{"id":106,"name":"Saviah Cellars","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/AC9h4nqwwZs8vNwVdrXsiiiX-yUB9d7o07h7CvJ02KSGQbI19lQ1sGJ7oKb65KldcZu4uMALOEto141_5jnH4iYZkxJ80YTjimgslO9z1Xj5vIAbhkK0n4FmtcdtYxqoK1NAwgELNh9knmCMSmU=w408-h306-k-no","district":"South","hours":"Daily 10am-5pm","hours_type":"open-daily","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2000,"winemaker":"Richard Funk","website":"http://www.saviahcellars.com/","phone":"+1 509-522-2181","address":"1979 J B George Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Founded by Richard and Anita Funk, Saviah’s Rocks District estate vineyards yield world‑class wines that honor terroir and Montana roots, with a broad, acclaimed portfolio poured in a welcoming setting","lat":46.0047567,"lng":-118.3820092,"appt_url":"https://www.saviahcellars.com/visit/tasting-tours/","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$25 per person waived with $50 purchase","explorer_tags":["relaxed","learning","scenic","surprise","dog","experi"],"profile":"# Saviah Cellars — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story & Winery Identity\n\nSaviah Cellars is a Walla Walla Valley winery built around a clear and focused mission: crafting distinctive, terroir-driven wines that reflect the diversity and character of their fruit sources. The winery's identity is grounded in a deep respect for place, with winemaker Richard Funk articulating the philosophy directly: *\"It is the diversity of the fruit sources and the unique characteristics of each variety that are key to making world-class wine.\"* This conviction drives every aspect of the operation, from vineyard selection to long-term partnerships with dedicated growers who share the winery's commitment to quality.\n\n---\n\n## Winemaker\n\nRichard Funk serves as winemaker at Saviah Cellars. His philosophy centers on the idea that world-class wine begins in the vineyard, and he has built the winery's program around carefully selected fruit sources chosen for their distinct flavor and aroma profiles and their ability to deliver consistent quality year after year. Funk's approach emphasizes elegance, balance, and superb structure as hallmarks of the Saviah style. His personal connection to the land extends to the estate itself — the **Funk Estate Vineyard** in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater bears his name, underscoring his deep investment in the terroir he works with.\n\n---\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nSaviah Cellars draws fruit from an extensive network of both estate-owned and partner vineyards situated across the Walla Walla Valley and Columbia Valley AVAs. The winery emphasizes that sourcing from multiple locations allows them to craft wines characterized by elegance, balance, and superb structure.\n\n### Estate Vineyards\n\n**Anna Marie Vineyard** — Planted in 2001, this site sits high in the foothills of the Blue Mountains on the south side of the Walla Walla Valley in Oregon, at elevations of 925–1,125 feet. Soils are Ellisforde silt loam, formed in loess over laminated lacustrine sediments — a legacy of the ancient Lake Missoula floods. The north-facing aspect enables longer hang time, making it typically one of the last sites harvested on the south side of the valley. Varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Malbec. Annual precipitation averages approximately 10 inches.\n\n**Dugger Creek Vineyard** — Planted in 2009, this lower-elevation estate site (800–850 feet) also sits on the south side of the Walla Walla Valley in Oregon. Soils are Ellisforde silt loam over Touchet bed sediments, with just 8 inches of annual precipitation. Despite its lower elevation, this site's terrace mesoclimate makes it one of the first to bloom and first to be harvested on the south side. Varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese, Barbera, and Grenache.\n\n**Funk Estate Vineyard** — Located in **The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater** at 959–969 feet elevation, this site is planted to Syrah (Joseph Phelps Clone, 5 acres) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5 acres), with plantings in 2007 and 2017. Soils are Freewater very cobbly loam — deep, excessively drained soils formed in basaltic alluvium from the Blue Mountains, rich in basalt cobbles and notable for elevated iron content. This geochemical signature produces wines described as savory, with notes of roasted meat, olive tapenade, flowers, and mineral. The site is situated near the apex of the alluvial fan and is considered among the warmer areas of The Rocks District. Vines are trained using a quadrilateral trellis system that promotes light exposure, airflow, lighter cluster weights, and smaller berries. The vineyard is **Certified LIVE and Salmon Safe**. Wines produced from this site include The Funk Estate Syrah, The Funk Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and The Funk Hunt & Gather Red Wine.\n\n**McClellan Vineyard** — An estate site planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.\n\n**Saviah Estate Vineyard** — Planted exclusively to Viognier.\n\n**Stones Speak Estate Vineyard** — Located in **The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater**, planted to Syrah, Tempranillo, and Viognier.\n\n**Watermill Vineyard** — Also in **The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater**, planted to Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Tempranillo.\n\n### Partner Vineyards\n\nSaviah's partner vineyard network spans the Walla Walla Valley and Columbia Valley and includes: **Andrews Vineyard** (Grenache), **Bacchus Vineyard** (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon), **Dionysus Vineyard** (Cabernet Sauvignon), **Eritage Vineyard** (Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah), **Frenchman Hills Vineyard** (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), **Lewis Vineyard** (Syrah), **Pepper Bridge Vineyard** (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah), **Summit View Vineyard** (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot), and **Stillwater Creek Vineyard** (Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah).\n\n---\n\n## Signature Wines & Tasting Notes\n\nSaviah Cellars works across a broad range of varietals, with particular emphasis on Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Bordeaux-style blends, alongside Italian varieties such as Sangiovese, Barbera, and Nebbiolo, and Rhône varieties including Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Viognier. Notable named wines include:\n\n- **The Funk Estate Syrah** — Sourced from the Rocks District estate, with a flavor profile shaped by basaltic cobble soils: savory, with notes of roasted meat, olive tapenade, flowers, and mineral character. Syrah is described as clearly excelling under these conditions, displaying distinctive aromatic and textural characteristics.\n- **The Funk Estate Cabernet Sauvignon** — Also from the Funk Estate Vineyard in The Rocks District.\n- **The Funk Hunt & Gather Red Wine** — A red blend from the Funk Estate Vineyard.\n\nAcross the estate portfolio, wines from Anna Marie Vineyard are described as exhibiting high-toned red fruits in the Merlot, dark rich fruits in the Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, with elegance, earthy structure, seductive aromas, and high tannin levels. Dugger Creek wines similarly range from high-toned red fruits (Merlot, Grenache, Sangiovese, Barbera) to dark rich black fruits (Cabernet Sauvignon), with elegance, earthy structure, seductive aromas, and silky tannins.\n\n---\n\n## Winery Character\n\nSaviah Cellars distinguishes itself through the breadth and intentionality of its vineyard program. With multiple estate sites — including three in the prestigious **Rocks District of Milton-Freewater** AVA — combined with long-standing partnerships across Washington's top growing areas, the winery is uniquely positioned to express the full range of Walla Walla Valley terroir. The presence of Certified LIVE and Salmon Safe farming at the Funk Estate Vineyard reflects a commitment to sustainable viticulture. The winery's overarching philosophy — that diversity of fruit sources and site-specific character are the foundation of world-class wine — gives Saviah Cellars a distinct identity rooted in terroir expression, varietal breadth, and a reverence for the land.","somm_notes":[],"wines":[{"name":"Rosé Wine","vintage":"2025","variety":"Rosé","price":""},{"name":"Star Meadows White Wine","vintage":"2025","variety":"White Blend","price":""},{"name":"Picpoul","vintage":"2025","variety":"Picpoul","price":""},{"name":"Chardonnay","vintage":"2024","variety":"Chardonnay","price":""},{"name":"Chenin Blanc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Chenin Blanc","price":""},{"name":"Barbera","vintage":"2023","variety":"Barbera","price":""},{"name":"Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":""},{"name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":""},{"name":"GSM","vintage":"2023","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"Malbec","vintage":"2023","variety":"Malbec","price":""},{"name":"Walla Walla Syrah","vintage":"2023","variety":"Syrah","price":""},{"name":"Une Vallée Red Wine","vintage":"2023","variety":"Red Blend","price":""},{"name":"Big Sky Cuvée","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":""},{"name":"Grenache","vintage":"2022","variety":"Grenache","price":""},{"name":"Petit Verdot","vintage":"2022","variety":"Petit Verdot","price":""},{"name":"Lewis Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":""},{"name":"Nebbiolo","vintage":"2021","variety":"Nebbiolo","price":""}],"patti":{"one_stop":false,"wines":[{"list":"White","wine":"Chenin Blanc","phrase":"one of Patti's favorite whites"}]},"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"google","rating":4.8,"count":122},{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":4.7,"count":74},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.4,"count":54}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Patrick K.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"2017 Barbera and 2019 Star Meadows (90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Viognier) were our favorites.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"K P.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The wine was some of the best I have had in Walla Walla, especially for the price point.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"'The Funk Estate Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2023,"score":96,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'The Funk Estate Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2022,"score":96,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Reserve' Syrah","vintage":2023,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Reserve' Syrah","vintage":2022,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'The Stones Speak Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2021,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Malbec","vintage":2023,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Hallowed Stones Vineyard' Grenache","vintage":2022,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Hunt & Gather' Red Wine","vintage":2022,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'The Stones Speak' Tempranillo","vintage":2022,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'The Stones Speak' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2022,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Malbec","vintage":2022,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'The Stones Speak' Tempranillo","vintage":2021,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'The Funk Estate' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2021,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Chardonnay","vintage":2024,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Viognier","vintage":2024,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"The Stones Speak Estate Syrah","vintage":2016,"score":95,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Wonderful wine and classic white pepper, black olives, funk, stone, blue currants and smoked meats. This is an amazing effort and you would never find this level of quality for this price from the Northern Rhone. Had this wine twice last time in Walla Walla in 2019. ("},{"wine_name":"Syrah The Stones Speak Walla Walla Valley","vintage":2016,"score":95,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Unbelievable wine. The best wine I tasted on my Washington State trip. For the money not many better Syrah wines in the world for under $50. Roasted meats, white pepper, gravel, stone, blueberries and earth. Medium to long finish. Balanced and amzing complexity. Multilayered finish. Drink now to 2028. _("},{"wine_name":"The Stones Speak Estate Syrah","vintage":2014,"score":95,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.5/5 (36 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah The Funk Walla Walla Valley","vintage":2016,"score":93,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Savory wine from the Rocks. Richard \"Funk\" along with brazed short ribs, dust, rock, floral and dark currants. Medium plus finish and a wine that will age a long time. ("},{"wine_name":"Syrah The Funk Walla Walla Valley","vintage":2011,"score":93,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Nice talking with Rich Funk! Very well-made wine. Tasted twice with equal impressions. White pepper, scorched earth, minerals, raspberries, Bing cherry and a nice rustic edge on the finish. Medium plus. ("},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2017,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (62 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Une Vallée Red Blend","vintage":2012,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (32 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Jack Red Blend","vintage":2017,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (68 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":2014,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (34 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Jack Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2016,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (78 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Jack Syrah","vintage":2015,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (60 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Stones Speak Estate Syrah","vintage":null,"score":94,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.4/5 (256 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Funk Estate Syrah","vintage":null,"score":94,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.4/5 (83 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Reserve Syrah","vintage":null,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (149 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Hunt & Gather Red Blend","vintage":null,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (103 ratings)"}],"events":[{"title":"Grenache Fest","start_date":"2026-11-07","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.saviahcellars.com/visit/events/","is_members_only":false}]}