05/20/08 Vintage Walla Walla

Vintage Walla Walla. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. We talked yesterday about the relative young Washington wine industry and how it takes a number of years to bring out truly fine vintage wines. Don't get me wrong, we have some really great tasting wines in the state but compared to French or German wines that go back decades, we have some time to wait. But there are some fine vintages coming out of the state and the Walla Walla Wine Alliance is celebrating that according to Jordan Small. SMALL: Vintage Walla Walla in its 6th year now and its June 6 & 7. It's a two day event really focusing on vintage wines. So looking at how the wines of the valley are aging. One of the highlights will be a panel discussion on tasting comparisons of vintage and current wines. SMALL: Following that panel discussion there will be our vintage pour which is all wines of the 2001 vintage or earlier. You know we are getting older here and have actually a number of wineries participating in that event so I think that's going to be really fun. There are a number of other events over the two days like the Pavilion Tasting, a vineyard lunch and a terroir tour among other events. Small says the oldest vintage in area is 1978. SMALL: The first vintages would have been Leonetti Cellar and I believe their first vintage was 1978. It's getting up there. We're getting to be a 30 year old wine region now so that's pretty exciting. Vintage Walla Walla will take place on the Whitman College campus and for more information and tickets visit wallawallawine.com. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.