Walla Walla Itinerary - 8/7
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.
Friday Night Suggestions
Tranche Cellars - Live Music 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. on the lawn and patio
705 Berney Drive
Fee: Glass pours and bottle purchases with Food Truck
Truly a slice of the good life; Tranche, a word meaning slice, delivers on your image of a luxurious wine country experience. Sweeping views, charming pasture and classic patio vibes.
The winery and tasting room is nestled in the Blue Mountain Vineyards. Enjoy a selection of approachable wines at a truly modern wine country estate.
The Perfect Day
10:40 a.m. pick-up from the Haven
Scenic Drive
Enjoy a 30-minute drive through the rolling Palouse on the way to the Touchet Valley! Lewis and Clark took this route and camped just outside the little town of Dayton, Washington.
11:15 a.m. Monteillet Fromagerie (4)
109 Ward Rd., Dayton, WA
Fee: $25 pp
Enjoy a genuinely French-inspired afternoon sampling cheese on a 32-acre farm and fromagerie. Bubbling with hospitality and artistry is Joan Monteillet. You will be seated all together for an afternoon of sampling, savoring, and conviviality. Enjoy a genuinely French-inspired day sampling cheese on a 32-acre farm and fromagerie. You will be seated inside, or alfresco if the weather allows, for their classic goat and sheep-milk cheese tasting.
In order by age and intensity:
Soft chèvre
Cardabelle (soft Brie-style)
Larzac (ash layer)
La Roi Noir (heart-shaped with ash on the outside)
Fleur du Midi (paprika on the outside)
Served alongside the cheese tasting, Jenna will provide a Walla Walla wine tasting seminar. The focus will be from prominent local vineyards and varietals. Wine tasting fee is $40 per person.
1:15 p.m. Reininger Winery (4)
5858 Old Highway 12
Fee: $15 or $25 pp depending on choice of flight.
Winemaker Chuck Reininger has built two wineries—Helix and Reininger. A family affair with four generations of farming in the Palouse. From wheat to wine, Reininger Winery is a celebration of Walla Walla Valley fruit sourced from the oldest blocks of the Seven Hills Vineyard. They are particularly known for their old-vine Walla Walla Carménère. Helix is a second label which represents a fun collection of Columbia Valley wines. Affordable and approachable and 100% quality.
Picnic lunch provided by Curated Walla Walla.
3:00 p.m. Saviah Cellars (4)
1979 J.B. George Rd.
Fee: $15pp (waived with purchase)
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.
4:30 p.m. Valdemar Estates (4)
3808 Rolling Hills Lane
Fee: $15 flights
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.
Return to Haven Walla Walla by 6:15 p.m.