Fort Walla Walla Cellars | A Winery in the Heart of the Walla Walla Valley

Fort Walla Walla Cellars’ downtown tasting room is now open at 127 E Main, on the corner of Main Street and Spokane. We look forward to seeing you there. wine, winery, Walla Walla Valley, Fort Walla Walla Cellars, homepage, photos, great wine evokes a sense of place and a connection to our heritage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Great Walla Walla Wines, Award-winning wines, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003 Syrah, 2003 Merlot, ulta-premiuum wine, appelation Walla Walla Valley, wine stewards and sommeliers, red wines, Walla Walla Valley's long and rich history of winemaking, vineyards, 24.1 Brix, tasting notes, reviewed by Wine Spectator, Wine Spectater score 90 points, order our wines, order wine, order Walla Walla Wines, botique winery, most exciting new wines

We’ve been very pleased with the great reception our wines have received from the best wine stewards and sommeliers, wine shops and restaurants in Western Washington and the Spokane area. Of course, our wines are also featured in all the wine shops and restaurants in the Walla Walla Valley. Fort Walla Walla Cellars, in the heart of the Walla Walla Valley, is a boutique winery producing about 1600 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah wines each year.

Discover the secrets of three wines—continuing the area’s fine tradition of winemaking.

The Walla Walla valley has a long and rich history of grape production. In the first month after arriving in the area Narcissa Whitman, wife of doctor and missionary Marcus Whitman, noted in her diary of finding grapevines growing in the area—most likely planted by French Canadian trappers.

Several vineyards were planted in the 1850’s and 1860’s. In 1859, A.B. Roberts imported more than eighty varieties of grapes from Europe through one of his French nursery workers as well as varieties from French Canadians living in the Willamette Valley.

In 1876, Frank Orselli, an Italian from Lucca, Italy stationed at Fort Walla Walla, opened what may have been the area’s first commercial winery producing 1000 cases of wine.

We are honored to be a part of this proud tradition.

Varietal Compostion

90% Cabernet Sauvignon; 8% Merlot; 2% Syrah

Vineyard Location

Pheasant Run Vineyards—Walla Walla

Barrel Aging

19 Months in 70% French; 20% American; and 10% Hungarian oak barrels. (80% new oak).

Production Statistics

Harvest Date—September 24, 2003

Bottling Date—May 21, 2004

Release Date—February 2005

Sugar at Harvest—24.1 Brix

Wine Alcohol—13.7%

Wine Acidity—0.61 g/100ml

Wine Ph—3.72

Case Production—365

Vintage Conditions

Vinification

The carefully selected hand picked grapes from the Pheasant Run Vineyards were gently de-stemmed and crushed. The grapes were then fermented in small-ton open topped fermentation bins at an average must temperature of 88°F for 9 days. Multiple yeasts were used at fermentation for added wine complexity. The grape must cap was punched down by hand 4 times a day. At dryness, the grape must was gently pressed into a settling tank for sediment settling. Next the wine was put directly into oak barrels where malolatic fermentation was completed. The wine received a total of 5 rackings and was not filtered prior to bottling.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes

Production Statistics
Bottling Date—April 2, 2004
Release Date—December 2004
Sugar at Harvest—24.2 Brix
Wine Alcohol—13.8%
Wine Acidity—0.58 g/100ml
Wine pH —3.69
Case Production—455

Vintage Conditions

Vinification

The hand picked grapes from the vineyards were gently de-stemmed and crushed. The grapes were then fermented in-ton open topped fermentation bins at an average must temperature of 89°F for 11 days. For added complexity, two yeast strains were used for the divided must to obtain characteristics in the wine not otherwise possible. The grape must cap was punched down by hand 4 times a day. At dryness, the grape must was gently pressed into a settling tank for a brief settling to clear sediment. The wine was then put directly into 225 liter oak barrels where malolatic fermentation was completed. The Merlot wine received a total of 5 rackings and was not filtered prior to bottling.