This is a three-day extended weekend event, combining drives on scenic backroads, visits to three wineries and two joint dinners.
This year the Walla Walla Wine Tour is heading to the western border of Walla Walla and the Palouse.
On Friday, the tour starts at the Rowena Crest Viewpoint, takes curvy backroads to Condon and Heppner, and finally reaches Richland, where we stay at the Lodge at Columbia Point. Friday evening, we will have a joint dinner at the Lodge at Columbia Point.
On Saturday, the morning drive leads us through scenic Palouse to the Lyons Ferry State Park at the confluence of the Snake and Palouse rivers. After a rest stop, we will head to the Red Mountain AVA. We will have combined lunch and wine tasting at the fist winery in Richland, followed by two more wineries in the Red Mountain AVA, including a wagon ride. Saturday evening we will have a joint dinner at a restaurant in walking distance to the hotel.
Sunday, we drive back on scenic backroads, through the Red Mountain area, up the Columbia Plateau, through Bickleton and then a lunch stop in Goldendale. After lunch we drive along the Klickitat River to Lyle and on to Hood River where the tour ends.
Day 1, Friday 5/19/23: we will meet at the Rowena Crest Viewpoint above Mosier at 9am, Safety Meeting at 9:15am, Departure at 9:30am. The route leads through Wasco, Cottonwood Canyon to Condon, for a lunch stop at “The Drive-In”.
After lunch the route takes us on very scenic back roads to Heppner, Pine City, Hermiston, along the Columbia River to Richland for the check in into the Lodge at Columbia Point.
Friday evening we have dinner at 6:30pm at the hotel in a seperate room for us.
Day 2, Saturday 5/20/23: After breakfast at the hotel, we meet at 9am for a morning drive through the Palouse to Lyons Ferry Park at the conjunction of the Palouse and Snake River for a scenic rest stop. Then we loop back on the north side of the Snake River to Richland for lunch and wine tasting at Bernard Griffin.
Please note that the official tour segment for Saturday with PCA Insurance coverage ends at the first winery. All drives after the first winery on Saturday are private drives. Please drink and drive responsibly.
After lunch we drive to Upchurch Vineyard for a tasting of their acclaimed Cabs. After the tasting we head over to Red Mountain Trails for a wagon ride. Brace yourself for the excitement of two horsepowers!
The final winery visit will lead us to Frichette. Great wines of this upstart winery and a great setting on their patio overlooking the Red Mountain AVA.
After the last wine tasting we return back to the Lodge at Columbia Point. You may take a break and refresh at the hotel, or you may make another winery stop on your way back. Make sure to call ahead and make reservations.
At 6:30pm we have dinner at LuLu Craft Bar in walking distance to the hotel. We will have a private room.
Day 3, Sunday 5/21/23: After Breakfast at the hotel we meet at 9:30am for the safety meeting and then depart at 10am. The route leads us out of Richland, through the Red Mountain AVA to Mabton, then through Bickleton (the Bluebird Capital of the World) to Goldendale for a lunch stop. After lunch we drive through the Klickitat Canyon and reach the Columbia at Lyle, then head west along the river to the end point of this years tour at the Hood River Bridge.
The price of the tour is $120 per participant.
Space is limited 24 participants. This will be a special small group event. Your hosts know the region very well and this tour is limited in size to keep it friendly and inclusive.
We made reservations for 15 rooms at the Lodge at Columbia Point. Ask for the “Oregon Porsche Club” rate, book before 4/1/23. The Lodge at Columbia Point in Richland, Phone: (509) 713-7423.
You will get an email with the driving directions (PDF and Scenic Navigation App) directions by Tuesday 5/17/23.
What is included in the ticket price:
What is NOT included in the ticket price:
Questions: Please contact Tour Chair
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Wheels are rolling! 2025 is under way and we are off to a great start. This year marks the Oregon Region’s 65th Anniversary. As with most groups or organizations that have matured to such a ripe age, decisions made along the way have shaped the organization into what it is today. I am fortunate to inherit a well-run and well-managed club as I take on the role of President. I am thankful for those who have gone before me and who are now guiding me even as they themselves have stepped away from day-to-day club governance.
For the last nine years, the Club has been funding scholarships for automotive technician students at three local community colleges. The necessary cash to fund these scholarships is generated through the proceeds of an investment account that has grown over the last 20+ years. The Scholarship Program was set up years ago and requires Board approval on an annual basis. For the past several years, there have been numerous Board and strategy discussions as to whether scholarships are the “best” way to disburse $6,000 each year. Although the Scholarship Committee always provided a positive argument for maintaining the funding, the Board continued to struggle with the question of whether scholarships are the best use of the money we have. Once again, the Board found itself at budget approval time facing the same question. At February’s Board of Director’s meeting, the Board voted unanimously to suspend the funding of local community college scholarships indefinitely.
While we don’t have an answer to the question of “best” use of the funds that have previously been set aside, we agreed that scholarships are currently not the best fit. Although automotive technicians are people every Porsche owner needs in their lives and on their list of resources, there is no direct way to track the scholarship recipients and know for sure
if the Club investment of those scholarship dollars will ever come to the benefit of Porsche Club members. The tricky part of the conversation at the board level has been that while scholarships are benefitting a few students each year, what is the benefit to the Club? We would like to support and endorse programs that create a win-win scenario. We give some money, the recipients benefit, and the Club benefits through either goodwill or some other direct benefit.
In addition, and ideally, the Board would like Club members to feel more directly part of this giving pattern. Perhaps we can find a charity we can all agree is a good cause and set up a matching program. Perhaps we fund or support communities in some way. These are all deep, good conversations and decisions to be made. To that end, we will form a new committee to explore charitable or community focused opportunities that we may fund or support in the future. We welcome your input, ideas, and comments. If you would like to be a part of the so-far unnamed new committee, please let me or any Board member know. A couple of people have already stepped forward to spearhead the committee, but we hope to recruit three to five additional members. If you have an interest in community enhancement or thoughts about charitable giving, please get in touch with me or any board member.
I’m looking forward to getting some of the administration work of the Club completed before sunny spring days beckon for driving. There are already several events on the calendar that have me excited. Some are for the experience of driving, some for the chance to hang out with members and feel the passion you have for your cars, and others just to experience something new. I know 2025 is going to be a great year and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
Let’s Drive!
