Echolands, Walla Walla Valley

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is, “What’s new in Walla Walla?” The town’s wine landscape always evolves at a brisk pace.

Below are select new Walla Walla Valley producers that have opened in recent years, changed locations, or are otherwise noteworthy in some fashion.

Echolands

Echolands opened its dazzling tasting room and production facility in the Upper Mill Creek area in April, 2024. “I want it to be a place that’s fun to visit and not imposing in some way,” said Doug Frost, MS, MW, who co-founded the winery with fellow Kansas City native Brad Bergman. Long-time Washington winemaker Brian Rudin, most recently of Canvasback, serves as winemaker and general manager. (Read a feature article on Echolands.)

Delmas

Long-time valley producer Delmas opened its first tasting room earlier this year. The space is located in the plaza downtown. Delmas is known for its top quality Rocks District wines from SJR Vineyard, its estate property. (Read an article about Delmas.)

Figgins, Walla Walla Valley

Figgins

Figgins is also in the Upper Mill Creek area and opened its new production facility and tasting room in 2024. The winery, which is under the Figgins Family Wine Estates umbrella (Leonetti, Figgins, Toil Oregon), focuses on fruit from its surrounding estate vineyard. The site produces exceptionally high quality, age-worthy Bordeaux-style blends with a higher elevation profile. (Read articles about Figgins here and here.)

Hoquetus Wine Co.

Hoquetus Wine Co. moved this summer from the incubator region into a tasting room downtown. The tasting room is located above the wine bar Tavern Ancestrale. “I’m trying to make wines of place and wines with freshness that go with food,” said Robert Gomez, founder and winemaker at Hoquetus. (Read a recent feature article about the winery here.)

Reali, Walla Walla Valley

Reali

Reali is a new project from Kristin and Ken Reali. Serge Laville, longtime winemaker at Spring Valley Vineyard, makes the wines. Reali opened its tasting room north of downtown last year. “We wanted to have our tasting room on the vineyard,” Kristin Reali said. The tasting room by the winery’s estate vineyard has a Tuscan theme. Reali’s initial releases have been standouts and now include one of the state’s first Vermentinos.

Foolhardy Vintners

Foolhardy opened its tasting room in downtown Walla Walla in 2025. “We’re purposely trying to have a family of wines that have some aesthetic and winemaking style, but are distinctive,” co-founder Jonathan Edelman said in 2022. “Our aesthetic is much more about freshness, fruit, acid, food friendly-styled wine.” (Read articles about Foolhardy here and here.)

August Forest, Walla Walla Valley

August Forest

August Forest is a collaboration between C.J. Augustine and Forest Rogers-Phillips, two attendees of Walla Walla Community College’s enology and viticulture program. (Full disclosure: I have been an adjunct instructor at the college since 2021.) In June, August Forest opened its tasting room in the incubator area of the Airport region.

Arenness

Arenness (think R and S) also opened recently in the incubator area. Founding partner, general manager, and winemaker Robert Bailey was previously making the wines in Portland. Arenness’s first vintage was in 2017. “I love Cabernet Sauvignon,” said Bailey. The winery offers Cabernets from esteemed sites that include DuBrul, Les Collines, and Klipsun.

Devison

Devison, meanwhile, has been at its winery location south of downtown since 2021. However, the winery has previously shared the tasting space. It took over the entire building last September. In doing so, Devison has partnered with other local wineries to produce at this location under the banner Coferment Wine Studio. Devison, however, is the only tasting room in the building. (Read articles about Devison here and here.)

Bartholomew & Mercer 

Two Washington wineries have recently opened satellite tasting rooms in Walla Walla Valley. Bartholomew has its home winery in the Tri-Cities. The winery works with one of the most diverse set of varieties in the state, including Sagrantino, Carménère, Nero d’Avola, and Malvasia Bianca. Mercer has its home base in Prosser. The winery focuses on fruit from its estate vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills.

See the tasting note database for recent reviews of wines from many of these wineries.

Images by Richard Duval.

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