{"id":48,"name":"Nine Hats","image_url":null,"district":"Downtown","hours":"Fri - Sun, 12PM-5PM","hours_type":"limited","dog_friendly":false,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":true,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2007,"winemaker":"Gilles Nicault","website":"https://ninehatswines.com","phone":"(509) 876-4011","address":"Marcus Whitman Hotel lobby, 6 W Rose St, Walla Walla, WA 99362","description":"Nine Hats turns the ordinary into an occasion; born of nine vintners, their approachable reds and whites are crafted for pleasure and spontaneity, unpretentious yet crafted with devotion","lat":46.0669,"lng":-118.3332,"appt_url":"https://www.exploretock.com/ninehatswines","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$20 per person waived with a $40 purchase","explorer_tags":[],"profile":"# Nine Hats Wines – Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story & Winery Origin\n\nNine Hats was born out of Long Shadows Vintners, a Washington winery dedicated to producing world-class wines from Washington State fruit. Recognizing that not every occasion calls for a high-end, prestige bottle, the founders set out to create a line of approachable, everyday wines that could make ordinary moments feel special — using Long Shadows' established winemaking facilities and accumulated expertise as the foundation. The result was a lineup of delicious, thoroughly drinkable wines priced accessibly enough for any day of the week. More than a decade later, Nine Hats has grown a loyal following across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, built as much around its community and tasting room culture as around the wines themselves. The brand's guiding philosophy is that \"the ordinary is worthy of something extraordinary.\"\n\n## Winery Character & Identity\n\nNine Hats occupies a distinctive niche in the Washington wine landscape: premium quality wines made with serious winemaking infrastructure, positioned deliberately as unpretentious and approachable rather than exclusive or collector-oriented. Their tagline — \"delicious, approachable, and unpretentious\" — reflects a genuine brand identity centered on accessibility and everyday enjoyment. The winery leans into lifestyle and community, encouraging customers to share their own \"Nine Hats moments\" and building a social culture around the wine club and tasting room experience. Their price points, ranging from $15 to $25, reinforce this democratizing mission without sacrificing quality.\n\n## Winemaker\n\nThe winemaker listed in association with Nine Hats is **Gilles Nicault**, whose background is rooted in the Long Shadows Vintners operation from which Nine Hats originated. No additional biographical or stylistic detail about Nicault appears in the scraped website text beyond this association.\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nNine Hats sources fruit from multiple well-regarded Washington State vineyard sites across several AVAs, all within the broader Columbia Valley appellation:\n\n- **Bacchus Vineyard** – Sources for both the 2024 Riesling (German clone plantings) and the 2022 Merlot (primary source). AVA not specified on the site.\n- **Rattlesnake Hills AVA** – A cool growing site contributing to the 2024 Riesling, noted for lending classic varietal character.\n- **Gamache Vineyard** – Primary source for the 2024 Chardonnay.\n- **French Creek Vineyard** – Yakima Valley; secondary contributor to the 2024 Chardonnay.\n- **Boushey Vineyard** – Yakima Valley; contributes brightness to the 2021 Syrah blend.\n- **StoneTree Vineyard** – Wahluke Slope AVA; adds structure to the 2021 Syrah blend.\n- **Red Mountain AVA** – Source of Grenache used in the 2021 Syrah for texture and complexity.\n- **Candy Mountain** and **Weinbau** – Secondary contributors to the 2022 Merlot blend.\n\nNo information about owned versus contracted vineyards, specific soil types, elevations, or certified farming practices (organic, biodynamic, sustainable) appears in the scraped content.\n\n## Signature Wines & Tasting Notes\n\nNine Hats produces a range of still wines and at least one sparkling wine, all under the Columbia Valley appellation, priced between $15 and $25:\n\n- **2024 Riesling ($15)** – Sourced from German clone plantings at Bacchus Vineyard and a cool Rattlesnake Hills site. Aromas of tropical pineapple tart, citrus zest, jasmine, ripe pear, and honeydew. Finishes with stony minerality and crisp acidity. Described as \"vibrant, finely tuned, and bursting with energy.\"\n\n- **2024 Chardonnay ($20)** – Sourced primarily from Gamache Vineyard with a touch of French Creek (Yakima Valley). Fermented and aged in concrete and French oak for nine months. Notes of Meyer lemon, pear, apple blossom, white peach, and honeycomb. Described as bright, poised, and fresh with seamless texture-acidity balance.\n\n- **2024 Pinot Gris ($15)** – Referenced by name and price; no tasting notes provided.\n\n- **2025 Julia's Dazzle Rosé ($20)** – Named wine; no tasting notes provided in scraped content.\n\n- **2022 Merlot ($25)** – Primarily from Bacchus Vineyard, with Candy Mountain and Weinbau contributions; Cabernet Franc added for aromatic lift. Aged 18 months in 70% neutral, 30% new oak. Aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, cocoa, dried herbs, and spice. Palate shows ripe plum and chocolate with polished tannins.\n\n- **2021 Syrah ($25)** – Blended from Columbia Valley, Boushey (Yakima), StoneTree (Wahluke Slope), and Red Mountain Grenache. Aged 18 months in 80% neutral, 20% new oak. The 2021 vintage was marked by extreme heat and early harvest, yielding concentrated flavors of sweet spice, black olive tapenade, and blueberry. Richly textured mid-palate with a lengthy finish.\n\n- **2022 Malbec ($25)** – Referenced by name and price; no tasting notes provided.\n\n- **2023 Red Wine ($20)** – Referenced by name and price; no tasting notes provided.\n\n- **Blanc de Blancs Brut ($25)** – Sparkling wine; referenced by name and price only; no tasting notes provided.\n\n## Tasting Rooms\n\nNine Hats operates two tasting room locations: one in the **SODO neighborhood** (Seattle) and one in **Walla Walla**. The SODO location is co-located with or adjacent to **Nine Pies Pizzeria**, which offers a full food menu that can be enjoyed alongside tastings. The tasting room experience at SODO includes tasting flights, glass pours, and bottle sales. Reviewers describe the tasting rooms as beautiful, fun, and staffed by knowledgeable servers. No specific hours are listed in the scraped content.\n\n## Wine Club\n\nNine Hats offers a membership program called the **Nine Hats Social Club**. Benefits include wine delivered to members' doors, discounts on purchases, access to exclusive events, and free tastings. The club is described as having an active community dimension. No specific tier structure, shipment frequency, or allocation details appear in the scraped content.\n\n## Accolades\n\nNo formal press scores, award designations, or publication mentions appear in the scraped content. Customer testimonials from TripAdvisor and direct reviewers consistently praise the wine quality, value, and tasting room experience, highlighting the reds as \"particularly tasty\" and the overall value as \"truly unbeatable for the price.\"","somm_notes":[{"title":"Patti's notes on Nine Hats","content":"The sister winery of Long Shadows, Nine Hats crafts approachable, easy-drinking wines-perfect for enjoying right now. My favorite? Definitely the Malbec."}],"wines":[{"name":"Julia's Dazzle Rosé","vintage":"2025","variety":"Rosé","price":"$20.00"},{"name":"Pinot Gris","vintage":"2024","variety":"Pinot Gris","price":"$15.00"},{"name":"Chardonnay","vintage":"2024","variety":"Chardonnay","price":"$20.00"},{"name":"Riesling","vintage":"2024","variety":"Riesling","price":"$15.00"},{"name":"Red Wine","vintage":"2023","variety":"Red Wine","price":"$20.00"},{"name":"Merlot","vintage":"2022","variety":"Merlot","price":"$25.00"},{"name":"Malbec","vintage":"2022","variety":"Malbec","price":"$25.00"},{"name":"Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$25.00"},{"name":"Blanc de Blancs Brut","vintage":"","variety":"Sparkling Wine","price":"$25.00"}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"google","rating":5.0,"count":6}],"sample_reviews":[],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"Sangiovese","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Merlot","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Malbec","vintage":2021,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Malbec","vintage":2019,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Syrah","vintage":2019,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Chardonnay","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Malbec","vintage":2020,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":2020,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Merlot","vintage":2020,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Sangiovese","vintage":2019,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Merlot","vintage":2019,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Chardonnay","vintage":2024,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Pinot Gris","vintage":2021,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Columbia Valley' Riesling","vintage":2021,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Red","vintage":2016,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (261 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":2015,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (47 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Pinot Gris (Benches Vineyard)","vintage":2018,"score":88,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.8/5 (41 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Riesling","vintage":2017,"score":88,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.8/5 (164 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2014,"score":88,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.8/5 (57 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Red","vintage":2022,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (2,219 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Malbec","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (159 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Merlot","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (159 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Viognier","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (37 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Syrah","vintage":null,"score":88,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.8/5 (359 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Red","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (2,219 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (803 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Riesling","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (650 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Pinot Gris (Benches Vineyard)","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (561 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Chardonnay","vintage":null,"score":87,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.7/5 (105 ratings)"}],"events":[]}