One of California's largest and most successful wineries is dipping its toes into Washington wine. Trinchero Family Estates in St. Helena, Calif., is teaming up with Charles Smith of K Vintners in Walla Walla, Wash., and Charles Bieler of New York to manage sales, marketing and distribution of Charles & Charles, a joint venture of Smith and Bieler. Smith owns K … [Read more...] about California giant adds Washington wine to portfolio
Wine
Precept Wine to release 2012 Merlot in February
Precept Wine, which isn't shy about creating unusual projects, plans next month to release a Walla Walla Valley vineyard-designated 2012 Merlot under the Waterbrook label. Yes, a Merlot from last year's vintage. Waterbrook Winery 2012 Amber Hills Vineyard Merlot Heidi Witherspoon, communications director for Seattle-based Precept, said it will be a 250-case … [Read more...] about Precept Wine to release 2012 Merlot in February
Duck Pond Cellars invests in Umpqua Valley Pinot Noir
This spring, the Fries family and Duck Pond Cellars in Dundee, Ore., will celebrate 20 years as a Willamette Valley winery. During those two decades, though, they've expanded their vineyard program to more than 1,000 acres, nearly evenly split between Oregon and Washington, and created Desert Wind Winery in Prosser, Wash. Oregon Pinot Noir in the Umpqua Valley Greg Fries, … [Read more...] about Duck Pond Cellars invests in Umpqua Valley Pinot Noir
In search of Washington Pinot Noir
On occasion, we are asked about Washington Pinot Noir. It's a question that is becoming easier to answer, though examples remain scarce. Salishan Vineyards More than a decade ago, we would have had just a couple of choices, the best of which was the now-defunct Salishan Vineyards near the town of La Center. On a visit there around 2002, Joan Wolverton (a former Seattle … [Read more...] about In search of Washington Pinot Noir
Hyland honors pioneers and an unusual Pinot Noir clone in Oregon
One of the least-understood appellations in Oregon Pinot Noir country is McMinnville. Many wine lovers associate it with the city of McMinnville, which is nearby but is not inside the American Viticultural Area that was approved in 2005. In fact, the McMinnville AVA is on a hillside west of town and is home to such vineyards as Meredith Mitchell, Yamhill Valley and … [Read more...] about Hyland honors pioneers and an unusual Pinot Noir clone in Oregon