Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/164544
SENSE OF PLACE Seeing the Signs WATERBROOK HELPED PUT WALLA WALLA ON THE MAP story and photos by Fred Minnick A s the clouds part over Washington State's Blue Mountains and the Umatilla National Forest, the sun perfectly lightens ten bold capitalized letters: WATERBROOK. Butting up against Walla Walla's busiest highway and a stone's throw from a cattle ranch, the sign pales in comparison to the gorgeous mountains surrounding the region or the impeccable state-of-the-art winery it leads you to. But the letters uniquely signify how far this winery—and this region—have come. It wasn't too long ago that nobody knew anything about Waterbrook Winery or Walla Walla. Waterbrook, one of the four original Walla Walla wineries, was once a one-man show, built by founding winemaker Eric Rindal, who sold it to Precept Wine in 2006, when it was making 30,000 cases a year. Today, Waterbrook delivers 75,000 cases a year, with a capacity for 350,000. A selection from Waterbrook portfolio. The wines represent value across the board. 86 / the tasting panel / september 2013 TP0913_063-103.indd 86 8/22/13 9:24 PM