Wine Districts in Walla Walla

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Walla Walla Valley is home to 120+ wineries and tasting rooms all distributed across five main districts: Westside, Eastside, Southside, Downtown and Airport. If you’re planning to make a visit to the region, I’d recommend getting a private driver vs Uber/Lyft since it’ll streamline your tasting schedule with less wait time. Alex, from @imbibe_wine_tours took us to four districts including one behind me @reiningerwinery located on the Westside along Highway 12. Here’s a snapshot of each district:

1. Westside: home to some the most established wineries including the two oldest L’Ecole and Woodward Canyon. If you want to enjoy a premium wine experience, check out Long Shadows and Waterbrook 
2. Eastside: home award-winning winerie including @K Vintners founded Charles Smith Wines @charlessmithwines Click on pics to see the wine selection. 
3. Southside & Oregon: You’ll get the traditional wine country experience where you can enjoy the wine and the vineyard views. Check out Amavi Cellars and Rotie Cellars. 
4. Downtown: There’s close to 40 tasting rooms in the historic district of Walla Walla. 
5. Airport: Located next to the Walla Walla Regional Airport, there’s 10+ wineries located inside old WWII-era mess halls, hanger buildings and firehouses. Fun factoid, outside of their wines, Walla Walla is known as a sweet onion growing region. 

Imagine tasting wines crafted by some of the most acclaimed winemakers in the world. I had the opportunity to taste six wines during a visit to Long Shadows. Founded by Allen Shoup, the former CEO of Chateau St. Michelle, Long Shadows brings together the best winemakers from around the world to Walla Walla. Shoup’s vision was to have each wine label headed by a world-famous winemaker to reflect the style of the partners native wine-region. Each individual wine is a like a separate company under the Long Shadow umbrella. Production for each wine label is relatively small with no more 2,500 cases a year. Now let’s talking about the wines! My two favorites were Saggi and Poet’s Leap. Let’s go through each:

1. Saggi (2017), Medium-bodied Sangiovese blend of 59% Sangiovese, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Syrah. Aromas of bright cherry, spice, coffee and cinnamon. Juicy on the palate with a smooth lengthy finish
2. Poet’s Leap (2018): Riesling with freshly balanced acidity with a citrus and apple sweetness on the palate. Very long and elegant finish
3. Pirouette (2017): Full-bodied Bordeaux-style blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Malbec and 9% Petit Verdot with vanilla and chocolate notes. Bold on the palate with aromas of black cherry and blueberry
4. Sequel (2016): Syrah with peppery, blackberry and licorice flavors. Bold and tannic followed by a dark chocolate finish
5. Pedestal (2016): Dark opaque blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Rich bold layer of fruit flavors with expressive aromas of black cherry, cinnamon, cocoa and smoky tobacco. Firm tannins with a bold finish
6. Chester Kidder (2016): Inky New World blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 12% Petit Verdot delivering flavors of dark chocolate, blackberry and plum followed by a silky finish.

With only a 20-minute drive from Walla Walla, and we’re in Oregon! Actually, Rotie Cellars belongs to the Washington AVA and has a tasting room in Seattle so you can enjoy their wines at the vineyard or city. Named after a prestigious red-wine appellation of France's Rhône Valley, Rotie Cellars produces only Rhône blends. Since starting his winery in 2007, winemaker and owner Sean Boyd’s goal is to combine old world winemaking techniques using new world vines. The tasting included three whites and three reds, but here are my top three:  

1. Northern White (2019): Blend of 65% and 35% Roussanne, this is a refreshing savory wine with flavors of peach and citrus lemon followed by a long finish.
2. Northern Blend (2018) Full-bodied well-balanced earthy Northern Rhône Blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. Opens with an orange profile followed by flavors of chocolate and black fruit.
3. Southern Blend (2018) Medium-bodied blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. 

Peppery on the nose with red cherry and cranberry on the palate followed by a smooth finish. So if you want Old World blends with a New World twist, Rotie will certainly satisfy that palate.   

A picture perfect view Amavi Cellars with the tasting room overlooking the fields and blue mountains in the distance. The name of the winery really captures the love (amor) and life (vita) Amavi has for their wines. Grapes are 100% certified sustainable and grown in Walla Walla Valley only. Good news, the wines are simply delicious. Unfortunately, production is small so you’ll rarely find these wines offered beyond the winery and tasting room. Let’s go through my top picks:

1. Rosé (2019): Crisp watermelon aroma with strawberry flavor on the palate. Feels fresh with a lingering finish. 100% Cabernet Franc. 550 cases produced
2. Syrah (2017): Black cherry aroma with balanced complex tannin. 85% Syrah and 15% Grenache. 1,550 cases produced
3. Cabernet Sauvignon (2017): Black plum and sweet tobacco on the nose with a taste of dark chocolate followed by silky finish. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 1% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. 6,097 cases produced. 

It’s that time of year again... ‘tis the season of grapes and booze. Harvest is underway in Walla Walla. After spending the day visiting four wineries, this one is my favorite Alton Wines. The venue, the wine, the view and above all, the people! Husband and wife team, Joe and Ashley, turned their vision of a modern chic tasting room into reality just a month ago!  Alton Wines is located in the heart of the Southside district secluded among the Merlot vines of Pepper Bridge vineyard with spectacular views overlooking rolling hills. 

I’m standing in front of the most exclusive wine brand in Walla Walla and arguably the entire state of Washington. Unlike many vineyards in the state, Cayuse sell their wines through their mailing list. Portions of their wines are reserved only for high-end restaurants and wine shops. It’s so exclusive that there’s an eight-year waiting list to be on their mailing list! Limited allocation for the Cayuse wine start at $200 a bottle. Good news, there are 120+ wineries in the Walla Walla region with awesome affordable wines you can enjoy.  Unlike other famous wine regions, Walla Walla doesn’t specialize in one varietal or style. You’ll find everything from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Tempranillo to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.