Robyn Sugalski: The Perfect Day for 2
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 Cheryl (206) 979-6489
~10:30 a.m. pickup at 147 W Morton St., Walla Walla
11:00 a.m. — Echolands Estate / Tasting $20pp, waived with purchase of 2 bottles
3281 Mill Creek Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362
After a lot of excitement and buzz, the flagship Echolands Estate winery is finally open and serving expectant tasters from across the US. Echolands was created in 2018 by Brad Bergman and Doug Frost, two Kansas City residents who believed in the Walla Walla Valley AVA’s ability to offer a distinct style of wine, one that would benefit from aging. In 2023, Echolands was proud to announce Brian Rudin as head winemaker. The group crafts responsibly produced wines that reflect the potential for elegant and balanced wines from this singular place.
1:00 p.m. — Garrison Creek Cellars
Garrison Creek Cellars
122 Hood Road — Fee: $50pp
A family-owned winery located in the heart of the 220-acres Les Collines Vineyard. An historic barn was renovated into a gravity-flow winery, complete with cellar. From the site in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, estate wines are bottle-aged for an extra year beyond the typical annual releases of the Walla Walla wineries. Nothing typical about Garrison Creek Cellars, you will be transported by the amazing views, smooth reds and friendly hospitality.
Your stop here will include a multi-level tour of the facility and a barrel sample.
3:00 p.m. — Rôtie Cellars
84328 Trumbull Ln, Milton-Freewater — Fee $30 pp. (waived with $50 purchase)
Welcome to the famous Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon. This subsection of the Walla Walla AVA has an unmistakable profile, producing exuberantly aromatic wines reflecting its distinctive geology and climate.
At Rôtie, 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.
At the end of the tasting at Rôtie, we can drop you at one of our favorite tasting rooms downtown, or deliver you back to your lodgings.