Washington Wine Tour

“10 Best Wine Travel Destinations (worldwide)” – Wine Enthusiast
“America’s Best Wine Region” – Readers of USA Today Top 10 Poll

Those are lofty accolades but we believe if you participate in our Washington Wine Tour you will see why we, too, believe the wine region centered around Walla Walla is one of the best for wine tourism in the world.

Washington is the second largest producer of wine grapes in the US. Almost all grape production is on the eastern side of the Cascade mountains, where the weather is drier and temperatures much warmer. And with 13 distinct American Viticultural Areas, Washington State has some serious diversity in soil types, topography, microclimates, and wine touring regions.

We visit a variety of wineries, from well known to mom and pop, on this five-day tour. We participate in a blending session at Northstar Winery and enjoy a picnic lunch at Woodward Canyon. Washington (unlike Oregon’s Willamette Valley) has a large variety of grape varietals and you will come away with many new favorites.

But equally important to the success of the region is the historic town of Walla Walla. What used to be a sleepy farming town is now a vibrant small city that boasts tasting rooms on every block, outstanding restaurants, and upscale hotels. The downtown will simply charm the pants off any visitor.

We believe this area of the wine world is the perfect combination of casual charm and upscale luxury. You will love the small Tri-Cities Airport and the the down home nature of Walla Walla. At the same time, you’ll be impressed by the quality of the wines, restaurants, and our hotel. After you join our Washington Wine Tour, this might just be your favorite wine region too.

Tour Details

• Private Tour Only: Choose Your Own Dates
• Trip Price Per Person (4 – 5 people): $3,650
• Trip Price Per Person (6 or more people): $3,300
• Minimum Group Size: 4 people
• Single supplement: $900
• Guide: William Pollard, Jr.
• Meals: Four breakfasts, one lunch, and four dinners
• General Tour FAQs

Private Tour Bookings

• Private Tours are available to book with your own group on any date you choose, given guide and lodging availability
• Please note –  Our pricing is based on double occupancy lodging. If upon finalizing your private trip, your group has a solo traveler in a room without a roommate, the single supplement becomes mandatory. This amount will differ depending on the itinerary. Please contact our tour operations team for specifics
• Customizations to the itinerary are possible with additional per person fees

Have Questions? Request a Free Consultation

Day 1

Welcome to Washington wine country! Over 100 wineries exist in the Walla Walla area and each has its own, unique history. Many of the most well-regarded Washington State wines are from Walla Walla and the robust single varietals and blends will delight your palate. We taste many styles of Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon.

We meet after lunch with a pickup at the Pasco Airport in Tri-Cities, Washington or at a nearby hotel if you choose to come in a day early. We’ll shuttle directly to the famous Col Solare winery, located in the Red Mountain AVA and a joint venture between Washington State’s premier winery, Chateau St. Michelle, and Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori.

After this first wine tasting, we’ll check into our riverside hotel, get freshened up, and head to a fun welcome dinner at Fiction @ J. Bookwalter, which is frequently cited as one of the top restaurants in wine regions anywhere in the United States.

Day 2

Today, we will visit the the small town of Prosser, Washington, only 6,000 inhabitants strong but one of the centers of the Washington grape growing industry. With over 30 wineries in the region and an innovative Vintners Village full of tasting rooms, Prosser carries much more than its weight in the wine world.

We’ll visit Chinook Wines, one of the oldest wineries in the area, and learn about how this region went from farming to wine grape growing. We’ll then visit Wit Cellars, which bills itself as the most fun winery in the area but which produces serious wines, including a sparkling rose that is well worth trying.

After lunch on your own in Prosser, we’ll stop for one more wine tasting at Hedges Family Estate, which is a fantastic setting with a chateau for a tasting room. We then head to Walla Walla where we’ll check in to our next hotel, home for three nights. For dinner this evening we will walk to Brasserie Four, a French restaurant that will go perfectly with any wines you bought in the area and wish to open.

Day 3

Today our focus is on the major players in the Walla Walla wine industry. We start with a visit to L’Ecole No. 41, which is named after the 1915 schoolhouse that was built in Frenchtown, home to French fur trappers. The schoolhouse now houses the tasting room and the third-generation, family-owned winery produces some of the top wines in Washington.

Next, it is on to Woodward Canyon, which was only the second winery in the area at its founding back in 1981. The owners, Rick and Darcey, were instrumental in the creation of the Walla Walla Valley Appellation three years later in 1984. The star of the show here is the luscious Cabernet Sauvignons. We’ll relax and have a picnic lunch on the grounds of the winery.

We’ll then visit Long Shadows. Owner and local wine industry visionary Allen Shoup invites in six well-respected winemakers from across the globe to produce wines rather than having one winemaker based at the property. This leads to some fascinating wines with unique flavor profiles.

Back in Walla Walla, you will have time to rest, do a little shopping, or enjoy a stroll around town. Dinner tonight is at Hattaway’s on Alder, a southern cooking local favorite.

Day 4

We get a late start this morning, giving you plenty of time to sleep in, catch up on any tasks, or shop the streets of Walla Walla. Alternatively, you can join us for a visit of the Fort Walla Walla Museum. With 17 historic building and five exhibit halls, there is much to do and see. It is a perfect place to learn about Walla Walla’s history. The Museum is situated in the homeland of the Cayuse people.

After lunch on your own in Walla Walla, we will begin our wine tasting for the day. First stop is at Northstar Winery, where we will participate in a blending session. Blending is an educational process in which you can combine barrel wines of different vintages and varietals, creating a wine that pleases your own palate.

Next, we’ll hop a short distance to Amavi Cellars, which offers 100% estate grown, 100% Walla Walla, and 100% Certified Sustainable wines. However, it might be the view over the surrounding countryside that gets us to linger.

For dinner, we will not visit a traditional restaurant but instead Valdemar Estates. This winery is owned by a family that has been making wine since 1889 in Rioja, Spain – another one of our favorite wine destinations! We’ll enjoy Spanish small-bite tapas dishes that will go well with the Valdemar wines.

Day 5

It is our final morning where we will head from Walla Walla back to the Tri Cities. However, on our way, we’ll make a stop at the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. The Whitmans were important members of the community in the mid-1800s, helping to establish the Oregon Trail which passed through. However, conflicts arose as the missionaries attempted to convert Native Americans. In 1847 the Whitmans and 11 others were killed by Native Americans. The National Historic Area now commemorates the tragedy and explores the realities of what happened when two cultures collided.

It is then on to the Tri Cities airport, where you can catch a flight home or perhaps rent a car to continue your travels in the region.

Night 1 > The Lodge at Columbia Point is a warm and welcoming 4-star hotel located on the picturesque Columbia River. Its timeless architecture pairs with an engaging, unpretentious culture while guests enjoy stunning water views.

Nights 2 – 4 > The Marcus Whitman hotel is the top hotel lodging property in Walla Walla, including beautiful accommodations, on-site wine tasting rooms, and a nationally recognized award-winning restaurant and casual wine lounge, all set to a sophisticated old-world backdrop. It is one of our favorite historic small-town hotels anywhere.

OR

Nights 2 – 4 > The FINCH is a modern, one-of-a-kind hotel located in the heart of Walla Walla. They offer brightly decorated, spacious rooms with friendly and courteous service. The sights, sounds, and people of Walla Walla are part of every room, and every stay is built on the experiences available just outside their doors.