68 cases produced. Normally, this time of year you'd see Pinot Noir rosé from our estate vineyard, however the 2022 vintage was anything but normal. A hard frost hit our home vineyard on April 15th causing a 50% loss in yield, so we dedicated all of our estate fruit to make our Pinot Noir blends. But if we've learned anything from farming it's that hardship can lead to opportunity given the right determination. Searching for a light red grape substitute, we looked north to "Washington's Pinot Noir" aka Grenache. A light bodied grape that is often made into mouthwatering rosés in the south of France. Red fruit driven with white pepper spice and a hint of salinity. Direct press into a combination of neutral French oak and stainless steel. A certain crowd pleaser this summer.

98 cases produced. A new favorite for the warmer days ahead. Sourced from eastern Washington's Phil Church Vineyard, located in the heart of Columbia Valley's Yakima Valley AVA. It's the furthest we've travelled for grapes, and with good reason, these are from one, if not the, oldest plantings of Chenin Blanc in the Pacific Northwest (planted in 1979). Not only was this our furthest pick, but also our latest. Due to a cold start to 2022, these grapes didn't come off the vine until October 27th. We scheduled a daybreak pick to keep the grapes as cold as possible for transport and processing (it was 32F that morning). The grapes were pressed and separated into five separate ferments- a combination of stainless and neutral French oak. This wine is packed with fresh acidity, a depth of minerality & citrus, and bone dry. 

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.

Sauvignon Blanc lives on a spectrum. On the extremes of this spectrum, New Zealand’s produce vibrant, tart Sauvignon Blanc’s known for their grapefruit, grassy & gooseberry flavors, while Bordeaux’s tend to be richer & more opulent, showcasing riper fruit qualities such as peach, citrus & floral notes. Sourcing our fruit from eastern Washington’s Columbia Valley, we find a sweet spot that lands us in a wonderfully tasty middle ground, drawing qualities from both extremes of the spectrum.

Four different ferments in three vessels were used to add a layered complexity, while also utilizing two distinct yeast strains. The stainless steel ferment was very reminiscent of a New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc- bright acid backbone with a focus on grapefruit & gooseberry, as well as a lovely minty note on the aroma. The new French oak barrel ferment added richness, texture & toasted notes, while the neutral oak barrel ferments added roundness and stone fruit flavors.

The very first Pinot Noir from our family estate in the Chehalem Mountains (planted in 2018). Farmed, vinified & bottled by our family to yours.

Our estate vineyard is 4.3 planted acres of Pinot Noir. Small, yes, but this allows our family to farm it exclusively- keeping diligent contact with every vine from bud break to harvest.

Our site is home to four distinctive soils that we planted five different clones of Pinot Noir. Given that 2020 was our third growing season, we expected smaller yields due to younger vines, but combined with a smaller berry set during flowering in spring, we harvested just over five barrels of wine come harvest. Just enough to get one barrel from each clone. We harvest each clone separately, then isolate in ferment and age each clone in its own barrel. We’re happy to report that we love the flavors. Each barrel representing its own identity of the vineyard which resulted in a wonderful combination of red and dark fruits, with underlying notes of savory earthiness that we strive for and crave.