I just got back from a great trip to Walla Walla, Washington. I will admit that part of the lure to the area is the fun of saying Walla Walla…but the real reason to visit are the amazing wines found in this region. Back in the early 90’s, there were around 15 wineries in the area. Now there are close to one hundred. Located about five hours East of Seattle it is a bit more remote than the very popular wine regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma which hopefully will guarantee that though it will most likely continue to grow, it will not become over-commercialized as some West Coast wine areas have.

A great time to visit is during the first week of December when they have Holiday Barrel Tasting weekend. All of the wineries are open for tasting and most offer tastes right out of the barrel. It is great to taste and compare young wines that are still aging in the barrel to those that have been in the bottle for over a year. All of the winemakers we came into contact with were very talented, knowledgeable, eager to chat about their wines and very supportive of each other and the community as a whole. One of the standouts is Sleight of Hand. Was interesting to learn that the name really does come from a Pearl Jam album, as the winemaker is a big fan. Beautiful wines and since it is such a young company, I look forward to tasting more from them as they continue to grow. The winemaker, Trey, used to work at another favorite of mine, Basel Cellars. This winery relocated a few years back to a beautiful spot up on a hillside vineyard. Driving up to the winery I announced to my other single friend that I had first dibs on this spot for a wedding (not that I am planning on having one any time soon). A coach house out by the pool is available to rent out and is just gorgeous. Did I mention the waterslide??? I know where I am staying on my next visit.

K Vitners is another unforgettable winery. I have had their wines before as they are sold at restaurants throughout the Chicago market. Though the wine is of course the main draw, the winemaker and owner, Charles, is the part of what makes it so unique. The first night we met him, my friend made the mistake of telling him how great his wines are. “I know” he responded. I heard a story of a woman who encountered him at a wine tasting and complimented his wines and his response was along the lines of, “If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, I could buy you a face lift.” Offensive? Yes. But it’s really quite hilarious. I personally think he is great. He knows he is good and he is right. I also do not often get to meet people with even bigger fros than me so maybe I am a bit biased.

The reason for our visit was because we were invited by Rich and Anita Funk of Saviah Cellars. My friend Jen and I were lucky enough to sit across the table from them on our first night at Paws Up in Montana and we all hit it off. After a few fun filled wine dinners, including one featuring their wines, we had decided that a trip to Walla Walla to do a wine dinner with them would be great. With the barrel tasting coming up, it all worked out well. Rich and Anita have some friends who own another nearby winery where there is kitchen space and room for about 40 people for dinner. It was a lot of fun as Rich played sous chef for a bit and a couple other friends joined in for the fun. Dinner went really well and all of the guests had a great time.

Having had such a great experience, I decided to speak with Rich about working on a blend for my new restaurant with The Drunken Goat label. I would love to one day have vines of my own and be able to create wines from start to finish, but for now joining in during the blending and bottling phase is a great start.