THE WINE TRAIL

[HostDave]

Today is Halloween and, if you’re like many of our guests, you remember when the celebration was a bit simpler than it is now. You used to grab a sheet, cut two eye holes, throw it over your kid’s head and send him or her out as a ghost. You bought some candy at the grocery store, carved a pumpkin and that was the extent of Halloween. In 2013, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry involving elaborate (and expensive) costumes, a higher bar on Halloween treats (healthy is better but they still have to be tasty) and now instead of porches with carved pumpkins you find entire yards covered with orange lights, inflatable monsters and elaborate displays. And if you’re like most of our guests, you’d rather turn out the porch lights, sit in the candlelight and enjoy a nice glass of wine and let all the madness pass you by.

In fact, a good glass of wine and a quiet space can work wonders, whether it’s Halloween or not. Of course, that’s one reason the American Queen Steamboat Company includes complimentary wine (and beer) with lunch and dinner. But on the upcoming American Empress, which enters service on the Columbia and Snake rivers in April of next year, we’re taking the concept of enjoying a good glass of wine one step further.

While all our voyages in the Pacific Northwest will include complimentary Hop-on, Hop-off shore excursions in every port of call, we’re going to be offering a couple Premium Experience excursions tailored around wine, winemaking, wineries, vineyards and the fabled wine trail in Washington. In The Dalles, one of our ports of call, an excursion heads to the Maryhill Art Museum & Winery. Guests will explore the highlights of the region and the fruits of Washington’s fertile soil alongside international works of art featured at the Maryhill Complex. In the museum, exhibits showcase artifacts ranging from Marie the Queen of Romani’s Royal Crown to an International Chess Set collection boasting 100 sets of ornately carved pieces from around the globe. There’s even a century-old Art Noveau glass exhibit, American Indian artifacts and beadworks and an expansive Auguste Rodin collection featuring The Thinker and the Hand of God.

In Richland, we offer a Premium Experience excursion along the Walla Walla Wine Trail featuring vintages of wine that are meticulously crafted by those with a true passion for the art of winemaking. The region produces award-winning Merlots, Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs, Viogniers and more.

You probably thought of Lewis and Clark when you thought of the Columbia and Snake rivers since this area’s history is intertwined with that of the two intrepid explorers. If you did, you’d be correct, of course, but guests are surprised to learn of the more refined side of the Pacific Northwest. The Walla Walla Wine Alliance notes that the valley “is a beautiful oasis amid the vast sagebrush desert that rolls across most of America’s northwest interior. The name Walla Walla means ‘many waters,’ and it highlights the rivers and aquifers that provide so abundantly for those who discover this place—from the earliest native peoples and French fur trappers to Oregon Trail pioneers and Victorian wheat barons. For each wave of arrivals, the Walla Walla Valley presents a remarkable agricultural bounty.”

Of course, the rise of wine in the Walla Walla Valley didn’t happen overnight. First, the area had to be settled and then the climate recognized as perfect for the growing of grapes and creation of wine. But despite being settled in the 1800s, it took until the 1970s for the area to embrace winemaking. The Walla Walla Wine Alliance’s own timeline describes it best:

1970s

Gary Figgins began planting grape vines at his family homestead in 1974, and then established Leonetti Cellar as Walla Walla’s first commercial winery in 1977. Four years later, Wine & Spirits Magazine recognized the very first Leonetti Cabernet (from the 1978 vintage) as one of the best in the nation.

1980s

Woodward Canyon was established as the second commercial winery in Walla Walla in 1981. Neighboring L’Ecole No. 41 became number three during 1983. One year later, the federal government designated the Walla Walla Valley as one of the first official wine appellations (or AVAs) in the Pacific Northwest.

Mid-1990s - Present

Dozens of now-famous names followed in the footsteps of our local wine industry’s founding fathers to establish new labels. Consequently, the words Walla Walla started appearing prominently on restaurant and retail wine lists across the country and then internationally. When Wine & Spirits Magazine announced its respected Top 100 Wineries of the World list for 2012, five of them were from Walla Walla.

Today, the Walla Walla Wine Trail and wineries such as Maryhill are the backbone of the culture of the region and a delightful surprise for guests expecting a lesson in pioneer history when traveling along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The American Empress brings guests to Washington’s wine country in true elegance and style. We invite you to treasure a glass of wine or two on one of our upcoming 2014 voyages and let the serene beauty of the Pacific Northwest cradle you in relaxation from the comfort of a modern replica riverboat. Lewis and Clark never had it so good!