Walla Faces inns and wines

Taking life easy is really the point of getting away. Finding a place and people who take the strife out of life is the goal. And now you don’t even have to do the research because we’ve found them for you: Rick and Debbie Johnson of Walla Faces Inns (formerly Walla Walla Inns).

Photo: Debbie and Rick Johnson

They offer two experiences you will want to repeat again and again. Their downtown Walla Walla location offers the more urban experience. Within walking distance of tasting rooms and restaurants, you never have to move the car. The vineyard experience is even more relaxed—10 minutes out of town on a bluff overlooking mountains, valley and surrounded by grape vines. Neither location serves meals or has a front desk.

Downtown on the upper floor of a renovated 100-year old building, Rick and Debbie have created six suites: studio and one or two bedrooms. All have pillow top mattresses and feather beds. Five have full kitchens (photo at left of kitchen in Suite 1). All have Jacuzzi tubs, some separate from the shower. Beyond the modern look, feel and convenience of these suites, you also have complete privacy. Front and rear entrances are subtle; it’s easy to miss them. Stairs lead to the suites from the front entrance and the back has elevator access. Both entrances have keypad door lock access. When your reservation is confirmed, you receive a secret code that gets you in the entrance and your suite.

At the vineyard property, Rick and Debbie have created four small pieces of heaven. Part of a larger house (at right), where they live with their cat GiGi and dog Red, there are three private suites and a guest house. All have private entrances and private patios or sitting areas. All have pillow top mattresses and feather beds. A lovely outdoor pool creates an oasis. The guest house has a full kitchen and patio with its own hot tub. The property is just three minutes away from the airport wineries. And the expansive views over the valley and to the mountains will cause you to stare, breathe deeply and relax. Your getaway has begun.

If you’re in Walla Walla, chances are you’re all about the wine. That’s the next great thing about Walla Faces. Their vineyard property is not just for show. Grapes grown there are used for their new wine Walla Faces. The first vintages, 2006 and 2007, were released in November 2009. These were produced at Forgeron Cellars by winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla, with tweaking by Walla Faces’ new winemaker, Matt Loso, formerly of Matthews Cellars (which he sold in 2008). Matt has been hired by Rick and Debbie to take their wine forward. All producing is now done at Bergevin Lane.

Photo above: Winemaker Matt Loso at Walla Faces vineyard

Creating the life they lead now has been a long-term process. Rick’s background as a city planner/urban designer and property developer has given him the tools and know how to take an idea and turn it into reality. Debbie’s career as a financial consultant to hospitals causes her to travel frequently and she knows just what she looks for in a hotel when away from home.

In 1975, Rick traveled and studied architecture in Europe for three months. "This is when I started liking wine," he smiles. "I saw Italian, French and German countryside and thought living on a vineyard making wine would be the perfect life." When he returned, jobs intervened and the dream went on hold. Twenty-five years later, he met Debbie. A few months after they married, they spent a February weekend on the Oregon coast in a cabin with no phone, TV or Internet. "What could we do but talk?" laughs Debbie. The old dream came up, Debbie liked it enough to do a proforma on the idea and they began to work toward their goal.

Research, classes at the University of California, Davis, and Washington State University’s viticulture program brought them closer. Five years ago, they began looking for a vineyard in Oregon. Four years later, there were 3-4 failed deals. Rick saw an ad for Walla Walla; although the property didn’t work for them, they liked the town and purchased the building where the suites are now. "That isn’t what we were going to do, but the building was similar to an old firehouse on Capitol Hill I’d redone and where we still keep a condo. The suites were originally created as apartments but we realized there was a need for hotel rooms in downtown and slowly changed over to that concept," recalls Rick.

A year later, they found the vineyard property and bought it. "We weren’t looking for such a large home, but three of the bedrooms had private entrances, so it was easy to turn those into suites," says Rick. The vineyard contains just two varietals—7-1/2 acres of Cabernet Sauvingon and 1-1/2 acres of Syrah.

Over time, they realized growing grapes and making wine themselves was not completely realistic. They needed expert help and appreciated Matt’s wines partially because they age well. Matt was intrigued by making wines from Walla Walla grapes and especially the estate Syrah grapes. "I think Syrah is fairly easy to make. It has a big mouth feel and is dark in color. But it can be just as delicate as Pinot Noir. To make your Syrah stand out, you need to have a light hand," says Matt. The 2007 Walla Faces Syrah is a much lighter Syrah than most others in this state.

Each wine has its own face and name on the label with a story on the back. Together they create a ‘wall of faces,’ hence the name Walla Faces. Artist Candice Johnson, Rick’s sister, creates the faces.  Walla Faces recently opened their own tasting room on the street level of the Walla Faces Inns downtown (photo at left).

Rick and Debbie’s vineyard dream is in place. And we not only get to enjoy the wine, we also have two comfortable, upscale places to relax in the middle of Walla Walla’s wine country. A dream come true for all of us.

Connie Adams/December 2009

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