Walla Walla Itinerary - 9/17
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
10:30 a.m. pickup at The Finch
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, wine and cheese inclusive: $55 per person
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.
2:00 p.m. Aluvé
100 Aluve Ln. — Tasting Fee: $15 per wine tasting, refundable with a $30 wine purchase
J.J. and Kelly Menozzi have dedicated their lives to the production of estate wines. Outside their doorstep, nestled on a ridge in the foothills of Walla Walla, is the Menozzi Estate Vineyard. Featuring Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot with true to the varietal winemaking styles. The vineyard is just on the doorstep of Chris Figgins’ newest vineyard project nestled in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
3:30 p.m. Runway Sparkling Wine Bar
455 B Street — Fee: Flights and bites
The grab and go market and sparkling wine bar has helped fill two serious needs in the Walla Walla Valley: food options in the airport district and flights of local sparkling. Featuring wines produced in Washington state in multiple different styles, there’s something for everyone. This is a great stop for mementos and gifts.
A late lunch of assorted flatbread and salads will be provided by Curated Walla Walla.
Return to The Finch by 5:00 p.m.
