Take a walking winery loop around the Bavarian style village of Leavenworth

Photo by Linda Popovich 

ONE MILLION PEOPLE visit Leavenworth annually to partake of its unique Bavarian village atmosphere, replete with lederhosen-clad people dancing to polka music and the tangy smell of German sausage and sauerkraut wafting through the air.  Now Leavenworth has added one more popular attraction for tourists and wine aficionados—wine tasting.

This friendly alpine hamlet is liberally sprinkled with tasting rooms that have sprung up in the past couple of years.  We’ve mapped out an easy walking loop to over a dozen of them, all located within a five minute walk of each other in the center of the town’s bustling tourist district.

What better place to start your Leavenworth wine tasting than with Ed and Pat Rutledge’s Eagle Creek Winery, Leavenworth’s first winery?  This charming and interesting couple have been making wine for 17 years, and have been in Leavenworth for ten years.

With a one-acre vineyard at their winery outside of the downtown, they also import 12 tons of grapes from Milbrandt, Sagemoor, and Bacchus Vineyards and produce about 4,000 cases each year.  They produce five reds and five whites.

Eagle Creek is especially proud of its crisp, traditional German Riesling, and the rich, fragrant, spicy Montage (60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot).  If you want to live your wine tasting weekend to the max, book the gorgeously decorated Wine Suite at the Innsbrucker Inn that Pat owns and manages—just 20 paces from the nearest tasting room on Front Street.

Located beneath the Leavenworth Starbucks, Okanogan Estate & Vineyards draws its fruit from its estate vineyards in Okanogan Valley.  Winemaker Mike Buckmiller currently produces eleven wines and is primarily known for his sweet whites, including a sweet dessert late harvest Sauvignon with a nose full of tropical fruit including bananas, pineapple, and coconut with a lemon grass finish.  The ultra-sweet dessert Chardonnay Ice Wine has a golden raisin aroma and flavors of ripe orchard fruit, and clover honey.  Their signature red blend is the 2005 Bench Rock, barreled for 20 months with a spicy aroma of spice and vanilla.

Terry and Vivian Flanagan of Ryan Patrick Vineyards grow their grapes on 70 acres of land in Bishop (on the Columbia River) and 20 acres in Homestead near Quincy that has been in the family for three generations.  Their first vines were planted in 1996 with the first release in 2001.  Their noted Washington winemaker Craig Mitrakul makes seven wines at their winery in neighboring Cashmere.

Rock Island Red and Naked Chardonnay are perennial favorites but other top sellers include a Barbera with a rich hue, gentle tannins and a smoky taste with blackberry finish.  The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has cherry, rhubarb and spice aromas.

Swakane Winery is a family-owned boutique winery with estate vineyards overlooking the Columbia River just north of Wenatchee.  They produce three whites, three reds, and two dessert wines.  Try the 2007 Riesling, with a hint of sweetness, mandarin orange, white peach and a mineral touch; and the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon with licorice and black cherry aromas and a lingering coffee finish.

Specializing in small productions of an eclectic selection of hand-crafted wines, Icicle Ridge Winery owners Lou and Judy Wagoner and winemaker Don Wood make a diverse selection of reds, whites, and blends.

Try their outstanding floral White Riesling with rose blossom and honeysuckle aroma, and a green apple and hint of lemon taste; and the Vintner’s Reserve Blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.  In the mood for something sweet?  Take home a bottle of Chocolate Cherry Passion; it’s a great pour on cheesecake or as a sipping dessert wine.

Rob Newsom’s winemaking talent is evident the minute you taste the smooth and deeply complex red wines of Boudreaux Cellars.  He’s particularly proud of his Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

Newsom sources his grapes from some of the top vineyards in the state including Bacchus, Champoux, Seven Hills, and Wallula Vineyards.  Try his 2006 Merlot with a long delivery of sweet hickory smoke, licorice tobacco, and spice. “This could be the best Merlot we ever produced,” says Rob.  The 2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has good horsepower, lots of fruit, good balance and finesse.

Bob Richards is a no-nonsense horticulturalist who grows his own fruit and makes 120 cases of wine annually at his 8.5-acre Bella Terrazza Vineyards.  He loves pouring his wines and discussing them with wine lovers of all kinds, especially beginners.

No pretentiousness here, just a love of the vino and meeting the people who
enjoy it.  Try the Cabernet Franc, with a hint of green peppers, a bold and fruity mouth and a plum and walnut finish; or his Estate Pinot Grigio, with an inviting bouquet of grapefruit and orange and subtle taste of berries and melon.

The oldest tasting room in Leavenworth, Kestrel Vintners, is popular for their iconic Lady in Red collectable bottle series, brimming with intense, ripe black and red fruit flavors.  Known mainly for their large lineup of reds, their Leavenworth White is emerging as a solid seller.

The dry Rosé is a complex blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Petit Verdot and Tempranillo.

Stemilt Creek Winery began making wine in 2003 and just opened their tasting room in Leavenworth last May.  The Mathison family has been growing fruit for 100 years, or five generations, and Stemilt Fruits is the largest Cherry Packing Company in the world.  So it’s little wonder all their wines are estate grown.  They currently produce 14 different wines including Merlot, Cabernet, and Syrah.

Another relative newcomer to the winemaking business, Bergdorf Cellars uses grapes from over 20 vineyards around Washington.  Austrian winemaker John Delvo uses traditional techniques for his handcrafted wines, producing over 4,000 cases each year since he began in 2005.

His reds are aged 36 months in French oak and naturally, he makes a spicy Gluhwein for the holiday season (served warm and delicious!) using an authentic Austrian recipe.  Other wines in his repertoire include a low sugar Riesling, Chardonnay, Double Cabernet, and Malbec.

Located upstairs in the same large room as Bergdorf Cellars, Baroness Cellars wines are made by Danielle Clements who produces 1200 cases each year.  Her Mountain Meritage is very popular, a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot with a ruby red color, a hint of coffee and vanilla on the nose.

On the street level at the east end of Front Street, look for the carved wooden bear and you’ll find Pasek Cellars.  They’re known for unique fruit wines ranging from a refreshing, crisp Cranberry, a moderately sweet Raspberry wine and a full bodied sweet Blackberry wine.  The fruits are from the Skagit Valley, the passion fruit from Peru, and pineapple from Maui.  Sure, you’ve had fruit wines before, but probably not like this.  While some vintners blend their fruit with Gewürztraminer or Riesling, Pasek uses pure unadulterated fruit—no grapes at all.

Located in same tasting room as Pasek Cellars, Willow Crest Winery is best known for its crisp Pinot Gris with hints of apple and pear, and Syrah with rich dark berries, a hint of smoke and lingering finish.  Yakima Valley wine grape grower David Minick and his family have been growing grapes since 1982, and opened his estate winery in 1995 to monitor control from vine to wine.  You can also taste Willow Crest wines at their tasting room in Prosser’s Vintner’s Village.

Northwest wineries have been banking on grapes from Sagemoor Vineyards for decades.   With novel ideas and deep passion, this powerhouse vineyard team continues to supply winemakers with quality grapes.

Photo: View looking south from the north end of Dionysus, one of four vineyards that comprise Sagemoor Vineyards. (Photo by Kent Waliser)

Click here to read about single vineyard wines produced from grapes grown at Sagemoor Vineyards (reprinted from the Summer 2011 issue).

THE LATE Alec Bayless, an attorney from Seattle, was the mastermind behind what is today known as Sagemoor Vineyards.  This pioneer vineyard, founded in 1968, supplied grapes to a number of Washington and Oregon wineries during those early days that helped put the wine industry in the Pacific Northwest on solid footing.

There are four individual vineyard sites in all, consisting of Sagemoor, Bacchus, Dionysus and Weinbau that make up what is officially known as Sagemoor Vineyards.

Weinbau is located 12 miles east of Mattawa on the Wahluke Slope, while the other three are located within miles of each other north of Pasco, Washington, on a spectacular site overlooking the Columbia River to the west.

“At 900 acres in size, we are probably the largest ‘boutique’ vineyard in the state because we do not have our own winery,” says general manager Kent Waliser. Since he joined Sagemoor in 2002, Waliser has embraced the idea of working with a large number of grape buyers, both big and small.  At last count they sell grapes to over 75 wineries, including Abeja Winery, Barrister Winery, Efeste, Hedges Family Estate, Januik Winery, L’Ecole Nº 41, Rasa Vineyards, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Walla Walla Vintners, and Woodward Canyon Winery.

Not only does this practice provide diversification, it best utilizes the makeup of some vineyard sites which don’t ripen evenly (due to variability in soils and topography) and therefore do not appeal to large commercial customers who are looking for uniformity so they can make mass quantities of wine in a consistent style.

Former vineyard manager Todd Cameron mapped the vineyard block and divided them up into smaller rows, or individual sections as they are called.  Todd then determined the irrigation and viticulture plan appropriate for each block.  Now, each newly planted block takes into account many variables that make sure each grape variety will grow best there.  As a result, they have become very attractive to boutique winemakers who want to claim these smaller sections as their own.

Sagemoor is known for producing some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the State of Washington, particularly the 1972 Old Vine Cab in block 9 of Bacchus Vineyard. “It has a really nice core of dark fruit and there is a brown herbaceous signature to Sagemoor,” says John Abbott, owner and winemaker for Abeja Winery.

Rick Small of Woodward Canyon Winery has been buying Sagemoor grapes for 34 years and speaks very highly of the growers, as well as their grapes.  Speaking about their Cabernet Sauvignon he says, “I like the intensity and the black fruits.  I find that the wines are a little bit more elegant.  The aromatics, for me, are a key part of Sagemoor, as well as texture.  The wine is seamless; it’s wonderful with food.”

At the same time Sagemoor has developed a modern niche growing lesser-known varieties that are not commonly found elsewhere in the state including Barbera, Roussanne, Carmenere, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc.

Not content to rest on their laurels as one of the top vineyard growers in the state, Sagemoor Vineyards are progressive in their practices.  “The vineyard team understands that they need to continue to farm for better and better fruit.  They are willing to work with each winemaker to produce the fruit that each winery is looking for, which is unique.  I’m a believer in softer farming, which is a direction that Sagemoor is also willing to go, not only to produce better fruit but also to protect the health and happiness of their workers,” says Abbott.

About five years ago, Waliser started using a product called Extenday in the Old Vine Cab block 10.  As a tree fruit grower, Waliser had experience using the white reflective material to advance the maturity of cherries and apples more quickly in the growing season, and he wondered if it could help the 1972 block, which tended to ripen late.

His hunch paid off.  Using Extenday has allowed Sagemoor to gain heat units and advance maturity by a week to ten days.  John Abbott has worked with Waliser to test the effectiveness of Extenday on these grapes by comparing rows that had the material on them versus rows that did not.  “It definitely made a difference,” says Abbott.

Sagemoor also provides their winery partners with current and historical brix, acid, and pH values for each block of the vineyard, not unlike a financial report that tracks the individual performance of stocks and bonds for investors.  According to Waliser, “We’ve got ten years of data now in there that you can graph by block.  Each block is sampled twice a week.  It’s posted to our website every day at 4 o’clock.”

This information can be critical for winemakers who don’t live near the vineyard and are unable to visit as often as they would like during harvest to make picking decisions.  “We’ve got winemakers on the Olympic Peninsula, in Spokane, in Walla Walla, in Woodinville.  They can check on their block’s progress at midnight, 3am or 10am or whenever they want to, because the information is there.”

Even though Sagemoor is a large operation in terms of acreage, they work hard to make sure that each customer is taken care of and their needs are met.  Derek Way, vineyard manager, together with Servando Rodriguez and Miguel Rodriguez, have over 70 combined years experience working with winemakers.  They know that customer service is critical for success, and they seem to have a lot of fun in the process.  Rick Small recalls the fabulous BBQ parties that the original partners would throw for their shareholders.  True to their roots, Sagemoor still holds an annual tasting for their winery partners.  It’s not only a time to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company but also a time to discuss what is working and what could be improved.

“It’s almost like a family over there, and I feel like I’m a part of that family. They just take great care of the vineyard, and they take really good care of the wineries that get grapes from them,” says Small.

Cast with modern day heroes and legendary trailblazers, Mercer Estates is an epic story of two families – the Hogues and Mercers – whose century-old farming roots lay at the heart of this first-rate winery

Photo, left to right:  Rob Mercer with Mike Hogue and David Forsyth of Mercer Estates at Schwartzman Vineyard, the first Riesling vineyard that Mike Hogue planted in 1976.

Explore a dozen wineries in Prosser’s Vintner’s Village, where splendid tasting rooms abound in a wine country setting

VINTNER’S VILLAGE, a nucleus of wineries in Prosser, is like a connect-the-dots or six degrees of separation: longtime farmers turned grapegrowers turned winemakers is the dominant storyline.

“The wineries here represent the evolution of the wine industry, the relationship of winemaking with agriculture,” says Vintner’s Village resident Dr. Wade Wolfe of Thurston Wolfe Winery.  Most producers in The Village have been growing grapes for decades, have been farming other crops longer, and represent generations of families in the area inextricably linked through agriculture.

The 32-acre Village exults a dozen wineries and tasting rooms sans swagger, with an uncommon camaraderie.  Though The Village is relatively new—the first tasting room opened in late 2006—it’s anchored by some of the oldest, most established producers in Washington State with a handful of exciting upstarts in the mix.

The brainchild of the Port of Benton, The Village provides both estate and non-estate wineries equal ground, while providing eager wine enthusiasts an easy-access venue with plenty of choices.  Each building is individually owned and designed, giving each tasting room a distinct personality, and a landscaped walking path connects them together.  So, regardless of where you begin your tasting adventure, you can easily experience this loop on foot or by auto.

Thurston Wolfe

The first to open a winery to the public in The Village was Dr. Wade Wolfe of Thurston Wolfe in 2006.  Wolfe, who started the winery back in 1987 with his wife Rebecca Yeaman, didn’t want to emulate Tuscan architecture, the old world.  “We wanted something that represented the Washington wine industry, which is new and dynamic, and something technologically savvy that reflects the modernity of our industry.  So we developed a style we call industrial modern.”

And of course, there’s the wine.

“If you are a retail room oriented winery, you have visitors come in with a wide range of wine preferences,” says Wolfe.  “For a small winery, we make a pretty diverse selection of wines.”

In addition to vineyard and varietal designates, Thurston Wolfe puts together some unlikely but best-selling blends, including Dr. Wolfe’s Family Red, a blend of Primitivo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Syrah, and Lemberger.  There’s also the PGV, a Pinot Gris and Viognier blend. The winery is also one of a handful of Washington producers with a Zinfandel, and Port with unusual varietals.

“I think the goal of the wineries here is to be informative, because part of tasting is education, not only about your wines but the growing area, the climate, what makes this valley the premium wine area that it is, and how that contributes to the character of the wines that you make,” says Wolfe.

Initially, most vineyards in the area sold fruit to wineries elsewhere, where it would “just disappear into a giant blend,” adds Wolfe.

Airfield Estates

Airfield Estates amicable owner Mike Miller has been growing grapes in the area since 1968 and started selling fruit to Chateau Ste. Michelle back in 1971.  Now, they also use their fruit (an astounding 26 varietals) in their own line-up of wines dominated by blends crafted to express their own fruit.  With names like Spitfire, a super Tuscan blend, Mustang, a Rhone style blend, and Hellcat, a Tempranillo based blend, the winery makes clever use of the family vineyard’s history as a WWII airbase.  The tasting room replicates a vintage airplane hanger and displays an original military strategy planning map on the top of the coffee table.

People come in and ask to see “the secret room,” says winemaker Marcus Miller.  Behind a frosted glass door in the back is the Officer’s Club Room, a dimly lit space with bottles displayed on glass shelves, draped in their own medals of honor.  A chandelier of tiered, upside down wine glasses illuminates a 45-foot-tall tower, a replica of the water tower from the original farm.  The Officer’s Club Room is reserved for wine club members and private tastings, but is also available for meetings and birthday parties.

Their success has spread to western Washington where they opened a second tasting room in the Hollywood Schoolhouse District of Woodinville last spring.

Willow Crest

Next door to Airfield Estates is Willow Crest Winery.  Winemaker Dave Minick is another long-time grape grower.  The family planted grapes on their Roza farm in 1982 and he was anxious to try his hand at his own brand.

On a recent visit to The Village, I met Dave Warden and his partner Jennifer Quednau, a wine savvy couple visiting from Los Angeles eager to taste Minick’s wines.  They specifically selected Vintner’s Village as their wine destination, and were sold on the concept of The Village after spending days seeking out more remote wineries, only to find them closed for tasting.

The couple commented, “You can see the vines from the road, but if you can’t find the guy who’s going to let you taste the wine, what good does it do?  At Vintner’s Village, there’s a little bit of pageantry, a little bit of class and a little bit of elegance, or it can be wild and weird, but it’s flavor.  Not flavor beyond the wine but the flavor of the label and what they’re into.  There’s a more cohesive vision between the brand and the flavor of the wine.”  They also liked that several of the wineries offer food, and enjoyed noshing on a cheese plate while sampling Willow Crest’s wines.

Though Warden and Quednau were familiar with Willow Crest’s reputation for outstanding Pinot Gris and Syrah, they spent the additional five dollars to sample limited production wines including stand-outs Grenache, Mourvédre, and the Malbec (only 30 cases were made of the current release.)  When they walked out with a mixed case of those, I knew it was worth it.

Milbrandt Vineyards

Milbrandt Vineyards’ story is another of farmer-turned-grape-grower turned wine producer.  The Milbrandt family had been growing crops in the area for half a century, before planting their first vines in 1997. With brothers Butch and Jerry Milbrandt at the helm, “we’ve got 13 completely different estate vineyards and 1600 acres of grapes,” said viticulturalist Dustin Tobin, who came into the tasting room while taking a break from working Milbrandt’s vineyards on the Wahluke slope. “We sell grapes to a lot of people,” says Tobin, indicating the Milbrandt’s strength as growers, “but it’s great that they started making their own wine from their own fruit.”

So, after selling grapes for 10 years, Butch and Jerry brought on veteran winemaker Gordy Hill and the Milbrandt brand was launched.  Fan favorites include the Estates Merlot, the Estates Late Harvest Riesling, the Malbec, and the Sentinel, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Petite Syrah.  Some wines are only available to taste through the Reserve Tasting for an additional five dollars, which often includes food pairing.  In fact, the winery offers a Piazza Menu; a selection of cheese plates, anitpasto salads, and sandwiches available in the tasting room or on the patio, which has an outdoor fireplace and plenty of seating, even a traditional belltower.

Gamache Vintners

A contrast to some of the more blend-driven wineries in The Village is Gamache Vintners, who focuses predominantly on putting 100 percent of the varietal from their estate vineyard in the bottle.  The combination of the pure varietal from one’s estate vineyard is uncommon in Washington state.  Yet the other part of their story is a familiar one.

“We were vineyardists first,” Cris Gamache makes sure to tell tasters, with the philosophy that great wines start with great fruit.  Her husband Bob and his brother Roger Gamache founded the vineyard in 1982, and after years of selling all their fruit to some of the top producers in the state, they wanted the chance to work with their own label.  The results have been impressive.

The building, designed by renowned architect Deborah Tate, is a head turner itself.  “We wanted something to capture the amazing light here,” says Cris.  The contemporary construction, with oversized windows, opens out to a patio with a front row view of Horse Heaven Hills.

WINEMAKERS LOFT

Next on the path comes the Winemakers Loft.  Wander inside a European style courtyard past a flowing three-tiered fountain to discover five distinctive wineries, each with their own separate tasting room.  The wineries include Apex Cellars, Canyon’s Edge Winery, Coyote Canyon Winery, Maison Bleue, and Martinez & Martinez.  Every Saturday during the summer months, the Winemakers Loft presents “Lounging at the Loft,” a concert series featuring live music and food in the courtyard.

Apex Cellars

The artisan winery residents of the Winemakers Loft share a production facility with the exception of Apex Cellars, which makes their wines elsewhere, and occupies an enviable 3,000 square-foot tasting room through the center of The Loft’s tiled courtyard.

Apex offers an astounding number of wines from lines differing in style and price point: Bridgeman, Apex, Apex II, and Washington Hills.  Of note under the Apex label are hard to find sparkling wines: a brut, a red, and a Riesling.  Fans of former Apex winemaker Brian Carter (now of Brian Carter Cellars in Woodinville) will be delighted to know the tasting room has library wines of his available for purchase.

Canyon’s Edge Winery

With grapes picked from their estate Aldercreek Vineyards in Horse Heaven Hills appellation, Canyon’s Edge Winery started making wines in 2002 to showcase this unique terroir.  One of the newer tasting rooms to open in the Winemakers Loft, owner Brian Groth describes what they do as a “soil to bottle” winery, proudly pointing to the painting of the picturesque vineyards that adorn his wine labels.  Taste samples from their large portfolio of estate grown wines that include Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, Sagebrush Red Blend and more.

Coyote Canyon Winery

Also in the Loft is Coyote Canyon Winery. The relaxed atmosphere, guided by warm colors, southwest rugs, and chocolate brown leather bar stools make a wine taster feel as if they’ve come in from a long horseback ride in need of a good red wine.  There’s plenty of that to be found in Mike Andrews’ winery, not to mention a quick-to-sell-out Albarino, among other whites.  His family history goes several generations back, and Andrews has made a name for himself with Coyote Canyon Vineyard, which provides fruit to a number of award-winning producers.  He gives homage to his roots with black and white photos on the wall, including those of Andrews’ grandfather’s wheat farming in the area, and his father, Robert Andrews, being lauded as Cattleman of the Year.

Maison Bleue

Although Maison Bleue owner & winemaker Jon Martinez holds a Doctorate degree and practiced dentistry in the Kansas City area for several years, his passion for wine and vineyards eventually won over while helping a friend start an urban winery there.  Serious about learning all he could, he completed numerous viticulture and enology courses through Missouri State, UC Davis, Virginia Tech University and WSU’s Professional Enology Certificate Program.

Two years ago, he and his wife purchased 21 acres of land in the Yakima Valley and he founded Maison Bleue Family Winery.  Martinez focuses on Rhone varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Roussanne and Viognier, as well as Chardonnay.  He uses traditional winemaking techniques including gentle handling of the grapes and a modest use of French oak.

Martinez & Martinez

Norteno music (folk ballads from Northern Mexico) flows from Martinez & Martinez and a painting behind the tasting bar depicts Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Farmworker turned winery owner, Sergio Martinez, planted a vineyard nearly 30 years ago in the renowned  Phinney Hill section of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.  People thought he was loco; grapes were a minority crop then.  Years later, with the encouragement of his son Andrew and his wife Monica, the Martinez families run the second Hispanic-owned winery in the state, and rely on the energy generated by The Loft.

“We live 35 miles from here,” says Sergio’s wife Kristy, referring to their estate vineyard. “If we put a tasting room out there, who’s going to come?  The coyotes and rattlesnakes?”  Instead, the 800-case winery at The Loft draws crowds with their Rosé of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon among other wines.

Wine O’Clock Wine Bar

Susan and Ron Bunnell are the hands-on owners and winemakers of Bunnell Family Cellar, and RiverAerie, named after the family farm.  The Bunnell’s wanted to do something different, and that evolved into their wine bar and restaurant, Wine O’Clock, which sits smack dab in the midst of Vintner’s Village.

“We were initially thinking cheese plate, antipasto plate, flatbread.  That was going to be it,” says Susan laughing.  Of course, it’s more than that now.”  She says this while presenting a plate of bruschetta with goat cheese and Parisian Gray melon from a nearby garden bed, topped with a drizzle of lavender honey (the honey is infused with lavender from the garden).  Next up was crab cakes with a citrus avocado salad and ponzu-ginger vinaigrette, sublime with a custom flight of Pinot Gris, Viognier and Grenache.  Another favorite that evening: Salumi of Seattle pizza with mole salami, sweet onion, fresh mozzarella and bantam eggs, paired with a spicy Mourvèdre.

Susan is a master gardener, and has a winery and culinary background working with such names as Domaine Chandon and Chateau Souverain in the Napa Valley, where she worked with Gary Danko, notable San Francisco chef and restaurateur.  She uses herbs and vegetables from the raised beds on the property and home garden to create original dishes with a hands-on feel, and almost everything is cooked in the wood fired oven.   Though Wine O’Clock has become a destination eatery for Prosser and beyond, in the end, the Bunnell’s want the restaurant to be a platform for the wines.

With a raised glass, Susan echoes the sentiment of so many Vintners Village neighbors.  “These are my grapes when they haven’t been blended into somebody elses.  These are my grapes at their very best.”

VISIT PROSSER’S VINTNER’S VILLAGE
100 Merlot Dr, Prosser WA 99350

Airfield Estates

Gamache Vintners

Milbrandt Vineyards

Thurston Wolfe

Willow Crest Winery

Wine O’Clock Wine Bar

The Bunnell Family Cellar

RiverAerie Wines by Bunnell Family Cellar

WINEMAKERS LOFT at Vintner’s Village:

Apex Cellars

Canyon’s Edge Winery

Coyote Canyon Winery

Maison Bleue Family Winery

Martinez & Martinez

VISITOR INFO: Prosser Chamber of Commerce, ph: 800-408-1517

A tour of Boushey Vineyards with renowned grape grower Dick Boushey, who makes the tough task of growing world-class grapes appear effortless

Photo ©Tasting Room Magazine: Veteran wine grape grower Dick Boushey amidst his famous Syrah vines at one of the highest vineyard elevations in the Yakima Valley.

CLICK HERE TO PREVIEW actual pages from the story and the Boushey Wine Picks as published in the Spring 2011 issue of Tasting Room Magazine.

ONE WOULD NEVER guess by talking to Dick Boushey that he ranks among the most respected growers in Washington State.  His Boushey Vineyards in the Yakima Valley have been producing much sought after fruit for 30 years, yet he remains remarkably humble about his success.

“I first planted grapes around my house, and then ventured out from there, looking at sites that would fit wine grapes,” explains Boushey without any airs.

Boushey Vineyards is comprised of seven smaller vineyards, called blocks, all in close proximity to Boushey’s home north of Grandview, Washington, at the base of the Rattlesnake Hills.  Boushey planted his first experimental block with ten different varieties in 1977.  In 1980, he planted his first commercial block.

Today, Boushey grows an impressive 23 grape varieties on 125 acres, including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Marsanne, and Roussanne.  Currently, about 30 producers purchase Boushey grapes (see sidebar for complete list).  Boushey refers to them as partners rather than customers. “I want to sell to a lot of people,” he says, adding, “It spreads the risk out.”  Speaking of diversification, Boushey also grows concord grapes, apples, and cherries in addition to wine grapes.

Boushey grew up in Sumner, Washington, never dreaming he would end up farming. After college, he worked as a banker but decided it wasn’t the career for him.  His father bought an orchard in eastern Washington and asked Dick to take care of it for him until he retired and could move there.  About the same time, the wine industry in Washington State was just beginning to emerge and Boushey spent a lot of time at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser trying to learn as much as he could about farming.  It was there he met Dr. Walter Clore, considered the father of Washington wine, and the relationship sparked his interest in the industry.

GROWER & WINEMAKER

One of the things that makes Dick Boushey an exceptional grower is that he understands the needs and wants of winemakers and the importance of growing the wine in the vineyard.  He’s been a home winemaker himself for 25 years, which helps him to understand the process and talk to the winemakers who buy his grapes.

“I wouldn’t consider myself a winemaker, but I probably have more experience than a lot of people starting wineries,” says Boushey.  “I’m always a little dubious of winemakers who don’t have a good background in enology.  There’s going to be awkward years.  You need to make good wine every year, and good winemakers do.”

THE GIFT OF SYRAH

The variety most often associated with Boushey is Syrah.  Syrah ripens late in the cooler climate of the Yakima Valley, which allows it to retain good natural acidity without the alcohol getting too high.  Boushey grows Syrah on several different vineyard sites including McPherson Vineyard, County Line Road Vineyard, Grand Côte Vineyard, and Golden View Vineyard.  While all four vineyards are within walking distance of Boushey’s house, they do have some variability when it comes to the slope and the depth of the soil.

When asked to characterize the overriding traits of Syrah made from Boushey fruit, winemakers frequently mention the concentration of color, texture, and integrated tannins.

Marie-Eve Gilla, winemaker for Forgeron Cellars says, “The main thing for me about the Boushey fruit is that it’s got a texture to it.  It’s very precise.  When you get it into the winery, you don’t need to fight with it.  You can let the fruit do what it wants to do and then get it right into the bottle.  It’s a gift, beautiful from the beginning to the end.”

Chris Sparkman of Sparkman Cellars agrees, “Texturally, I think it is unique.  We’ve messed around with trying to blend it; at least we did in the first couple of years, with other vineyards from other sites.  But it’s so singular and so special texturally that we just can’t mess with it.  When the Boushey comes into the winery, there is sort of a celebration and a ‘here it comes’ because we’re so excited about it’s unique characters.”

Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery produces his La Serenne Syrah each year with fruit solely from Boushey’s County Line Road Vineyard.  “We’ve been farming the same rows with the County Line Vineyard since 2000.  We farm eight blocks total of Syrah from Red Mountain to Red Willow.  We receive the smallest berry size and the smallest cluster weight from Boushey’s County Line.  We typically get this lush, characterful suppleness of tannins that come out of there.  We are looking for pigment, concentration, tannins, and yet vitality and vibrancy.  I contend that’s what we get from this County Line Syrah.”

FARMING PRACTICES

Speaking about his farming practices, Boushey says, “My approach is minimalistic.  I don’t like the word stress or deficit irrigation, but it’s moderation. I try to keep a small canopy—small clusters, small berries—and I think that’s one of the attributes that helps the wines have good color and good uniform ripening.”  He doesn’t employ a by the book approach and uses technology sparingly.  For Boushey, it’s all about experience, learning what makes each row in his vineyards tick to perfection.

Boushey’s good-natured personality makes him immediately likable and actually helps him promote his fruit and the wines made with it.  Even after three decades, he considers himself new to the business.  “I’m still trying to figure out the best way to do this.  I’m still learning.  I’ll probably be doing this for another 20 years.”

The fruit already speaks for itself, but with Dick Boushey’s dogged determination and unpretentious attitude, look for Boushey Vineyards to stay ahead of the pack as the vines and grower continue to mature together.

At The Tasting Room in Seattle, wine is meant to be fun and scores are something racked up over a friendly board game

PHOTO: Seattle Tasting Room co-founders Paul and Lysle Beveridge

Sometimes it is all fun and games, no matter what folks might lead you to believe.  Take wine.  There are plenty of opportunities to analyze its structure, decode its components, ponder its provenance and otherwise give serious consideration to what’s in the glass before you.

And then there are those times when you want to just relax and enjoy wine without any fuss or introspection.

This is what The Tasting Room on Post Alley in Pike Place Market is all about.  To prove it, manager Sarah Carlson began setting out board games for customers to play.  It’s hard to take wine overly serious when you hear someone yell out, “You sunk my battleship!” in the background.  And Carlson wouldn’t have it any other way.

I walked into The Tasting Room on a sunny Saturday afternoon to find it in prime game-playing mode.  A small table near the front of the room was stacked with a dozen games, including Jenga, Connect 4, Battleship, Scrabble, and Yahtzee.  One couple was playing a game of Rummikub, while a foursome at another table played a raucous game of Operation.

Carlson watches her customers unwind over the games, relax a bit more, get into conversation with their neighbors and mingle.  Next thing you know, strangers might realize they both have family in Philadelphia and end up engaging in a way that likely wouldn’t have happened without the game board as an introduction.

Old-fashioned game playing is on the rise, not just at The Tasting Room, but across the country.  Forbes.com reported a nearly 25 percent increase in board games sales last year, with sales expected to further increase this year.  We have the economy to thank, in part, as everyone looks for ways to entertain and unwind without breaking the bank.  And technology plays a role too; the more we’re plugged in throughout the day, the more we long to unplug when we can.

Grabbing a seat at the bar on my visit, I looked around for a deck of cards to play solitaire and join the fun.  I was loath to be one of “those” people staring intently—and incessantly—into her Blackberry while biding time solo.  Instead, I grabbed a box of the WineSmarts trivia cards and quizzed myself on the finer points of wine grapes, vocabulary, wine-producing regions and other enological details.

This series (they also have GourmetSmarts, CoffeeSmarts, CocktailSmarts, among others) does up flash cards fancy.  The only time I regretted not having a playmate was when I got to this multiple-choice question: “Which is the sweetest of these German wines?”  I was proud of not only knowing the answer, but also knowing how to pronounce it: Trockenbeerenauslese.

To sustain them through game play, the menu at The Tasting Room offers customers such snackables as mixed roasted nuts, a salami sampler from Salumi and an artisan cheese plate.

For a bit more substantial fare, come in for Pie Day Friday, when pizzas from nearby Pagliacci Pizza can be delivered right to The Tasting Room, with specially priced wines to enjoy alongside. (Wipe your fingers before tossing the dice!)  And every Wednesday night you can team up with friends and battle for gift certificate prizes over Stump! Trivia quiz game.

With easy-going comfort foods and a game-friendly setting, this clearly isn’t your average wine tasting venue.

Co-founder and winemaker Paul Beveridge explains, “We really want to make wine accessible, approachable, unstuffy.  So I love hearing and seeing guests have fun playing games while they’re sipping wine.”

True, this isn’t a hoity-toity wine destination that’s all about the tasting notes and ratings.  Instead the atmosphere is a casual, inviting one where Washington wine stars, but there’s room, too, for a little fun.

Desert Wind Winery is a relaxing haven for vacationers seeking gourmet food and wine

PHOTO: Four luxury guest rooms are available on a private floor above the winery, which make for a perfect base camp for exploring Prosser’s wine country.

Click here to preview the article from the Winter 2011 issue of Tasting Room magazine.

IS THIS THE SOUTHWEST or the Northwest?

You thought you were in the town of Prosser, Washington, but now you’re wondering if you time-traveled from the Yakima Valley to New Mexico when you pulled off Interstate 82 onto Wine Country Road, passed banks of lavender and riotous baskets of brightly-colored annuals and parked in front of the striking adobe-style building that houses Desert Wind Winery.

Staying in one of the winery’s luxuriously appointed guest rooms (acclaimed by Travel + Leisure magazine) is the perfect way to explore nearby wineries as well.  There are just four rooms located on a private, secure floor over the winery, so you’ll want to begin planning your getaway now and book early.

Southwest Style Lodging

The tasteful guest rooms are named after early-American explorers: Sacagawea, Jean Baptiste, Charbonneau, Lewis and Clark.  The Southwestern desert theme is thoughtfully carried into every detail from the furnishings to wall décor.  Deluxe amenities include a sitting area, large flatscreen satellite television, Bose sound system with CD player, mini-bar, even plush his-and-her guest robes.

If the drive to the winery has left you a little thirsty, the first thing that may attract your attention is the welcome complimentary bottle of wine waiting in the room, complete with corkscrew and crystal wine glasses.  It’s tempting to settle into the comfy chairs on your private balcony and sip your wine as the sun sets over the Yakima River below.  If it’s a bit chilly outside, curl up on the soft sofa in front of the kiva-style fireplace.

Wake up the next morning to an ample European-style Continental breakfast basket of fresh fruit, artisan cheese, bakery goods, fruit juice, milk and French-press coffee delivered to your room.

Wine Tasting & Lunch

Downstairs in the high-ceilinged tasting room, a gift boutique overflowing with fine art and classy kitchen items leads the way to the roomy tasting bar.

Here you can taste their lineup of wines from Chardonnay to Tempranillo to Port-style La Puerta.  Desert Wind’s popular signature blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot is called Ruah.  In keeping with the winery’s setting and theme, Ruah translates to “breath of God” or “wind” in Hebrew.

Stroll to the opposite side of the cavernous winery to enjoy lunch at Mojave by Picazo, a Southwest-
inspired restaurant, focusing on casual wine country cuisine, paired with Desert Wind wines.  Set with elegant table seating and oak wine barrels racked halfway up the wall, it’s open for lunch from Thursday to Saturday, or by appointment for private groups.

To attend a Desert Wind cooking class, or one of their many food and wine events, check out the winery’s website.

Ties To Duck Pond Cellars

Christened for the area’s hot, dry weather, Desert Wind opened in 2007, joining 30 or so wineries in the small town of Prosser (population 5,500) at the southeast end of the Yakima Valley. Growing with every vintage, the winery now produces in excess of 25,000 cases of wine a year.

Owner Greg Fries and his wife Amber oversee all aspects of the vineyards, the tasting room, four-room inn, restaurant and meeting space.

Amber, originally from Chelan, Washington, met Greg when she was attending Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, and working at Duck Pond Cellars.

“I was looking for a summer job and the winery sounded fun,” Amber says. “Then I got interested in wine and got certified at the International Sommelier Guild.  In the process, Greg and I fell in love and eventually got married.” Her love of food, and knack for creating recipes comes in useful when planning wine dinner menus or themes for the monthly cooking classes offered at the winery.

Greg thinks of himself as a vintner more than a winemaker.  Sure, he deals with the chemistry and magic that turns grapes into ambrosia, but not before he’s spent hours tromping around vineyards checking on grapes or conferring with family members about blends and crush.

The 38-year-old grew up on a California farm where his family grew cotton and tomatoes.  In the 1980s, his family moved to Oregon, started raising hazelnuts and planted a small vineyard.  Greg attended University of California at Davis, graduating with a degree in fermentation science with an emphasis in enology.

Meanwhile, the family planted an additional 480 acres of wine grapes on the Wahluke Slope above the Yakima Valley.  By 1993, the Oregon vineyard was getting its own legs and the Fries family opened Duck Pond Cellars between Dundee and Newberg.

Combine Greg’s ease in the vineyards and Amber’s communication and marketing skills, coupled by the family’s commitment to producing quality wines, and an Eastern Washington sister winery was a natural.

Accustomed to dealing with the forces of nature, Paul Champoux is winning his battle with the West Nile virus with steely determination

PHOTO: Washington state grape growers Judy and Paul Champoux next to their hearty Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1972.

Click here to preview the article from the Winter 2011 issue of Tasting Room magazine.

CHAMPOUX VINEYARDS is considered to be among the best Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Washington State.  And while it’s true that Mother Nature ultimately holds the cards in any agricultural game of chance, never underestimate the impact that people like Paul Champoux can have on his vineyard’s site, soil, and plants.

Champoux (pronounced “shampoo”) is a master viticulturist who has developed a philosophy of plant nutrition to help accentuate the flavors, color, and varietal character of the grapes at his Champoux Vineyards.

He has broken the growing season down into the “seasons of the vine” (which are initial growth, reproductive cycle, secondary growth/berry development, lag phase, and veraison/maturation).  During each of those different seasons, Champoux applies a different nutritional package of nutrients through the leaves to give the vine what it needs for the upcoming stage.

Winemaker Mike Januik of Januik Winery buys fruit from Champoux every year.  “People have this traditional idea of what terroir is, but in the case of Champoux Vineyards, I think that you can almost expand upon that and say that Paul Champoux in a certain way is part of the terroir.  It is the uniqueness of Paul’s skills in large part that makes Champoux what it is,” he says.

EARLY MERCER RANCH

Champoux Vineyards is owned by Paul and Judy Champoux along with four partner wineries, Andrew Will, Powers, Quilceda Creek, and Woodward Canyon.  Located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in south central Washington State, Champoux Vineyards was originally known as Mercer Ranch.  The first seven acres of Cabernet were planted by Don and Linda Mercer in 1972 at the request of Walter Clore, known as the “Father of the Washington wine industry,” who wanted to prove that wine grapes could be grown commercially in the state and fine wines could be made from them.

Paul Champoux became the manager for Mercer Ranch after learning the ropes as a vineyard manager for Ste. Michelle.  In fact, he helped plant over 2,000 acres near Paterson in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and worked with great mentors including Dr. Clore, Dr. Wade Wolfe (now of Thurston Wolfe), and Clay Mackey (now of Chinook Wines).

Paul and Judy Champoux and their partner wineries bought the vineyard in 1996. Winemaker Rick Small of Woodward Canyon recalls, “I’ll never forget when I got the call.  I told Paul, ‘Yeah, we would definitely be interested in being a partner.’  Between us all, we got the money together and were able to purchase this incredible Cabernet place.”

WHERE CAB IS KING

Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely king at Champoux with nearly 60 percent of the 180-acre vineyard planted to the variety.  Winemakers rave over its dark black fruit aromas and flavors, silky tannins, structure, and ability to age well.

Champoux Vineyards has ten other grape varieties planted on 180 acres that include Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Lemberger, Petit Verdot, Muscat Canelli, Chardonnay, Riesling, Orange Muscat, and Malbec.

In any given year, over 20 wineries purchase Champoux grapes, with about 16 steadily using its fruit year after year, including partners Andrew Will, Powers, Quilceda Creek, and Woodward Canyon, as well as Fidelitas, Januik, and Sineann.

The fruit is so prized and the vineyard so well respected that Champoux estimates that about 90 percent of the wines made using Champoux grapes are vineyard-designated.  “Even after all these years and seeing our name on many, many bottles, we still get excited.  It’s quite an honor for us,” says Judy Champoux.

WEST NILE VIRUS ATTACK

But on July 17, 2009, Paul Champoux was dealt the scare of his life. Three days prior, he felt flu-like symptoms and achy muscles and joints.  By the 17th, he could not move his arms or legs at all.

It took thirteen days before he was diagnosed with West Nile virus, the result of being bitten by an infected mosquito.  After being hospitalized for two months in serious condition, Paul returned home in early September about the time the 2009 harvest started.

Fortunately, Champoux has surrounded himself with good people, including vineyard manager Kevin Laurent and production foreman Hipolito Vargas, who kept the vineyard running smoothly in his absence.  Even though he could not physically help with harvest, Champoux was able to stay connected with his managers and winemakers via cell phone from his bed with his wife Judy holding the phone to his ear.

Rick Small describes the story, “Behind all of this incredible recovery that Paul has seen in the last year is his wife Judy. I can’t tell you how important she has been. She was his best friend, his best supporter, and his rally point.  The reason Paul is back the way he is right now, and back so motivated and encouraged and so enthused is to a huge point, because of Judy.  When we talk about Champoux Vineyards, we talk about it in terms of Paul but it really should be in terms of both of them because they are so much a team.”

With the same focus and determination that he learned playing college baseball at Seattle University and has applied to running his vineyard, Paul Champoux has battled back from this physical setback and is well on his way to a full recovery.

A healthy dose of humor has helped, too.  He wears a cap that reads “Damn Mosquitoes” on the front and “Fight the Bite” on the back.

Over a year later, use of his arms is back to about 90 percent and his legs back to about 75 percent. He looks forward to the day when he can walk the vineyard again and shoot hoops with his grandkids.

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

As passionate as Paul and Judy Champoux are about their vineyard, they are just as passionate about sharing it with others.  Unlike most vineyards that discourage visitors for fear they’ll get in the way, the couple opened Chateau Champoux in 2000, offering vineyard tours and wine tastings to the public.

“We wanted to get consumers out in the field so they can see what it takes to grow world-class grapes,” says Champoux.  “We bring them out in the vineyard and then bring them inside to taste wine from the block they were just in.  You can see their eyes light up.”  The tours have been suspended over the last year due to Paul’s prolonged recovery, however they hope to resume them in 2011.

Paul has been an integral part of making Champoux Vineyards the world-class vineyard that it is, and also an example to the national and international wine community of what is possible in Washington State.

As Mike Januik puts it, “If all of the grape growers in Washington even begin to approach what Paul Champoux does, we’d be a much better place as far as grape production and wine production goes. He really is somebody that you can look up to.”

Rick Small further speculates, “I still think that we haven’t made the best wines from there yet.”  Given its site, soil, plants, and the focus and strong determination of the people, the possibilities seem endless.

At Januik Winery and Novelty Hill in Woodinville, artisan wines flow in a contemporary setting

I HEARD MIKE JANUIK say something about the grapes from Block One and Block Three and note that, “We could use more of the Cab.”  We were sitting near the fireplace inside the tasting room of Januik Winery and its partner winery Novelty Hill.  He was on the phone with Paul Champoux of Champoux Vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills area of Washington’s Columbia Valley.  Mike needed to nail down the tonnage needed for the 2010 fall harvest.

Cowboy James Kinney christened the name Horse Heaven Hills in 1857 after discovering his herd of horses eating the native grasses on the hillside.  Proclaiming this as “Horse Heaven,” it is today one of Washington’s 11 designated American Viticultural Areas (AVA) checking in at 570,000 acres, a fraction of which is dedicated to premium wine production.  Champoux Vineyards is but one of a long list of renowned vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills with its first planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1972.

For over 25 years, Mike Januik and Paul Champoux have collaborated to make premium wine—Paul growing the grapes and Mike making the wine.  Mike also sources his fruit from a number of other who’s-who vineyards in Washington including the likes of Seven Hills Vineyard in Walla Walla, Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval in Red Mountain, and Weinbau in the Wahluke Slope.  Such is the case with most vintners in Woodinville where the winemakers don’t grow the grapes, but rather get their grapes from vineyards on the drier, eastern side of the Cascades.

A DIFFERENT SORT OF AMBIENCE

Inside the contemporary tasting room, the sun was busy throwing a lot of light into the spacious tasting room as the staff prepared for the day.  The doors would open at 11am and the staff was busy preparing.  Soon their daily dose of thirsty wine tourists would be arriving—bearing different accents, expectations and possessing a wide range of wine tasting experiences.  And because each visitor is unique, it makes the job of the wine tasting pourer more interesting.  Pouring wine is not robotic; one must listen, educate and ultimately please.

Opened in the spring of 2007, Januik Winery and its winery partner, Novelty Hill, occupy more than 33,000 square feet on 3.1 acres in Woodinville.  The challenge for the Januik Winery design team was to create an inviting space that would differentiate themselves from other Woodinville wineries.

They wanted a style true to the Pacific Northwest featuring native materials, colors and textures.  The result was a fusion of glass, wood, stylish concrete and outdoor landscaping to match, which stand in stark contrast to nearby neighbors Chateau Ste. Michelle with its iconic chateau and Columbia Winery with its charming Victorian style residence.

With its modern Spartan-like feel, this is a relaxed setting where visitors are encouraged to sample wine, order from a small plate menu (featuring among other tummy pleasers, thin crust pizza), meander around the grounds and play a round of bocce ball on the outside court.

Beyond the inviting structure, visitors have a number of “touch points” to further experience their wines.  There are several meeting rooms for private tasting and events varying in size to fit a range of needs.

The full-size kitchen serves up delicious fare for corporate and family retreats.  They host weddings from rehearsal dinners to the reception.

With each event, visitors have one thing in common—the fine wines of Novelty Hill and Januik Winery.   Many become fans and spread the word to friends and family.  Not surprisingly, others end up joining the ever-growing wine club with all its membership privileges, including access to their “Cellar Manager,” a secure private online wine inventory system.  Very cool.

THE SECRET SAUCE

However, the success of the winery goes beyond the ambiance of the tasting room.  Ultimately, it’s about the quality of the product in the bottle.  That’s what spells the difference between a winery that merely limps along and one that thrives.  Put Novelty Hill and Januik Winery in that “thrive” category with sales that continue to climb year after year.

“What’s your secret sauce?” I asked Mike.  In response, he noted, “We strive for consistent quality across all our wines.  You may not be a lover of Viognier, but the Viognier we pour you will have the bright floral notes of this variety.  Across all our wines, you experience high quality that’s true to each varietal’s character.”

At age 50-something, soft-spoken Mike Januik knows a thing or two about making premium wine. Possessing a master’s degree from the University of California Davis famed Viticulture & Enology program Mike learned from the best, including Drs. Ann C. Noble the creator of the “aroma wheel” and Roger Boulton, a leading educator and researcher in fermentation science.

Mike’s own thesis dealt with the use of gas chromatography to detect sulfur molecules in the headspace of a wine glass.  While maybe not a page-turner to others, his thesis really speaks to Mike’s vision of producing clean wines for consumers.

Translation:  You won’t find faulty wines at Novelty Hill and Januik Winery, the kind that smell of stale sweat, cabbage or skunk.  His science background won’t allow that.  Nor would his ten years as the chief winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle prior to launching his own winery.  It’s there where he honed his winemaking production skills on a big scale.

Early on Mike developed a winemaking philosophy that simply entails making the wines you like.  That is, don’t make wines for what the public likes—there’s already enough Yellow Tail for everyone and their brother.  He believes that if you are passionate about your wine and strive to make the very best, it will win over fans.  It’s the “build it and they will come” philosophy.

From inside the tasting room, a glass wall permits visitors to peer down into the football size barrel room and production area.  Everything is organized and stowed for easy access.  It’s so clean you could eat off the floor of this winery and not worry about getting sick.  (Not that I suggest doing that, mind you, but it does speak to Mike’s attention to detail.)  And having personally visited hundreds of wineries throughout the Northwest, I can assuredly state there is a direct correlation between a winemaker’s attention to detail and the quality of their wine.

DRINK NOW OR HOLD ONTO IT

As we talked, a busload of tourists entered the winery sporting cameras and wide eyes.  All seemed to pause shortly to take in the ambiance of tasting room—it’s light and airy feel, high ceilings, art bedecked walls and generous size wine bar at the center of the room.  Whatever reticence they might have felt quickly melted in response to the friendly manner of the tasting room staff.  I watched one visitor, nose in glass, about to sample something dark red.  I drooled as I imagined the aroma of this wine, swirling with notes of blackberry, plumbs and currants and perhaps some unnamed spice.  With a touch of wine envy, I fought the urge to grab that glass from him.

Fortunately, Mike broke my wine-glass-stealing-fantasy with another salient comment.  He noted that Paul Pontaillier, CEO of Bordeaux’s Château Margaux, once told him that great wines are enjoyable when first released, but have the structure and complexity to last 25 years without giving up their fruit character, complexity, or long finish.  Mike thinks of that comment often and feels that his wines can easily be stored for that long, and still enjoyed.

It starts with Washington’s premium quality grapes, the judicious use of oak and ongoing quality control measures that leads to long lasting wines.  Of course, I could never keep a bottle of his wine that long—a bottle of 2007 Januik Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon lasting in my diminutive cellar until 2032 is simply not possible.  There are just too many natural country beef dishes, good friends and Seattle sunsets to pair with this luscious wine.

Maryhill Winery is a destination for wine, picnics, music concerts & vistas on the Columbia River

SET IN ONE of the most photographed areas of the Columbia River Gorge, Maryhill is located on a windswept bluff, surrounded by vineyards and lush cherry, peach, and nectarine orchards.  Down below, the Columbia River runs big and wide.  A craggy cross section of basalt and granite rises up from across the river, a geological marvel resulting from the Missoula Floods and a constant reminder of why the area’s soils are so rich.

Not only do the surroundings inspire impromptu marriage proposals and a-ha moments, they also create conditions for inspired grapes.  “We discovered that this was a really unique growing region because the Columbia River in this area creates a huge heat sink in the winter when the northern express would come in and kill a lot of the grapes in Washington,” says owner Craig Leuthold, indicating the milder conditions that mitigate the risk of a freeze.  Leuthold and his wife Vicki opened the winery in 2001.

SOURCING FROM ALL GRAPE REGIONS

With an enormous tasting room, 4,000-plus-seat amphitheater and grounds to talk about, a lesser-known asset of Maryhill is its astounding 23-varietal portfolio including dozens of award-winning wines.  In short, Maryhill represents what Washington as a state is capable of producing at a consistently high level.

The winery sources grapes from almost every appellation in the state, and therefore offers the opportunity to learn what differentiates Washington State from the rest of the world—all in one place.

“The only appellation we haven’t been working with is Walla Walla and we are starting to purchase grapes from Les Collines Vineyard,” says Leuthold. “I think the wines that come off that vineyard are some of the best that Washington is capable of producing, so that fills a hole for us in terms of having a representation from virtually all the grape growing regions.”

FLAGSHIP ZIN

Maryhill also stands out by offering as its flagship wine a Zinfandel, a rarity in Washington State.

“We really wanted to differentiate ourselves,” says Leuthold.  “I convinced Dan Gunkel (owner of the surrounding Gunkel Vineyards) to sell us five tons of Zinfandel.  We entered it in the west coast wine competition in California and ended up winning best of class and runner up as best of show.”

Not a bad start, considering this happened before the winery opened its doors.  “And as they say,” Leuthold says laughing, “the rest is history.  Zinfandel became an iconic wine for us.”

“You can’t mention Maryhill without mentioning Viognier.  It’s a best-seller for us year after year,” says tasting room manager Maureen Lee, “but we’re starting to really get it right with the reds.”  That’s putting it modestly.  Above the tasting bar sits a substantial lineup of red varietals cloaked in so many medals it appears they may fall over.

In addition to the usual suspects of Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah, some of the reds that are hitting their stride include the Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and a Bordeaux blend called Serendipity.  All the Proprietor’s Reserves, ranging in price from $18 to $40 are bargains. And don’t miss the Port and Grenache that are only available at the tasting room.

LIVE OUTDOOR MUSIC

With a strong connection to music, Craig and Vicki had the amphitheater in mind from the start.  “The property had this great natural bowl for one thing,” recalls Leuthold, “Having a musical venue creates an experience.  Sipping our wines and listening to good music is another way to connect to the winery.”

An average of 75,000 people visit the winery each year, many of them lured by the live music.

“The energy out here for the concerts is like none I’ve ever seen,” says Lee. “All the patio spaces are packed with people having fun.”

And not just during the concert series, which draws such acts as Lyle Lovett and Jackson Browne.  From Memorial Day through November, the winery hosts free live music on the patio every weekend (see their website).

LOW-KEY, NO HYPE

Inside the expansive tasting room, guests can belly up to a formidable tasting bar from an 1880 Sears and Roebuck catalog built by the Brunswick Company, one of the most asked about features in the room.

Behind the bar, assistant tasting room manager Matt Ayres pours samples.  Ayres grew up on a vineyard in The Dalles and is like an unassuming personal Chamber of Commerce for the area.  For all the hype, “people are always surprised to find how low-key we are here,” Matt says.

Indeed, a friendly Great Pyrenees named Potter helps set this casual mood.  When he’s not entertaining guests in the tasting room, Potter faithfully guards the 85 acres of coveted estate fruit from Gunkel Vineyards that surround the property.

After browsing the rows of tempting merchandise and the deli cases, guests can dine alfresco under the lantern-filled arbor and are encouraged to grab clusters of the fragrant table grapes that surround the patio to accompany their picnic.  There are five types, including the dark purple Glenora, which is sweet with a bit of spice, and the delicious golden green Himrod.

The winery recently completed building four professional grade bocce ball courts and another arbor and picnic area.  Like everything Maryhill seems to do, they didn’t mess around with mediocrity.

NEW HEAD WINEMAKER

Maryhill’s newest addition is head winemaker, Richard Batchelor.  Originally from New Zealand (infectious accent still intact), Batchelor built his reputation in Napa Valley, and has worked to elevate the quality of the wines while maintaining their attractive price points.

Batchelor also plans to introduce a line of vineyard designates to the burgeoning wine club.  Club members have the opportunity to join Batchelor in the vineyard for a thinning and pruning series.

MODEL OF SUCCESS

During a time when some Washington brands were trying to shake “value” from their identification, Maryhill embraced the model.  “We’ve always wanted our winery to be a value producer, and I don’t think it could be any more important than it is now,” says Leuthold.  “It’s a philosophy we’ve believed in from the inception of Maryhill.  Instead of buying one $40 bottle of wine, consumers are now buying two $20 bottles and drinking them at home.  I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon because I think people are looking for values.”

TASTING ROOM TOP PICKS:

2008 Winemaker’s Red
Aromas of caramel, a bit of dark berry and cherry and a hint of smoke and lilac. $14/bottle

2008 Viognier
Nose of honeysuckle and jasmine, tasting of green apple and crunchy pear, yet vanilla, honey and the slightest hint of oak are present as well. Light acidity and a hint of sweetness. $15/bottle

2007 Zinfandel
A jammy nose bursting with cane berries and cherries, hints of black pepper, clove and chocolate. A satiny entry to a dry-yet-fruity, medium-to-full body, with creamy vanilla and toasted meringue notes. $22/bottle

2006 Proprietor’s Reserve Cabernet Franc
Aromas of black cherry, eucalyptus, leather, graphite and slight notes of green olive, licorice and coffee. Tastes of dark berry and cherry fruit along with cold pressed coffee. $34/bottle

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Maryhill Winery
9774 Hwy 14
Goldendale, WA 98620
877-627-9445
Open daily 10am-6pm