“The community we have here is real.”
— Sager Small, Woodward Canyon
In this installment of The Walla Walla Way, we’re sharing words from our wineries about what they believe makes Walla Walla such a special place. There’s no short way to say what “it” is that makes Walla Walla, well, Walla Walla. But many say some version of the same thing: community. It’s no surprise, as community is what we all have in common.
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1. “The valley has tremendous sunshine and an ability to ripen grapes with intensity but, even more, freshness. Most importantly, the community supports each other in direct ways, whether through education or social support.” — Echolands Winery
2. “Walla Walla has a cultural commitment to quality of wine. It’s also the prettiest town in Eastern Washington.” — Isenhower Cellars
3. “The people. We have a lot of very like minded passionate people that have a common goal of growing the best grapes they can to make the best wine possible. The community helps support through the restaurants, arts, Enology and Vit program, etc. — Va Piano
4. “Friendly, small town with great accommodations, restaurants and wineries. We are not afraid to push boundaries and try new things.” — Gramercy Cellars
5. “The community we have is real. Being in a small, somewhat isolated town still endures throughout the industry decades later.” — Woodward Canyon
6. “Friendliness and collaboration between the wineries. We find it incredible that the wineries that choose to be islands are actually the exception, not the rule. The community sees firsthand and continues to support the idea that a rising tide raises all ships.” — Pepper Bridge Winery
7. “We are different because we are able to grow almost any varietal and every producer puts their spin on the wines they make, creating a diversity that you won’t find in other wine regions.” — Smoky Rose Cellars
8. “Walla Walla’s deep history in farming and sense of community. Our soils and climate are truly unique and diverse.” — Bledsoe Wine Estates
9. “Wine Spectator a few years ago named the Walla Walla ‘Napa in Blue Jeans,’ which is pretty accurate. We produce premium wines from a wide array of grape varieties, our lands and soils are perfectly suited to growing some of the best wine grapes in the word, and our culture is friendly, collaborative, and inspired. To quote Gary Figgins, “the best leaders push the person ahead of them and pull the person behind them” and Walla Walla does that very well. — FIGGINS
10. “Walla Walla is a really special place that brings people together. The wine industry especially here represents art, science, craft, geography, agriculture, and pleasure through its wine. This is just a small piece of Walla Walla. Walla Walla has so much diversity, culture and history that can be appreciated by visitors and locals alike.” — Walla Walla Vintners
11. ““Every tradition must start somewhere, and while our vines and this horseshoe are relatively new to the Pacific Northwest, 100 years from now, our vines and this horseshoe will be as significant for the Walla Walla Valley as the most historically significant vineyards and monuments in France.” – Christophe Baron, Cayuse
