Walla Walla is my favorite place to visit for wine tasting. Everything comes together here- great wineries, vineyards, world-class hotels and restaurants and beautiful scenery.
Established in 1984, the Walla Walla Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) has a rich history of wine grape growing by the immigrants who settled this area. Walla Walla was once the largest city in the Washington territory so plantings go back to the 1800’s. Early wine pioneers such as Leonetti, Woodward Canyon and L’Ecole No 41 put Washington on the wine map. Despite a rich history, this area only has about 1,600 acres of vineyard due to the threat of “freeze events”. Historically, wineries established in Walla Walla sourced their wine grapes from the Yakima and Columbia Valleys, but that is changing as growing practices improve. In fact, now Walla Walla is on the forefront of sustainable wine grape growing.
In Eastern Washington. A charming small town that has a huge number of high quality wineries, high-end restaurants and wonderful hotels and B&B’s. This wine region is organized and cutting edge, despite their small (but growing) vineyard acreage. You can find over 100 wineries in the area, so this region requires some time to explore properly. I would recommend spending at least 2 nights and 3 days in Walla Walla. Plan about 4.5 to 5 hours from Seattle (I have made it there in less, but it depends on traffic, number of stops, etc.)