Our Story
Our story starts with a love of wine. More than just having a glass at the end of the day, but the
incredible combination of science and art and a deep-seated belief in the historical significance of wine. Wine really is the liquid of life.
Our winemaker, David Hess, journey began in the Midwest. At an early age, David decided that he
wanted to become a winemaker. Though his family supported his dream, they felt that it was just a
childhood dream. However, David surprised his family by successfully planting and growing his first
grape vines by the age of fourteen. Though it was only three vines, which unfortunately was not enough to produce any wine, even if his parents would have let him! Furthermore, David pursued his dream immersing himself in math and science in high school, and eventually attended Washington State University to pursue a degree in Viticulture and Enology. After graduating from Washington State University, David spent the next few years traveling the world working on different wineries and vineyards to learn the true art of making wine. David has had the opportunity to work in Washington, California, New Zealand and Australia.
One of David’s partners is his brother Scott, who is the financial expert behind Turtle. After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a degree in Finance, Scott started working in small business development. After several years of working for a major firm, he started his own accounting company assisting small businesses with business development and taxes. Armed with his experience and savvy he mostly deals with the paperwork that David doesn’t want to deal with.
Our final partner, is an All-American named Nala who is our Customer Support Representative! Mainly, her job is to guard the wine from any vicious predators who might want to sneak a sip of Turtle wines. However, in general, she mainly follows David everywhere waiting for her next snack and nap time.
Turtle is located in the city so nice they named it twice, Walla Walla, in Southeastern Washington. The name comes from the local Nez Pierce tribe meaning "many waters". referring to the many streams which run through the area on their way to the Columbia River. Visitors to Walla Walla might even notice the occasional stream running through our yards or the aqueduct that cuts through downtown. Walla Walla has also been named one of Americas best wine destinations by several publications including the #1 spot in USA today's readers' choice list for three years in a row. Visitors will also be impressed with the number of fine dining experiences available as well as the beauty of our award-winning parks and revitalized downtown area. We at Turtle are very proud to be a member of the Walla Walla community and hope you visit soon.
