Walla Walla Itinerary - 8/10 to 8/12
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.
Tuesday, August 10 - Arrival Day
7:00 p.m. p/u by Curated Walla Walla
7:15 p.m. TMAC’s (2)
80 N Colville St
Proprietor, Tom Maccarone, is a local with a huge following. Known for good taste, great flavors, and seasonal menus — you will find a lot to love. Craft cocktails and something for everyone on the inspired menu.
Wednesday, August 11 - The Perfect Day
Morning hike at Bennington Lake
12:00 p.m. pick-up by Curated Walla Walla
12:30 p.m. Woodward Canyon (2)
11920 W. Highway 12, Lowden, WA — Tasting Fee: $15 pp (waived with purchase)
Located adjacent to the historic Lowden School House (home of L’Ecole 41) is the second winery to be established in Walla Walla. Woodward Canyon is a family business with great wines and an easy going attitude. First and second generation work side-by-side to produce stunning Chardonnay and Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon.
Gourmet picnic lunch provided by Foodscape (Local and organic)
If you complete your tasting at Woodward Canyon by 1:30 p.m. then there is enough time to walk next door to L’Ecole 41 for a tasting. But fear not! Should you not have enough time there is a second opportunity to enjoy their wines today. L’Ecole has a new downtown location adjacent to the Seven Hills Winery.
L’Ecole 41 (After Woodward Canyon at the School House or at their Downtown tasting room)
41 Lowden School Rd, Lowden — Tasting Fee: varies (60-90 mins.; waived with purchase)
L’Ecole No 41 is a third-generation, family-owned winery, housed in an historic schoolhouse. They produce distinctive Bordeaux wines and some stunning Sauvignon Blanc. In 2014, L’Ecole’s 2011 Estate Ferguson was named the best Bordeaux Blend in the world by Decanter. The offer several different tasting options.
Depart at 2:35
3:00 p.m. - Seven Hills Winery (2)
212 N 3rd Street — Tasting Fee: $25 or $45 pp (waived with $85 purchase)
Just behind the Marcus Whitman Hotel is the Whitehouse-Crawford Building. On the National Historic Register, the former planing mill has been home to Seven Hills Winery since its renovation in 2000. Sourcing from the oldest blocks of the Seven Hills Vineyard, the selection of Bordeaux wines offered are consistently smooth and elegant. Your tasting will be the Re
You will have the option to upgrade your tasting experience at Seven Hills. The Reserve Tasting allows guests to take an in-depth look at the magical elements that influence our wines. The reserve tasting is a flight of single-vineyard Cabernet and includes a taste of our flagship wine, Pentad, a fascinating Bordeaux blend.
4:30 or 5:30 - Return to the Inn at Abeja (depending on L’Ecole tasting)
7:30 p/u from Abeja
7:45 p.m. — Brasserie 4 (2)
A friendly French bistro with amazing steak frites, salad and house-made pâtés. Select a bottle from their well-stocked wine wall with amazing French and local selections.
Thursday, August 12
11:30 a.m. pick-up by Curated Walla Walla
Enjoy a scenic drive through the rolling foothills of the Blue Mountains. Among the hilltop forest, dry grass and straw stubble, you will see the green rows and ripe fruit of the 2021 harvest. Apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, hops and of course—grapes
12:00 p.m. Valdemar Estates (2)
3808 Rolling Hills Lane — Tasting Fee: Varies
One of the best views of the Blue Mountains is on the balcony of Valdemar Estates. Relax and enjoy a flight of wines from Walla Walla or Spain. As the first internationally owned winery in Washington State, Valdemar Estates continues the family legacy of fine wine making. Bodegas Valdemar is owned by a 5th generation winemaking family from Oyón in Northern Spain. The Walla Walla winery features traditional Spanish tapas and flights by the glass. Valdemar Estates has the wow factor that one looks for in wine country. It is the perfect stop for lunch.
2:00 p.m. - Rotie Cellars (2)
84328 Trumbull Ln, Milton-Freewater — Fee $30 pp. (waived with $50 purchase)
If you want funky, terroir-driven, Rhone-style wines, you need look no further. Set in the Rocks District AVA estate vineyards, 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.
3:30 p.m. Canvasback (2)
1825 J.B. George Rd. — Tasting Fee: $20pp (waived with 2 bottle purchase)
Napa Valley put American Cabernet on the map and Canvasback is trying to do the same for the Red Mountain AVA Cabernet. The hot appellation produces full-bodied wines, expertly handled by Washington native and winemaker, Brian Rudin. Enjoy a comparative tasting of Walla Walla AVA and Red Mountain AVA wines.
5 p.m. Return to Abeja