Walla Walla Valley is an
American Viticultural Area (AVA) located within
Washington state
Washington, officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is often referred to as Washington State to distinguish it from the national capital, both named after George Washington ...
and extending partly into the northeastern corner of
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
. The wine region is entirely included within the larger
Columbia Valley AVA. In addition to
grape
A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters.
The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...
s, the area produces
sweet onions,
wheat
Wheat is a group of wild and crop domestication, domesticated Poaceae, grasses of the genus ''Triticum'' (). They are Agriculture, cultivated for their cereal grains, which are staple foods around the world. Well-known Taxonomy of wheat, whe ...
and
strawberries
The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid plant cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus ''Fragaria'', the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit is appreciated f ...
After the
Yakima Valley AVA, the Walla Walla AVA has the second highest concentration of vineyards and wineries in Washington State.
Walla Walla hosts about 140 wineries. The area was recognized on March 7, 1984 by the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevention ...
(ATF),
Treasury
A treasury is either
*A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry; in a business context, corporate treasury.
*A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be ...
after reviewing the petition submitted by Mr. Richard L Small, President of the Walla Walla Valley Winegrowers Association, for the establishment of a viticultural area in
southeast Washington and northeast Oregon, east of
Lake Wallula, to be known as "Walls Walls Valley." At the time, Walla Walla Valley viticultural area was approximately with two bonded wineries and about from several vineyards.
Name
The area is named after the
Walla Walla River which flows through the valley into
Walla Walla County, Washington. The Walla Walla Valley has been known as such since it was settled in the 1850's, even prior to the creation of the States of Oregon and Washington.
Geography and climate
The soils of the Walla Walla Valley consist largely of wind-deposited
loess
A loess (, ; from ) is a clastic rock, clastic, predominantly silt-sized sediment that is formed by the accumulation of wind-blown dust. Ten percent of Earth's land area is covered by loesses or similar deposition (geology), deposits.
A loess ...
, which provides good drainage for vines. The area receives minimal rainfall and thus relies on
irrigation
Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...
. The 200-day-long growing season is characterized by hot days and cool nights.
The valley is prone to sudden shifts in temperature as cold air comes down from the
Blue Mountains and is trapped in the Snake and Columbia river valleys. While generally cooler than the surrounding Columbia Valley AVA, temperatures in the winter time can drop to .
Most of the region is in
hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
7a.
The southern part of Walla Walla Valley extends into the state of Oregon and is one of the warmer wine growing regions in that state, after the
Rogue Valley.
Syrah
Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse ...
is a major planting in this area.
History

Walla Walla Valley was an early leader in the beginnings of the
Washington wine industry when the town of
Walla Walla was founded by the
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...
as a
trading post
A trading post, trading station, or trading house, also known as a factory in European and colonial contexts, is an establishment or settlement where goods and services could be traded.
Typically a trading post allows people from one geogr ...
in the 1840s. French
fur trapper
A fur is a Softness, soft, thick growth of hair that covers the skin of almost all mammals. It consists of a combination of oily #Guard hair, guard hair on top and thick #Down hair, underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching t ...
s settled in a small town outside the city known as ''Frenchtown'' near
Lowden and began planting grapes.
In the late 1850s, a settler named A.B. Roberts established the first
nursery in Walla Walla, importing grape vines from
Champoeg, Oregon
Champoeg ( , historically Horner, John B. (1919). ''Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature''. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. p. 398.) is a former town in the U.S. state of Oregon. Now a ghost town, it was an important settlement in t ...
.
In 1859, the city of Walla Walla was incorporated and the
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...
gold rush
A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...
of 1860 helped make the area a bustling trade center. When the gold rush ended, the economic focus of the state switched to
Western Washington and the city of
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, lessening the influence of Walla Walla.
In 1883,
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...
bypassed the Walla Walla Valley for a route from
Spokane
Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south ...
to Seattle. This essentially cut off Walla Walla from the growing market of the west. That same year a severe frost devastated the area's grapevines and caused a lot of the earlier grape growers to abandon their crops.
The dawning of
Prohibition in the United States
The Prohibition era was the period from 1920 to 1933 when the United States prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol industry was curtailed by a succession of state legislatures, an ...
in the early 20th century finished off the remaining aspect of the area as a wine region.

The rebirth of the Walla Walla wine industry occurred in the 1970s when
Leonetti Cellars was founded on of Cabernet Sauvignon and
Riesling
Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
. The winery gradually expanded and achieved worldwide recognition as it became one of Washington's most sought-after
cult wines. The founding of
Woodward Canyon Winery in 1981 and
L'Ecole No. 41 in 1983 added to the area's visibility in the wine world and the
appellation
An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the ingredients of a food or beverage originated, most often used for the origin of wine grapes. Restrictions other than geographical boundaries, s ...
was granted AVA status in 1984.
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most well known and widely planted grape in the area, followed by
Merlot
Merlot ( ) is a dark-blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name ''Merlot'' is thought to be a diminutive of , the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color ...
,
Syrah
Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse ...
,
Sangiovese, and
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux (wine), Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire (wine), Loire's C ...
.
''As of 2007:''
*Cabernet Sauvignon - 41% of planted area
*Merlot - 26% of planted area
*Syrah - 16% of planted area
*Cabernet Franc - 4% of planted area
*Sangiovese - 2% of planted area
*
Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...
- 2% of planted area
*
Viognier
Viognier () is a white wine grape variety. It is the only permitted grape for the French wine Condrieu AOC, Condrieu in the Rhone Valley (wine), Rhône Valley.J. Robinson ''The Oxford Companion to Wine'', Third Edition, p. 754, Oxford Univers ...
- 1% of planted area
*Other red varietals (
Barbera,
Carmenere,
Cinsaut,
Counoise,
Dolcetto,
Grenache,
Malbec,
Mourvedre,
Nebbiolo,
Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen it adds tannin, ...
,
Pinot noir
Pinot noir (), also known as Pinot nero, is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name also refers to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French language, French words fo ...
,
Tempranillo) - 7% of planted area
*Other white varietals (
Gewurztraminer,
Pinot gris,
Riesling
Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...
,
Roussane,
Sauvignon blanc,
Semillon) - 1% of planted area
References
External links
Walla Walla Valley Wine TTB AVA Map
{{Authority control
American Viticultural Areas of Washington (state)
American Viticultural Areas of Oregon
Geography of Umatilla County, Oregon
Geography of Walla Walla County, Washington
1984 establishments in Oregon