World renowned. Washington grown.

About Our Vineyards

Great wines are crafted in the vineyard. In 1978 we planted our grapes in eastern Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills along the Columbia River. The appellation straddles the 46th (north) parallel—the same latitude as central France. Not surprisingly, the major Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) do well in the Columbia Valley.

Fine Terroir

Our large estate and riverside location give us a variety of microclimates to work with. Variations in the soils deposited by the river, the angle and orientation of riverside slopes, and temperature variations comprise the “terroir” that gives our winemakers distinctive grapes.

Ideal Weather

Our vineyards are protected from the Pacific Northwest’s rain by the Cascade Mountains, which prevent precipitation from moving into the state’s interior. This “rain shadow” gives us three great advantages. First, we get hundreds of days of sunshine a year, so our grapes fully ripen. Second, the valley receives only 6 to 8 inches of rain a year, so we’re able to carefully regulate irrigation. Third, it’s a rare year when rain adversely affects any part of our growing or harvest season.

Geological Legacy

Yet another set of advantages comes to us courtesy of a millennia of geologic upheaval that left the Columbia Valley with an abundance of strong east-west ridges. These basalt folds and crests in the earth’s surface provide just the kind of south-facing slopes that grapevines love. Furthermore, our geologic legacy includes successive Ice Ages, whose scraping, flooding and depositing created deep, moderately weak soils that are ideal for classic vinifera grapes.

Phylloxera-free Growing

Our winegrowing region is free of the phylloxera root louse, so we can let our grapevines grow from their own roots. In other parts of North America and throughout Europe phylloxera devastations have forced winegrowers to graft their vines onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock.

Because we are phylloxera-free, we can propagate new vines from mother plants with the best wine-producing characteristics. To take full advantage of this natural benefit, we have developed an active shoot-tip culture program—the only such program at a U.S. winery.

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