Red Mountain Trails Winery founders Teresa and Jeff Owen have built up their family business quite literally on horseback. The couple have been leading horseback rides and horse-drawn wagon rides through vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA since 2013. It seemed only logical when Red Mountain Trails expanded their offerings in 2016 to include a “wine tasting by horseback tour.” The idea came to them during a California business trip when Teresa and Jeff booked a wine tasting trail ride through the vineyards of Sonoma County. “Prior to that we hadn’t really considered offering wine tasting with our trail rides,” admits Teresa.
“We knew the demand for unique wine-tasting tour options was there and we wanted to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors,” adds Jeff.
Now, the Owens have fulfilled their dream of launching their own winery, Red Mountain Trails Winery, which dovetails perfectly into their horseback riding business. Their primary focus are Bordeaux varietal reds that have made the appellation famous. Teresa’s family put down roots on the mountain in 1973, giving her a personal perspective of the area’s history. In fact, her first employers were the Williams and Holmes families and her first real job was in the Kiona Winery cellars. After Jeff and Teresa were wed they settled back on her family’s Red Mountain ranch. “Our goal with the trail ride business is to provide visitors with a unique and intimate look at the area we love and know so well,” Teresa explains.
Wine tastings are held in a unique outdoor pavilion setting on the Owen’s ranch, the only such offering of its kind in the Yakima Valley. The winery’s aged bold reds easily pull their own weight, loaded with character-driven fruit reined in with distinctive, dusty minerality. The vineyard tours offer an unforgettable experience for wine lovers, too. Tastings and horseback tours must be reserved in advance. Located at 27314 Ambassador PR NE, Benton City. Discover more about this one-of-a-kind ranch winery at www.redmountaintrailswinery.com.
Below are five releases we recently reviewed:
Red Mountain Trails 2011 “Perfect Pairing”
92 pts.
Blended with Cabernet Franc (15%), this energetic Cabernet Sauvignon red is floral, with aromas of rose petal, leather and dark fruit. Grippy tannins give this lots of traction, driven with high-toned flavors of cherry, blackberry and plum layered with tea leaf, crushed rock and barrel spice. $65
Red Mountain Trails 2011 Merlot
92 pts.
Smooth with a savory edge, delivering a wide band of black cherry framed with graham, cocoa, wetstone and pencil shavings. Fine tannins lend a firm grip on the vibrant finish. $55
Red Mountain Trails 2020 Rosé
92 pts.
This Rosé of Sangiovese strikes a fine balance between crisp acidity backed by lovely fruit-driven character, leading with aromas of strawberry, citrus and distinctive salinity. Juicy watermelon and cherry flavors chime in, echoing with stony minerality on the dry, structured finish. $22
Red Mountain Trails 2011 Cabernet Franc
91 pts.
Powerful, this spicy version has aromas of kirsch and tobacco, with complex flavors of spiced raspberry, dried herbs and roasted peppers. Fine grained tannins linger on the long finish. $55
Red Mountain Trails 2019 Chardonnay
90 pts.
Round and fresh-tasting, offering a nicely structured feel loaded with ripe flavors of golden apple, pear and pineapple. Lemon citrus and light tarragon notes linger on the finish. $22