakima Valley—rooted in the land that continues to produce the estate-grown wines we proudly share today.

1907: A Pioneer’s Beginning
Our story begins in 1907, when our founder and great-grandfather, H. Lloyd Miller, journeyed west and settled in Sunnyside, Washington. A driven entrepreneur and successful real estate professional, H. Lloyd played a significant role in shaping the agricultural landscape of the region through the buying and selling of farm properties.

1920: The Land That Became Our Vineyard
By 1920, H. Lloyd had acquired the property that is now home to our estate vineyard. At the time, this land had no access to irrigation water—a challenge that would shape the next chapter of our family’s history. H. Lloyd became instrumental in bringing irrigation water to the higher elevations of the Yakima Valley, advocating for the project that would become the Roza Canal. He even met directly with President Roosevelt, securing the support needed to help move the Roza Canal Project forward.

1941–1944: A WWII Flight School Takes Shape
In 1941, H. Lloyd leased part of our family land to the Olympia Air Transport Corporation, which built a flight school to train hundreds of Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. The site included:

  • A 70-foot water tower
  • Multiple aircraft hangars
  • Barracks and a mess hall
  • Several support and storage buildings
  • Three dirt runways, each over a half-mile long

This aviation chapter is not just a footnote—it’s a defining part of who we are

1946: Airport Ranch Is Born
After the airbase closed in 1944, the buildings were auctioned in 1946—and H. Lloyd purchased them for $1. That moment marked the beginning of Airport Ranch, as he transformed the former airbase into the headquarters of a thriving family farm. Not long after, irrigation water finally reached the property, and Airport Ranch diversified into a robust agricultural operation that included cattle, hogs, alfalfa, asparagus, potatoes, onions, oats, and more.

1967–1971: Our Vineyard Takes Root
The first steps toward our winegrowing future began when our grandfather, Don Miller, set out to discover which varieties would thrive in our soils and climate. In 1967, Don purchased three varietals—Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Cabernet Sauvignon—and planted them the following spring as trial vines.

The year after, he partnered with a local nursery to propagate 20 different wine grape varietals in greenhouses. By 1971, our first commercial vineyard planting was established.

1974–2005: Growing Into One of Washington’s Leading Grape Farms
In 1974, our father, Mike Miller, joined the family farm and became deeply involved in wine grape production. Under his leadership, the ranch evolved into what it is today: 830 acres of wine grapes and 350 acres of Concord juice grapes.

For decades, we grew premium grapes for other wineries—until we took the next step.

2005: Airfield Estates Winery Takes Flight
In 2005, Mike founded Airfield Estates Winery, bringing our family’s estate-grown fruit into the bottle under our own name. Today, our wines reflect everything this land has been: a pioneering farm, a historic WWII flight school, and a vineyard shaped by generations of hard work and purpose.

Continuing to Grow: Expanding Our Roots
As the winery grew, so did our ability to share our wines and story with more guests:

  • 2007 – The Prosser Tasting Room opened in Prosser’s Vintner’s Village. This location also served as our original wine production facility before winemaking later moved to our estate vineyard.
  • 2010 – We expanded west with the opening of our Woodinville Tasting Room, bringing Airfield Estates wines closer to the Seattle area.
  • 2014 – A new wine production facility was constructed at our estate vineyard, allowing us to increase capacity while remaining closely connected to the land.
  • 2020 – Our Vancouver Tasting Room opened, extending our reach into southwest Washington.
  • 2025 – Our wines became certified Sustainable WA and Salmon-Safe, reflecting our ongoing commitment to responsible farming, environmental stewardship, and preserving the land for future generations.

Today, Marcus Miller and Lori Stevens oversee daily operations, continuing the fourth-generation family commitment to farming, winemaking, and hospitality that has guided Airfield Estates for more than a century.