Caleb Foster is the owner and producer at Barragan Vinos in Yakima Valley, WA. He has produced wines since 1991 in the Walla Walla Valley. Caleb started at Woodward Canyon Winery in Lowden, WA, learning from Rick Small back when Rick was named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine in 1992. This high standard impressed upon Caleb a level of excellence and seriousness that has guided his love of Washington’s vintages. Caleb went on to produce over 20 unique wines included in the Top 100 Wines of the Year awarded by Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirits magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, Food & Wine Pocket Guide, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, Seattle Magazine, the Wine Advocate, Decanter Magazine, New York Times, among others. He lives in Yakima and consults for Bosma Estate and produces Barragan Vinos and other crafty dry wines yet to be released. Media Inquiries: caleb@gunpowdercreekwinery.com | https://barraganvinos.com/english
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
What’s unique about our winery isn’t that the Barragan twins developed the recipe themselves—though they did. It’s not that these intentionally low-alcohol, sweet wines were made specifically for the Latino community in Washington State—though they were. And it’s not that they’re carefully crafted to reflect each vintage—great winemakers always do that. What sets us apart is why we make them.
We produce wines for a community that has always loved sweet wines and has largely been overlooked by the industry. Despite being essential to vineyard and winery work, Latino preferences are rarely reflected in tasting rooms. Sweet wines are still dismissed as “beginner” wines. We don’t believe that.
For years, Jesus and Jose Barragan made these wines privately—unlabeled, unsold, and uncompromised—shared only with family, friends, and coworkers. After decades in Washington winemaking, I saw how quickly these wines disappeared after long, hot days in the vineyard: cold, fresh, lightly sweet, and drained faster than cerveza.
They weren’t just easy to drink. They were balanced, expressive, and vivid with the story of each vintage. After many lunches, tastings, and conversations, it became clear this was no accident. The twins had a clear recipe and a masterful hand across varieties and years.
So we built a brand together to share their vision—exactly as they intended.
2025 is our first year selling these wines, starting in the Yakima Valley, home to both the fruit and the people who grow it. From there, we’ll grow with the Latino community—and beyond.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
Let’s say I win the lottery and have $100mil funny money to throw around.
I’d buy the buildings on Yakima Ave and 1st St for Barragan Vinos’ home offices. Make it beautiful and invite all the Latinas to party. I’d commandeer Canoe Ridge Winery from the old CSM and Jesus and Jose Barragan would fill it with white, red, and rosé of Barragan Vinos every year to the tune of millions of cases for the world to enjoy. Then with the Yakima sales team, we’d cross the country and throw parties celebrating Mexican- American artistic creativity from wines to music, to graphic arts to visual and dance, and everything from las cocinas! We’d give free tickets to everyone who works in the wine business, growing and producing wines across America, no matter their nationality or race. We’d all party until the tubas are laid down.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
I always hate this question – pick one! You have to! Pick one- what’s your favorite? This question and its perspective miss the point of artistic production. All Barragan Vinos wines describe this sensitivity that the twins and even Caleb bring to expressing the delightful heart of the current vintage. If it’s early & wildly hot or late & cold with low sugars, each vintage is harvested with the vineyard team’s attention to detail and the intention of producing the naturally balanced “sweetie” it can best become.
If I had to choose one, most emblematic of the Barragan Vinos brand, it would be the Barragan Vinos naturally sweet red wine. Stay tuned, this wine review is coming soon!
Bonus Question: What are your wholehearted convictions related to the wine business?
The capable and smart among us must be patient these days. I believe that Washington wines will rise in popular US consciousness and producer craftsmanship to the level that top Washington Wine producers already know. WA will enjoy a cycle of investment, growth, and quality production satisfying the US market far beyond what it does today. I expect #WAwine to grow by 10X, sooner than we expect. In other words, #WAwine has just begun to express itself.