{"id":59,"name":"Time & Direction","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipNTY3o1vXZdpSgcdPzDK4BSSQwD_-LuJpqrHMoF=w408-h612-k-no","district":"Downtown","hours":"Sunday–Thursday: 1:00PM-6:00PM\nFriday & Saturday: 12:00PM-7:00PM","hours_type":"limited","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2016,"winemaker":"Steve Wells","website":"http://www.timeanddirectionwines.com/","phone":"+1 509-524-8200","address":"4 N Spokane St, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Steve Wells left New York, guided by clock and compass tattoos marking his daughter’s birth; Time & Direction wines chart his journey—every sip a lesson in timing and purpose","lat":46.0692111,"lng":-118.3367954,"appt_url":"https://www.timeanddirectionwines.com/reservation/","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$15 per person. Waived with bottle purchase per person.","explorer_tags":["relaxed"],"profile":"# Time & Direction Wines — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nTime & Direction was established in the spring of 2016 by Steve Wells, with the first vintage produced in fall of that same year. The winery's origins trace back to a remarkable cross-country leap of faith: in the spring of 2011, Wells relocated from New York City to Walla Walla, Washington, with his wife and three young children, arriving without a job or a place to live, driven entirely by a passion for wine and winemaking. His defining moment of inspiration had come in 2008, during the Washington Wine Commission's Road Trip Washington Wine tour, when he found himself tasting Grenache Blanc grapes in the middle of Boushey Vineyards and drinking a glass of McCrea Sirocco Blanc at sunset — an experience he describes as giving him \"the winemaking bug.\" After years of building his craft in Walla Walla, Wells was offered an employee benefit program through M&L Production that allowed employees with two or more years of service to produce their own wines at the facility. Having just reached his two-year anniversary, Wells seized the opportunity, sourced fruit and barrels, and launched Time & Direction.\n\nThe winery's name and logo carry deep personal significance. Wells's forearm tattoos — a clock and a compass, both of his own design — gave him the idea. The clock face points to 1:02, the birth time of his daughter, and bears her initials and birthdate. The compass represents his family, with the cardinal points displaying family initials and astrological symbols rather than geographic directions. Together, these two symbols yielded the name Time & Direction, reflecting Wells's philosophy that all any journey requires is time and a direction. A brief timeline of milestones: 2016 (founding and first vintage), 2017 (addition of white and rosé wines), 2018 (first pop-up tasting at Building 270 in the airport district), 2019 (permanent tasting room opened), and 2023 (still going strong).\n\n## Winemaker\n\nSteve Wells, who carries the self-assigned title \"Director of Awesome,\" is the sole winemaker and founder of Time & Direction. He grew up in Wisconsin and began his wine education while waiting tables at his first restaurant job in New York City, where he was initially intimidated by wine tasting but gradually developed his palate and passion for wine. He went on to join the Court of Master Sommeliers, earning both his Introductory and Certified Sommelier credentials. His New York restaurant career included roles as sommelier and beverage director at Blue Water Grill and Blue Fin (part of the B.R. Guest Hospitality Group), general manager of the Mermaid Oyster Bar, and sommelier for the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District.\n\nUpon arriving in Walla Walla, Wells was mentored by a Master Sommelier and began working in the tasting room and cellar at Gramercy Cellars, where he also managed their wine club. After two and a half years at Gramercy, he enrolled in the Enology and Viticulture program at Walla Walla Community College and simultaneously joined M&L Production as a production assistant under winemaker Aryn Morell. At M&L, Wells gained hands-on experience producing over 60 different wines for six different clients, combining rigorous academic training with deep practical exposure.\n\nWells's winemaking philosophy centers on minimal intervention and vintage expression. He describes his approach as letting \"mother nature do her thing,\" crafting wines that showcase the character of the vintage and convey a sense of place. He deliberately focuses on food-friendly wines and brings his restaurant background — including a strong emphasis on food and wine pairing — into both his winemaking and his tasting room experience. His personality is woven into every label, each one referencing something personally meaningful from his lifetime.\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nTime & Direction sources fruit from six named vineyards across two AVAs — Walla Walla Valley and Royal Slope — selecting sites based on their ability to grow with the winemaker over time and their reputation for producing world-class fruit.\n\n**Corfu Crossing** (Royal Slope AVA) features vines planted in 2003, growing Viognier used for the \"Fretboard\" wine. The site offers high elevation, silty loam soils, and a south-facing slope.\n\n**Eritage** (Walla Walla Valley AVA) was planted in 2014 and supplies Syrah for the \"","somm_notes":[],"wines":[{"name":"Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2025","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$29"},{"name":"Fretboard Viognier","vintage":"2025","variety":"Viognier","price":"$37"},{"name":"1.21 Gigawatts","vintage":"2024","variety":"White Rhone Blend","price":"$33"},{"name":"1.21 Gigawatts White Rhone Blend","vintage":"2024","variety":"White Rhone Blend","price":"$33.00"},{"name":"Ceci N'est Pas Un Vin Rouge Grenache","vintage":"2023","variety":"Grenache","price":"$55"},{"name":"1.21 Gigawatts","vintage":"2023","variety":"White Rhone Blend","price":"$48"},{"name":"Fretboard Viognier","vintage":"2023","variety":"Viognier","price":"$65"},{"name":"Space Pants Mourvèdre","vintage":"2023","variety":"Mourvèdre","price":"$47"},{"name":"Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2023","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$57"},{"name":"Ceci N'est Pas Un Vin Rouge","vintage":"2023","variety":"Grenache","price":"$55.00"},{"name":"Diamond Cutter Red Wine","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$40"},{"name":"The Enchanter Syrah","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$47"},{"name":"Old School Syrah","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$47"},{"name":"1.21 Gigawatts","vintage":"2022","variety":"White Rhone Blend","price":"$75"},{"name":"Diamond Cutter","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$40"},{"name":"Fretboard Viognier","vintage":"2022","variety":"Viognier","price":"$75"},{"name":"Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2022","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$70"},{"name":"The Enchanter","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$47.00"},{"name":"01110011 01111001 01110010 01100001 01101000 Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$47"},{"name":"1.21 Gigawatts","vintage":"2021","variety":"White Rhone Blend","price":"$90"},{"name":"Fretboard Viognier","vintage":"2021","variety":"Viognier","price":"$95"},{"name":"Old School Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$107"},{"name":"Space Pants Mourvèdre","vintage":"2021","variety":"Mourvèdre","price":"$107"},{"name":"Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2021","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$84"},{"name":"01110011 01111001 01110010 01100001 01101000","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$47.00"},{"name":"Syrah","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$47.00"},{"name":"01110011 01111001 01110010 01100001 01101000 Syrah","vintage":"2020","variety":"Syrah","price":"$115"},{"name":"Diamond Cutter","vintage":"2020","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$110"},{"name":"Fretboard Viognier","vintage":"2020","variety":"Viognier","price":"$103"},{"name":"Old School Syrah","vintage":"2020","variety":"Syrah","price":"$120"},{"name":"P&S Reserve Syrah","vintage":"2020","variety":"Syrah","price":"$140"},{"name":"Space Pants Mourvèdre","vintage":"2020","variety":"Mourvèdre","price":"$122"},{"name":"Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2020","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$97"},{"name":"01110011 01111001 01110010 01100001 01101000 Syrah","vintage":"2019","variety":"Syrah","price":"$130"},{"name":"Diamond Cutter","vintage":"2019","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$120"},{"name":"Fretboard Viognier","vintage":"2019","variety":"Viognier","price":"$115"},{"name":"Old School Syrah","vintage":"2019","variety":"Syrah","price":"$130"},{"name":"SOL Reserve Syrah","vintage":"2019","variety":"Syrah","price":"$155"},{"name":"Space Pants Mourvèdre","vintage":"2019","variety":"Mourvèdre","price":"$135"},{"name":"Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2019","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$112"}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":5.0,"count":2},{"source":"google","rating":5.0,"count":45},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.9,"count":14}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Nicole H.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"My husband and I met Steve a few years back when he was working in the tasting room at another winery in town.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Eva V.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"It was great hearing the story behind each label as we sampled some delicious wines.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"'Old School' Syrah","vintage":2018,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Wellspring Reserve' Syrah","vintage":2018,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Bruce'S Island Reserve' Syrah","vintage":2017,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Sol' Syrah","vintage":2023,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Tri Force' Syrah","vintage":2023,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Old School' Syrah","vintage":2021,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Sol' Syrah","vintage":2019,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Old School' Syrah","vintage":2019,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Diamond Cutter' Syrah","vintage":2018,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Fretboard' White Wine","vintage":2017,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Old School' Syrah","vintage":2017,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Old School' Syrah","vintage":2016,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Fretboard' Viognier","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Thunderstone Vineyard' Rose","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'121 Gigawatts' White Wine","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Corfu Crossing Vineyard Fretboard Viognier","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (31 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Space Pants Mourvèdre","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (28 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Solaksen Vineyard Syrah","vintage":null,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (59 ratings)"}],"events":[]}