What’s Up ~ August Wine News
August is a glorious month to be in wine country. It is the last of the lazy days of summer for valley winemakers and grape growers as they enjoy this last bit of downtime by checking on their vineyards and arranging for their help, supplies and equipment.
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!