If you’re a fan of Washington state wine, chances are you’ve heard of the Yakima Valley.
No one knows for certain how the Native American word “Yakima” originated. According to one legend, “Yakima” misappropriates the Native American word for “big belly” or “pregnant one” and was named for a tribal chief’s errant daughter. If that’s true, it would be an apt description for the nurturing role the Yakima Valley plays as a source of grapes for the Washington wine industry.
Yakima Valley was the only recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA) north of California when it was officially designated in 1983. From the earliest vintages, Yakima Valley has grown more wine grapes for Washington wineries than has any other appellation. The Yakima Valley AVA now cultivates more than 17,000 acres of vineyards, and Yakima and Benton counties are home to more than 152 wineries that collectively make up more than half of the wine production in Washington.
A diverse number of grapes grow in the “rain shadow” east of the Cascades Mountains – cool-climate grapes like Riesling on north-facing slopes, Cabernet Sauvignon and southern Rhône varieties like Mourvèdre and Grenache on hills facing south. Shaped by volcanic and seismic activity and ancient floods, this dry and almost pest-free environment is a blank slate for a variety of winemaking styles.
In early June, before summer heat settled over the region, the spouse and I spent a couple of days touring Yakima Valley vineyards and tasting wines. This is the first part in a series of articles about the places we visited and passionate wine people we met along the way.
Red Willow: ‘Sweet spot’ on the tennis racket
To fully appreciate the dramatic difference between western and eastern Washington, I suggest doing this: Fly into Seattle, spend a few days visiting tourist sites, like the Space Needle and Pike’s Place, then drive east along Route 90 (when the mountain passes are clear of snow). East of the Cascades, the tall cedars and Douglas firs gradually give way to scrubland and then desert. You have arrived in Washington’s grape-growing country.
Just 14 miles from the Cascades, in the “real shadow” of its high peaks, is Red Willow. Founded in 1971, Red Willow is one of the region’s oldest vineyards and the one furthest west in the Yakima Valley AVA.
At 1,300 feet of highest elevation, the four blocks of this steep, remote and isolated vineyard are stretched over a “checkerboarded” land owned in part by the Yakima Indian nation. Red Willow’s iconic chapel, which sits at the top of their vineyards, is pictured often in Yakima Valley and Washington wine industry publications.
Red Willow is a name that serious Washington wine enthusiasts are likely to know. About 30 Washington wineries source grapes – most notably Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon – from Red Willow vineyards. Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Viognier, Riesling, Lemberger, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Mourvedre and small amount of Grenache also find a home on Red Willow’s 150 acres of land.
Mike Sauer was fresh out of college when he married into the Stephenson clan and started experimenting by growing wine grapes on the family farm. Though he was a farm boy himself, he didn’t know much about viticulture in the early days. Through trial and error, and by collaborating with some of Washington’s early wine industry giants, Mike eventually realized how truly unique this land is.
Why?
First, Yakima Valley gets an additional two hours of daylight on the longest day of the year, compared to northern California. That’s more time to ripen grapes in the nearly constant sunshine during the summer growing season. Then, cold winters in this latitude keep vines dormant and, when combined with a scant six to eight inches of rain per year, limit pests and mildew.
“Essentially, we don’t use herbicides,” Mike says.
With the advent of drip irrigation in the 1970s, the team at Red Willow was able to tap ground water from wells 1,000 feet underground – a source that gets replenished annually from mountain snowmelt.
Red Willow’s vines are “own-rooted,” rather than grafted, as this relatively pest-free environment didn’t suffer from the Phylloxera louse epidemic that affected vines around the world. Some grape growers contend own-rooted vines produce a better wine than grafted stock.
Red Willow’s soil is sand and clay – more clay than other Yakima Valley vineyards and without the fine, windblown loess. Due to its higher elevation, this site was above the water that swept over this land during the Missoula floods and thus was not affected by the silt and sand that covered much of the valley floor. Soils here are poorer and more ancient than those of lower elevations.
Taken altogether, these factors contribute to the power, accuracy and consistency that some say distinguish the wines made from Red Willow grapes.
“To me, it’s like a tennis racket,” Mike says, “and Red Willow is the sweet spot on the racket.”
Let’s talk about Red Willow Syrah for a moment, a subject near and dear to Jonathan Sauer, Mike’s son. There are 10 blocks of Syrah in the vineyard, side by side, and each one is unique. Yet, they all produce wines that have something in common: “more shoulder, more tannin, more intensity” than Syrah from other vineyards in the state, Mike explains. These elegant yet powerful wines are like those of northern Rhône, say father and son, agreeing that the best vintages to date are 2008, 2012 and 2015.
Because of the heavy clay soil in their vineyards, the Sauers compare Bordeaux blends made from their grapes to the right-bank style found in Pomerol, France. “We ripen things well, but we’re not a hot spot,” Mike says.
A few wines from Red Willow grapes
- Eight Bells Eight Clones Syrah – Eight clones of Red Willow Syrah, along with a splash (3% each) of Grenache and Viognier, go into this wine from Seattle-producer Eight Bells. A peppery and dark berry nose, soft tannins and good acidity characterized the 2016 blend. Medium bodied with silky tannins. Alcohol: 13.8%. Price: $38.
- Owen Roe Chapel Block Syrah – Located in nearby Wapato, WA, Owen Roe produces this intense, 100% Syrah from grapes grown only in Red Willow’s Chapel Blueberry and brambleberry aromas on the nose. Blackberry and violet on a peppery palate. Either decant to drink now or cellar the 2016 for additional time in bottle. Alcohol: 14.1%. Price: $55.
- Washington Wine Collaboration Series – The annual Washington Wine Collaboration Series connects a Washington wine grower to a vintner. Together, they create a limited edition wine to showcase the teamwork between grower and vintner. Just one barrel, or 25 cases, is produced and sold at the Washington Wine Industry Foundation’s event. This 2017 red blend produced by winemaker Jason Gorski from Woodinville-based DeLille Cellars is made mostly from Mike Sauer’s Red Willow grapes: 54% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intense yet polished tannins on a long finish. Alcohol: 14.4%. SOLD OUT!
Next up in this series: Elephant Mountain and Copeland vineyards