Walla Walla Valley known for great vines, wines

Thanks to a long history of great winemaking and grape growing, the Walla Walla Valley is perhaps the best-known wine region in the Pacific Northwest.

Success in the ’70s and ’80s by such producers as Leonetti Cellar, Woodward Canyon, L’Ecole No. 41, Waterbrook and Seven Hills Winery put the Walla Walla Valley on the wine map, and the wineries that came into the valley since have burnished the region’s reputation.

As a result, Walla Walla has become a top wine tourism destination – and thanks to wine, a culinary oasis.

Nearly 2,900 acres of wine grapes are planted in the Walla Walla Valley, with 95 percent of them red varieties – led by Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. And though there are about 130 wineries now operating in the valley, many of those grapes are sold to wineries outside of the region.

Here are a dozen delicious wines made from Walla Walla Valley wine grapes.