Washington State | Red’s

When it comes to Red Wines and asking a majority of wine drinkers what their favorite region of wine is to drink, many of those reading will probably say Napa Valley. Not that there is anything wrong with this, but we want to give you our insight into our favorite region for wine; Walla Walla, Washington. This is hand’s down the best place to get your Red Wine game on (in our opinion). We are also going to show two other fantastic regions for grapes in Washington: Columbia Valley, and Red Mountain. Now, I know we are a blog about Texas but that doesn’t mean we are not going to show you some of our favorite best kept secret wines. So, sit back, throw on your cozy sweats and start reading.

We first discovered Walla Walla wines from my father who is a bit of a wine aficionado himself, and spoiled my family and I with some of the best wines in the country. I was just recently home this past weekend for a bachelorette party in Leavenworth, Washington which is a quaint Bavarian town that has over 20 different wineries that host wine tastings. The majority of the wineries located there get all of their grapes from Walla Walla. So in this post we are going to dive into:

1. What makes this region of Walla Walla world renowned and holding the Top 1% of wines in the world?
2. What are the go to Wine Makers?
3. What destinations in Washington should you go to for a romantic weekend getaway full of wine?

Walla Walla, Washington 

With the opening statement of the Walla Walla link provided above: “Thanks to a truly unique combination of climate, character, charm, and culture, the Walla Walla Valley has become home to one of the finest wine regions in the nation, with 120 wineries and 2,800 acres of grapes” makes you want to experience a visit to the growing popularity of Walla Walla Valley. The wineries and tasting rooms are distributed across five main districts: Downtown, Southside, Westside, Airport, and Eastside districts. What makes the Walla Walla Valley so able to so unique, is each district has its own distinct feel giving Walla Walla Valley a wine country unlike any other.

Walla Walla is the perfect romantic getaway with boutiques, amazing restaurants, tasting rooms, restaurants, public art, local farmers market and outdoor concerts! This gives you the ability to try something other than the most popular wine region, Napa Valley, making Walla Walla Valley one of the best small towns in the country. The small town feel is especially prevalent when you are able to experience these world-class wines while also meeting the vintners (wine merchants), winemakers and families that own these wineries generation after generation.

The growing passion for trying new wines is one of the main shared interests we have that truly helps bring our relationship together. I remember the first time we shared a bottle from Walla Walla Valley, it was a Doubleback, we sat and talked for an hour about how this wine made us feel, different pairings that brought out the intensity of the flavor and how much we enjoyed the crackling of a wood fire right next to us. Now, we are no expert by any means and each day we continue to learn and challenge ourselves, but that is what makes this part of our relationship so fun. This is also the passion we want to bring to you, our readers that have invested the time to learn about Wine’In Texas. Everyone’s pallet is different, and ever changing and that is what makes this fun! So get ready to broaden your horizons and try something outside your comfort zone. What’s the worst that could happen?

Our favorite Washington Wines

1. Leonetti Cellar (Walla Walla) Among the top 1% of wines in the world these vintages are on the bolder side in with a dry and smooth finish.
   1. 2013 Merlot: Notes of Chocolate, Oak, Cedar, Plum, Dark Fruit and Pepper. ($99 per bottle)
   2. Reserve: Notes of Blackberry, Black Fruit, Plum, Oak, Chocolate, Leather and Smoke. ($149 per bottle)
2. Corliss (Walla Walla) Among top 1% of wines in the world this vintage is bold, tannic, dry and on the acidic side.
   1. 2010 Syrah: Notes of Black Cherry, Blackberry, Dark Fruit, Smoke, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate. ($70 per bottle)
3. Quilceda Creek (Columbia Valley) Among top 1% of wines in the world this vinage is bold, dry and acidic.
   1. 2011 Red Wine: Notes of Oak, Vanilla, Chocolate, Blackberry, Leather and Smoke. ($70 per bottle)
   2. 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon: Notes of Blackberry, Plum, Cherry, Oak, Tobacco and Leather. ($200 per bottle)
4. Doubleback (Walla Walla) Among top 1% of wines in the world with a bold, dry and acidic finish | Fun fact this is the winery of Drew Bledsoe former NFL Dallas Cowboy quarterback and WSU Coug!
   1. 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon: Notes of Blackberry, Plum, Oak, Vanilla and Leather. ($120 per bottle)
5. Obelisco Estate (Red Mountain) with a Bold and Dry finish this unique wine was started by a retired UPS driver who passed on his legacy to his wife and family.
   1. 2015 Merlot: Notes of Plum, Black Cherry, Vanilla, Chocolate, and Cedar. ($55 per bottle)

If you have decided to take our advice and experience that romantic weekend getaway full of wine with that special someone, be sure to go to these two top destinations: Walla Walla – to see where these world winning wines become a reality while staying in boutique hotels and enjoying fantastic meals. Leavenworth – If you don’t have time to make the drive to Walla Walla this little town nestled within the mountains offers a romantic getaway for something to offer everyone with Wine Shops from vineyards all over Washington you are able to try a wide variety of blends and grapes. If you stay here you have to stay at the Post Hotel this is a romantic weekend getaway for two!!

We hope you enjoyed reading about these Wines that have brought us many memories throughout our time together and let us know what you think once you have tried them.

Sincerely,

Wine’In Texas