Articles

After a year of heavy changes, Force Majeure looks to the future with the recruitment of Napa Valley winemaker Todd Alexander and a roster of all-star consultants. … [Read more...] about Force Majeure: An Unstoppable Force

Fruit from StoneTree Vineyard has long been a prized component in many Washington blends, and today more and more winemakers are reserving their best barrels to produce a vineyard designate. … [Read more...] about StoneTree Vineyard: Of Vines & Fossils

The Winery Incubators at the Walla Walla Regional Airport have become a landing strip for promising wineries—and they're taking off in a big way … [Read more...] about Incubator Wineries: Hatched in Walla Walla

Overlooking the lush Yakima Valley, DuBrul Vineyard is cultivating a loyal following for their elegant fruit—with helpful hands from an all-female vineyard crew If you drive by DuBrul Vineyard, near Sunnyside, from mid-February through harvest in the fall, you are likely to see the ladies of their vineyard crew hard at work.  They might be pruning, thinning, or doing … [Read more...] about A Feminine Touch at Yakima’s DuBrul Vineyard

Changing the world one bottle at a time, the new generation of Powers Winery carries founder Bill Powers’ vision forward Despite success as innovators, not to mention their ranking as the eighth largest producer in the state, Powers Winery continues to pursue and improve upon multiple projects under a modest (literally and figuratively) roof. Located at the foot of … [Read more...] about Powers Winery: A Legendary Powerhouse

Crafting wines with distinct personality, Syncline Winery is founded upon a close connection to the land in the hilly Columbia Gorge AVA Few wine adventure destinations match the sheer spectacle of the Columbia River Gorge, the 80-mile canyon that serves as the border with Oregon.  With its constant winds, 4,000-foot cliffs and miles of forest trails, the Gorge offers a … [Read more...] about Syncline Winery in the Columbia Gorge

From the sloping vineyard that curves around the hills on the north side of Lake Chelan to the bistro and tasting room surrounded by apple and cherry orchards, Vin du Lac embodies Larry Lehmbecker’s vision of how to blend his two great passions: wine and food. “We are Washington winery No. 325,” he states proudly, “and from the first day, I wanted our focus to elegantly … [Read more...] about Vin du Lac Winery: Bistro On The Vineyard

One of Walla Walla's landmark wineries, Seven Hills has come full circle after 26 vintages and is making a return to its original roots of Cabernet and red Bordeaux varietals.  Winemaker Casey McClellan and wife, Vicky, wrapped up their 26th vintage in the fall of '13, and will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary this spring—having not only endured what can be a volatile … [Read more...] about Seven Hills Winery: A Return To Roots

Although apples still reign supreme in the Wenatchee Valley, a few decades ago several fruit mavens looking to diversify turned their expertise toward wine grapes.  Before long, vineyards took their place alongside the vast hillside orchards.  The region is now home to dozens of wineries that are worth exploring, not just for great wine, but for surprising bargain values as … [Read more...] about Wine Touring in Wenatchee’s Apple Country

"We really don’t have that in mind,” says Kay Simon, co-owner of Chinook Wines, dismissing the notion of retirement.  Her husband, Clay Mackey, the other co-owner of this winemaking venture, chimes in, “No, not in the cards.”  One might assume, with 31 years of successful winemaking under their belts, that the couple would be seriously contemplating the “R” word. But they have … [Read more...] about Chinook Wines: Quintessential Yakima Valley

Founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson, L’Ecole Nº 41 is nothing short of a Walla Walla Valley icon. It was the third winery established in the valley and remarkably, at that time it was one of only 20 wineries in a state that now boasts more than 800. L’Ecole is located in Frenchtown, just west of Walla Walla, in a historic schoolhouse built in 1915. Thus the name … [Read more...] about L’Ecole Nº 41 Attains New Heights in the Walla Walla Valley

If great grapes come from vineyards with jaw-dropping views, then Celilo Vineyard’s ought to be among the best.  Spread before the grapes to the east, an expansive vista sweeps across the shoulder of Underwood Mountain to the Hood River Bridge that spans the broad blue waters of the mighty Columbia River nearly a thousand feet below. Glancing southward, the enormous shark tooth … [Read more...] about Touring Celilo Vineyard: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

At the women-owned Olympic Cellars winery, complementary skills come together in perfect harmony. Kathy Charlton came to Olympic Cellars Winery to close it down.  The Texas Instruments manager lived in Dallas and was in India on a business trip when her husband called and asked, “How would you like to buy a winery?”  Although it hadn’t been on her to-do list, Charlton agreed to … [Read more...] about Olympic Cellars: Sisters Through Grapes

Lifelong farmer Doug Fries knows that a journey is of no merit unless it has tested you.  Quiet, strong and energetic, the former cotton grower from Central California was forced into an early retirement in the 1980s due to an ailment.  He resettled his family in Oregon where he recovered a few years later and became restless.  Fries bought a parcel of land in the Willamette … [Read more...] about The Fries Family: Pinot Noir to Cabernet

Just shy of the township of Lowden on Highway 12, Waterbrook Winery appears like a miniature resort.  Double wooden doors with handles the size of cupboards are hard to miss as you approach the tasting room. The open space is peppered with a variety of chairs and tables in what feels like an elaborate lodge—even more inviting and less assuming after you step inside. Beyond … [Read more...] about The Laid Back Elegance of Waterbrook

The future is bright for Washington State's 13th AVA, already a significant grape growing region for Pacific Northwest winemakers If the making of wine is an exercise in delayed gratification, the creation of an American Viticultural Area (AVA) is doubly so.  Few understand this better than Cameron Fries, the champion of Washington’s 13th and newest AVA, the Ancient … [Read more...] about Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley

Resourceful and rugged like the appellation they helped conquer, the Williams clan of Kiona Vineyards is three generations strong—and counting Broad vistas are a dime a dozen in Washington wine country, but inside Kiona’s tasting room an imposing glass wall frames a slice of the view in such stunning fashion that many stop in their tracks.  During much of the year, … [Read more...] about Taming Red Mountain

Originally published in the Summer 2013 Print Issue  In the same way a good wine pairing doesn’t compete with, but only adds to an accompanying meal, John Patterson is a winemaker who believes in the spirit of cooperation. Take for example the profitable niche he’s found renting out wine equipment to help small wineries crush grapes and process their wines.  Or the intern … [Read more...] about The Collaborative Spirit Of Patterson Cellars