{"id":66,"name":"Echolands Winery","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipM0t3dhh-bAuHQImDp8uNFQ6iX3s6IIEsoxsEQ8=w408-h271-k-no","district":"East","hours":"Sun - Thur : 11AM- 5PM Last Seating 45 mins before closing\nTUES: CLOSED\nFRI: 11AM- 8PM \nSAT: 10AM- 8PM","hours_type":"limited","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":true,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2018,"winemaker":"Brian Rudin","website":"https://echolandswinery.com/","phone":"+1 509-676-2109","address":"3281 Mill Creek Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Echolands crafts balanced, elegant wines from Walla Walla fruit; their Blue Mountain Cabernet Franc earned platinum at Decanter, and each bottle is meant to be ‘elegant and a little nervy","lat":46.0890316,"lng":-118.1958763,"appt_url":"https://www.echolandswinery.com/visit","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$25 per person waived with 2 bottle purchase","explorer_tags":["scenic","full day","lighter reds","occasions","experi"],"profile":"# Echolands Winery — Knowledge Profile\n\n## Founding Story\n\nEcholands Winery was established in 2018 by two Kansas City residents, Brad Bergman (Owner & Chairman) and Doug Frost MS, MW (Owner & CEO), who shared a belief in the Walla Walla Valley AVA's capacity to produce a distinctive, terroir-driven style of wine. The winery's name and philosophy are rooted in the idea that wine should \"echo the land where it is grown\" — that winemaking is, at its core, a subtle shaping of what the vineyard and vintage have already provided, rather than a fabrication of qualities not present in the grapes.\n\nThe founding vision traces back decades. Doug Frost first visited Walla Walla in 1986, calling on Woodward Canyon and Leonetti as a Missouri wine wholesaler, eventually representing more than two dozen Pacific Northwest wineries. In 2017, Frost and Bergman were invited by Norm McKibben to select land within Walla Walla's SeVein Vineyard Project, which became the foundation for Taggart Vineyard. The winery made its first wines at Artifex (the former Cadaretta Winery facility) in 2018. In 2019, Echolands purchased 341 acres on Mill Creek Road, and by 2024 the purpose-built estate winery, tasting room, and case storage warehouse had opened to the public — with the first harvest completed in the new facility that fall.\n\n## Winemaker\n\nBrian Rudin serves as Winemaker and General Manager of Echolands Winery, a role he assumed in 2023. Rudin grew up in Wenatchee, Washington, and graduated from Western Washington University in 2001 before moving to Walla Walla in 2006 to pursue winemaking. He built his career progressively through significant regional roles: production manager at Alder Ridge Vineyard and Zefina Winery (2008), winemaker at Cadaretta Winery (2010), and then a high-profile assignment launching Duckhorn Wine Company's Red Mountain label, Canvasback, in 2016. He joined Echolands in 2023 and helped oversee the completion of the new estate winery facility. Rudin's winemaking philosophy aligns closely with the Echolands ethos: a minimalist, hands-on approach that prioritizes transparency and terroir expression over heavy intervention. He uses both native and cultured yeasts, makes only minor acid adjustments when necessary, and targets the lowest effective levels of sulfur dioxide for bottle aging.\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nEcholands sources fruit from several key vineyards within the Walla Walla Valley AVA. In their founding year (2018), they harvested from **Les Collines Vineyard** and **Seven Hills Vineyard**, both established Walla Walla sources. **Taggart Vineyard**, selected from within the SeVein Vineyard Project, was prepared for planting in 2018 and planted in 2019 with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon. Additional varieties — Assyrtiko, Grenache, and Petit Verdot — were planted at Taggart in 2021. Echolands also owns a 341-acre estate on Mill Creek Road, situated where the Palouse meets the Blue Mountain foothills. The estate vineyard is **certified organic**, and the team practices **regenerative organic viticulture** across its estate holdings. All estate vineyards, and nearly all purchased fruit, are farmed to rigorous sustainable standards. As of 2025, the Mill Creek estate is being planted with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Merlot, and Vermentino.\n\n## Signature Wines\n\nEcholands specializes in Walla Walla Valley varieties with a notable emphasis on Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and white Bordeaux-style blends. One named white wine, **Albus**, was first produced from the 2022 harvest of Taggart Vineyard, blending Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Their **Cabernet Franc** has emerged as a flagship, receiving significant national recognition. **Les Collines Syrah** was among their earliest celebrated bottlings.\n\n## Tasting Notes\n\nEcholands describes its stylistic target as wines that are **\"elegant and a little nervy\"** — a phrase that suggests tension, freshness, and precision rather than weight or opulence. The broader house style emphasizes **balance and elegance**, with a philosophy that authentic wines should reflect their place of origin rather than winemaking manipulation.\n\n## Tasting Room\n\nEcholands originally opened a tasting room in downtown Walla Walla at 7 West Alder Street in 2021. In 2024, the winery transitioned to its new purpose-built estate facility on Mill Creek Road, located at the geographic junction where the Palouse meets the Blue Mountain foothills. The estate facility includes the winery, tasting room, and case storage warehouse.\n\n## Accolades\n\nEcholands has accumulated notable recognition in a short time. Their **2018 Les Collines Syrah received 97 points** from *Tasting Panel Magazine*. In 2025, *Forbes Magazine* identified Echolands **Cabernet Franc** as one of \"six wines that *Decanter* [Wine Magazine] judged the best in America.\" That same year, Echolands was awarded a **2025 *Sunset Travel Magazine* distinction** as the best of the year in the \"Top Tastings\" category.\n\n## Winery Character\n\nWhat distinguishes Echolands in the Walla Walla wine landscape is the combination of deep industry expertise at the ownership level — Doug Frost holds both the **Master Sommelier** and **Master of Wine** designations, among the most rigorous credentials in the wine world — and a genuine commitment to minimal-intervention, terroir-transparent winemaking. The winery's guiding conviction that \"winemaking can't be anything more than a subtle shaping\" of what the land provides permeates every production decision, from certified organic estate farming and regenerative viticulture to the avoidance of animal-derived fining agents and the restrained use of additives. Ninety-nine percent of Echolands wines are vegan and gluten-free. The winery is still in an active growth phase, with ongoing estate plantings and its first estate harvest completed in 2024, suggesting its most expressive terroir-driven wines are still emerging.","somm_notes":[{"title":"Patti's notes on Echolands","content":"One of the most stunning views in the valley-seriously, don't miss this spot. The wines are super fresh and easy to love. Be sure to try the Carbonic Cinsault... it's absolutely delicious!"}],"wines":[{"name":"Albus","vintage":"2025","variety":"White Blend","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"Grenache Rosé Blue Mountain Vineyard","vintage":"2025","variety":"Grenache Rosé","price":"$28.00"},{"name":"Cinsault Walla Walla Valley","vintage":"2025","variety":"Cinsault","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Grenache Rosé","vintage":"2025","variety":"Grenache","price":"$28.00"},{"name":"Cinsault","vintage":"2025","variety":"Cinsault","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Poet Nat Sparking Cab Franc Yellowhawk Vineyard","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cab Franc","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Sauvignon Blanc Taggart Estate Vineyard","vintage":"2024","variety":"Sauvignon Blanc","price":"$48.00"},{"name":"Rose of Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cabernet Franc Rosé","price":"$32.00"},{"name":"Cinsault Mckinley Springs","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cinsault","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Cinsault Semi Carbonic","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cinsault","price":"$44.00"},{"name":"Grenache Walla Walla Valley","vintage":"2024","variety":"Grenache","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"Poet Nat Sparkling","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Sauvignon Blanc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Sauvignon Blanc","price":"$48.00"},{"name":"Rosé of Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$32.00"},{"name":"Cinsault","vintage":"2024","variety":"Cinsault","price":"$38.00"},{"name":"Grenache","vintage":"2024","variety":"Grenache","price":"$40.00"},{"name":"Cabernet Franc Walla Walla Valley","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Syrah Resurgent Vineyard","vintage":"2023","variety":"Syrah","price":"$58.00"},{"name":"Rocksy Music Grenache","vintage":"2023","variety":"Grenache","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Merlot Seven Hills Vineyard","vintage":"2023","variety":"Merlot","price":"$62.00"},{"name":"Cabernet Franc BLUE MOUNTAIN Vineyard","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$62.00"},{"name":"Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":"$62"},{"name":"Resound Red Blend","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$42.00"},{"name":"Syrah Les Collines Vineyard","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$45.00"},{"name":"Cabernet Sauvignon Seven Hills Vineyard Block 3","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":"$90.00"},{"name":"Syrah Les Collines Vineyard Block 50","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":"$65.00"},{"name":"Rubrum","vintage":"2021","variety":"Red Blend","price":"$42.00"},{"name":"Syrah Les Collines Vineyard","vintage":"2021","variety":"Syrah","price":"$42.00"}],"patti":{"one_stop":true,"wines":[]},"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"yelp","rating":4.7,"count":14},{"source":"google","rating":4.7,"count":97},{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":4.2,"count":5}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Carrie H.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The first was called the Cinsault McKinnley, Grenache, and Syrah; of his three, the Grenache was our favorite.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Gina B.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"Straight ahead at the end of the \"tunnel,\" a natural soft light gleamed through floor to ceiling windows.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"'Resurgent Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2023,"score":95,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Les Collines Vineyard' Syrah","vintage":2022,"score":94,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Grenache","vintage":2024,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Blue Mountain Vineyard' Cabernet Franc","vintage":2023,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Walla Walla Valley' Cabernet Franc","vintage":2023,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Seven Hills Vineyard' Merlot","vintage":2022,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Les Collines Vineyard Block 50' Syrah","vintage":2022,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Frenchman Hills Vineyard' Riesling","vintage":2024,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Albus' White Wine","vintage":2024,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Semi","vintage":2024,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Mckinley Springs Vineyard' Cinsault","vintage":2024,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Seven Hills Vineyard Block 03' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2023,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Resound' Red Wine","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Seven Hills Vineyard Block 03' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"Rose Of Grenache","vintage":2024,"score":91,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null}],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Rubrum","vintage":2019,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (45 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Rivière Galets Vineyard Grenache","vintage":null,"score":92,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.2/5 (51 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Les Collines Vineyard Syrah","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (239 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Rubrum","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (114 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Seven Hills Vineyard Red","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (83 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Albus Taggart Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc - Semillon","vintage":null,"score":91,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.1/5 (34 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Blue Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Franc","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (38 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Franc","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (27 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Poét-Nat Sparkling Cabernet Franc","vintage":null,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (43 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Blue Mountain Vineyard Grenache Rosé","vintage":null,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (32 ratings)"}],"events":[{"title":"SEAHAWKS WATCH PARTY","start_date":"2026-11-02","start_time":"17:00","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/seahawks-watch-party-wg457-b3eat","is_members_only":false},{"title":"GARY & ERIKA WINSTON: FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":"17:00","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/live-music-series-9m6p6-baffr-2y2ap-wjm3b-etl2p-5et3y-flapk-333f7-r6pjc-nhz76-gw2pc-6z9hy-xk74e-lft8x-z42hd-glw52-manne-6ftf9-madbk-pjr6j-wle9j-365as-j93j5-mz7rp-f8j57","is_members_only":false},{"title":"PUMPKIN LAUNCH 2026","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":"11:30","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/pumpkinlaunch-fhf3w","is_members_only":false},{"title":"Gary & Erika Winston: Friday Night Live","start_date":"2026-11-06","start_time":null,"url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events","is_members_only":false},{"title":"WINE & CHEESE PAIRING","start_date":"2026-11-08","start_time":"14:00","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/wreath-making-workshop-c344k-9btbs-ccfjw-phhem","is_members_only":false},{"title":"WALLFLOWER WINE HOUR","start_date":"2026-11-11","start_time":"14:00","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/introveritas-j4pra-wf39l-ecdtx-lkknj","is_members_only":false},{"title":"MOVIE NIGHT","start_date":"2026-11-11","start_time":"19:00","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/movienights-nlbcw","is_members_only":false},{"title":"THE DIRECTORS JAZZ QUARTET: FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE","start_date":"2026-11-13","start_time":"17:00","url":"https://echolandswinery.com/events/live-music-series-9m6p6-baffr-2y2ap-wjm3b-etl2p-5et3y-flapk-333f7-r6pjc-nhz76-gw2pc-6z9hy-xk74e-lft8x-z42hd-glw52-manne-6ftf9-madbk-pjr6j-wle9j-365as-j93j5-mz7rp-f8j57-xyt3h","is_members_only":false}]}