By Michael Heins
Located on the fringe of the Blue Mountains in Southeast Washington and Northeast Oregon is the Walla Walla Valley. This is an area rich in milk and honey and agriculture is a major business in this region. With over 700 farms in the Walla Walla County alone this valley produces a wide range of crops that include; wheat, barley, canola, asparagus, sweet onions, cherries, apples, and wine grapes.
Wine grapes are a fairly recent cash crop in this area and wineries are a fast growing industry in this part of Washington state. Along with expresso shops, wine tasting rooms seem to be the latest craze in the Walla Walla area and with no end in sight.
Walla Walla wineries carry a variety of premium red wines, and the valleys rich volcanic soil also produces other quality wines.
The explosive growth of the wine industry here is causing some of the locals to believe that this will be another Napa Valley, California in the future.
With a climate similar to the wine growing regions of France the Walla Walla area is geographically well positioned, with cool evenings temperatures and long daylight hours for the growth of premium wine grapes.
The wineries are mostly a family run business, but they offer a surprisingly high quality product.
Currently there are about eighteen wineries throughout the Walla Walla Valley and ten can be reached on-line through the Internet. The addresses of some of these remiuim on-line wineries are listed below.
L' Ecole No 41 Winery - www.lecole.com
Seven Hills Winery - www.sevenhillswinery.com
Cayuse Vineyards - www.cayusevineyards.com
Waterbrook Winery - www.waterbrook.com
Tamarack Cellars - www.tamarackcellars.com check
Reininger Winery - www.reiningwinery.com check
Glen Fiona - www.glenfiona.com
Walla Walla Vintars - www.wallawallavintners.com
