Back to wine. It is spring release season for Washington wine and a time to pick up distributions from the too many clubs I belong to. We traveled to Walla Walla and Red Mountain over Mother’s Day weekend and were able to visit Leonetti Cellar for the 1st time. They only open their facility once a year, I assume because they don’t need to market their wine and sell out every year. I was on the waiting list to join the club for so long I forgot I was on it. They may not have the same mystique they once had but they still make great wine that remains exclusive and hard to find outside of the wine club and fine restaurants.
Leonetti Cellar was founded by Gary and Nancy Figgins in 1977 as Walla Walla’s first winery. With a few cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, Leonetti would plant the first commercial vineyard in 1974 and establish the wine industry in Washington. In 1981 Wine & Spirits Magazine recognized the 1978 Leonetti Cabernet as best in nation in blind tasting and put Washington wine on the map.
The wines are not inexpensive unless compared to comparable California wines. It was a great experience to finally get to visit the winery and taste the wines. They only allowed two attendees so my wife and I arrived early Friday for our visit before my son and one of my daughters arrived and then visited a number of other Washington wineries with them before stopping in Red Mountain for a day on the way back to Seattle.
Walla Walla is a dream destination for wine lovers and foodies alike with numerous great restaurants but not a lot of BBQ options. I hear the best is West of the Blues Barbeque, a food truck in town, but I've never tried it.
Leonetti Cellar was founded by Gary and Nancy Figgins in 1977 as Walla Walla’s first winery. With a few cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling, Leonetti would plant the first commercial vineyard in 1974 and establish the wine industry in Washington. In 1981 Wine & Spirits Magazine recognized the 1978 Leonetti Cabernet as best in nation in blind tasting and put Washington wine on the map.
The wines are not inexpensive unless compared to comparable California wines. It was a great experience to finally get to visit the winery and taste the wines. They only allowed two attendees so my wife and I arrived early Friday for our visit before my son and one of my daughters arrived and then visited a number of other Washington wineries with them before stopping in Red Mountain for a day on the way back to Seattle.
Walla Walla is a dream destination for wine lovers and foodies alike with numerous great restaurants but not a lot of BBQ options. I hear the best is West of the Blues Barbeque, a food truck in town, but I've never tried it.
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