The First Fully Inclusive and Accessible Winery in the U.S.
Media ContactsMatt Whitfield: 509 593-5730 or mwhitfield@valdemarestates.com
Valdemar Estates is now 100% inclusive and accessible, providing a world-class wine and food experience for everyone – regardless of age or ability – to enjoy.
Walla Walla, Wash., 08/03/2021
In 2018, Bodegas Valdemar (La Rioja, Spain) became the first winery in Europe to offer a 100-percent inclusive wine tourism experience, an initiative that has earned numerous awards. And now, we are pleased to announce that Valdemar Estates, the Walla Walla, WA, winery, tasting room, and restaurant has implemented extensive measures to ensure that guests of all ages – regardless of ability – can enjoy their visit.
Efforts to be 100% inclusive and accessible include:
Use of QR codes throughout the building, which link to web pages that relate information via American Sign Language, dictation, and text
Braille wine and food menus
Signs, menus, and tasting notes designed to be readable by those with low vision
Wine tasting notes that use icons and easy-to-understand descriptions of flavors and aromas
Availability of Braille labels for wine bottles
Fully inclusive and accessible tours
Shatterproof wine glasses and hands-free holders
Wheelchair availability
Staff member training for serving guests of all ability levels
Additional Information
Endeavoring to bridge Old World and New World winemaking traditions, the family has built a partnership with the Washington State University Viticulture and Enology Program. Spanish varietals from the family’s vineyards in Spain have been brought to WSU to be studied, with the hope that they can be made available to the public for planting. This partnership with WSU will soon foster an intern exchange program, where students from Spain will work in U.S. vineyards and wineries and vice versa. This partnership will be an incredible opportunity for both Rioja and the Walla Walla Valley for many years.
In 2019 Valdemar Estates became the first internationally owned winery to open in Washington state. It is one of the few wineries in the U.S. that has a full restaurant, as well as a tasting room. Valdemar Estates is owned by Valdemar Family, which operates in Rioja, Spain and has been making wine since 1889.
Recently, Valdemar Estates began exporting its American-made wine to Europe using Valdemar’s existing distribution network which the family hopes will help to increase recognition of Washington State in those markets.
Tasting notes: Walla Walla Syrah
Welcome to Valdemar Estates