Birth of Wine Country

In 1977, Gary Figgins founded Leonetti Cellar, making it the first commercial, bonded winery in the Walla Walla Valley. Figgins came from a farming family with Italian roots — his grandfather had made wine at home for decades, as many Italian immigrant families in the valley did.

But Leonetti was different. Figgins set out to make world-class wine, not just homemade table wine. He planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, drew on both family tradition and emerging winemaking science, and produced wines that would quickly gain national attention.

Leonetti Cellar's early vintages proved something that few people at the time believed: the Walla Walla Valley could produce wines of exceptional quality. The combination of warm days, cool nights, and well-drained soils turned out to be ideal for red Bordeaux varieties.

Today, Leonetti Cellar remains one of the most sought-after producers in the state, and its founding is widely regarded as the moment Walla Walla's wine story began.

Leonetti Cellar was soon followed by other pioneers who saw the valley's potential.

Woodward Canyon Winery: Founded by Rick Small in 1981, Woodward Canyon became the second bonded winery in the valley. Small, like Figgins, focused on quality from the start. His wines helped establish the valley's reputation for serious, age-worthy reds.

L'Ecole No 41: Founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson in the historic Frenchtown schoolhouse, L'Ecole brought a different sensibility — a connection to the valley's Franco-American heritage and a commitment to making wines that reflected the place.

These early wineries operated on small budgets and big ambition. They shared equipment, traded knowledge, and collectively made the case that Walla Walla was not just a farming town but a wine region worth watching.

The spirit of collaboration among winemakers — unusual in an often-competitive industry — became a defining characteristic of Walla Walla wine country and continues to this day.

In February 1984, the Walla Walla Valley was officially approved as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. It was only the second AVA designated in Washington state, after the larger Yakima Valley AVA.

AVA status was more than bureaucratic recognition — it meant that wines labeled "Walla Walla Valley" came from a defined, distinctive growing region. This gave the valley's wines an identity and a marketing tool that helped them stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

The AVA designation reflected what the early winemakers already knew: the Walla Walla Valley had unique growing conditions — the specific combination of soils, climate, elevation, and latitude — that produced wines with distinctive character.

At the time of AVA approval, there were only a handful of wineries in the valley. The designation was an act of faith in the region's future, and that faith would be vindicated in the decades to come.

Through the 1990s and into the 2000s, the Walla Walla wine scene grew steadily. New wineries opened, new vineyards were planted, and the quality of the wines attracted increasing national and international attention.

Key developments of this period:

Scoring and Reviews: Wine critics began giving Walla Walla wines high scores, bringing national visibility. Leonetti, Woodward Canyon, and emerging producers like Cayuse, K Vintners, and Gramercy Cellars earned acclaim.

Tourism Growth: Wine tourists began arriving in growing numbers. Downtown Walla Walla tasting rooms opened, restaurants improved, and lodging options expanded to serve visitors.

Vineyard Planting: As demand grew, more vineyards were planted across the valley. Growers experimented with different grape varieties and discovered which sites produced the best fruit.

Community Impact: Wine transformed Walla Walla's economy and culture. The downtown revitalized, property values rose, and the town gained a new identity as a destination.

By 2000, the Walla Walla Valley had roughly 30 wineries — a dramatic increase from the three pioneers of the early 1980s, but still modest compared to what would come next.