Eve's Wine 101

Celebrate The Summer In Walla Walla

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(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) — Summer is a season for the outdoors in Walla Walla. It’s a time when the days start with a morning hike or bike ride that reveals endless natural beauty, continues with an afternoon tasting on the terrace of a local winery, and ends dining al fresco in Walla Walla’s charming and walkable downtown. It’s rural chic Americana at its finest, and it makes summer perhaps the best time of year to experience Walla Walla in all her glory.

Average high temperatures in Walla Walla peak at 90 degrees in July, and most days are mild and sunny. It’s why the region bustles with outdoor festivals and events, adventures, highly acclaimed golf, cultural events, baseball, farmers markets, and more.

One thing Walla Walla does lack relative to many other world-class wine destinations are the summer crowds. Named Sunset Magazine’s “Best Wine Town” in 2018, it’s not that Walla Walla is a secret. With more than 120 wineries and deep agricultural roots fostering a true farm-to-table culinary scene, this unofficial capital of Washington wine country was bound to be discovered. But Walla Walla remains just far enough from typical that it can hold on to its slower pace and small-town friendliness.

“One of the remarkable aspects of Walla Walla is that even as it has grown into an acclaimed wine destination, the town remain as welcoming as ever,” said Ron Williams, CEO of Visit Walla Walla. “The weather draws people outside, and visitors and locals mingle at outdoor markets, wineries, Walla Walla Sweets baseball games, and more. It’s an atmosphere unlike anywhere else.”

First Friday Art Tour, held the first Friday of every month through October, the Downtown Farmers Market, held Saturdays through October, and the summer evenings spent at Borleske Stadium to watch the Walla Walla Sweets baseball club, offer regular reminders of Walla Walla’s unique mix of a robust arts and culture scene, agricultural and rural roots, and traditional Americana.

A busy and eclectic events schedule makes almost every weekend a special occasion during summer, too. The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (June 6-29),  Celebrate Walla Walla Valley Wine (June 13-15), Walla Walla Movie Crush (July 12-14), Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival (July 20), Annual Dunham Days Festival (Aug. 23-25), and the Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days (Aug 28.-Sept. 1) all give reason for the community and its visitors to come together and celebrate what makes Walla Walla special.

Regardless of the season, the world-class wines and farm-to-table culinary scene of Walla Walla are forever a draw. From pastoral estate vineyards and wineries to intimate downtown wine tasting rooms, Walla Walla is an oenophile’s dream. In summer the region’s wineries and tasting rooms, many of which also offer outdoor spaces for the kids to roam, are particularly family-friendly. http://wallawalla.org/listing-category/wineries/

Much of Walla Walla’s dining scene can be found in its charming downtown — where foodies sample the creations of renowned chefs using locally grown ingredients. In summer, sidewalks and restaurant patios fill with those who would never miss an opportunity to dine al fresco. And the farms that nourish Walla Walla’s best dishes invite foodies to discover the source of their meal at u-pick farms, orchards, and roadside farm stands.

Walla Walla is an active town, too. Golfers will discover the rolling terrain of Wine Valley Golf Club, one of three championship golf courses in Walla Walla and among the must-play golf courses in Washington. Cyclists will find a road-biking mecca with country roads that wind through a storybook landscape of vineyards and farms, and even join a group ride with Allegro or Bicycle Barn. The nearby Blue Mountains attract outdoor adventurists for a hike or ride, and some drawn to the Blues Crew work parties. Birders are lured by the more than 300 bird species that call the area home, and fishing is abundant in and around Walla Walla. And kids are invited to learn though education events, such as Learning on the Land, BioBlitz, and Nature Kids on the Farm.

“Summer makes everything in Walla Walla possible,” Williams said. “Walla Walla isn’t just about wine. Outdoor excursions, incredible food, golf, baseball, and invitations to immerse yourself into music, food, and culture all make Walla Walla a summer trip worth remembering.”

For more information on planning a trip to Walla Walla, go to the redesigned visitwallawalla.com.

About Walla Walla:
As the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, Walla Walla is home to more than 120 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, access to an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an arts & entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. This community of just over 30,000 residents is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion. An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines daily non-stop flights from Seattle. For more information and to begin planning a trip to Walla Walla, visit www.visitwallawalla.com.

Sunset Magazine names Walla Walla “Best Wine Town”

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(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) — Further solidifying its place in the upper echelon of wine destinations worldwide, Walla Walla has been named Best Wine Town in the Sunset Magazine 2018 Travel Awards. The results were recently posted to the Sunset.com website and can be viewed HERE, and will appear in the August issue of Sunset Magazine. Walla Walla was previously a runner-up in the Best Food Town category of the Sunset Travel Awards in 2015 and 2016.

home-slide1-1-e1493387032940“Nothing epitomizes the romance of and the relationship between wine, food, and travel in the West quite like Sunset Magazine does. To be recognized by their editors as the Best Wine Town for 2018 is a tremendous honor, particularly considering the popularity and reputation of other towns that qualify in the category. This award is one to be shared and celebrated by the very people — from the wineries, winemakers, and growers, to the restaurateurs, retailers, and residents — who make Walla Walla such a vibrant community and who truly made it possible.”

Entries were judged by Sunset’s editorial staff based on the following criteria: relevance to Sunset audience (50 percent); newsworthiness (20 percent); uniqueness (20 percent); aesthetic appeal (5 percent); and convenience and feasibility (5 percent). Visit Walla Walla’s entry focused on new and notable wineries, lodging properties, and restaurants, as well as the town’s overall vibe that blends “small-town charm with a contemporary feel — described as ‘rural-chic Americana’ — to offer a truly unique wine, culinary, cultural, and outdoor experience.”

Sunset’s editors praised Walla Walla’s wineries, wines, restaurants, and amenities, noting, “Widely known for its wheat and sweet onions, Walla Walla is also gaining recognition for its 120 wineries and tasting rooms, many of which occupy restored early-20th-century buildings. Show up at Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen on any night of the week, and you may find it filled with young winemakers ­behind some of the best Cabernets and Syrahs in the country. Chefs have followed the grapes, and the combination has energized this once-­sleepy community. The introduction of nearby Eritage Resort — a 10-room refuge slated to open this summer, with lakeside villas to come — is bound to seal the deal.”

For more information on planning a trip, go to visitwallawalla.com.

About Walla Walla:

As the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, Walla Walla is home to more than 120 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, access to an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an arts & entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. This community of just over 30,000 residents is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion. An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines daily non-stop flights from Seattle. For more information and to begin planning a trip to Walla Walla, visit www.visitwallawalla.com.

Under the Radar and over the top in Walla Walla

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From craft spirits to public art, Walla Walla’s hidden gems offer experiences beyond the Valley’s renowned wines and restaurants.

(WALLA WALLA, Wash.) — A visit to Walla Walla often begins — and ends — with its world-class wines and eclectic restaurants. But exploring the two only scratches the surface of this unique and historic region in Southeastern Washington.

home-slide1-1-e1493387032940From thought-provoking history and art museums to an emerging craft spirits scene to the area’s own natural beauty, there is so much to unearth in Walla Walla that is wholly unexpected.

“Walla Walla’s modern reputation has been built largely on its wine and culinary scenes, and rightfully so, but there is so much else for visitors to see and experience,” said Ron Williams, executive director at Visit Walla Walla. “Whether looking for an excursion from an otherwise full itinerary of wine tasting or a visit that is altogether different and new, Walla Walla is truly a destination that invites travelers to discover everything this region has to offer.”

When it’s time for your own exploration of the Walla Walla Valley, here are some suggestions, many of which might not be first to come to mind:

Fort Walla Walla Museum: Located on the grounds of a 19th-century military fort in what is now Dayton, just northeast of Walla Walla, the Fort Walla Walla Museum tells the story of a region known as the “Cradle of Pacific Northwest History.” With a Living History series and more than 50,000 artifacts and photographs, Fort Walla Walla tells that history in a unique and compelling way. While in Dayton explore the Dayton Historic Depot, which dates back to 1881, or enjoy lunch at the historic Weinhard Cafe.

Bennington Lake: Not far from some of the most popular Eastside Wineries, Bennington Lake’s trail system and abundant wildlife have made it a favorite of hikers, birders, anglers, runners, and boaters.

Museum of Un-Natural History: Perched in a loft in downtown Walla Walla, The Museum of Un-Natural History features the Dada works of local artist Gerald (Gerry) Matthews. Surreal, witty, and a little absurd, the museum has become a can’t-miss stop in Walla Walla.

Walla Walla Food Tours: One never wants to venture too far from the fork when in Walla Walla. Walla Walla Food Tours offers a delicious and entertaining guided culinary walking tour through historic and charming downtown.

Monteillet Fromagerie: Pierre-Louis and Joan Monteillet brought the first farmstead artisanal cheese facility to the Valley, and it’s been a perfect fit. The couple handcrafts small batches of cheese from the milk of their own French Alpine goats and Friesian and Lacaune sheep for an Old World experience unlike any other in the Valley.

Whitman College Sculpture Walk: The campus of Whitman College is itself a work of art. A self-guided stroll through campus reveals nearly two-dozen sculptures, many by the hands of local artists, in this impressive display of public art.

Distillery Tour: Walla Walla is hardly reserved for oenophiles. With DW Distilling, Shot in the Dark Craft Distillery, Walla Walla Distilling Company, and 2nd Street Distilling Company, Walla Walla has become an emerging hub in craft spirits.

For more information on these and many other well- and lesser-known Walla Walla activities and attractions, or to start planning a visit, go to visitwallawalla.com.

About Walla Walla:
As the unofficial capital of Washington wine country, Walla Walla is home to more than 120 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, access to an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an arts & entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. This community of just over 30,000 residents is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion. An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines daily non-stop flights from Seattle. For more information and to begin planning a trip to Walla Walla, visit www.visitwallawalla.com.