Wine and Now Dine at Woodward Canyon Winery

A few months ago when Rick Small and Darcey Fugman-Small, founders of Woodward Canyon announced their expansion of shareholders to their winemaker, Kevin Mott and their Sales Director, Thomas Woodley, perhaps we thought that Rick and Darcey would sit back, take it easy and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Not so! Now they will be selling those fruits ...

The Lazy S Arrow Market has recently opened on the Woodward Canyon Winery grounds. The market will feature seasonal fruits, vegetables, fresh and dried herbs, organic fair trade chocolates, charcuterie, an assortment of domestic and imported cheeses, olive oils, vinegars, salts and basically anything you need to pair with a selection of Woodward Canyon wines for the perfect Euro-picnic feast. 

Rick Small at Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyards

The Lazy S Arrow Market and their sustainably grown gardens, at the estate vineyard, are named "Lazy S Arrow" to reflect the original brand used by Rick's family on their nearby wheat and cattle ranch. 

Two years ago I took a field trip to the Small's estate vineyard and their "secret gardens." Rick loaded us in his vehicle and we took a climb over 850 feet of elevation, three miles north from Lowden in Washington. It was quite a view from the top as we could see our neighbors in Oregon. There are 42 acres of estate vineyards with a surrounding of 320 acres of land which is in conservation. Three generations of family previously used the land, including the vineyard area, for the Lazy S Arrow cattle and wheat. It was indeed a treasure hunt up and around the canyons of vines as there were nooks and crannies with gardens of  tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, egg plants, leeks, shallots and even a hot house for the seedlings.

In the same year I visited the Woodward Canyon gardens, the beautiful new Reserve House located on the grounds of Woodward Canyon had just opened. The Reserve House, that features a commercial kitchen, was built for intimate and private sit-down tastings and gatherings. Just last weekend the Reserve House officially opened as a restaurant. 



Reserve House at Woodward Canyon

Open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning at noon; the Reserve House will now offer small and seasonal plates highlighting many local farm-to-table fare. Chef Heidi Varney from the Wine Country Culinary Institute at Walla Walla Community College will present  delectable comestibles such as: cold sorrel soup, a Cypress Grove chèvre tartelette with a sweet onion jam, lamb and beef meatballs with rhubarb compote, steak chimichurri sandwich, vegetarian pasta, cheese and charcuterie plates and even desserts.

The world class wines of Woodward Canyon will also be available to pair with the menu, of course.  (Reservations are not required for groups of five or fewer;  groups of six or more should contact Woodward Canyon.)

Best wishes to Woodward Canyon for their new additions in making Lowden another destination stop of Walla Walla County and giving recent publications another reason for naming Walla Walla one of the best small towns for food and wine.