Walla Walla Itinerary - Jayme Coontz, party of 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.
The Perfect Day—Saturday, June 10
10:00 a.m. pickup at The Marcus Whitman
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 a.m. Monteillet Fromagerie
109 Ward Rd., Dayton, WA
Fee, wine and cheese inclusive: $30-55 per person, depending on wine selection
Enjoy a genuinely French-inspired experience 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 alfresco 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 an overview of Walla Walla wine with a custom tasting.
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 lunch, snacks and gifts.
3:30 p.m. — Rôtie Cellars
84328 Trumbull Ln, Milton-Freewater — Minimum purchase of $50 per person
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. Tasting room attendants here are some of the most knowledgeable in the AVA.
Return to Marcus Whitman ~ 5:30p.m.