Tour Stop 6: Conclusion
Valdemar Family has nurtured a long history of quality and excellence. It is no accident they came to Walla Walla to begin their first international adventure. Walla Walla winemakers have a long and truly admirable reputation for hard work, grit, and innovative spirit. We feel that we fit in well here, but also that there is much to be learned from the wine community.
The family started out as grape growers, and their true passion lies in finding unique vineyards that are truly reflective of the terroir. As a wine region that is now bursting onto the scene, Walla Walla has a wealth of undiscovered vineyard sites. We have vineyard projects in the works, which we hope will bring truly exciting and unique wines to our guests in the years to come. We don’t intend on molding Spanish traditions to a New World wine region; rather, we intend to build on the diversity of tried-and-true varietals already established in this area.
In an effort to bridge our Old World and New World winemaking traditions, we have built an amazing partnership with the viticulture and enology program at Washington State University. Via this partnership, we have brought various Spanish varietals from our vineyards in Spain to be studied and propagated in the U.S., with the hope that we can make them available to the public for planting. Through this partnership, we also bring interns from Spain to work in the vineyards and wineries here and send American interns to Spain. We know this partnership will be an incredible opportunity for both Rioja and the Columbia Valley in the years to come.
Now, as we finish up this tour, we come full circle. You have learned a bit about the family history, about our winemaking program, our production facility, and this amazing building. As we go upstairs, you will find that we have one of the best views in the Walla Walla Valley. We aren’t a traditional tasting room by any means, as we also have a restaurant that serves tapas. We are one of just a handful of wineries in the United States that has a restaurant on site. This gives us an incredible opportunity to not only pour delicious wines, but to allow guests to pair those wines with dishes. Our staff is incredibly knowledge and friendly and will spend time guiding you through both our Spanish and Washington wines. Ask as many questions as you’d like, take time to enjoy both the wine and the tapas, and, most of all, relax and enjoy. You are in good hands.