Travels
Lewis and Clark Adventure
Walla Walla Itinerary

TRAVEL - August 19, 2009

A getaway to the land of Cayuse Indians recalls the undaunted courage of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, whose quest for a water route to the Pacific arrived here in 1805. Walla Walla wine country sits in southeastern Washington State cornered by four cities, Portland and Seattle to the west, Boise and Spokane to the east. Air connections are few and traveling by car takes more than 4 hours, so plan one overnight stay and preferably two. The stark mountains, mighty rivers and lush orchards along the way make the land journey a joy.

Most tasting rooms aren't far from the main artery, US 12, so getting around by car is easy. When heading east, first stop at two next door neighbors, the 1870's farmhouse of Woodward Canyon Winery started in 1981 by Walla Walla pioneers Rick Small and his wife Darcey Fugman-Small. Next door is the restored Frenchtown schoolhouse of L'Ecole Nº 41 built in 1915. L'Ecole (French for "school") is a family-owned winery. Its colorful label was the product of 8-year old cousin, Ryan Campbell, who won an extended-family contest conducted in 1984 to pick a label for its wines. Both pour great wines and represent the short history of wine making here.

Waterbrook Winery

Two more stops before town trumpet a new dawn of wine making for Walla Walla: the sparkling clean tasting room of Waterbrook Winery and the dramatic hilltop setting of Long Shadows Vintners. The glass and timber buildings of Waterbrook stand out in sharp contrast to the rustic farming and ranching scenery along US 12. Young plantings around a pond and the sleek, contemporary design of the tasting room speak of a new era.

(L) Long Shadows Vintners winery (R) Inside the Chihuly room

Long Shadows is a unique co-operative of internationally renowned vintners from around the world, organized in 2002 by Allen Shoup, formerly of Chateau Ste. Michelle. Here they share facilities to produce Washington wines of the first rank as evidenced by off-the-charts ratings. Tight rows of maples radiating out across barren hills cast the long shadows of the winery's namesake. Be sure to make an appointment to experience this extraordinary experiment.

Few vineyards are within sight of US 12, so we suggest spending the night in one and taking a glorious detour through rolling hills of grain to Spring Valley Vineyard, where Uriah Corkrum began farming in the 1880's. Visiting the ranch is by appointment only. Each bottle is named after a family member. The acclaimed 2006 "Uriah" is a merlot blend that achieved a 93 rating. Most overnight visitors stay at the newly restored Marcus Whitman Hotel. We chose the guest house at the peaceful Walla Walla Inns at the Vineyard surrounded by vineyards. Our room came complete with a full kitchen, complimentary bottle of local wine, and a private outdoor area with BBQ just steps from a beautiful pool and the few vineyards area visitors get to see. Another upscale vineyard experience is to stay at one of restored outbuildings at the turn-of-the-century farmstead called Inn at Abeja.

The cuisine in historic downtown Walla Walla is surprisingly diverse and steadily improving. The stand out for us was Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen. It features bold flavored food paired wonderfully with regional wines. Dine on tables made from Champagne riddling racks in a casual, open kitchen environment.

For most, getting to Walla Walla is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. But the variety and quality of wines makes travel to this historic and intriguing region worth the extra effort needed.

Information in this article, originally published on August 19, 2009 has been corrected. Rick Small and his wife Darcey Fugman-Small started Woodward Canyon Winery.

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