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 Great wines aren’t made, they’re grown. To that end, we’ve developed partnerships with some of Washington State’s most knowledgeable and talented growers, managing some of the best vineyards in the Columbia Valley. All our growers, while masters at their craft, work closely with us to make sure that we have a common goal: to craft the best possible wine with the least intervention. In each vineyard we have specific rows and/or acres; we know exactly how our fruit is maturing and are able to monitor the flavor development so we know just when to make the final ‘harvest’ call.
The geography and climate of the Columbia Valley allows us to grow world-class grapes that develop an extraordinary balance between sugar ripeness and physiological ripeness (flavor development). By sourcing fruit from different vineyards and appellations, we take advantage of varied climates, soil types and exposures. This diverse selection is based on how well they will complement each other at the blending table – the place where we can put our stamp on the blends that we deliver to you. Each of our vineyard has its own definition or signature based on its’ geography and geology. Even though eastern Washington is mostly desert, as a ‘wine growing region’, the Columbia Valley provides us with very warm sites (a September harvest) as well as cooler sites where the fruit will hang until the end of October. Our warmer sites produce rich, powerful fruit will lots of tannins and depth that give us the structure and a solid base from which to blend. These marry well with the cooler climate fruit that brings elegance and finesse to the wines.
Alder Ridge, Horse Heavens AVA:
Situated 50 miles south of Sunnyside on the Columbia River, you’ll find the Alder Ridge Vineyard. While one of the largest in the State at 825 acres, it is also one of the best and tightly managed. The thirty percent that is set aside for small, boutique wineries is treated as a world-class site: canopy management, pruning, yields and flavor are topics of conversation throughout the year, so when it comes time to harvest we have the best possible grapes to work with.
The heat accumulation of this vineyard makes Alder Ridge one of our warmer sites. In spite of its heat, Alder Ridge is one of the last vineyards we harvest thanks to the Columbia River and its’ ability to pull the heat away from the vineyard quickly at night. This dramatic temperature shift slows the grapes maturation and awards us with the necessary hang-time that produces grapes with the concentration, depth and the flavor development we are seeking. This vineyard brings densely structured Cabernet Sauvignon with a great black fruit core. The Merlot tastes just like Merlot should: spices along with hints of orange peel and chocolate. The small amount of Malbec adds a lush, spicy component to our blends.
Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley AVA:
Because of its location in the middle of the Yakima Valley, Dick Bousheys’ vineyard is also our coolest. Working with Dick Boushey, you get an understanding of the energy driving the viticultural side of the Washington wine industry. Dicks’ knowledge and passion to learn are two of the many factors raising the bar in Washington viticulture. The relative coolness (it’s still in the desert) of this mid-valley vineyard allows the grapes to hang on the vine until late October, ensuring that the fruit reaches full physiological maturity at lower sugar levels than most of the Yakima Valley. In 2005 we switched to a younger block of Cabernet Sauvignon that is planted on slightly rockier soil with a different trellis configuration. There is also a bit of Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon (Clone 8 is the standard for Washington) that we will experiment with. California has had success with this clone, so we thought we’d give it a try. The Cabernet Sauvignon has a core of black olives and cassis, while maintaining a finesse that gives us a great blending component with. Given the extreme heat of some of our other sites, having Boushey Cabernet Sauvignon as a component at the blending table is quite welcome.
With the 2006 vintage we added Syrah (three clones) to our portfolio from Boushey. These clones are new not only to Boushey, but to Washington State as well. We are very excited to work with Dick on these varieties. We have also talked about planting some new white varieties here.
Celilo Vineyard, Columbia Gorge AVA:
The harvest of 2006 also saw us add Pinot Gris from one of the best white grape vineyards in the NW. We’ve wanted to make a white wine for a few years now, but it was only after tasting the Celilo fruit on the vine with vineyard managers Rick and Jody Ensminger, that we knew we’d found our source.
Celilo is situated between 800 and 1200 feet in the Columbia Gorge AVA, just across from Hood River, OR. This sub-alpine site has a thick layer of volcanic soil, supported by an ancient lava flow. This combination not only allows for great drainage at the surface (this area can see up to 50 inches of rain per year), but also for retention in the deep lava layer for the roots of the vines to stay healthy during the hot summer months. This dry-farmed vineyard is south facing and can see tremendous amounts of wind throughout the year. The intense wind keeps moisture off the vines and the bugs out of the vineyard. We’re very excited to have added this vineyard to our small but focused list of sources.
Ciel du Cheval, Red Mountain AVA:
Our newest vineyard, and also one of our warmest, is Ciel du Cheval on Red Mountain. Both Jim Holmes and his manager, Ryan Johnson are at the top of their game. Their work in the vineyard results in fruit that has great power and balance. Having worked this land for nearly thirty years, they have managed to harness the intense heat and adjust both the canopy and overall vineyard management to grow grapes that are the base for many of Washington’s greatest wines. The resulting wine is powerful, but has a stream of finesse running through it. We are currently using Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. We are thrilled to have added this site to our portfolio.
Klipsun Vineyards, Red Mountain AVA:
Across the street from Ciel du Cheval is another of our Red Mountain sites where we pull a few tons of Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1989 block. It is because of this site that we welcome some of our cooler sites: the need to manage the tannins can be a challenge. David and Patricia Gelles planted the first blocks of this vineyard in 1982 and have had great success ever since. Their canopy is a traditionally tight bi-lateral cordon that provides just enough exposure to the intense heat that Red Mountain is known for. We harvest fruit that has huge amounts of cassis, blackberry, and black olives. This site gives many of Washington State’s best wines their ageing potential.
Kiona Vineyard, Red Mountain, AVA:
Located between Ciel du Cheval and Klipsun you’ll find the Kiona Vineyard. John Williams and his son Scott have been growing grapes on Red Mountain since the early 1970’s. Actually, John Williams and Jim Holmes (of Ciel du Cheval) were partners in this vineyard until they decided to branch off from each other in the early 1980’s. 2005 will be our first year working with the fruit, but the wine from this site that we’ve tasted out of barrel suggests that it will bring yet another layer to our Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine had the fine aromatics of our Boushey vineyard, but more power and structure in the mouth. We’re very excited to work with this fruit.
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