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!

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.

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”

• Don’t miss visiting Kurt and Vicki Schlicker at Rulo Winery. This gem of a winery (one of those great finds when you get off the official map) had their $15 Syrca recognized on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buy List 2010. Sunset Magazine‘s November issue named the 2007 Rulo Syrah $20 in their Top 8 Western Wine Awards.
• Sunset Magazine also gave shout outs to Waterbrook’s 2007 Merlot-Cab $11 ($15 and under), Rotie Cellars’ 2008 Southern Blend $35 and Northstar 2006 Walla Walla Merlot $50 ($30-$50). Congratulations to these wineries!

• Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman, Catie McIntrye Walker, opens her wine shop on 2nd Ave, just a few doors south of the Marcus Whitman Hotel.

• We admit it, we are crazy about Andrae’s Kitchen Food Truck ever since we profiled them in our September What’s Up issue. The great news is that they will be stationed at various wineries throughout the valley during Fall Release Weekend. Look for their delicious gourmet grub at Corlis Winery on 2nd Ave., Thursday, 11-3. On Friday, November 5, AK’s will be parked at Saviah Cellars on the southside for lunch, then back to Corliss Winery for dinner 5-7:30 PM. Saturday is booked for a private winery gig at Dusted Valley (all you lucky Stained Tooth Society members!), but if you miss them at any of the above, you can catch them at Woodward Canyon on Sunday from 11-3PM.
• Tero Estates & Flying Trout Wines invite you to a rooftop party, appetizers, a bonfire & s’mores at their Milton-Freewater vineyard on Saturday 11/6 from 1-4pm. For those who have made the trek out to historic Windrow Vineyards, you already know the great wines, the great people and the awe-inspiring view.Soon, though, you will be able to taste their wines right downtown, at the corner of Rose and 2nd. Where you say? The former bank location at the Marcus Whitman Hotel is being renovated to hold two to three wineries. Oh, room service!
• Le Chateau Winery launches their Nicola’s Redmark tier of wines; Red Blend, White Blend, Pinot Grigio and Riesling, each priced at $9.99/btl/$99.99 a case. Also, don’t miss the buy of the weekend, Kelso Case Sale $44. Your choice of white or red wine.
• Be sure to check out the new digs for Trio Vintners. This summer they moved out of their airport location and into downtown. They are celebrating their move downtown with a Grand Opening celebration all weekend. You can find them on 2nd between Alder and Popular.
• For the best food & wine experience, reserve a space at winemaker dinners being held at Waters Winery, Northstar Winery, Patit Creek Cellars and  Dunham Cellars.
• Wine writer Paul Gregutt will be all over town this weekend, signing copies of his new book. You’ll find him at Abeja on Friday, noon to 3; Isenhower from 3 to 6. On Saturday, he’ll be at Nicholas Cole from noon to 2; L’Ecole from 2:30 to 4:30; then at Northstar’s Winemaker dinner that evening.

• CreekTown Cafe has reopened under new ownership and with a new name: South Fork Grill. The great news is that you will see familiar faces as owners, Jodi Worden and her husband have rehired many of the CreekTown employees. Even better news is that Chef Namil has retained CreekTown favorite dishes, but has also added Indian-influenced dishes to the menu along with Sunday night curry specials.  Sample menu from a recent Facebook posting: Clams with a green curry sauce & arugula cherry tomato salad and/or Braised Indian spiced chicken with curried chickpeas and spinach, fresh baked naan sprinkled with kalonji seeds. Phone number remains the same 509 522-4777.
• Someone’s in the Kitchen (SITK) has added Thursday through Saturday evenings from 5-9PM. We love Chef Gene’s preparation of healthy, creative, yummy food at affordable prices. Check out their dinner menu.
  
• For an insider’s Walla Walla experience, sign up for the cheese and wine class with Monteillet Fromagerie & Lullaby Winery. While you are in Dayton, be sure to stop by Dumas Station Winery. Their Cow Catcher Red is one of the great values in the valley.
• Not quite ready for prime time, Plumb Cellars will be opening their doors literally on this weekend at 9 S 1st (next to Aloha Sushi). Their tasting room will still have  renovation dust in the air, but you’ll have a chance to meet the enthusiastic gang and taste their wines.

We will be adding to this list right up until Thursday, November 4. So be sure to check back or add your picks in our comment section.

Have a great and safe Fall Release Weekend!

This is no ordinary taco serving wagon or hash-slinger, as this Labor Day Menu shows.

AK’s Menu~ Chicken Curry with Jasmine Rice, Hoisin Thundering Hooves Pork Belly Banh Mi with Pickled Local Cucumbers and Carrots, AK’s Burger, Thundering Hooves Custom Grind, Grilled Local Corn on the Cob with Parmesan Cheese, Grilled Local Watermelon Salad with Heirloom Tomato, Local Greens and Balsamic, Thundering Hooves Pork Tinga Tacos with Avocado and Feta.

Andrae had a French restaurant in Boise, but closed it and moved to Walla Walla a few years ago. Since then, he has been become the chef-in-demand for underground wine dinners in town as well as Seattle and soon, Boise. With his fully-equipped mobile kitchen, he is now capable of serving delectable, gourmet food anywhere.

Presently, AK’s is trying to get a spot on the next season of The Great Food Truck Race. However, at press time, he wasn’t in the top ten. If you are reading this and want to help make it happen, click on the link and cast all 10 votes daily for AK’s! Voting ends soon. Help make this happen!

Check out this recent story about Andrae and his mobile rig.

It is the wheat farmers, who are busy right now;  the combines are in the fields and the Grain Trains are on the move. It will be a great harvest year with droughts in the world’s other growing areas giving a boost to American wheat prices!

Word from the grape growers is the veraison (when the grapes begin to change color) will be a bit late this year, pushing harvest into October throughout the valley.

On the news front, July was a busy month. The new Hwy 12 opened in June and by July, the exits to reach the wineries on the old Hwy 12 were finally opened after several frustrating weeks for the now-bypassed venues.  Many wineries, including Glencorrie and Skylite Cellars, reported severe drops in visitor traffic due to the new highway.

Green Gables Inn, Walla Walla’s longest operating B&B, closed their doors in July with prospective guests scrambling to rebook their accommodations. Then, at month’s end, we heard the sad news that Creektown Cafe was closing while they restructured.  Hopefully, the restaurant’s closing will be temporary.

At the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance,  Executive Director Elizabeth Martin-Calder resigned to pursue other opportunities.

However, the cycle of business continues; some close, as others are opening. Mackey Vineyards is opening on 2nd in the former Ash Hollow location, who have now moved to the airport at 460 F Street, Bldg 924.  Trio Vintners, the first winery to open in the incubators at the airport, have moved their tasting room downtown to 102 S 2nd and will now be open Thursday-Monday.

By September, a joint tasting room for JLC Winery and Plumb Cellars will open on 1st beside Aloha Sushi. And we hear that the most famous Walla Walla blogger and wine gal, Walla Walla Wine Woman, Catie McIntrye Walker will be opening a retail wine shop on 2nd across from Salumerie Cesario sometime soon.

Vineyard & winery real estate sales chug along under the radar. Drew Bledsoe’s Flying B ranch and vineyard in Echo, Oregon has sold. Rasa Vineyards, who are currently making their acclaimed wine at Artifex, have purchased Hence Cellars property on Powerline Road.

La Porte Brune continues to make a culinary name for themselves with their celebrated underground dinners, now in Seattle, Boise and Walla Walla.  With a mobile kitchen truck arriving soon, look for more white tablecloth vineyard dinners with this talented chef.

Farm-to-Table dinners will be the rave this harvest. Dunham Cellars has their series of harvest lunches and dinners posted on our event calendar. And at Spofford Station, they are putting a twist on the culinary theme by offering vineyard tours and then dinner in their famed Cabernet Cow pasture.  Dinner, of course, will feature the grass-fed, grape-must finished, organic beef that winemaker and grape grower -where does she find the time to do it all? – Lynne Chamberlain produces.

Until next time!

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.

Lynne Chamberlain of JLC Winery, recently opened her Spofford Station Foothills Vineyard tasting room, just across Stateline into Oregon – easiest way to get there is via Braden Road (look for the sign at Gifford Hirlinger), then 2 miles down Elliot Road, following the road until you reach the first driveway on your left. Open most Fridays and Saturdays with vineyard tours by reservation.

Doubleback, Drew & Maura Bledsoe’s winery, release their inaugural vintage – 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – this month with by-invitation-only tasting on Saturday, June 5.

The Marcus Whitman Hotel has plans for a tasting room on their corner of 2nd & Rose. For more information, visit our real estate listings page.

Sapolil Cellars have a second tasting room planned for Ellensburg.

Yellow Hawk Cellar are ceasing operations and are closing their 2nd Ave tasting room on July 3rd. Until then, they are discounting their wine inventory to move it out.

Wine Events: June

Friday & Saturday, June 18 & 19: Vintage Walla Walla. The Wine Alliance’s stellar vintage tasting event with scores of other activities for attendees.

Saturday, June 19: The Vintner’s Table presents JLC’s winemaker Lynne Chamberlain at her Spofford Station Foothills Vineyards for a vineyard tasting, followed by a wine dinner and campfire.

Thursday, June 24 ~ Sunday, June 27: Washington and Walla Walla’s wine industry welcome the Wine Bloggers Conference, when bloggers from all over North America experience our brand of wine culture.

Saturday June 26: Chef Andrae Bopp presents La Porte Brune’s 4th Underground Dinner. The true movable feast takes place once again at a new location for this 4th Walla Walla dinner. Enjoy an exquisite five courses paired with wines of the world. The menu with the wine pairings will be posted a few weeks prior to the dinner. Exact location will be emailed just days before. To get on the invite list, visit the website and submit a comment with your name and number of people.

Restaurant & Bar News:

Crossroads Steakhouse are leaving Veterans Memorial Golf Course and opening in the former 26brix location on west Main Street.

Something is happening regarding a new dining venture in downtown Walla Walla by the owners of Whoop’em up Hollow Cafe of Waitsburg. When we know more, we’ll post it here, on Facebook and on Twitter @wwwinenews

Look for Waitsburg’s brew pub, Laht Neppur, to add a second location  at the corner of Spokane & Alder.

The Pita Pit, on the corner of Colville & Alder, in the former Luscious location, are adding a full bar to their services.

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Davis will head up the culinary program at three restaurants scheduled to open later this year in the Bellevue Towers — Purple Cafe & Wine Bar, Barrio, and Bliss.” more

According to the rules on the JBF website, open submissions are taken for the 20 slots in each category.  In the next stage, 400 nationwide industry judges will select five nominees per category and announce the short list on March 23.  Winners will be honored at an Awards Ceremony in New York on May 4.

Deemed “the Oscars of the food world,” by Time magazine, The James Beard Foundation Awards are the country’s most coveted honor for chefs; food and beverage professionals; broadcast media, journalists, and authors working on food; and restaurant architects and designers.

Congratulations Chef Ainsworth!