Walla Walla Wine Weekend - Ready, Set, Go!

Up and at 'em, we had a full day ahead of us of great wine. We couldn't have asked for better weather, partly sunny and about 55 degrees.

The view of the Blues from Walla Walla Vintners

One of our first stops of the morning was Walla Walla Vintners.  This was a must stop for me, as I still have fond memories of stopping there on my bus tour at the Wine Blogger's Conference last year.  Bonded in 1995, Walla Walla Vintners is one of the oldest wineries in Walla Walla.  This is the winery that made me fall in love with Cab Franc.  So you can imagine my sadness when I found out they were sold out....of 750s.  They did have magnums (1.5L) available for purchase so one had to come home with me.  WWV is one of those wineries that have perfected what they do, everything is good here. A standout for me was their '07 Walla Walla Vineyard Select Cabernet Sauvignon.

Right next door to Walla Walla Vintners is a'Maurice Cellars.  Adam poured for us here and offered some great info on how the winery got it's name.  We tried a lot of Malbecs on this trip and a'Maurice had one of our favorites.  Also impressed with their Chardonnay, slight oak and a great mouth feel.

Rulo Winery is located south of town.  Kurt and Vicki Schlicker are the owners and when we arrived Vicki was pouring and Kurt offered us the tour. I'd had their Syrah before and was impressed especially for the price ($20).  Equally impressive was their Syrca blend (77% Syrah/23% Cab Sauv). Smoky, earthly and complex; this wine had all the components of a wine double it's price. Exceptional value at $15.  It was great to meet this down to earth couple, their passion for wine is evident.

Enjoying a glass at Waters Winery

The last stop of the day was Waters Winery.  They have a beautiful facility south of town. They were tasting the Interlude blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Forgotten Hills Syrah (Yay!) This Syrah screams Walla Walla to me, with it's earthy funky goodness. I was so happy they were tasting it, I am now the proud owner of a couple of bottles.  Waters has created an amazing space nestled in the shadow of the Blue Mountains.  They have these great rocking chairs in the breezeway between the tasting room and the production building that make for the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine and take in the scenery.

So there are the highlights of day one in Walla Walla.  We had such an incredible time!  I can't wait to share day two with you, so stay tuned!