An international event celebrating Rhone wines is coming to the Walla Walla Valley.

Hospice du Rhone Walla Walla 2024 will be held April 24-27 and 125 producers, including dozens of international winemakers, are scheduled to participate.

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The event coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Walla Walla Valley American Viticultural Area, which will be celebrated throughout 2024.

Hospice du Rhone is the first global event to be held in the Walla Walla Valley, and should boost the Northwest’s reputation for premium Rhone-style grapes, said Liz Knapke, executive director of Walla Walla Valley Wine.

The event will bring foreign producers and connoisseurs to the area, many for the first time.

“Walla Walla is producing high quality Rhone-style wines as well as growing grapes that are interesting to this particular enthusiast,” Knapke said.

She added that Rhone wines are some of the most renowned wines in the world.

Knapke said visitors will see snow up in the Blue Mountains, but the valley below will be green with flowers and budding trees.

“April is a fantastic time to be here,” Knapke added.

Rocks District

The event also will showcase the Rocks District AVA in Milton-Freewater, Ore., which is nestled within the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

Washington and Oregon have 25 wineries pouring at the grand tasting for the exclusive event. Roughly half are from Walla Walla and about five are from Milton-Freewater.

“They invite people from around the world, and it’s their invitation. You don’t just get to go,” said Steve Robertson, owner of SJR Vineyard and Delmas near Milton-Freewater.

Demand should be high for the Rocks District’s offerings, Robertson said.

“The wines are so distinctive, they’re undeniable. Most people of the world have never tasted these wines,” he added.

The Rocks District, which lies entirely in Oregon, has about 503 acres of grapes planted, more than double the 250 when its AVA was approved in 2015, according to the Oregon Wine Board.

The Walla Walla Valley AVA is one of four Pacific Northwest AVAs that cross state lines.

Overall, including the Rocks District, the Walla Walla Valley AVA, which is a sub-appellation of the Columbia Valley AVA, has about 3,000 acres of vineyards and 135 wineries.

Big event, big impact

Hospice du Rhone is a nonprofit business league headquartered on the Central Coast of California.

Its flagship biennial event has been held in Paso Robles, Calif., for more than 20 years, but this year, that’s taking a road trip.

“The added domestic and global exposure Hospice du Rhone will bring to Rhone varietals from the Northwest will be tremendous,” said Robertson.

The result could be more tourism and investment in the wine industry in the Walla Walla Valley, he said.

Rhone-style grapes

Rhone-style grapes include 22 varieties such as Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Cinsault, Viognier and Grenache Blanc.

“They grow so well here, and specifically Syrah really demonstrates the terroir of where they’re grown,” Knapke said.

Syrah is the second most-planted grape In the Walla Walla Valley, behind Cabernet Sauvignon, she added.

In the Rocks District AVA, Syrah is the top grape, Knapke said.