{"id":31,"name":"El Corazon Winery","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipPV87rjg5PAw-ohpsdCu2xXgkCEHsBXN-erC3KP=w408-h306-k-no","district":"Downtown","hours":"Thu 2pm–6pm; Fri & Sat 12pm–6pm; Sun 12pm–4pm","hours_type":"limited","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":false,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2007,"winemaker":"Spencer Sievers","website":"http://www.elcorazonwinery.com/","phone":"+1 509-520-4408","address":"37 S Palouse St, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Owner‑winemaker Spencer dispenses machete spanks and bear hugs in a lively tasting room; cult wines burst with rebellious spirit and generous hospitality","lat":46.0688019,"lng":-118.3343315,"appt_url":null,"walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"No Tasting Fee","explorer_tags":["bold reds"],"profile":"# El Corazon Winery — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nEl Corazon Winery was founded by Spencer Sievers, a Walla Walla native who was raised on a wheat farm in Pendleton, Oregon. His path to winemaking was, by his own winery's admission, an implausible one — he came from neither a prominent wine family nor did he have access to estate vineyards. The winery was built from the ground up, described as having been \"conceived organically and constructed with tape and glue from its infancy.\" Spencer made his first wine in a small apartment in Portland, Oregon, and famously sold bottles out of the trunk of his car on the streets of Walla Walla. He opened the tasting room in 2009, formally establishing El Corazon's place in Walla Walla's growing wine scene. The winery has since gone through a period of personal and professional evolution — including a hiatus that temporarily slowed its momentum — before entering what the winery describes as a renaissance period of growth and new collaborations with other artisan spirit makers.\n\n## Winemaker\n\nSpencer Sievers serves as both owner and winemaker at El Corazon. His background is rooted in family farming, which instilled in him a strong work ethic and what the winery calls being \"capable of hand\" — a practical, hands-on sensibility that carried directly into his winemaking. He holds no formal wine family pedigree and was entirely self-directed in his pursuit of winemaking. His approach appears to be intuitive and artisan in nature, having taught himself through experience beginning with that first small-batch wine made in a Portland apartment. Since opening the tasting room in 2009, Spencer has developed a reputation as a winemaker whose wines engender cult followings. He is also described as the very public face and lifeblood of El Corazon, equally known for his outsized personality — characterized by warmth, charm, and an infectious energy — as he is for the quality of his wines. Garret is mentioned as a co-presence at the winery, described playfully as the \"International Man of Mystery,\" though no further detail about his role is provided.\n\n## Winery Character\n\nEl Corazon occupies a deliberately unconventional niche within the Walla Walla wine scene. The winery has embraced a range of unofficial monikers that speak to its identity: \"The Cheers Bar,\" \"The Wine Dive Bar,\" and \"The Unofficial Nightclub of Walla Walla.\" The ethos is explicitly anti-pretension — the winery describes itself as a place where \"pretension and decorum take a backseat to fabulous wine and RAD people,\" and where guests are encouraged to be \"unapologetically YOU.\" The tasting room experience under Spencer is known for its physical warmth and theatrics, including the signature \"machete spanks and long bear hugs\" that have become part of El Corazon's cultural identity since 2009. The winery is entirely a family affair and operates with a strong sense of community, with the winery noting that the tasting room has served as the backdrop for lasting friendships and relationships among its guests. It is a place where the social experience is considered inseparable from the wine itself. The winery's motto — \"Our Casa is your Casa\" — summarizes its open-door philosophy.\n\n## Tasting Room\n\nEl Corazon's tasting room has been open since 2009 and operates on the following schedule: Thursday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Friday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Saturday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The winery notes with characteristic personality that closing time on Fridays and Saturdays is \"subjective to how fun the party is rolling,\" suggesting a flexible and lively atmosphere. Visitors are encouraged to follow El Corazon on Instagram for updates.\n\n---\n\n*Note: No detailed information was available in the scraped content regarding specific vineyard sources, AVA designations, soil types, farming practices, individual wine names or tasting notes, wine club tiers or benefits, or formal accolades and press scores. These sections have been omitted as the source material did not contain relevant details.*","somm_notes":[{"title":"Patti's notes on El Corazon","content":"If you're in the mood for a tasting room party, this is the spot. Spencer goes above and beyond to make sure you have a great time. Don't leave without trying the Swordfight Red-it's a standout!"}],"wines":[{"name":"B-Sides GSM","vintage":"NV","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Lyra Pinot Noir","vintage":"2023","variety":"Pinot Noir","price":"$50.00"},{"name":"Reserve Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$120.00"},{"name":"Supernova Malbec","vintage":"2023","variety":"Malbec","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Swordfight","vintage":"2023","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$60.00"},{"name":"UJ Cab Franc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$70.00"},{"name":"Blueprint Petit Verdot","vintage":"2019","variety":"Petit Verdot","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Run With the Hunted","vintage":"2017","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$45.00"}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":5.0,"count":8},{"source":"google","rating":4.9,"count":61},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.3,"count":60}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Todd C.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"Spencer(the wine maker) and Sally the (queen of the scene) make this stop completely worth the time.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Meredith F.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"We love Tiger's Blood and Swordfight -- but they are so good that I think they sell out fast.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Blanco Seco","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (44 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Blanco Semi Dulce","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (26 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Tinto Seco","vintage":null,"score":83,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.3/5 (56 ratings)"}],"events":[]}