When wine tasting in Walla Walla, Washington, be sure to enjoy delicious rich red wines, playful white wines, and surprising sparklings at the Browne Family Vineyards tasting room on Main Street.
Walla Walla, Washington is a lovely, quiet town in Eastern Washington that is home to more than 100 wineries. In this agriculture rich valley, Cabernet Sauvignon is the leading varietal, and one of my personal favorites is produced by Browne Family Vineyards.
During a Visit Walla Walla trip this past fall, my husband and I were able to visit several area wineries. I was so excited to finally visit the Browne Family Vineyards tasting room.
Browne Family Vineyards Tasting Room
Located in a traditional brick building, the Browne Family Vineyards tasting room is right on Main Street. The street is still very much a small town USA type of Main Street, except it's now peppered with dozens of wine tasting rooms and notable restaurants.
You'll find the tasting room space open and inviting, with rich brown tones and Pacific Northwest rustic charm. I love the large tufted leather couches, which make the wine tasting experience casual and comfortable.
Brown Family Vineyards Wines
Browne Family Vineyards is perhaps best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. This award-winning and consistently rated with 88 points and higher wine is a rich ripe red wine. Made almost entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon with just a hint of Petite Verdot, this wine has silky smooth tannins and tastes of bold dark fruits.
If you're looking for a delicious wine to pair with a hearty steak, lamb, or stew, the Browne Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is it.
The Browne Family Vineyards label also produces several additional red wines in its portfolio. They make a Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot, Merlot, and a delicious Tribute Red Blend. The majority of their wines are in the $30-40 range.
While we were wine tasting at another place down the street before our visit here, a fellow wine tasting guest had just purchased a case of the Browne Family Vineyards Tribute Red Blend and couldn't stop raving about it. So we made a point of tasting this red as well while we were there. It's a really nice red blend that has hints of pepper and tobacco; it's a wine that's great to bring to dinner parties.
Precept Wine: A Primer on the Wine Producing Family Tree
During our visit, we also had the opportunity to taste other wines in the tasting room that were within the Precept Wine family. Before I go into those, it helps to understand the whole wine family tree a bit, so here's a quick primer...
In the wonderful and sometimes wacky web of the wine industry, you'll find that there are larger entities that may own several smaller brands. Precept Wine is the largest privately owned wine company in the Pacific Northwest. Browne Family Vineyards' Principal Andrew Browne also presides as the CEO of Precept Wine.
Browne Family Vineyards lives under the Precept Wine umbrella, along with Washington wineries such as Waterbrook Winery, Canoe Ridge and, as of 2014, the well-known New Mexico-based sparkling producer, Gruet.
When you visit different tasting rooms within the same wine producing family, you may have the opportunity to try some wines under one of their other labels. It's a great chance to get a taste of the overall portfolio and I'm so glad that Browne Family Vineyards also happened to be pouring some of the Gruet during our visit!
Gruet
I love a good sparkling wine.
And Gruet makes amazing sparkling wines. The Gruet family has been making Champagne in France since 1952. They purchased a vineyard in New Mexico to expand their winemaking legacy to the US.
In 2014, Precept Wine purchased Gruet, and they continue to blossom. Gruet specializes in Methode Champenoise sparkling wines. My favorites are the Gruet Brut, pictured above, and the Gruet Brut Rosé, pictured below.
Visit Browne Family Vineyards
The great thing about wine tasting in downtown Walla Walla, is that you can visit several wine tasting rooms in a short amount of time. There are, of course, many beautiful vineyards and wine tasting facilities throughout Walla Walla that I encourage you to visit. However, if you're short on time, Main Street is the way to go.
And truly, Browne Family Vineyards has one of the larger tasting rooms on Main Street. It's comfortable, rustic, and you'll get to try many different types of wines. You'll surely find at least one bottle that you must bring home with you!
31 E Main Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362
509.522.1261
HOURS:
Open Daily: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Happy Hour: Thursday - Saturday 4p.m. - 7p.m.
More Walla Walla Wine & Travel Bliss
Where to Eat & Drink in Walla Walla
Charles Smith & K Vintners wines
Our tasting was compliments of Visit Walla Walla. All opinions and photos are, as always, my own.
Catherine @ Ten Thousand Hour Mama says
I've been learning more and more about Eastern Washington's wine region, including Walla Walla, and the more I read and listen, the more I want to visit! I generally prefer to go to a vineyard to taste wines, but I agree that going to a tasting room in a city is a great way to hit up multiple wineries in a shorter time. Thanks for the rec - I can't wait to visit Browne!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
You would love it, Catherine! I've got more Walla Walla vineyard visits coming up in future posts, so stay tuned! :)
Michelle says
I would love to visit this winery
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hope you get to someday, Michelle! :) Thanks!
Leah says
I love Washington wine, and this vineyard sounds lovely! Their tasting room is so cool, and their wine sounds wonderful!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Washington does make some fabulous wines, especially their Cabs! Thanks, Leah!
Katherine says
Vineyards and wineries is usually the theme for our vacations so I love reading about new places to go! We quite often buy the Gruet!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Sounds like my kind of vacation! :) Thanks, Katherine!
candy says
I have been to many vineyards in California but haven't made it to Walla Walla Washington yet. Love family own business they are doing a windfall joh.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hope you get to visit Walla Walla wine country someday, Candy!
Joanna says
Ohh I love finding new wineries to visit! My family and I are getting ready to move back to Washington, so I will have to take a trip here:)
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
How wonderful that you are moving back to Washington, Joanna! So many great new wineries there to explore. Enjoy your new adventure!
hal says
I love wine!!! Looks like a great place to visit!
Jenni says
Mmmm... I love Cabernet Sauvignon but haven't really had much in the past few years in favor of local pinots. I can't wait to pick up this brand so I can feel good about the local-ness of it while enjoying a favorite varietal.
Anmaria Djong I Onelazychic says
I show it to my husband and the first he told me is "lets go to visit this place". We plan to go to US for our holiday next June. And as a wine lover he definitely can not miss this beautiful place. Thank you so much for your recommendation. We will definitely check this out.
Mama Munchkin says
I love all of your posts on Walla Walla it looks like such a fun place for my hubby and I to escape to. I especially like the feel of the Browne tasting room. I am a big fan of wineries that have more of a laid back luxury vibe vs. some that feel a little snotty. Thanks for sharing!
Bobbi | Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says
I am in Gig Harbor, about an hour south from Seattle. I would love to go!!