Corliss Estates Winery
WALLA WALLA
Corliss Estates Winery's guiding principle is embodied in Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote,
"Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience." Nothing at Corliss is rushed. In 1999,
Michael and Lauri Corliss purchased the dilapidated Red and White Brand bakery building in
Walla Walla and embarked on a nine-year restoration of the historic structure. Now home to
Corliss, the building is one of the most visually stunning, state-of-the-art winemaking facilities
in America.
While renovating the facility, the Corlisses began assembling their vineyard portfolio,
strategically acquiring three vineyards: Blue Mountain Estate in the Walla Walla AVA, Red
Mountain Vineyard in the Red Mountain AVA, and Blackrock Vineyard in the Columbia Valley
AVA. They also planted a fourth vineyard, the meticulously planned Red Mountain Canyons
Vineyard, in the Red Mountain AVA. All vineyards are farmed to exacting standards, utilizing
sustainable viticulture methods. A small portion of the best grapes are crafted into Corliss
wines, while the remaining fruit is reserved for other top Washington wineries.
Michael and Lauri's winemaking philosophy is built around natural, gentle processes, as
they make decisions based on taste rather than a predetermined formula. The fruit is hand-
picked and sorted in the vineyard, and then hand-sorted again at the winery before being
gravity-fed into custom French oak fermenters that maximize the extraction and integration
