Locati Cellars

To those who have grown up in the valley, the name “Locati” is synonymous with Walla Walla sweet onions. The Locati family’s roots (no pun intended) go back many generations to the pioneer settlers from Italy who made the Walla Walla Valley renowned for row crops — most famous of all, the illustrious Walla Walla sweet onion, which is harvested mid-June through September. The story goes that a French soldier stationed on the island of Corsica (which is part of France, but geographically closer to Italy) pocketed a sweet onion seed and brought it to Walla Walla.

However, like many farming families in the valley, the Locatis have gone beyond row crops to grow premium wine grapes, and not just any ol’ wine grapes, but varieties that come from their native land, such as sangiovese and barbera. Relying on the winemaking expertise of Matt Steiner (owner and winemaker for Stella Fino Winery), Michael and Penne Locati produce pasta-friendly wines, including pinot grigio, orange muscat, barbera, and sangiovese. Maybe it was because of the warm spring day, but my sample of their crisp, oh-so-refreshing pinot grigio had me tipping the glass to get the last drop. As I savored the wine’s citrus notes and nice acidity, Penne explained that she manages the tasting room and performs “other duties as assigned,” in addition to her full-time job at a local bank.

Located in The Depot on Second Avenue, the Locati Cellars’ tasting room features its distinguished logo on the entrance door, conveying the sense that visitors will be welcomed like family. The exposed brick walls provide a handsome backdrop to the wine bar and the display of wine-related merchandise (which reflects Penne’s exceptionally good eye for such things).

Penne mentioned that her favorite sweet onion recipe calls for slicing the onion “bloomin’ onion” style and adding butter, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to the wedges; wrapping the onion in aluminum foil and then grilling it on the barbecue for about 20 minutes to let it cook down in its marinating juices. The final step is to layer the cooked onion on top of steak or hamburger and voilà, you’re ready to eat. Of course, this meal isn’t complete without a generous glass of Locati Cellars’ sangiovese as the perfect complement. Salute!