Julie Nelson, party of 6, Saturday, August 26
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 Jamey. (208) 867-8261
~9:30 a.m. pickup at your lodging - 214 South 1st Ave 201
10:00 a.m. — Doubleback
3853 Powerline Rd. Fee: $50 pp (90 mins.; waived with purchase)
Doubleback is a lifelong dream of retired NFL player, Drew Bledsoe. He has “doubled back” to his hometown of Walla Walla, WA and is producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon in a gravity-flow production facility with a stellar team of wine and hospitality professionals. The tasting fee includes a tour of the facility, flight of current releases and a barrel sample paired with charcuterie plate.
11:30 a.m. — Rotie Cellars
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.
1:00 p.m. — Valdemar Estates
3808 Rolling Hills Lane — Fee: $15 flights; this will be our lunch spot. They have a menu of tapas-influenced dishes.
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.
2:45 p.m. — Canvasback
1825 J.B. George Rd. — Fee: $20pp (waived with bottle purchase)
Napa Valley put American Cabernet on the map and Canvasback is doing the same for the Red Mountain AVA Cabernet. The hot appellation produces full-bodied wines, expertly handled by Washington native and winemaker, Brian Rudin.
4:00 p.m. — we can return you to your lodgings, or drop you downtown if you’d like.