Walla Walla Wineries are a 5 hour drive from Youngberg Hill so we went to meet some winemakers last week. They are making some wonderful warm weather varietals, especially Syrah. On Wednesday, our day was highlighted by a visit to Sinclair Estate Vineyards, owned by Kathy and Tim who also owned the B&B we were staying, Vine and Roses. The winemaker, Amy Alverez-Wampfler, met us at their downtown tasting room and spent time with us going through all their current releases. This was a great new find and ranks right up there with Abeja as one of our favorites.
We then scooted out to the airport district to stop by Elegante Cellars and owner Doug Simons; and Five Star Cellars (one of my sister-in-law’s favorites) and David Huse. Both were small and quaint pouring some nice wines.
The next day we started at Walla Walla Vitners and met with Gordon Venneri and Juda. They were both very hospitable and shared a lot of their family history and the history of the vineyards. They have been around about as long as anyone in the region. We tasted through everything and found their Sangiovese to be delightful. We then stopped by Waters, a wonderful spot with nice wines and a tasting room person who was both informative and a joy to spend time with.
In the afternoon, we set out for Garrison Creek Cellars and David March, a delightful individual and the winemaker. He and his partner share a long history starting back in grade school and that friendship shows itself in all that Garrison Creek is from the 300 acres of vines to the beautiful winery “barn”. We first went barrel tasting and then went back upstairs to taste through their current releases. David had prepared and nice cheese and meat platter that enhanced the experience. We loved the wines and the personality of the winery. Another new favorite.
We finished off the day at K Vintners’ new tasting room downtown. It was in true Charles Smith fashion and the wines did not disappoint either. Another fun adventure.
Most wineries and tasting rooms are open Thursdays – Sundays but its always good to call ahead.
