About 12 miles west of Walla Walla on the main highway into town, you’ll find Woodward Canyon Winery. The tasting room is located in an old farm house, which provides an appropriate setting for one of the state’s earliest wineries.

Opening the door to the farmhouse, I was immediately greeted with a friendly welcome by Sarah, the person behind the bar. The tasting room takes up most of the first floor of the house, with plenty of space to walk around and enjoy your wine. This is a shop focused on selling wine, with few, if any, of the traditional gift shop items (e.g., caps, clothing, books, etc) found elsewhere these days.

On this Monday, the winery was pouring complimentary tastes of two (2) white wines and five (5) reds. With each pour, the person shared the name of the wine, the varietals it comprised and where the grapes were sourced. They even had a appellation/vineyard map on the counter so you could locate where each wine’s grapes were grown. Crackers were served along with water, but no other food was offered in the tasting room.

Sarah was very knowledgeable and only had to refer to notes on one occasion. Her energy and enthusiasm really got me excited about their wines and definitely helped make that connection to the winery I was seeking.

As a result of the enthusiasm I showed in return, Sarah offered a special tasting from behind the bar. It was one of Woodward Canyon's estate cabernets, the 2003 Old Vines Cabernet. It is always a treat to be offered something like this, as it provides yet another way to connect the customer to the winery.

I have found on more than one occasion that wineries will offer a special taste to those expressing a genuine interest and appreciation for their wines. Not that you have to be a wine geek to get this special treatment. Rather, the more sincere interest you show, the more times I have been offered these special tastings.

I was impressed that the service provided by Sarah at Woodward Canyon remained consistent from the moment I opened the door through the tasting of wines to the point I expressed a desire to buy a bottle. In some establishments, I have at times felt overlooked and underserved until I signal an interest in buying.

If you're a cabernet, merlot and/or chardonnay fan, then this is a worthwhile stop in the Walla Walla Valley. Regardless of your taste in wine, I would recommend Woodward Canyon for the opportunity to taste wine from one of the valley's earliest and longstanding estate wineries. And if you happen to meet Sarah behind the bar, I would be willing to bet you leave with a deeper connection to the place.

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