In mid-2021, Heritage by L’Ecole Wine Bar opened in downtown Walla Walla in the marquee ground floor position at the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel. Deemed one of Walla Walla’s most respected flagship wineries, L’Ecole Nº 41 was founded in 1983 and has been receiving guests for decades at their historic Frenchtown Schoolhouse in Lowden. Visitors to the winery can experience L’Ecole wines in the classrooms, carefully restored to maintain the original character and features of the landmark schoolhouse building.
During the pandemic, an opportunity materialized to open a satellite tasting room at the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel. The owners of L’Ecole, the Clubb family, have held deep ties with the community for generations and felt this was an ideal location to celebrate the unique heritage of the winery. The new space presented a wonderful platform for re-imagining the L’Ecole experience.
The space was redesigned and redefined by Rebecca Clubb-Olson, a successful interior designer, and daughter of Marty and Megan Clubb. A native of Walla Walla, Rebecca is also a co-owner of L’Ecole. With her talented eye, she created a welcoming, timeless atmosphere, denoting the winery’s sense of place. Her design strikes a harmonious balance that incorporates elements of the historic Schoolhouse while paying homage to the family’s enduring roots in the Valley.
At Heritage by L’Ecole Wine Bar, you can order unique wine flights and glass pours, even library pours.
Vintage after vintage, managing winemaker Marty Clubb delivers impeccable consistency throughout the entire line of terroir-driven wines. These two releases we reviewed for this article below are phenomenal, each a beauty in their own way with exemplary typicity.
Visit & Taste: Heritage offers wine flights, and wines by the glass or bottle. Located at 6 West Rose St, Ste. 103 in downtown Walla Walla. The phone is (509) 676-3777 and they are open Wed-Mon (closed Tues). Learn more about L’Ecole’s wine bar at www.lecole.com/visit-us/
Below are two releases we recently reviewed:
L’Ecole Nº 41 2018 Merlot Estate
93 pts.
Rich and structured, bolstered with well-burnished tannins, this estate-grown version appeals with rounded flavors of black cherry, dark plum and bittersweet chocolate, neatly layered with floral accents, dried savory herbs and cedar shavings that persist on the long aftertaste. $37
L’Ecole Nº 41 2018 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
94 pts.
Beautifully sculpted, this sinewy red wine gains stupendous length from a well-played boost of acidity firmly etched with sleek tannins. Steeped blackberry and cassis flavors meld with floral violet and lavender nuances, leading to deeper notes of espresso, gravel and dried sage. The purity of this varietal, blended from four distinct Walla Walla Valley vineyards, is a genuine treat. $40