{"id":110,"name":"Valdemar Estates Winery","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/AC9h4nr_PGIPW7EbRslm61D6LTlHVPcF0LZsH678IWUoKcwNEGqqbZoz1FBN3AQh6tY32VWWrQhPTSCpE593LvqB22kzeyDr7FXr44q3EPJ-hKnuD_VN-XxS8_cGkfi_bJqUFQsw5kbN=w426-h240-k-no","district":"South","hours":"THUR – MON 11am – 5pm ","hours_type":"limited","dog_friendly":false,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":true,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2019,"winemaker":"Devyani Gupta","website":"http://www.valdemarestates.com/","phone":"+1 509-956-4926","address":"3808 Rolling Hills Lane, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Five generations of Spain’s Valdemar family bring their pioneering spirit to Walla Walla; in a modern winery they craft wines of old‑world elegance and bold, inclusive hospitality","lat":46.0147868,"lng":-118.3882109,"appt_url":"https://www.exploretock.com/valdemarestateswallawalla","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$30 per person waived with purchase","explorer_tags":["scenic","surprise","occasions","experi","knowledge"],"profile":"# Valdemar Estates Winery — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nValdemar Estates was founded in 2019 in Walla Walla, Washington, representing the American chapter of a winemaking dynasty that traces its roots to 1889, when Joaquin Martínez Bujanda opened his first winery on a small tract in Oyón, Spain. For five generations, the Valdemar family has been dedicated to viticulture and wine production in Rioja, Spain, under the Bodegas Valdemar name. The establishment of Valdemar Estates marks the family's first venture outside of Spain and holds the distinction of being the first non-American winery to open in Washington State. The project was driven by fifth-generation CEO Jesús Martínez Bujanda, who first fell in love with Washington during a university exchange program at the University of Washington in Seattle. After assuming leadership of the Valdemar Family in 2014, he relocated permanently to Walla Walla to bring the project to life. The guiding vision is expressed in Jesús's own words: \"We've made wine in Spain for the past five generations, and we plan to make wine in Walla Walla for five generations to come.\" The winery's central philosophy is that great wines are born in the vineyard — a belief inherited across all five generations of the family.\n\n---\n\n## Winemaker\n\n**Devyani Isabel Gupta** serves as Head Winemaker at Valdemar Estates. Originally from Portland, Oregon, her wine journey began when she relocated to Walla Walla to attend Whitman College, where she earned bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Spanish. She subsequently pursued formal technical training in Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College. Early in her career, Gupta worked alongside several of the Walla Walla Valley's original pioneering producers, including Seven Hills Vineyard and Figgins Family Wine Estates, grounding her deeply in both grape growing and winemaking practice. She joined the Valdemar Estates project in early 2019, drawn by the Valdemar Family's legacy of innovation and commitment to sustainable viticulture. As head winemaker, Gupta is described as the driving force behind Valdemar's Washington wines. Beyond the winery, she is an active leader in the broader wine community: she chairs the Advisory Committee for the local Enology and Viticulture Program, serves as a board commissioner for the Washington State Wine Commission, and sits on the board of directors for VITAL Wines. She has been recognized on Wine Enthusiast's prestigious 40 Under 40 Tastemakers list, which honors movers and shakers changing the beverage industry.\n\n---\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nValdemar Estates owns and farms three estate vineyards, all located within the Walla Walla AVA or its sub-appellations.\n\n**Las Canteras** is a nine-acre estate vineyard situated within The Rocks District, a sub-AVA of the Walla Walla Valley. Its soils are deep flood-deposited cobblestones and river rock from the ancient riverbed of the Walla Walla River — a soil type renowned for producing wines with a distinct aromatic profile. The growing season is compressed and intense, with additional heat radiating from the stones during summer. To balance site expression with the pressures of climate change, Valdemar planted this vineyard with an East-West row orientation — perpendicular to neighboring vineyards — to provide more shade between vine rows and preserve freshness and concentration in the fruit. Varieties planted include Syrah, Viognier, Garnacha, and Viura.\n\n**North Fork** is a 6.4-acre vineyard located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, in an area known as \"The North Fork\" of the Walla Walla River canyon. Elevations range from 1,700 to 2,100 feet — among the highest in the Walla Walla AVA — yielding more moderate temperatures, significantly more rainfall than the valley floor, and a prolonged growing season. The site is described as producing fruit of depth, concentration, and unparalleled complexity. Varieties planted include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, and Chardonnay.\n\n**Eventide** is a 22-acre estate vineyard situated between 1,000 and 1,225 feet in elevation, featuring northeast-facing, gently sloped terrain with 100% Walla Walla silt loam soils formed by the valley's strong winds. The northeast aspect naturally preserves acidity and freshness, while wind exposure encourages thicker grape skins. Eventide is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot and is described as the backbone of Valdemar Estates' Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard neighbors respected properties including Serra Pedace (Leonetti Cellar), Pambrun (Willamette Valley Vineyards), and Walla Squared (Echolands). Jesús Martínez Bujanda has described the site's natural character: \"We are looking for wines with a little bit higher acid, a bit fresher style. This site gives us that naturally.\"\n\n---\n\n## Signature Wines & Style\n\nValdemar Estates produces Washington wines with an emphasis on site-driven expression, blending Old World elegance with a fresh, bold spirit. The winery focuses on Rhône-style varieties — Syrah, Viognier, Garnacha — from The Rocks District, as well as Bordeaux varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot — from the Eventide and North Fork vineyards. The winery also produces Chardonnay. In addition to its Washington portfolio, Valdemar Estates presents wines from Bodegas Valdemar in Rioja, Spain in its tasting room, offering guests access to both the American and Spanish expressions of the family's winemaking heritage.\n\n---\n\n## Tasting Notes\n\nSpecific tasting note language on the wines is limited in the available text, but Valdemar Estates describes its Eventide-sourced wines as \"textured, powerful, yet elegant wines embodying the essence of Walla Walla with a European touch.\" Wines from Las Canteras in The Rocks District are noted for their \"distinct aromatic profile,\" attributed to the unique cobblestone terroir. The winery's overall stylistic direction favors freshness, higher acidity, and concentration.\n\n---\n\n## Tasting Room\n\nThe Walla Walla tasting room is open Thursday through Monday, 11am to 5pm, and is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Reservations are made through Tock. The facility is described as seamlessly blending modern design with natural elegance, and features a dramatic 58-foot waterfall wall, a 386-square-foot reflection pool, and an indoor crush pad — one of the only such facilities in the region. Guests may enjoy wines and tapas while taking in views of the Blue Mountains from the tasting room, balcony, or waterfall terrace. Valdemar Estates holds the distinction of being the first 100% inclusive and accessible tasting room in the United States, a point of significant pride for the winery.\n\nSeveral tasting experiences are offered. The standard **Valdemar Estates Tasting** ($30) features a curated flight of Washington and Spanish wines. The **Library Reserve Tasting** ($50) focuses on cellared and limited library wines from both Washington and Rioja, with the fee waived on wine purchases of $125 or more. The **Behind the Scenes Tour and Tasting** ($65) is an approximately one-hour experience for groups of two to twelve that includes access to the barrel room and production facility, three wines, and seasonally inspired small-bite pairings. The **Masterclass: Exploration of Rhône Varietals** ($75) is a 90-minute guided tasting of six Rhône-style wines led by the winemaking team, offered for groups of eight to twenty. The **Paella Fiesta** ($125 per person) is an immersive food-and-wine experience featuring live paella preparation, tapas, a seasonal salad course, Basque cheesecake, and a curated selection of four Valdemar Family wines. A minimum of eight guests is required for the Paella Fiesta.\n\n---\n\n## Wine Club\n\nWine Club members receive complimentary standard tastings and discounts on Library Reserve Tastings and other experiences. Club members also receive","somm_notes":[],"wines":[{"name":"Las Canteras Grenache Blanc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Grenache Blanc","price":"$50.00"},{"name":"Las Canteras Viognier","vintage":"2024","variety":"Viognier","price":"$50.00"},{"name":"La Gargantilla Garnacha Blanca","vintage":"2024","variety":"Garnacha Blanca","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"Las Canteras Syrah","vintage":"2023","variety":"Syrah","price":"$75.00"},{"name":"Roussanne Columbia Valley","vintage":"2023","variety":"Roussanne","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$80.00"},{"name":"Reserve Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$70.00"},{"name":"La Gargantilla Garnacha","vintage":"2022","variety":"Garnacha","price":"$65.00"},{"name":"French Creek Chardonnay","vintage":"2022","variety":"Chardonnay","price":"$50.00"},{"name":"Entre Nosotros Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Entre Nosotros Chardonnay","vintage":"2022","variety":"Chardonnay","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"WeatherEye Grenache","vintage":"2021","variety":"Grenache","price":"$80.00"},{"name":"Blue Mountain Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$75.00"},{"name":"La Gargantilla Garnacha","vintage":"2021","variety":"Garnacha","price":"$65.00"},{"name":"Walla Walla Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$65.00"},{"name":"Conde Valdemar Finca Alto Cantabria Vinedo Singular","vintage":"2021","variety":"","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Gargantilla Garnacha Anada Rosé Sparkling","vintage":"2020","variety":"Garnacha","price":"$225.00"},{"name":"Gargantilla Garnacha Gran Anada Rosé Sparkling","vintage":"2020","variety":"Garnacha","price":"$80.00"},{"name":"Conde Valdemar Edicion Limitada","vintage":"2019","variety":"","price":"$70.00"},{"name":"Conde Valdemar Gran Reserva","vintage":"2012","variety":"","price":"$50.00"}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":4.4,"count":71},{"source":"google","rating":4.4,"count":228},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.1,"count":81}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Cynthia M.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The decor was beautiful, spectacular view, amazing service, and I don't know if I liked the tapas or the wine better.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Emily J.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The wine was mostly from Spain as this is a flagship store in Washington but the brand is based abroad.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"'Component Trial Las Canteras' Viognier","vintage":2023,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Component Trial Weathereye Vineyard' Grenache","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Blue Mountain Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Gran Reserva' Rioja","vintage":2015,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Roussanne","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Entre Nosotros' Chardonnay","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Enter Nosotros' Chardonnay","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Syrah","vintage":2021,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Reserva' Rioja","vintage":2017,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Entre Nosotros' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2021,"score":90,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Klipsun Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2020,"score":90,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Syrah Blue Mountain","vintage":2019,"score":92,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") 2nd time tasting this in a few days. Dark fruits, floral, earth, coffee beans, smoke and minerals. Very nice and I like this a lot better than their Red Moutain Syrah. ("},{"wine_name":"Chardonnay","vintage":2021,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (39 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah Klipsun Vineyard Red Mountain","vintage":2019,"score":91,"source":"Wine Berserkers","critic":"John_Glas","tasting_note":") Maybe the most overprice Syrah at this tasting. For 91 points should be less than $70. Blueberries, smoke, roasted peppers, spices and earth. A bit hot on the finish. ("},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":2021,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (53 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2021,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (38 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Entre Nosotros","vintage":2018,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (30 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Component Roussanne","vintage":2022,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (78 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Entre Nosotros","vintage":2021,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (106 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Component Trial Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah","vintage":null,"score":94,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.4/5 (27 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (157 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Blue Mountain Vineyard Syrah","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (119 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Component Trial Stone Valley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (73 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Chardonnay","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (39 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (53 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (38 ratings)"}],"events":[]}