{"id":8,"name":"Eleganté Cellars","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/AC9h4nref_P2vPbo7vJ9EDQHufcaSfMJsmgf1m55Ly4vVfhFAuMOQcaKRUYxDb4r5QMzusQjzeZ3gK68J64UJmo4IHo7tutR19UDDUjENJXc717YB2DDOnHaKsUAQexL9zu9eaqlsxBZ=w408-h544-k-no","district":"Airport","hours":"Daily 10:00am to 4:30pm","hours_type":"open-daily","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":false,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":false,"year_established":2007,"winemaker":"Doug Simmons","website":"http://elegantecellars.com/","phone":"+1 509-525-9129","address":"839 C St, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Winemaker Doug Simmons greets guests personally at this boutique, where tiny lots of 100 % varietal reds deliver smooth, rich elegance","lat":46.0927706,"lng":-118.2715158,"appt_url":null,"walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$20 per person waived with purchase","explorer_tags":[],"profile":"# Eleganté Cellars — Sommelier Knowledge Profile\n\n## Vineyard Sources\n\nEleganté Cellars draws fruit from two distinct vineyard sources, each contributing to a different portion of the winery's portfolio. Merlot and Sangiovese are sourced from **Seven Hills Vineyard**, which the winery describes as \"rumored to be one of the top ten vineyards in the world, not just in the nation\" — a nod to the site's considerable prestige within Washington wine circles. For their Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, and Tempranillo, the winery relies on **Les Collines Vineyard**, situated in the foothills of the Blue Mountains just south of the city of Walla Walla. Grapes from Les Collines are hand-picked, indicating a commitment to careful, selective harvesting. Both vineyards fall within the Walla Walla Valley AVA, a region that earned recognition as **America's Best Wine Region** in the 2020 USA Today Reader's Choice Awards.\n\n## Signature Wines & Style\n\nEleganté Cellars specializes in bold red varieties, with a portfolio that includes **Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, and Tempranillo**. The range reflects both the Italian-inflected (Sangiovese, Tempranillo) and classic Bordeaux and Rhône traditions that Walla Walla winemakers frequently explore.\n\n## Tasting Notes & Winemaking Philosophy\n\nThe winery's house style is notably defined by **lower alcohol levels and slightly elevated acidity**, a profile that sets Eleganté Cellars apart from many of the richer, higher-alcohol expressions common in the region. The wines are described as possessing \"great fruit characteristics that tend to linger and linger,\" suggesting a focus on persistence and brightness on the palate rather than sheer weight or extraction. This balance makes the wines versatile: the winery notes they \"complement fine foods but also can have a quiet, savory visit with you by themselves\" — language that emphasizes both food-pairing ability and standalone drinkability. The winery positions its wines confidently as \"World Class.\"\n\n## Winemaker\n\nThe winemaker at Eleganté Cellars is **Doug Simmons**. Beyond his role in the cellar, Simmons is characteristically present in the tasting room, where visitors are likely to encounter him directly. The winery notes that he is \"usually running the tasting room,\" reflecting a hands-on, owner-operator approach to hospitality. No additional background, formal training history, or prior career details are provided in the available text.\n\n## Wine Club / Purchasing Program\n\nEleganté Cellars offers a **free membership** program for customers wishing to receive wines by mail shipment. Shipments go out three times per year — in **February, June, and October** — weather permitting. Members may choose from three order sizes:\n\n- **2-bottle order** — $109 (includes handling, shipping, and taxes)\n- **6-bottle order** — $260 (includes handling, shipping, and taxes)\n- **12-bottle order** — $460 (includes handling, shipping, and taxes)\n\nEnrollment is handled directly by phone, and the winery takes a notably privacy-conscious approach to payment security: credit card information is stored manually in paper files and is never entered into the winery's computer systems.\n\n## Tasting Room\n\nThe Eleganté Cellars tasting room is located in the **Walla Walla Regional Airport area**. It is open **daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.**, with the exception of a lunch break on weekdays; appointments outside those windows are also available. Visitors who wish to meet the winemaker and take a tour of the production facility are encouraged to schedule in advance. Given that Doug Simmons typically staffs the tasting room himself, the experience offers an unusually direct and personal connection to the winemaker behind the wines.\n\n## Winery Character\n\nEleganté Cellars occupies a distinct niche in the Walla Walla wine landscape through its combination of prestigious vineyard sourcing, a restrained and food-friendly style, and an intimate, winemaker-led hospitality model. The winery's emphasis on lower alcohol and higher acidity signals a deliberate stylistic choice aimed at elegance and longevity over extracted power — a philosophy well reflected in the winery's name. The operation is clearly boutique in scale, with a personal, direct-to-consumer approach that prioritizes individual relationships with customers over large-scale production or distribution.","somm_notes":[],"wines":[],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"yelp","rating":4.8,"count":18}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Angela Y.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"If you are in the search for 100% varietal, well aged, wines visit Elegante Cellars in the airport district!","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Allison C.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"Instead of the big, bold reds our region is known for, Doug really specializes in delicate and soft wines.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[],"community_scores":[{"wine_name":"Merlot","vintage":null,"score":93,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.3/5 (41 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":null,"score":90,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 4.0/5 (35 ratings)"},{"wine_name":"Sangiovese","vintage":null,"score":89,"source":"Vivino","critic":null,"tasting_note":"Vivino community: 3.9/5 (35 ratings)"}],"events":[]}