Walla Walla, Washington has quietly become one of America's most respected wine regions, and few people embody that rise better than Sidney Rice. The former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, who spent seven seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl, now co-runs Dossier Wine Collective with partner Tim Lenihan, producing Bordeaux-inspired blends that have won over critics. In a new insider guide from Sunset, Rice shares his personal map of the town — where to sleep, eat, play and pour.
His base recommendation is the Marcus Whitman Hotel, a downtown institution that pairs historic character with a modern renovation. If you'd rather sleep among the vines, Sunset also flags Yellowhawk, a resort and winery set on an 84-acre hilltop above the valley, and The GG Mansion & Inn, a carefully restored 1909 home that counts as one of the town's original bed and breakfasts.
Food is where Walla Walla punches above its size. Rice swears by the wings at Public House 124 — the kind of dish that stays with you — and calls Brasserie Four his European-style spot for long, unhurried lunches and glasses of Champagne. Passatempo Taverna rounds out his shortlist with elevated-but-approachable pasta and cocktails.
Outside the tasting rooms, Wine Valley Golf Club is his pick for a day outdoors, with a challenging course framed by sweeping scenery. Nature-minded visitors can head further afield to Jasper Mountain Reserve, a private wildlife sanctuary in the Washington Blue Mountains.
The drinking itinerary is a choose-your-own adventure. Rice's Dossier has a tasting room in Woodinville designed to capture Walla Walla's craft-first spirit, while Abeja shows off the region's full potential as a serious wine destination. For an evening drink, he recommends The Thief, stylish but unpretentious, and the Walla Walla Beer Parlor — his new neighbour — for a casual, local look at the town's craft beer side. His perfect day, in his words: start at Dossier, end at the Beer Parlor.
Why should travellers care? Walla Walla offers big-name-quality wine without Napa crowds or prices, plus a compact, walkable downtown full of independent restaurants. It works as a long weekend from Seattle or Portland, especially in harvest season, and Rice's list gives first-timers a ready-made route through the best of it.
