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Walla Walla 101

5 out of 5 starsTrusted by 20,000+ students

Discover Walla Walla wines

From The Rocks District Syrah to mountain-grown Cab, the AVAs, soils, and continental climate that make Walla Walla one of the most distinctive red-wine regions in the US.

  • 6 chapters
  • 6 videos
  • 2h
  • certificate
$99.99
lifetime access · usd

30-day money-back guarantee

Walla Walla 101 course mark

Introduction

The beginner's guide to Walla Walla

Missoula Flood soils, a continental climate, and a valley straddling two states. Walla Walla makes some of the most distinctive Syrah and Cabernet in North America. We'll get you fluent in the AVAs, the producers, and what to actually drink.

Curriculum

What you'll learn

  1. Chapter 1

    What makes Walla Walla unique

    Missoula Flood soils, continental climate, and the geological history that shapes the valley.

  2. Chapter 2

    The sub-AVAs

    From The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater to Mill Creek and the broader valley appellations.

  3. Chapter 3

    Cabernet, Syrah, and beyond

    The reds that anchor Walla Walla and the supporting whites that round out the picture.

  4. Chapter 4

    Tasting like a pro

    How to spot a Rocks District Syrah on the nose, read Walla Walla Cab structure, and tell which bottles will reward the cellar.

  5. Chapter 5

    Buying Walla Walla

    How to read a Washington wine label, find the right AVA for the style you want, and spot value across the region's price ladder.

  6. Chapter 6

    Beyond the reds

    Chardonnay, Riesling, and the white wines worth seeking out from this red-dominant region.

Inside the course

More than the Syrah headline

The basics

What makes Walla Walla unique

Walla Walla sits on soils laid down by the Missoula Floods, one of the most distinctive geological foundations of any wine region. We'll unpack what those soils mean for the wines, why The Rocks District tastes like nowhere else, and how the valley straddles Oregon and Washington across appellations.

Goals

Taste like a pro, with a pro

Identify quality and age-worthiness in Walla Walla Syrah and Cab. Learn the different sub-regions of Walla Walla and what to look for. Associate wine flavors with variety, winemaking method, and regional terroir.

Companion

Walla Walla Wine Region Guide

Walla Walla 101 pairs with the Walla Walla Wine Region Guide, the online knowledge base for all things Walla Walla wine. Use the course to build the framework; use the guide for lookups and deeper exploration.

Visit the region guide

Course wines

Wines we'll taste together

Wines aren't included with the course, but tasting along is encouraged. Here's the lineup we'll explore.

Every region, grape, and map at your fingertips. keep studying with Wine Folly+ →

Free preview

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Your wine guides

Taught by world-class wine educators

Walla Walla rewards careful study. You'll learn from a James Beard award-winning author of the bestselling Wine Folly book and one of the world's most credentialed wine educators. Over 20,000 students taught.
Christine Marsiglio

Christine Marsiglio

Director of Education

Christine leads the tasting modules through Walla Walla's signature Syrah, Cab, and Merlot.

Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.

Read full bio
Christine is our Director of Education and one of only 35 Bollinger award-winning Masters of Wine worldwide.

Before Wine Folly, she taught the WSET Diploma in London and contributed to the latest global Diploma materials. She also led tastings at Decanter, running panels and organizing the Decanter World Wine Awards.

She's the rare expert who can teach at the Master of Wine level and still meet a beginner where they are.
Madeline Puckette

Madeline Puckette

Wine Folly Founder

Madeline frames the regional story, Missoula Floods, The Rocks District, and what makes Walla Walla one of America's most exciting wine regions.

Wine Folly co-founder, James Beard Award winner, and New York Times bestselling author.

Read full bio
Madeline co-founded Wine Folly in 2011 and turned it into the world's go-to wine cheat sheet.

She's a James Beard Award winner, a New York Times bestselling author, and was named both Wine Blogger of the Year and Wine Communicator of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Her articles, infographics, and videos are what made wine knowledge feel approachable to a generation of drinkers.

student reviews

What students are saying

“Great experience. Didn't even know about this wine district until I took this great class. Thank you.”

Daniel B.

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Ready to start?

Walla Walla 101

$99.99
one-time · usd · yours forever
5 out of 5 stars
  • 6 chapters of regional deep dive
  • 2+ hours of expert video
  • Tasting walk-throughs with our wine experts
  • Lifetime access, yours forever
  • Walla Walla 101 certificate ($50 value)
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30-day money-back guarantee

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Next step

Ready to go deeper?

Wine 201 takes you from confident regional drinker to certified wine professional, taught by the same Wine Folly instructors.

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