Walla Walla Wineries : Otis Kenyon
Tucked next to popular restaurant Olive Marketplace & Café, this hallway-esk tasting room may not look like much to the passing eye, but the business is ripe with a sensational family history and pleasant Walla Walla grown wines. Their label bears the silhouette of James Otis Kenyon, a one-time struggling dentist in Milton-Freewater who burnt down his competitor’s office in the late 1900s, landing himself in jail and ostracized from his wife and two children, a longtime stranger to grandson and winery owner Stephen Otis Kenyon. In a tribute to his eccentric relative, who was eventually joyously reunited with the family, and in an effort to reconnect with the Valley itself, Stephen and his wife Deborah opened the Otis Kenyon winery in 2004 to make quality, affordable wines through sustainable viticultural practices. Though all the wines are good, try the 2008 Syrah for a unique taste experience: a mix of dry farmed and irrigated grapes that make for an earthy, almost Old World tasting red.
Address: 25 E. Main St.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone#: (509) 525-3505
Website: www.otiskenyonwine.com
Tasting Fee: Free
Hours: Thursday-Monday, 11am-5pm
Varietals Available: Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, Syrah, Carmenere,
Malbec, Red blends
Best Feature: Approachable wines,
spiced with the telling of a
vibrant family history
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