Capital Call Vintners may be the new kid on the Walla Walla block, but the partnership behind this winery has decades of experience.
Alan Busacca — soil scientist, geologist and viticultural consultant — and Steve Bruere — President of Peoples Company, life-long entrepreneur and Iowa farm boy — met in 2016 when they were both consulting on a sale of 6,000 acres of Walla Walla farmland.
Bruere was struck by the beauty and potential of the land in Walla Walla, and Busacca was excited to introduce him to the Pacific Northwest terroir and the potential the region had to offer.
“We instantly fell into a friendship,” said Busacca. “Steve is very unassuming. He has real skills with farmland, marketing and people. It was personal right away.”
After many shared glasses of wine and conversation, Busacca brought Bruere to his vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA which sits at 1,350 feet and has expansive views of two Cascade volcanoes.
“I explained my vision for the vineyard,” says Busacca. “This is a place of lasting beauty which produces incredible grapes.” And not only did Bruere understand Busacca’s passion — he wanted to join in.
Bruere and his wife Nikki became partners in Windhorse Vineyard and within a year, the three partners also created a business entity to allow them to start making wine.
They soon added Wheatfield Vines and Carbondale Vineyards to their estate properties, both of which are on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. “Forming Capital Call Vintners was a big step,” Busacca says. “This is a big part of my vision for what great wines can be.”
Big, Bold Beautiful Reds and More!
The duo set their sights on convincing experienced winemaker Josh Maloney to join the team. They invited him to visit the Wheatfield Vines Vineyard, which is just outside the Rocks District and has a lot of the minerality for which this area is known. The more Maloney tasted and experienced, the more he became fascinated by what could be done.
“The grapes retain acidity really well. Amazing color,” Maloney recalls. “The vineyard has all the best qualities of The Rocks.” He joined the team just in time for the 2022 harvest.
The flagship Capital Call Cabernet has been garnering awards and accolades up and down the West Coast, as has the Windhorse Zinfandel. Recently, Capital Call released the first vintage of “Doctor Dirt,” a Barbera-forward red blend in honor of Busacca’s long career and vast knowledge.
In 2024, Capital Call acquired the Barons Winery brand when the founders retired. To honor the acquisition, they produced two tribute bottles: the 2022 Barons Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2022 Terra Baronne Sangiovese.
Capital Call continues to expand. They recently introduced two new labels — Margin Call and Cashflow — to continue their exploration of what is possible and to offer bottles at a variety of price points.
This spring they will release their new 2024 Rosé of Sangiovese and 2024 Grüner Veltliner.
A Sophisticated and Comfortable Tasting Room
Capital Call’s tasting room, located in historic downtown Walla Walla, was designed by Melanie Jaques Design and features original art by Todd Telander. It has an atmosphere of quiet comfort and prosperity — the sophisticated feel of a private club to which you have an open invitation.
Elegant and creative touches abound. Spanning the wall behind the bar is a gold filigree longhorn skull, bringing in a Western ambiance. When seated at the bar, rest your feet on the bright brass Pegasus footrail — a whimsical nod to the Windhorse Vineyard. A brass bell on the wall, meant to evoke the stock market, highlights Capital Call’s financial theme.
“You get a vibe when you walk in a place, a feeling,” says tasting room manager Bryan Walters. “People have to feel welcome and feel safe to ask anything.” He and the staff blend good old-fashioned Midwestern hospitality with a West Coast casualness.
In addition to a wide selection of Capital Call wines (Walters says the Blanc de Blanc is really popular by the glass), visitors can choose from a selection of local beer, sparkling water and nonalcoholic beverages as well as a light menu of charcuterie, dips and snacks.
Every third Friday, they host a local musician for a relaxed happy hour and offer 10% off glass pours and bottles.
“We wanted this space to be a community gathering place,” said Walters. “And it is! People are telling their friends to come check us out. We really appreciate the excitement and support.”
Details:
The tasting room is located at 11 N. 2nd Avenue in Walla Walla, right around the corner from the historic Marcus Whitman hotel. Learn more at https://capitalcallvintners.com/
Tasting room hours: Daily 12-7 pm
Tastings are $20/person and are waived with a $50 wine purchase or for wine club members.
