Va Piano Vineyards
Imagine drinking superb wine and contributing to a good cause while under the roof of a Tuscan-inspired estate. You can, simply by experiencing Va Piano Vineyards. Upon buying a bottle of Va Piano’s “Bruno’s Blend” at the vineyards, a portion of your purchase goes to a charitable organization, such as an African-based charity that supports children orphaned by AIDS. But how does a medium-priced wine get the name of “Bruno,” and why an African-based charity?
The answers have their roots in the mid-’90s, when Va Piano’s proprietor and winemaker, Justin Wylie, attended Gonzaga University’s Florence campus during his senior year. There, Justin met and befriended the Rev. Bruno Segatta, a Catholic priest and assistant dean of the Florence program. Bruno, as students and friends alike know him, is also an avid painter and ardent contributor to a variety of charities for developing countries. Routinely, he contributes half the proceeds of his art sales to such causes. Thus, when Justin and his wife, Liz, sought to name their wine, it seemed right to name it “Bruno’s Blend” and feature Bruno’s artwork on the label. What’s more, the idea of contributing toward one of Bruno’s charities was only fitting.
The 7,500-square-foot, Tuscan-inspired winery and tasting room features timber-beamed ceilings, a red-tile roof, earth-toned stucco, and distressed alder doors. The colors, textures, and quality of materials hark back to Justin’s time in Tuscany. Inside the tasting room, Bruno’s artwork graces Va Piano’s walls, and the décor’s warm earth tones and the staff’s relaxed style make you feel right at home. It is the perfect setting in which to experience “Bruno’s Blend” as well as Va Piano’s other wines: a citrusy, crisp sauvignon blanc; a full-bodied, intensely flavored syrah; and a complex, multilayered cabernet sauvignon. However, to savor the moment (and the wine), you need to keep Va Piano Vineyards’ motto in mind: Chi va piano, va sano e va lantano, which translates to “He who goes slowly, goes safely and goes far.” Thus the name “Va Piano,” or “go slowly,” reminds us to swirl, observe the dark red color, take in the aroma, and concentrate on some amazing tastes.
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Va Piano Vineyards was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Walla Walla WineTrail South on page 518!
