Psst wine fans! Walla Walla is almost as much fun off-season as it is in the prime months. Yes, we may not have the picture perfect blue sky each and every day in late fall and winter, but our wineries are open, our restaurants are humming and the rest of us go about our lives, enjoying the reasons we stayed here after college, moved back after our other world experiences or thoughtfully chose WW as the best place to be.

The cool thing about Walla Walla is that for those of us who live here, we really like it! While you are here, you bump shoulders with real people, people who may also be winemakers, chefs and artists. That is the premise behind a bold new campaign launched by “Experience Walla Walla,” designed to showcase great reasons to visit in our off-season, including terrific deals on hotel stays.

To add evidence to this claim, there are great wine events, notably, this weekend’s Holiday Barrel Weekend, which is returning to its traditional roots of saying thank you to our community with active participation in “Barrel Full of Money” — a fund drive for BMAC Walla Walla Food Bank.

In addition, various wineries are donating a portion of their weekend proceeds to various other causes, such as Blue Mountain Humane Society. Our benefit choice will be to clean out our closet to support Dama Winery’s YWCA drive for used, business clothing for women.

Just in time, Alaska Airlines and the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance have announced a pilot program called “Walla Walla Wine Taste & Tote” where passengers can enjoy waived tasting fees at area wineries AND bag-check one case of wine free on their flight out of Walla Walla.

Come experience Walla Walla like we do!

With Crush still in full frenzy mode throughout the valley, this weekend’s Fall Release will give visitors a great opportunity to see winemaking happening everywhere. Grapes continue to arrive at cellar doors daily and it is now a mad dash to get the fruit picked and in fermentation tanks before the onset of freezing temperatures. The unusual 2011 vintage continues to challenge our winemakers with the clock running out.

There are plenty of new vintage varietals ranging from great new blends (many), Syrah (Kerloo, Saviah Cellars, Spring Valley, Stephenson Cellars, Va Piano, WW Vintners), plenty of Malbec (WW Vintners, Flying Trout, Gifford Hirlinger), Petit Verdot (SuLEi Cellar, Otis Kenyon, Three Rivers, Gifford Hirlinger), a Walla Walla Pinot Noir (Stella Fino), Grenache (Trio), Cab Franc (Three Rivers), Mourvedre (Trio), Tempranillo (Gifford Hirlinger), a Super Tuscan from Zerba and a new Zinfandel from Trio.

We are excited to hit some of the harder-to-get-into tastings such as Abeja (by invitation to their list), Bunchgrass, a Maurice, Long Shadows, Foundry Vineyards, Reynvaan and Corliss (invitation).

We are also keen on the great member events such as the Blending seminar at Northstar given by winemaker David (Merf) Merfeld and club parties at Three Rivers, Sinclair Estates, Saviah Cellars and Dusted Valley. Even if you are not a club member, check out these events as they will generally allow guests for a slight upcharge for non-members.

Of course, the fun doesn’t wait for Saturday to start. Friday is often the best day to visit your favorite tasting rooms, it is far less crowded and the wineries are more inclined to hang out, show you what they have in tanks and maybe offer a special taste. If you haven’t checked out Charles Smith‘s new tasting room on Spokane Street, his Blues and BBQ every Thursday night is another good reason to get to town early.

Another good reason to get here early is to not miss the tour de force that is Marilyn, Forever Blonde playing at the new Power House Theater. The one-actress play has just had its run extended through next weekend before heading to Off-Broadway.

Walla Walla has become as much a foodie town as it is a wine center, so you won’t go hungry. L’Ecole No. 41 is having a special winemaker dinner on Friday evening in celebration of their 10 consecutive Wine & Spirits Magazine “Winery of the Year” honors. Saturday night sees wine dinners at Va Piano and Dunham Cellars. And of course you’ll want to check out the new Public House 124 and be sure to stop when you see Andrae’s Kitchen, Walla Walla gourmet food truck.

With so much going on, you had better do some planning, here’s a link to the Fall Release Guide that the WWV Wine Alliance has published and be sure to check our event calendar as some wineries are knee deep in grapes and are only now figuring out that Release weekend is right here right now!

The most exciting development in this city so nice they named it twice, is the new Power House Theatre in what was formerly the city power plant.
A group of investors, including Mark Anderson from Foundry Vineyards, did an amazing repurpose of the aging brick structure and have created a replica of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars theatre in London, England. Look for Shakespeare and other live theatre throughout the year.

This month, Marilyn Forever Blonde, opens for a two-week run before heading to New York. In December, Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory will take the stage.

Always heralded for our great historic downtown, some fun new restaurants and specialty stores have joined the retail mix. In April, Green Spoon Eatery started serving their healthy, tasty food for brunch (weekends) lunch and dinner at a sophisticated new spot on Main Street just a few doors from Bright’s Candies. Look for Green Spoon to offer ready-to-go meals sometime this month.

At the end of July, Public House 124 (124 E Main) opened on the block between Colville and Spokane to fans and steady crowds. Everyone’s favorite bartender at the hotel, Matthew Price-Huntington and building owner Jim Sanders put together a great team including chefs David Ponti and Chris Teal, former sous chef at Whitehouse Crawford to create what they are calling “a social dining experience.” What that means is an exciting, casual but seriously good food joint with a dizzying lineup of liquid refreshments, where reservations are unnecessary and you will definitely want to wait for a table on busy nights.

Up Hwy 12, in Waitsburg, Charles Smith opened Anchor Bar on Main Street across jimgermanbar. Look for live entertainment on weekends, including the ‘burg’s resident wine writer and musician, Paul Gregutt.

Vegans rejoice! The Garden Vegan Café opened this summer, next door to Colville Street Patisserie with healthy choices including gluten-free options.

Two new establishments for breakfast are also in the works. Maple Counter Café on Alder next to Marcy’s Bar plans to serve breakfast and lunch, while Bacon & Eggs will be another breakfast option on Main closer to the Whitman Campus. No dates yet for their respective openings.

Over on Spokane Street in the Warehouse District, Stephenson Cellars has morphed into an art gallery with new artists showing every month as well as a pop-up store within the tasting room called Casa Girasol.

If that name sounds familiar, it should. The pop-up pottery shop is a venture from the people who own Girasol Vineyard & Inn and features artisan pottery from Mexico. These rustic, earth-toned clay pots, many belt-high and taller, are crafted by traditional methods in small family compounds.

Next door to Stephenson Cellars, (in Annabelle’s former spot, they closed in June) Lotus, a new import store for clothing and jewelry from Thailand and India has opened. Further up Spokane Street, Charles Smith Wines is a mecca for everything black and white in his stunning new tasting room. If you are in town Thursday nights, don’t miss his Blues & BBQ from 7-10PM.

Several new vintage stores have opened, our fav from last year, DéBouché, next door to Brasserie Four, has great vintage furniture updated with carefully chosen vintage and new accessories.

In July, Door Number Two, a vintage clothing and furnishings store, opened next door to The Garden Vegan Café in a tiny space but some friends have told me what great finds they have uncovered including designer handbags and gently worn cowboy boots.

And in the former location of Cheese Louise, Greg Roybal and Alexa Palmer opened a higher-end recycled clothing store, Blue Mountain Trading Company. If we have their concept right, they canvas the best of the discount and consignment stores on the coast and pick only the most fashionable, highly desirable pieces to bring back to Walla Walla. Some of their finds are repurposed into an entirely different garment, such as taking a fleece hoodie and reinterpreting it into a sexy halter dress.

On the sad news, downtown saw the closing of the only full-time art gallery, Willow in September. And currently, the home decor and accessories shop, By Arrangement, is selling everything as the owner is retiring and closing the store.

You’ll notice that we haven’t even started talking about what’s news in the Walla Walla wine world. We’ll leave that for our Fall Release edition that will come out just before the big weekend in November (4-6).

However, if you are planning a visit, book your stay now. Long-time visitors know that accommodations go quickly and you will want to reserve those dinner reservations as well.

Until then, go drink some Walla Walla wine.

by Guest Blogger, Denise Slattery, Director of Marketing, Power House Theatre.

What pairs best with all the amazing wines you’ll taste in Walla Walla this summer? Shakespeare performed live under the stars! This summer, Shakespeare Walla Walla expands its fourth season to include three professional productions in two fantastic venues – 24 performances in all over two weeks. Come for two days and see two plays!

Walla Walla is truly fortunate to have a devoted audience for Shakespeare’s works and now, with the addition of the stunning indoor Power House Theatre, Shakespeare has a year-round home in Walla Walla.

When you visit Walla Walla you can now plan for extraordinary nights at the theatre.

In addition to the much-loved outdoor productions at the Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater, Shakespeare Walla Walla is pleased to offer a second venue for patrons in the newly opened Blackfriars-inspired Power House Theatre. This new state-of-the-art theatre is a renovated 120-year-old gas plant/powerhouse in downtown Walla Walla, just a few short blocks from Main St. For two consecutive weeks, theatregoers can experience a festival environment and take in Shakespeare in the outdoor setting of Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater or enjoy Swansong in the intimacy of the Elizabethan-era configuration, 340-seat, Power House Theatre.

The Amphitheatre at Fort Walla Walla – Shakespeare Under The Stars!

The Tragedy of Macbeth Aug. 3 – 7

The Comedy of Errors Aug. 10 – 14

The outdoor productions of Shakespeare Walla Walla are truly special. The immensely talented Seattle Shakespeare Company will return to the Ampiththeatre with two productions by William Shakespeare.

Macbeth will open the Summer Festival at the Fort playing August Wednesday, 3rd though Sunday August 7th. Expect plenty of sword fighting, blood, leather, and shields with an eclectic medieval feeling. Think HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ series! Director Tim Hyland is exploring issues of innocence versus violence as well as family lineage. “Something wicked this way comes” – don’t miss it!

Next up will be The Comedy of Errors from Wednesday, August 10th through Sunday August 14th. This is a family event laced with vaudevillian fun. Enjoy singing and some old soft shoe, mystifying magic acts, ventriloquist dummies, showgirls, and even a few keystone cops enhancing this much-loved comedy about two sets of identical twins and mistaken-identity mayhem! Director George Mount evokes Laurel and Hardy, The Three Stooges, Buster Keaton, and more.

Power House Theatre – A Truly Unique Setting For Main-Stage Theatre

Swansong by Patrick Page Aug. 4 -14

Spend time with William Shakespeare the man as Swansong makes its Walla Walla debut at the Power House Theatre. The play runs for two weeks starting August 4 through August 14. Nominated by the American Theatre Critics Association for Best New Play in 2006, Swansong is the often funny, often heartwarming, and always remarkable story of the friendship between William Shakespeare and peer/rival playwright, Ben Jonson.

For a wonderful local twist: Swansong was written by Whitman College Alum Patrick Page, who happens to be starring on Broadway as the Green Goblin in Spiderman. Patrick is a deeply respected Shakespearean actor of national acclaim. It takes a man of the theatre to write about a man of the theatre: a factor that makes this play an inviting companion piece to our outdoor productions. Directed by Stephanie Shine.

The year is 1623. William Shakespeare has been dead for seven years and the public has all but forgotten his plays. A devoted member of his acting troupe, John Heminges, is determined to have all of Will’s plays published together in folio, preserving them for all time. King James will not allow the publication to go forward unless Ben Jonson, now Poet Laureate of England, writes a prefatory poem for the book. As Jonson struggles to write the poem, he wrestles with feelings of guilt, envy, and fear that history will forget his own work if Will’s plays are published and is flooded with memories of their lifelong love and tumultuous friendship. Rooted in true events, Swansong is a story of love, loss, and regeneration that allows us to imagine one of the most extraordinary friendships of all time.

For anyone who knows anything about Shakespeare, you don’t want to miss this. It’s an insider’s look at his life and times. For anyone who is just being introduced to Shakespeare, let this be your primer. Swansong is a must-see. You’ll be transformed into a friend of William Shakespeare yourself!

About Shakespeare Walla Walla

Shakespeare Walla Walla provides professional Shakespearean productions and youth education to Walla Walla Valley residents and visitors. The family-friendly performances are enjoyable and accessible for all.

For online ticketing visit www.shakespearewallawalla.org or call 509-742-0739

With Spring Release starting today, if you are coming to Walla Walla, you are probably already here or the car is packed and you’ll be escaping early this afternoon. This annual new release weekend is always an awesome event with almost every winery in the valley open to the public including Long Shadows and Tranche.

The latter (part of the Corliss Estates group) is hosting a great event Saturday night that includes AK’s gourmet food, music and a bonfire at dusk with s’mores. They’ll charge $10 at the gate, but if you move quickly to their Facebook page and “RSVP” the event, you’ll get in free!

Other “list-only” release parties are also going, from the famed Leonetti (who started this event by choosing the first full weekend in May as the only date they are open to all their list), Corliss Estates and Abeja.

Of course, the most rockin’ venue this weekend, will be at Charles Smith Wines’ new tasting room on Spokane Street. Only Charles can pair wine tasting with burlesque! We are hearing that the event is sold out, however, if you are in the warehouse district after 9PM, you’ll be sure to hear all the groovin’ along with some bump & grind.

Get ready for a weekend of incredible food, great music and a huge party all over town! And at the core of this weekend is some awfully good new wine releases.

Now we know that it is possible to fork over some serious change on these weekends, so we combed through the new releases to see what we thought was awesome wine at a great price.

In addition, you will find opportunities to stock your cellar for much less at several wineries as they use this weekend to help push out older vintages to make room for their new releases.

After your stop at Zerba Cellars, Winepress NW’s winery of the year, drive into Milton-Freewater and be sure to check out Watermill Winery & Blue Mountain Cider’s VAULT SALE with cases of cider at $50, cases of white wine at $60 and their Chances R Red Wine at $125/12 bottles case.

RED WINES $25 and under:
2009 Three Rivers Red, $14
2009 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, $16
2009 Trio Vintners RIOT, $18
2009 Mannina Cellars Cali, $18
2009 Three Rivers Merlot, $19
2009 SuLei Cellars Roller Girl Jammer Red, $19
2008 Dumas Station Cow Catcher Red, $19
2008 Robison Ranch Cellars Red Table Wine, $19
2007 Stephenson Cellars Red Blend, $20
2009 Trio Vintners Sangiovese, $20
2009 Mannina Seven Hills Sangiovese, $22
2009 Mannina Cellars Pepper Bridge Merlot, $24
2007 Tranche Cabernet Franc, Estate Grown, Walla Walla, $25

WHITE WINES $20 and under:
2010 L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc, $14 (check out their first release with the new label)
2010 Robison Ranch Cellars Pinot Gris (off dry), $15
2009 Three Rivers Riesling, $15
2009 Three Rivers Chardonnay, $17.50
2010 SuLei Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, $18
2010 Robison Ranch Cellars Viognier, $19
2009 Rulo Winery Sundance Chardonnay, $20 (listed on April’s Top NW Wines, Paul Gregutt’s blog)

ROSE’ WINES:
2010 Rulo Winery Rose’, 15
2010 Mannina Cellars Maddily Rose’, $15
2010 SuLei Cellars Roller Girl Blocker Rose’, $15
2010 Trio Vintners Tres Rose’, $16
2010 Tranche Pink Pape Dry Rose’, $16

There are many, many more new releases this weekend. Be sure to visit your favs and also, add on a few new wineries. This valley’s wine people work hard at what they do and this is the weekend they love to introduce their wine to new fans.

A little dusting of snow over the Thanksgiving weekend is helping ensure that Walla Walla gets in the festive mood for the annual Holiday Barrel Tasting Weekend. Wineries are busy putting up lights, wreaths and Christmas trees in their tasting rooms  and in the cellar, winemakers are deliberating over which barrel to pull out for tasting that is sure to delight their visitors.

With more than 85 wineries with tasting rooms in the valley, it is impossible to visit every winery this festive weekend.

Here at WWWN .com, we have done the heavy lifting for you. We have surveyed the offerings and compiled our ‘Must-See’ list to add to your favorite winery stops. This year, our criteria include up & coming wineries, great parties, special events and our ongoing quest to taste the lesser known varietals. Of course, some of our picks fall into more than one category, which gives a visitor an even more compelling reason to put these wineries on your ‘Must-See” list.
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We are quickly coming up on the first weekend in November when the valley hosts its popular Fall Release Weekend. Crush is winding down and winemakers are ready to party with the release of their latest vintages. The valley’s wine alliance have issued a booklet with their members’ hours and activities.  However, frequent wine visitors know that there are a number of great wineries not listed in the official booklet.

Be sure to check with Walla Walla Wine News for a listing of all the winery events all weekend. Join in the fun by posting status updates, great happenings by using #WWFallWines as the weekend twitter handle.

Currently, we have more than 50+ events listed on our event calendar that weekend, here is our growing short list of some of the best!

“MUST-SEE HIGHLIGHTS”
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We are pleased to introduce a new feature for our What’s Up blog ~ a look ahead at upcoming events and news of interest to the wine visitor.

If you follow us on Facebook page or on Twitter, you will have gotten first word of these happenings.

Wineries on the Move:

Trio Vintners are the first of the incubator wineries to leave their airport location. Next month, look for their new tasting room on 2nd between Alder & Poplar Streets. They will use Forgeron Cellars as their wine production facility.

Also moving by late summer, Glen Fiona Winery, which is owned by Washington Wine & Beverage Company of Woodinville, will be relocating their tasting room to downtown. Update: Glen Fiona has not reopened a tasting room in Walla Walla. We’ve heard that they are selling the brand from their Silver Lake property in Woodinville. (more…)

When Leonetti started this weekend well more than a decade ago, who would have thought that more than 50 wineries would open their doors annually to join the celebration. For the complete listing of all the weekends events, visit our event calendar.

New Wineries:

Here is a listing of new wineries celebrating their first SRW (Spring Release Wknd). Make a point of checking them out and welcoming them to the party.

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Walla Walla’s wineries have shifted into high gear for this year’s Spring Release Weekend ~ Thursday, April 29-Sunday, May 2.  Wineries are planting flowerpots, mowing the vineyards and generally sprucing up their facilities, in preparation of more than 3000 valley visitors to this annual ritual of spring.

This year, more than 50 winery events have been posted on our events calendar. We can’t remember as many special events in previous years. This year’s offerings include wine dinners, barrel-making demos, music and more music and of course, great food to accompany the newest releases from the valley’s wineries.

Here are our best picks of special events for this great weekend! In addition, there are plenty of wine club events that can be found on our event listings.

Then, stay tuned next week when we release our list of the “Must-See Wineries” for 2010 Spring Release Weekend, including ones celebrating their first release and our short list of “always favorite” stops.

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