Washington Wine Country

Around Walla Walla in southeastern Washington, the convergence of wheat fields and vineyards illustrates the dramatic changes of the last decade as this agricultural town of 30,000 has transformed itself into an appealing and rewarding wine destination, with more than 100 wineries and a surprising number of excellent restaurants. Wine has become a very big deal in Walla Walla, as in all of Washington state, which in the United States is second only to California in production and the number of wineries. Admittedly, it is a distant second, but Washington produces some excellent wines, and a good number come from this likeable community in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, just across the border from Oregon.