{"id":98,"name":"Isenhower Cellars","image_url":"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipOuUgXa2AGvoAgfW4aTDWywlyA-v5d6jcqSQOIP=w408-h306-k-no","district":"South","hours":"Tues - Sun 11am - 4pm","hours_type":"limited","dog_friendly":true,"red_wine":true,"white_wine":true,"bubbles":true,"brewery":false,"woman_owned":true,"year_established":1999,"winemaker":"Brett and Denise Isenhower","website":"http://www.isenhowercellars.com/","phone":"+1 509-526-7896","address":"3471 Pranger Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362, United States","description":"Denise and Brett Isenhower’s family winery, founded in 1999, lives by “Lightness of Touch, Depth of Character,” crafting lively whites, rosés and reds from single vineyards","lat":46.022924,"lng":-118.3600492,"appt_url":"https://reservations.orderport.net/#/login?reason=eyJjaWQiOjg4ODgyMDY4LCJob3N0bmFtZSI6ImlzZW5ob3dlcmNlbGxhcnMub3JkZXJwb3J0Lm5ldCIsInR5cGUiOiJyZXNlcnZhdGlvbnMifQ==","walk_in":false,"tasting_fee":"$20 per person waived with wine purchase.","explorer_tags":["scenic"],"profile":"## Isenhower Cellars — Knowledge Profile\n\n### Founding Story\n\nIsenhower Cellars was founded in 1999 by Brett and Denise Isenhower, a husband-and-wife team who transitioned out of careers in pharmacy and business to pursue winemaking as a lifelong passion. The couple relocated to Walla Walla, Washington in 1998, drawn by the region's small-town character and its open, collaborative wine culture — an environment where small producers could innovate and thrive. From the outset, the winery was built on a foundation of family ownership, disciplined craft, and thoughtful grape sourcing. Isenhower Cellars remains 100% husband-and-wife owned and operated, producing approximately 2,200 cases annually.\n\n### Winemaker\n\nBrett Isenhower serves as winemaker. A native of rural Lebanon, Indiana, he earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Purdue University in 1992 before completing an MBA at the University of Colorado in 1997. After seven years in the healthcare industry, Brett pivoted to winemaking, building his expertise through rigorous study and hands-on practice. His winemaking philosophy is rooted in minimalism and restraint — he intervenes lightly, favoring gentle extraction, precise fermentation temperature management, and careful monitoring at every stage to preserve freshness, tension, fruit, and nuance. Red wine fermentations are conducted between 75° and 84°F to manage extraction and enhance aromas, while white wines are fermented in barrel with appropriate stirring to harmonize mouthfeel and elevate aromatics. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness to preserve natural acidity and tannin structure. Brett's singular focus is on crafting wines that express place, purity, and balance — wines he describes as age-worthy, fresh, and interesting, capable of rewarding both immediate enjoyment and 10-plus years of cellaring.\n\nDenise Isenhower serves as General Manager. Raised in a farming family in rural Fairland, Indiana, she earned her Bachelor of Pharmacy from Butler University in 1993. She applies her pharmacy background and business leadership experience to oversee accounting, staffing, compliance, and customer service, ensuring smooth winery operations and a welcoming guest experience.\n\n### Vineyard Sources\n\nIsenhower Cellars works under long-term contracts with a focused group of vineyard partners across Washington and Oregon, selected for site character, farming discipline, and consistency. The majority of wines are single-vineyard expressions.\n\n- **Wallula Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills AVA):** A high-elevation, wind-influenced site sourced for Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The site is noted for delivering natural acidity, firm tannins, and aromatic lift.\n- **Francisca's Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley AVA):** A thoughtfully farmed site producing Syrah and Viognier characterized by freshness, texture, and balance.\n- **Le Cadeau Vineyard (Chehalem Mountains AVA, Oregon):** A high-elevation Oregon vineyard sourced for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, known for tension, minerality, and refined elegance.\n- **Dionysus Vineyard (White Bluffs):** A warm hillside site producing structured Petit Verdot.\n\nAll grapes are sourced through acre contracts, a deliberate approach that prioritizes quality and attention to detail over volume.\n\n### Signature Wines and Winery Character\n\nIsenhower Cellars specializes in a range of both red and white varieties drawn from distinctive single-vineyard sites. Their portfolio includes Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Pinot Noir. The winery's signature identity is built around single-vineyard focus — each bottle is intended to express a unique sense of place rather than a blended house style. The hallmark of all Isenhower wines is described as a lightness of touch combined with depth of character.\n\n### Tasting Notes and Style Language\n\nIsenhower uses consistent language across their portfolio to describe the character of their wines: freshness, tension, balance, purity, and nuance. Wines from Wallula Vineyard are noted for natural acidity, firm tannins, and aromatic lift. Le Cadeau expressions are described as having tension, minerality, and refined elegance. Francisca's Vineyard wines are characterized by freshness, texture, and balance. Dionysus Vineyard Petit Verdot is described as structured. All wines are positioned as age-worthy, with the winery suggesting a potential for 10-plus years of bottle aging.\n\n### Winery Character and Differentiation\n\nWhat sets Isenhower Cellars apart in the Walla Walla Valley is their combination of small-lot production, single-vineyard sourcing, minimalist winemaking, and genuine family ownership. The winery produces strictly limited quantities — approximately 2,200 cases per year — and sources grapes exclusively through acre contracts to maintain quality control. Brett's background outside the traditional wine industry, paired with a disciplined, pharmaceutical-influenced attention to process and detail, shapes a winemaking approach that is precise and thoughtful rather than interventionist. The winery has limited distribution across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Illinois, with the core portfolio available directly at the Walla Walla winery.","somm_notes":[{"title":"Patti's notes on Isenhower","content":"Since 2002, Isenhower has been crafting bright, fresh wines. I'm especially fond of their Petit Verdot and Grenache-perfect with a seat outside and those beautiful Blue Mountain views."}],"wines":[{"name":"Walla Walla Valley Viognier","vintage":"2024","variety":"Viognier","price":""},{"name":"Le Cadeau Vineyard Chardonnay","vintage":"2024","variety":"Chardonnay","price":""},{"name":"Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Roussanne","vintage":"2023","variety":"Sparkling Wine","price":""},{"name":"Rara Avis Grenache","vintage":"2023","variety":"Grenache","price":""},{"name":"Road Less Traveled Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2023","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":""},{"name":"Jongleur Petit Verdot","vintage":"2023","variety":"Petit Verdot","price":""},{"name":"La Serre GSM","vintage":"2023","variety":"Red Blend","price":""},{"name":"Le Cadeau Vineyard Pinot Noir","vintage":"2022","variety":"Pinot Noir","price":""},{"name":"Rouleur Syrah","vintage":"2022","variety":"Syrah","price":""},{"name":"Batchelor's Button Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":""},{"name":"Wild Thyme Red Blend","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":""},{"name":"Road Less Traveled Cabernet Franc","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Franc","price":""},{"name":"Wallula Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2022","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":""},{"name":"FOI No. 16 Super Fuga","vintage":"2022","variety":"Red Blend","price":""},{"name":"À Bloc Malbec","vintage":"2022","variety":"Malbec","price":""},{"name":"À Bloc Malbec","vintage":"2021","variety":"Malbec","price":""},{"name":"Batchelor's Button Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":"2021","variety":"Cabernet Sauvignon","price":""},{"name":"Children's Reserve Cuvée","vintage":"2021","variety":"Red Blend","price":""}],"patti":null,"visitor_ratings":[{"source":"google","rating":5.0,"count":60},{"source":"tripadvisor","rating":4.9,"count":20},{"source":"yelp","rating":4.4,"count":13}],"sample_reviews":[{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Ryan H.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"Every wine (esp reds) had great complexity and evolution, showcasing their varietals and vineyards well.","date":null},{"source":"yelp","reviewer":"Madison P.","rating":null,"rating_max":5.0,"text":"The owners, Brett and Denise, are fabulous and you can certainly tell they love what they do.","date":null}],"critic_scores":[{"wine_name":"'Wallula Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2022,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Road Less Traveled' Cabernet Franc","vintage":2022,"score":93,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Le Cadeau Vineyard' Chardonnay","vintage":2024,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Francisca'S Vineyard' Viognier","vintage":2024,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Rara Avis' Grenache","vintage":2023,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Bachelor'S Button' Cabernet Sauvignon","vintage":2022,"score":92,"source":"Owen Bargreen","critic":"Owen Bargreen","tasting_note":null},{"wine_name":"'Fo! 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