Planted along the banks for the Columbia River, at the southern tip of Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Alder Ridge Vineyard’s site selection is second to none. Benefiting from the warmer continental climate of Columbia Valley’s growing season, but with cooling effects from the proximity of the river, high winds from the gorge, and large drops in nighttime temperatures- a beautiful balance of enough heat to optimally ripen but cool enough to retain the fruit’s vibrancy.

This Grenache was sourced from Alder Ridge Vineyard’s Block 31B, which is settled at low elevations along the riverbanks- one of the hottest parts of the vineyard. This location, along with the high winds from the gorge, allow the grape skins to thicken, resulting in highly concentrated, rich flavors.

When harvested, we completely destemmed then separated the berries into two separate ferments. After a five-day cold soak, we inoculated the ferment with two different yeast strains. With a healthy mix of pump overs & punchdowns, we constantly checked the ferments for optimal mouthfeel. Once fermentation was complete and the right amount of tannin was extracted, we drained the wine from the fermenter, then pressed. Once in barrel, the wine was cellared for extended aging (16 months). This process was very deliberate to deliver a Grenache that showcased a balance of finesse & definition on the palate- a silky texture with building tannin presence toward the finish. The final wine shows strong aromatics with a wonderful array of strawberry, baking spices, & white pepper notes.

Planted along the banks for the Columbia River, at the southern tip of Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Alder Ridge Vineyard’s site selection is second to none. Benefiting from the warmer continental climate of Columbia Valley’s growing season, but with cooling effects from the proximity of the river, high winds from the gorge, and large drops in nighttime temperatures- a beautiful balance of enough heat to optimally ripen but cool enough to retain the fruit’s vibrancy.

This Syrah was sourced from Alder Ridge Vineyard’s Block 10A, nestled at high elevations along the bluff which is beneficial for retaining the grape’s acidity, while the high winds from the gorge help thicken the grape’s skins throughout the growing season which is great for the formation of tannins. All this points to wonderfully structured fruit.

Once harvested, we separated the Syrah into two separate ferments using two different yeast strains. A California derived yeast yielded a fruit-forward wine full of blackberry and blueberry flavors, while the Rhone Valley derived yeast strain gave way to complex flavor profiles of black licorice, charcoal and black pepper. Along with great flavor, this wine is by far the biggest and boldest wine we’ve crafted. We barrel aged for 20 months to soften the texture which added some complementary oak flavors. Like the Mourvèdre, this wine was built to cellar and enjoy for years to come.

Planted along the banks for the Columbia River, at the southern tip of Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Alder Ridge Vineyard’s site selection is second to none. Benefiting from the warmer continental climate of Columbia Valley’s growing season, but with cooling effects from the proximity of the river, high winds from the gorge, and large drops in nighttime temperatures- a beautiful balance of enough heat to optimally ripen but cool enough to retain the fruit’s vibrancy.

This Mourvèdre was sourced from Alder Ridge Vineyard’s Block 29A, which is settled at low elevations along the riverbank- one of the hottest parts of the vineyard. This location, along with the high winds from the gorge, allow the grape skins to thicken, resulting in highly concentrated, rich flavors.

There’s always what seems to be the perfect pick of the season, and our 2021 Mourvèdre happened to be it. The balance of tannin, acidity and flavor for this wine was on point as soon as the grapes hit the fermenter. Aged for 16 months in barrel using a combination once-filled and neutral French oak. This wine is full of botanicals on the bouquet and palate- a depth of floral, herbaceous and spicy notes fill the glass with an underlying red fruit dominance of cherry & strawberry. The combination of acidity and tannin will allow this wine to cellar gracefully for years to come.

6 BOTTLE MAX PER CLUB MEMBERSHIP. WE PUT THIS LIMIT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE ALL CLUB MEMBERS GET A CHANCE TO PURCHASE DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST. IF THERE ARE ANY BOTTLES LEFT AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE WILL REMOVE THIS LIMIT FOR MEMBERS TO OBTAIN MORE. 

Planted along the banks for the Columbia River, at the southern tip of Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Alder Ridge Vineyard’s site selection is second to none. Benefiting from the warmer continental climate of Columbia Valley’s growing season, but with cooling effects from the proximity of the river, high winds from the gorge, and large drops in nighttime temperatures- a beautiful balance of enough heat to optimally ripen but cool enough to retain the fruit’s vibrancy. This blend draws all three varietals from this special vineyard.

When crafting this blend, we started off with fifteen barrels to choose from, five barrels of each varietal. The possibility seemed endless but we did have a general consensus for a starting point- the Grenache would be the blend’s foundation on which to build. The Grenache has such a soft, silky and light body in comparison to the other bolder wines- Mourvèdre and Syrah. We worked through adding multiple barrel selections of both the Mourvèdre and Syrah to add the right amount of tannin and body while still maintaining the Grenache’s silky texture. The final blend completed as such: 1.5 barrels of Grenache, 1.5 barrels of Mourvèdre and 1 barrel of Syrah. The Grenache offers flavors of strawberry, vanilla and white pepper, the Mourvèdre gives way to a complex of botanicals, while the Syrah brings dark fruit, black licorice and charcoal. The fullness of flavor and balanced structure makes this one of our best creations to date. Drink now or cellar for years to come.