{"id":107,"name":"Sleight of Hand Cellars","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipP7lPyW82AwOB80YswleXrkiCVztOz6z41JVjlH=w408-h272-k-no","district":"South","hours":"Daily 11am-5pm","hours_type":"open-daily","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2007,"winemaker":"Trey Busch","website":"http://www.sofhcellars.com/","phone":"+1 509-525-3661","address":"1959 J B George Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Trey Busch and team blend rock‑music vibes and world‑class wines; their elegant Rhône‑ and Bordeaux‑inspired reds spin like records in tasting rooms lined with 3,000 vinyl albums","lat":46.0044907,"lng":-118.3811506,"appt_url":"https://www.sofhcellars.com/contact","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$20 per person, waived with $50 wine purchase","explorer_tags":["relaxed","scenic","bold reds","dog","experi","knowledge"],"profile":"# Sleight of Hand Cellars — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nSleight of Hand Cellars was founded in 2007 by Trey Busch and Jerry and Sandy Solomon. From the outset, the winery's stated mission has been to produce world-class wines while maintaining an atmosphere of genuine fun and creative energy. The founders' twin passions — exceptional wine and music — have driven both the winery's identity and its growth, helping it build a loyal customer base that shares those same interests. In 2011, the winery outgrew its original 900-square-foot storefront in downtown Walla Walla and relocated to its current ten-acre property on JB George Road on the south side of the Walla Walla Valley, a move the team describes as forced by the weight of growing accolades and production needs.\n\n## Winemaker\n\n**Trey Busch** serves as co-owner and head winemaker. A native of the South, Busch attended his first concert in Atlanta in 1984 and his love of music — particularly Pearl Jam — ultimately drew him to the Pacific Northwest. He relocated to Seattle in 1992 and spent eight years working for Nordstrom before being offered the opportunity to move to Walla Walla and enter the wine industry with the Dunham Cellars family. His mentor, Eric Dunham, provided the foundation for Busch's winemaking and artistic philosophy. Busch fell in love with the craft on his first day of harvest in September 2000, and that experience set him on the path to co-founding Sleight of Hand Cellars. In his current role, Busch oversees all winemaking decisions and spends considerable time in the vineyards, jointly making picking decisions alongside Jerry Solomon. He also shares sales and marketing responsibilities.\n\n**Jerry Solomon**, co-owner and Director of Winemaking, spent 30 years as a real estate attorney before transitioning into winery ownership. Though originally a devotee of Napa Cabernets, he has since become a committed champion of Washington State wines. Solomon directs all blending sessions using his developed palate, makes joint picking decisions with Busch in the vineyards, and is actively involved in cellar work including punch downs and fruit sorting.\n\n**Keith Johnson**, Partner and Production Winemaker, joined the team in 2011. He manages daily winery operations and leads the harvest team in the cellar while Busch and Solomon are in the vineyards. Johnson also spearheads the winery's secondary label, Devium. His attention to detail and commitment to the winery's philosophy are cited as essential to the quality of recent releases.\n\n**Baily Weisinger**, Assistant Winemaker, holds a degree in enology and brings hands-on cellar experience to the team. She is noted for meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to sustainable practices, and she plays a meaningful role in guiding the winemaking team from vine to bottle.\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nSleight of Hand Cellars sources fruit from a combination of estate and contracted vineyards spread across several Washington State AVAs:\n\n- **Blue Mountain Vineyard** (Walla Walla Valley): Established in 2000 in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Original plantings of just under 40 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. In 2014, the winery planted an eight-acre estate block — dubbed the \"Binaural Block\" — of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, which serves as the foundation for the flagship blend, The Archimage. Soils are primarily loess and silty loam, very deep and well-drained. Average annual rainfall of 14–16 inches. A cooler, later-harvest site that produces intense, varietally true flavors.\n\n- **French Creek Vineyard** (Walla Walla Valley): Established in 1980 with ten acres of Wente Clone Chardonnay. The winery contracts two acres annually for The Enchantress. Situated on a gentle south-facing slope in wind-blown loess over a thick caliche layer atop fractured basalt. Vineyard manager is Damon LaLande.\n\n- **Les Collines Vineyard** (Walla Walla Valley, eastern slopes near Blue Mountains foothills): A cooler, higher-moisture site. The winery sources two blocks of Syrah — Block 23, lower on the hill with very deep loess soils and a small natural crop, trained to VSP; and Block 50, higher on the hill with a modified minimally pruned sprawl canopy unique to Walla Walla. Both blocks primarily feed the Levitation Syrah, and in select vintages, a special wine called \"Off He Goes\" is produced in memory of Trey Busch's mentor, Eric Dunham, using 100% whole cluster (Block 50).\n\n- **Lewis Vineyard** (Rattlesnake Hills, Yakima Valley): Located on south-facing upper slopes at 1,270 feet elevation. The winery has worked with this four-acre Syrah block since 2007 (Busch personally since 2000). Produces red-fruit-forward Syrah with notes of bacon fat and exotic spices; the cool site preserves natural acidity. Planted in very deep loam soils with excellent drainage. Typically harvested mid-October. Serves as a primary component of Levitation Syrah; in select vintages produces \"The Flip Side,\" a 100% Lewis Syrah bottled exclusively in magnum.\n\n- **Red Mountain Vineyard** (Red Mountain AVA): One of Washington's warmest AVAs, known for big, structured reds with tannin, minerality, and fresh red fruit. The winery sources six acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot — established in the mid-1990s — for use in The Illusionist and The Archimage. Soils are a complex mix of Missoula flood deposits, wind-blown loess, and caliche.\n\n- **Elene's Block, Phinny Hill Vineyard** (Horse Heaven Hills AVA): A five-acre estate block located across from Champoux Vineyard. Farmed by the Beightol family, multi-generational farmers in the region. Soils are Malga and gravelly fine loam with excellent drainage and strong mineral content. Produces varietally precise Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; primary source for the winery's most popular wine, The Conjurer.\n\n- **Stoney Vine Vineyard** (Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA): An 18.5-acre estate planting of Syrah in three clones, growing in the ancient Walla Walla River bed. Soils are predominantly basalt cobbles — 100 to 300 feet deep in places — deposited over thousands of years as the river shifted course. The site has been used for tree fruit and viticulture since the earliest settlers arrived. Produces wines described as very savory, with notes of game, olives, iodine, minerality, and plums. Best barrels are reserved for The Psychedelic Syrah; remaining fruit contributes to The Levitation.\n\n- **Upland Vineyard** (Snipes Mountain AVA): Described as essentially a monopole. Farmed by Todd Newhouse. The Grenache block is planted on a steep south-facing incline in ancient Columbia River cobbles, wind-blown loess, and loam, dramatically shifted upward by tectonic activity. One of Washington's warmest AVAs, well-suited to Grenache. Source for The Sorceress.\n\n- **Ziggy Stardust Block, Elevation Vineyard** (Walla Walla Valley, North Fork): An estate block and the winery's newest vineyard acquisition. Located up the North Fork of the Walla Walla River in a distinct microclimate that receives more rain, experiences extreme heat with moderated highs and lows, and has more frost-free days than the broader valley. Planted exclusively to Syrah at approximately 4,200 vines per acre (one-meter by one-meter spacing) on an extremely steep, rocky site of pure fractured basalt — vines and posts had to be jackhammered into the rock during establishment. First crop was 2016. Produces the wine Spiders From Mars.\n\n- **WeatherEye Vineyard**: Described as one of the most ambitious vineyard projects in the United States, praised by wine journalist Alder Yarrow","somm_notes":[{"title":"Trey Busch on winter pruning at Blue Mountain Vineyard","content":"Good morning, everybody Trey here. We are I'm at Blue Mountain Vineyard and it is a Tuesday morning in February. Thought it'd be fun to come out and take some photos of fog out here - really fairly dramatic. But I also wanted to give you guys eyeballs on what they're doing right now in the vineyard.\n\nSo I'm in block five Cab, this is an old block that was planted all the way back in 2000-2001 - a 26 year old block of Cabernet. This is about a two acre block.\n\nAs you can see by what's on the ground they have already begun to prune out here. We are in February already. February-March they're usually done by March 1st with all the pruning.\n\nOne of the plants over here - they had to cut to the ground. As these vines age out sometimes they don't produce very much, you might have a little disease out there and you can remove the vine. Here we have the trunk of an old vine that they cut to the ground. This wood is two years old, this wood is one year old - they grew that up from the bottom with the intent of eventually replacing the plant and getting the shoots on the wire.\n\nThis whole vineyard is still in really good shape, not a lot of disease out here. The block is planted to eight by three - about 1,800 plants per acre. We are at a higher elevation, a little bit cooler site here in Walla Walla. This should be a three to three and a half ton per acre vineyard on almost all varieties. As this block has aged out that number has gone down - we probably average two and a half tons to the acre out of this block.\n\nThat's about 12 clusters per plant. As the growing season happens they'll come through when shoots are six inches tall and do shoot removal - anything that's crowded. In a good vintage you should have two clusters per shoot - we certainly don't need 26 clusters. So we drop that down to one cluster per shoot, and then we'll also get rid of some crowding to get into that 12 to 14 cluster range. Cabernet clusters about a quarter pound - this site they're a little bit smaller.\n\n[Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTefkyj2W0/]"},{"title":"Trey Busch on bud break at Stony Vine Vineyard","content":"Trey Busch checking vineyards after returning from a France river cruise with wine club members. Visiting Stony Vine vineyard, one of Sleight of Hand's coldest spots at 900 feet elevation.\n\nBud break update: We've got bud break and it looks amazing. We did have a very mild winter — probably one of the warmest on record. We're 7 to 10 days ahead of average for bud break down here in Walla Walla. Assuming a normal warm summer, that theoretically pushes harvest date up a little bit. I wouldn't be surprised if we start harvesting Syrah around September 7th to 15th — that's normally about a mid-September pick for us down here.\n\nThe VSP Syrah block is showing beautiful little shoots already coming out. They did a great job with pruning this year.\n\nOn the drought: Eastern Washington is under a drought emergency. The Cascades saw record low snowfall this year. The Yakima Valley is irrigated mostly from the Erosa irrigation ditch and from the Yakima River, so they'll be keeping eyes on water levels. It was nice to see some snow up in the mountains when we flew back into Pasco.\n\nWines poured at upcoming wine club pickup parties: 2023 Illusionist, 2023 Archimage, 2025 Magician Assistants Cab Franc Rosé.\n\nEvents mentioned: Blood of Gods event in Walla Walla in July — \"if you love great wine and you love heavy metal music, you do not want to miss this event.\"\n\n[Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXPSDkRgP2A/]"}],"wines":[{"name":"The Magician's Assistant","vintage":"2025","variety":"Rosé","price":"$22.00"},{"name":"The Magician","vintage":"2024","variety":"Riesling","price":"$22.00"},{"name":"The Enchantress","vintage":"2023","variety":"Chardonnay","price":"$35.00"},{"name":"The Spellbinder","vintage":"2023","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$25.00"},{"name":"The Conjurer","vintage":"2022","variety":"Bordeaux Blend","price":"$35.00"},{"name":"The Archimage","vintage":"2022","variety":"Bordeaux Blend","price":"$65.00"},{"name":"The Illusionist","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$65.00"},{"name":"The Sorceress","vintage":"2022","variety":"Grenache","price":"$55.00"},{"name":"Levitation","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$55.00"},{"name":"The Psychedelic","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$75.00"},{"name":"Off He Goes","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$75.00"},{"name":"Higher Ground","vintage":"2022","variety":"Grenache","price":"$125.00"},{"name":"Psychedelic Syrah Single Barrel Series","vintage":"2020","variety":"Syrah","price":"$225.00"}],"patti":{"one_stop":false,"wines":[{"list":"Grenache","wine":"The Sorceress","phrase":"one of Patti's favorite Grenaches"}]},"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"google","rating":4.7,"count":113},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.2,"count":66}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"reddit","reviewer":"u/impossibleredhead","rating":null,"rating_max":null,"text":"I was in Walla Walla\n\nI picked these up while I was there last week. I was at Sleight of Hand and got to talking about Mark. Highly recommend if you’re in the area.","date":"2025-11-18"},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Jessica B.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The Conjurer (great wine) is a selfie of Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser), apparently he was one of the first members.","date":null},{"source":"reddit","reviewer":"u/scroomienow","rating":null,"rating_max":null,"text":"Shout out to Sleight of Hand Cellars\n\nNot much of a wine drinker but this place is off the chain, Tim is the man","date":"2025-05-14"},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Ruth O.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The vinyl records that are available in the tasting room would impress the most veteran of music aficionado.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"Psychedelic Syrah","vintage":2013,"score":95,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Black Circle","vintage":2010,"score":95,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Psychedelic","vintage":2013,"score":94,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Levitation","vintage":2012,"score":94,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Levitation","vintage":2013,"score":93,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Sorceress","vintage":2013,"score":93,"source":"Wine Spectator","critic":"Wine Spectator","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Illusionist","vintage":2012,"score":93,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Archimage","vintage":2012,"score":93,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Enchantress","vintage":2013,"score":92,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Sorceress","vintage":2013,"score":92,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Archimage","vintage":2012,"score":92,"source":"Wine Advocate","critic":"Wine Advocate","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"The Sorceress","vintage":2012,"score":92,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Levitation","vintage":2011,"score":92,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Funkadelic","vintage":2011,"score":92,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Levitation","vintage":2010,"score":92,"source":"Wine Enthusiast","critic":"Wine Enthusiast","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Syrah The Funkadelic","vintage":2011,"score":95,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Wine of the night! Stone, black and green olives, white pepper, funk, blue currants and earth. Super concentrated wine and long finish. Drink now to 2030. Outstanding wine and top 10 of the year candidate. ("},{"wine_name":"Psychedelic Syrah","vintage":2016,"score":94,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.4/5 (90 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah Psychedelic Stoney Vine Vineyard","vintage":2016,"score":94,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") I am hear to tell you the Stoney Vine Vineyard produces some of the best Syrah wines in the US/world for the money. This is no exception. The best of the lineup at Sleight of Hand. Smoke, spices, black pepper, dark fruits and gravel. Medium to long finish and concentrated wine. This should drink well over the next decade. 94 to 96 points _("},{"wine_name":"The Illusionist Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2010,"score":94,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.4/5 (27 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Levitation Syrah","vintage":2010,"score":94,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.4/5 (26 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Psychedelic Syrah","vintage":2020,"score":93,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.3/5 (460 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah Psychedelic Stoney Vine Vineyard","vintage":2019,"score":93,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Tasted a day prior at the seminar and bottle holds true to form. Roasted peppers, underbrush, raspberries, spices and black pepper. Not a big wine and very elegant for Rocks district. Nice effort. ("},{"wine_name":"The Archimage Reserve Red","vintage":2016,"score":93,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.3/5 (81 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Archimage","vintage":2013,"score":93,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Day 1: Very nice wine with raspberries, soy, earth, floral and dark chocolate. Medium finish and balanced. 92 points Day 2: Coming together even better than day 1. Fruit more prominent featuring blueberries, raspberries and plum. Also floral, mild soy and chocolate. Medium plus finish and overall nice complexity. One of the better SOH wines I have sampled in some time. 93 points Day 3: A bit tired from day 1 and 2 with some sour cherry, earth, funk and chocolate. Just lacks the intensity of da"},{"wine_name":"Syrah Levitation","vintage":2019,"score":92,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") This was very nice and another Trey solid. Red currants, white pepper, floral, olives and earth. Drinking well young but has potential in the cellar. ("},{"wine_name":"The Archimage Red Blend","vintage":2014,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (102 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah Levitation","vintage":2010,"score":92,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Smoke, roasted meats, black cherry, white pepper and earth. Very good overall and medium finish. Not as good as the experience a few years back but close. ("},{"wine_name":"The Sorceress Grenache","vintage":2015,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (28 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Spellbinder Red Blend","vintage":2013,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (39 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"The Magician Evergreen Vineyard White","vintage":2013,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (44 ratings)"}],"events":[{"title":"Magic Night: Halloween (SODO)","start_date":"2026-10-31","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.sofhcellars.com/events/2026/10/31/magic-night-halloween","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Magic Night: Halloween","start_date":"2026-10-31","start_time":null,"url":"http://www.sofhcellars.com/events","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Halloween Rock n Roll · The Cascade Switchbacks","start_date":"2026-10-31","start_time":null,"url":"http://www.sofhcellars.com/events","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Halloween Rock n Roll · The Cascade Switchbacks · Oct 31","start_date":"2026-10-31","start_time":null,"url":"http://www.sofhcellars.com/events","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Sleightly Buzzed · First Friday Comedy · Nov 6 (SODO)","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.sofhcellars.com/events/2026/10/2/sleightly-buzzed-first-friday-comedy-oct-2-act9b","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Sleightly Buzzed · First Friday Comedy","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"http://www.sofhcellars.com/events","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Sleightly Buzzed · First Friday Comedy · Nov 6","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"http://www.sofhcellars.com/events","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Unplugged in November (SODO)","start_date":"2026-11-18","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.sofhcellars.com/events/2026/11/18/unplugged-in-november","is_members_only":false}]}