Thea Jokerst: 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 Best Western Walla Walla Suites
10:30 a.m. — Grosgrain Vineyards
2158 Half Acre Ln, Walla Walla — Fee $20 pp., waived with a 2 bottle purchase per taster.
Grosgrain Vineyards is one of the new kids on the block and boy are they fresh. They offer a diverse array of wine varietals including sparkling, rose, white and red. They do a range of small-batch wines that sell out very quickly—especially their Pet-Nat! From their tastefully appointed facility look out over the rows of Nebbiolo, Aglianico, Grenache and Carignan. Can you tell one of the owners is a designer? Yes!
12:45 p.m. — Echolands Winery
3281 Mill Creek Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Tasting $20pp, waived with purchase of 2 bottles
After a lot of excitement and buzz, the flagship Echolands Estate winery is finally open and serving expectant tasters from across the US. Echolands was created in 2018 by Brad Bergman and Doug Frost, two Kansas City residents who believed in the Walla Walla Valley AVA’s ability to offer a distinct style of wine, one that would benefit from aging. In 2023, Echolands was proud to announce Brian Rudin as head winemaker. The group crafts responsibly produced wines that reflect the potential for elegant and balanced wines from this singular place.
Lunch at Echolands courtesy of Curated Walla Walla We are aware of a restriction against onions.
2:45 p.m. — Saviah Cellars
1979 J.B. George Rd. — Fee: $20pp (refundable with $40 minimum bottle purchase or Wine Club signup.)
Few wineries in Walla Walla have the range of wines offered by the crew at Saviah Cellars. From stunningly earthy Syrah from the estate Funk Estate to light and fruity Barbera, this is a crowd pleaser.
At the end of the tasting at Saviah, 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.