The second day of wine touring in Walla Walla, Wash., (“the town so nice they named it twice”) during Spring Release last weekend had us focusing on attending special events at wineries of which we are club members. No matter where you go in the world, most wineries offer perks to those who sign up to receive regular allocations of their wines. In doing so, the wineries have a predictable source of income, and the members receive discounts on the retail price of the wines, waived tasting fees and, often, access or early access to special or limited bottlings. In addition, many wine producers may host winemaker dinners and other exclusive events (gratis or otherwise) to showcase their wines and show their appreciation for the loyalty of their members.

We started our day at Spring Valley Vineyard‘s downtown tasting room, where members received an embossed glass and a free tasting which included an amazing spread of appetizers, fruit and cheeses from local deli and caterer Olive. We could have easily constructed our lunch from the gourmet offerings, but our eyes were on our next stop, Va Piano Vineyards.  There, in addition to sampling their luscious Black Label (small-lot, vineyard-designated) red wines, members noshed on grilled-on-the-spot paninis and fabulous soft tacos and tamales. 

Later, we eased on down the road to Leonetti, the first winery established in the valley, in 1977. The Figgins’ family’s reputation for crafting amazing red wines (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese) means that the only way to buy those wines directly from the winery is to be on “The List.” Fortunately, we’ve been on that exclusive list for a number of years (getting on The List requires signing up on The Waiting List — you may wait three or four years there), and each year we enjoy cruising down the long drive to the estate, open only for special events such as this and only to members.   There we kick back on the beautiful grounds,    sample as much of the wines as we like, and enjoy grilled asparagus and Wagyu beef sliders.

We ended our day at Corliss, located in a beautifully restored, art-filled 19th-century brick building in downtown Walla Walla.   Corliss produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and a red blend (Corliss): deep, complex wines that aren’t released until they are five years old, with at least two years in the bottle. It doesn’t have a traditional wine club where one is obligated to buy a certain number of bottles each year. Instead, one joins “The Registry,” which then allows purchase of whatever wines in any quantity one wishes. It also allows access to the spring and fall release parties, where hors d’oeuvres from Andrae’s Kitchen (delectable) are served up alongside unlimited tastings of the currently available bottlings, plus barrel tastings of at least two of the wines. This year we sampled the 2016 vintages of Syrah and Cab, and we could sense, though they were young, their firm structure and developing fruit will produce wonderful wines on release.

Yes, we’ve found that wine club memberships truly offer a level of privilege and a depth of experiences unavailable to the ordinary tasting room visitor.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor