One of our favorite places for a wine tasting nearby is L’Ecole Winery, just about 20 minutes from our Inn on the route into Walla Walla. L’Ecole N° 41 has been family-owned and operated for three generations—which began in 1983 making them only the third winery to open in this area. Located in a converted historic Frenchtown school, a tasting here is charming and informative.
The winemakers at L’Ecole Winery create distinctive and premium wines that are a stellar example of Washington State viticulture. Each bottle is handcrafted with a focus on sustainable farming practices. In fact, Wine & Spirits Magazine has included L’Ecole winery in the top 100 list of wineries fifteen times and their list of accolades is as long and impressive as a row of Cabernet in their vineyards.
Before you start filling up your wine tasting itinerary, you’ll want to secure your lodging, and Cameo Heights Mansion is the ideal place to call home in Walla Walla. We’re nestled in a stunning part of the state, surrounded by a 400-acre orchard and vineyard, which you’ll take in views of from the large windows or French doors in your luxurious guest suite. Each room is internationally themed to represent a beautiful area of the globe, from France to Italy and all the way to Dubai.
Experience Washington wine country in style and book your next stay today!
A Wine Tasting at the L’Ecole Winery
You’ll find two locations for tasting the L’Ecole Winery portfolio in the area. While the downtown Walla Walla tasting room, located in the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel, is cozy and a lovely setting for a glass of wine, you really can’t beat a tasting out in the vineyard. The 1915 Schoolhouse is as unique as tasting rooms come, with callbacks to the building’s previous use. The original chalkboards, light fixtures, fir floors, and moldings remain in the classroom turned wine tasting bar.
Perhaps the best-known wines from L’Ecole Winery are the red blends of the Vineyard Collection. These wines are highly regarded and get even better with age. Collectors from all over the world covet the single-vineyard Bourdeaux blends. They also produce award-winning Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Semillion, and much more.
After a Tasting at L’Ecole Winery, head to Woodward Canyon:
Another favorite spot on the way to Walla Walla is Woodward Canyon Winery. This wine tasting stop is the perfect follow-up to a visit to L’Ecole Winery. Here you’ll find big, bold Cabernets and Bordeaux blends, as well as a lovely Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Woodward Canyon is often most recognized for their old vine “Artists’ Series,” in which the bottle label changes yearly and always showcases an artist from the West Coast. Grab a seat outside on the beautiful garden grounds, and sit back and relax with some fantastic Washington wine.
A Beautiful Place to Stay: Our Walla Walla B&B
We always like to thank our past guests, and here’s an amazing review on TripAdvisor from a lovely visitor who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with us in June:
“Absolutely a wonderful place to go and unwind and enjoy being looked after by an attentive and gracious staff and owners. Everyone there goes out of their way to make your stay as enjoyable and perfect as possible. The breakfasts are amazing and the price fix dinner was as good as any 5-star restaurant we’ve been to. We chose Cameo Heights to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. We were looking for a romantic place to go where we could relax and spend quality time together. Cameo Heights delivered this and more. We couldn’t have been more happy and we will definitely highly recommend it to all of our friends.” –Rich S.
We can’t wait to host you again! Now it’s your turn: book your next impeccable getaway today!