{"id":115,"name":"REALI Family Vineyard","image_url":"","district":"West","hours":"Thur - Sun: 11:00am to 6:00pm\nMon - Wed by appointment only.","hours_type":"appointment","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":true,"year_established":2021,"winemaker":"Serge Laville","website":"https://www.realifamilyvineyard.com/","phone":"+1 5093420159","address":"700 Vintners Vista Lane, Walla Walla, WA 99362","description":"Ken and Kristin Reali planted 15 acres north of town to honor their Italian heritage; their young estate promises “piccoli piaceri” small pleasures rooted in Walla Walla’s sweeping vistas","lat":46.1382544,"lng":-118.3585245,"appt_url":"https://realifamilyvineyard.com/","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$25 per person waived with a one-bottle purchase per guest.","explorer_tags":["scenic","lighter reds"],"profile":"# Reali Family Vineyard — Sommelier Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nReali Family Vineyard was founded in 2021 by Ken and Kristin Reali in the Walla Walla Valley. The origin story traces back to 1999, when a hurricane rerouted the couple's tenth wedding anniversary trip from Hawaii to San Francisco. On impulse, they drove to Napa Valley, where an afternoon picnic among the vines ignited a lasting passion for wine. A subsequent visit to Napa, during which they shared a meal with the owners and winemaker of a small family vineyard surrounded by dramatic scenery, planted the seed for their own vineyard dream — one built around land stewardship, shared purpose, and legacy.\n\nAfter years of searching and exploring wine regions across the United States and Europe, Ken and Kristin chose the Walla Walla Valley for its collaborative wine community, agricultural character, and sweeping landscape. Just north of downtown Walla Walla, they found a site with views of the Blue Mountains and neighboring vineyards where they established their estate and home. The 15-acre estate vineyard was planted in spring 2023, focusing on both classic French varieties and select Italian varieties.\n\nThe Italian heritage connection is central to the winery's identity. Ken's great-grandparents emigrated from Tuscany to the United States in 1907, and he has traced the Reali family lineage to Calcinaia, a small village in the heart of Tuscany. In recognition of this ancestry, Ken obtained Italian citizenship and serves on the Board of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF). In 2021, the family traveled to Calcinaia with their three daughters and Kristin's father to meet newly discovered relatives — a moment described as full-circle and foundational to the winery's values of family, legacy, and connection to the land.\n\n## Winemaker\n\nSerge Laville serves as Founding Winemaker at Reali Family Vineyard. He brings more than 20 years of winemaking experience in the Walla Walla Valley. During his tenure as Head Winemaker at Spring Valley Vineyard, Laville earned multiple recognitions in the Wine Spectator Top 100, establishing him as one of the region's most accomplished and recognized winemakers. His philosophy is rooted in minimalism: he follows a minimalist approach to winemaking that prioritizes the individual characteristics of each variety and champions what he describes as a pure and natural approach — one he believes translates more terroir directly into the glass. The winery characterizes his work as intentional in the vineyard and thoughtful in the cellar, with each wine reflecting a careful balance of purity, structure, and site expression.\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nThe heart of the operation is Reali Family Vineyard, the estate's own 15-acre site planted in spring 2023, situated just north of downtown Walla Walla within the Walla Walla Valley AVA. The vineyard surrounds the family's home, where Ken and Kristin live, farm, and welcome guests. The site features a diverse mix of varieties drawing from both the region's classic strengths and the family's Tuscan roots, with plantings of French and Italian varieties. Vineyard management is handled by Nick Mackay of Results Partners, who studied Viticulture and Enology at Washington State University and has worked across nine Washington and Oregon appellations. He works alongside Assistant Vineyard Manager Patrick Sullivan and Viticulturist Julie Tarara, also of Results Partners. No additional contracted vineyard sources are mentioned in available materials.\n\n## Winery Character and Identity\n\nREALI positions itself as an estate guided by Tuscan values — respect for the land, community, and thoughtful hospitality — while firmly rooted in the Walla Walla Valley's regional identity. The inclusion of Italian varieties alongside classic French ones is a deliberate nod to the Reali family's heritage, making the winery distinctive among Walla Walla producers. The estate model, in which the family lives on the property they farm, reinforces an authenticity and intimacy that informs every aspect of the visitor experience. The winery describes its wines as championing the region's voice and honoring tradition in the cellar.\n\n## Tasting Room and Visitor Experience\n\nThe REALI tasting room and estate are located just north of downtown Walla Walla, set among rolling wheat fields with sweeping views of the Blue Mountains. Visitors are offered several curated experiences: seated tastings, vineyard picnics, and elevated food and wine pairings. Each experience is described as designed to connect guests to the place and the wines. The property serves as both a working vineyard and the family's home, lending an intimate, estate-driven atmosphere to all visits.\n\n## Wine Club\n\nREALI offers a membership program called the **Da Vinci Membership**, described as an invitation to experience the winery as a special guest. Benefits include access to limited-production wines, curated tastings, and intimate gatherings designed to foster connection and deepen members' relationships with the wines, the winery's story, and its home in Walla Walla. Specific allocation details and tier structures are not elaborated upon in available materials.\n\n## Accolades\n\nWhile specific scores for REALI wines are not yet documented, Founding Winemaker Serge Laville earned multiple Wine Spectator Top 100 recognitions during his time as Head Winemaker at Spring Valley Vineyard, providing strong credentialing for the quality direction of the project.","somm_notes":[{"title":"Patti's notes on Reali","content":"Love Italian wines but can't get to Italy? This is the place for you. Crafted by one of Walla Walla's best winemakers, Serge Laville, you'll find beautifully made Sangiovese, Barbera, and my favorite-Vermentino. The tasting room also boasts one of the most stunning views in the entire valley."}],"wines":[{"name":"Cabernet Franc Rosé","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":""},{"name":"Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Sauvignon Blanc","price":""},{"name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":""}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"google","rating":5.0,"count":9}],"sample_reviews":[],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"Grenache","vintage":2023,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2023,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Rose","vintage":2024,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":2024,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[],"events":[{"title":"Passatempo Reali Winemaker Dinner","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"https://www.realifamilyvineyard.com/events","is_members_only":false}]}