Tonya Jenkins: The Perfect Day for 2
Walla Walla was once the Washington Territory's capital stretching from the Olympic Peninsula and Puget sound, over the Cascade Mountains to the dry Columbia Plateau and rolling Palouse Hills. Walla Walla has been home to tribes, missionaries, fur traders, the Hudson's Bay Company, Idaho gold rushers, U.S. cavalry, and briefly by Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery.
Walla Walla (named by local tribes as the land of many waters) is nestled into a valley in the Blue Mountain's foothills. It features rich fertile soils from years of glacial flooding, which suits many fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Italian immigrants planted vineyards four generations ago, and one of those descendants started the first winery. The first Walla Walla wine was released in 1977 by Leonetti Cellar.
The Perfect Day
Your driver and guide for the day is Cheryl (206) 979-6489
~10:30 a.m. pickup at 603 South First Avenue
10:45 a.m. — Pepper Bridge Winery
1704 JB George Rd ($20 pp, waived w bottle purchase)
Elegant wines sourced from estate vineyards. Run by my dear friend, JF Pellet. Precise and true to the varietal, the team has produced stunning wines for more than two decades. Offering truly elevated experiences of wine in Walla Walla.
You will be seated right in the middle of the wine making process at the winery surrounded by the estate vineyards.
12:45 p.m. — Woodward Canyon
11920 W. Highway 12, Lowden, WA — Tasting Fee: $15 pp (waived with purchase)
Located adjacent to the historic Lowden School House is the second winery to be established in Walla Walla. Woodward Canyon is a family business with great wines and an easygoing attitude. First and second generation work side-by-side to produce stunning Chardonnay and Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon.
This will also be our lunch stop. Lunch provided courtesy of Curated Walla Walla through local sandwich and salad gurus, Graze—A Place to Eat. Please choose from the menu below. We will be sure to pass along any dietary restrictions (pecans, walnuts, hazelnut allergy).
2:30 p.m. — Rôtie Cellars
84328 Trumbull Ln, Milton-Freewater — Fee $30 pp. (waived with $50 purchase)
Welcome to the famous Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon. This subsection of the Walla Walla AVA has an unmistakable profile, producing exuberantly aromatic wines reflecting its distinctive geology and climate.
At Rôtie, you can enjoy a great variety of distinctive wines all with the same earthy character. In summers they show off their selection of crisp Rhone whites from Washington state, as well as their flagship red blends.
At the end of the tasting at Rôtie, we may have time for a bonus stop, if you like, or we can bring you back to your lodgings for a little downtime before dinner.