Red Willow Vineyard
Red Willow Vineyard is a
First planted in the 1920s to
History
The land that is today Red Willow Vineyard has had a long history as part of the homeland for the
Following the success of the Concord, Sauer branched out and began experimenting with Vitis vinifera including
Like many Washington wineries and vineyards, the 1991
Pioneering new grape varieties
From Dr. Clore's experimental vineyard, Sauer would plant the first commercial block of Cabernet franc in Washington State. In 1979, Red Willow began a working relationship with
The 1986 planting of Syrah was particularly significant in the history of Washington wine as it was the first planting of a variety that would go on to have much success in the state wine industry.
Columbia Winery used the grapes from the 1988 vintage to make the first varietal Syrah in Washington State which went on received critical acclaim from even French Rhône producers.[7] Soon other wineries, such as Boushey Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, were receiving cuttings from Red Willow to plant in their vineyard. By the turn of the 21st century, wine writer Paul Greggutt estimated that at least 100 wineries were making 250-300 different bottlings of Syrah.[2]
Modern day and Les Vignes de Marcoux
In the 1990s and 2000s, the emphasis of Red Willow has been on exploring new
In the early 2000s, Sauer planted a second vineyard about 3/4 of a mile west of Red Willow named Les Vignes de Marcoux after his mother's maiden name, Marcoux. This vineyard with it soft rolling hills had a much different topography than the steeper slopes of Red Willow. It was planted to newer clones of some of the Red Willow varieties but also to newer varieties such as Aglianico, Barbera and Carménère.[2]
Geography and climate
Red Willow Vineyard is located in the northwest corner of the Yakima Valley on the south slope of the
The
Still, Red Willow Vineyard is cooler than the warmer growing conditions in other Washington AVAs such as the
Grape varieties
Over the years Red Willow has planted many grape varieties, including several that the vineyard pioneered for the state. Among their notable plantings:[2][5][10]
- Viognier - first planted in Washington State here in 1983
- Cabernet franc - first planted as an experimental block with Dr. Clore in the 1970s. Commercial planting in 1985. Columbia's 1991 Red Willow Cabernet Franc was the first varietal bottling of this grape variety in Washington.[8]
- Cabernet Sauvignon - First planted in 1973
- Mourvedre- first planted in Washington State here in 1983
- Nebbiolo - first planted in 1985
- Petit Verdot - first planted as an experimental block with Dr. Clore in the 1970s with a commercial planting in 1985 but planting failed to take.
- Syrah - first planted in Washington State here in 1986
- Sangiovese
- Tempranillo
- Merlot
- Lemberger
- Petite Sirah
- Dolcetto
- Barbera
- Riesling
The Chapel
An icon of Red Willow Vineyard is the Monsignor Chapel built by the Sauer family on a hill planted mostly to Syrah in homage to the many chapel vineyards in
Wineries using Red Willow grapes
After having nearly a 30-year exclusive relationship with Columbia Winery, Red Willow began to diversify in the 2000s and today sells it grapes to some of the most notable and highly acclaimed wineries in Washington state, such as Avennia Winery,
See also
References
- ^ a b Harvey Steiman "This and That from Washington State" The Wine Spectator, March 14th, 2008
- ^ ISBN 0-520-24869-4
- ^ Yakama Nation Museum "Yakama History" Yakama Nation Museum and Cultural Center. Accessed: June 15th, 2012
- ^ a b Ronald and Glenda Holden "Governor's Trophy' Awarded Hogue And Columbia" The Spokesman Review, August 6th, 1985. Accessed: June 15th, 2012
- ^ a b c d e Columbia Winery "Red Willow Vineyard" Vineyard Profiles. Accessed: June 15th, 2012
- ^ Stephen Brook "A home for Syrah" Decanter, Jan 5th, 2006
- ^ ISBN 9780881929669
- ^ a b Harvey Steinman "Longtime Columbia Winemaker David Lake Retires" The Wine Spectator October 17th, 2006
- ^ Andy Perdue "David Lake, legendary Washington winemaker, passes away" Tri-City Herald, October 6th, 2009
- ^ Paul Greggutt "Rhone on the Range" Decanter July 1st, 2000
- ^ "Nautical-themed Eight Bells is one of Seattle's top urban wineries". The Seattle Times. 2017-05-05. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
- ^ Red Willow Vineyard "Wineries" Official Site. Accessed: June 15th, 2012
External links
- Red Willow Vineyard "Official Site"