Meet Kerry Shiels: A Yakima Valley winemaker with vision (#WinePW)

Washington’s Yakima Valley is a wine geek’s paradise – a magical place, geologically speaking, in one of the driest climates for viticulture on earth. Kerry Shiels of Côte Bonneville grew up here and as winemaker in the family winery for 10 years now, she feels like she’s “getting it” – the difference between sites, wines, and years – how to turn a vision that starts in the vineyard into a great finished wine.

Almost 30 years ago, her parents, Hugh and Kathy Shiels, planted their 45-acre DuBrul Vineyard on a steep, rocky hillside in this dry valley east of the Cascades. At first, they sold all of their grapes. But in 2001, to showcase the purity of their fruit, the Shiels established Côte Bonneville Winery in Sunnyside, a zip code that straddles the Rattlesnake Hills AVA and Snipes Mountain AVA.

Kerry became the winemaker in 2009 after leaving her engineering career and earning a master’s degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis. She gained experience working at wineries in Napa (California), Argentina, and Australia.

“Seventeen-year-old me would never ever have thought that this [returning home to make wine] was a good idea. But I traveled and as I grew up, I realized the value of family, continuity, and putting down roots,” she explains.

Kerry spoke with me and fielded questions recently as part of this month’s Wine Pairing Weekend (#WinePW) focus on Yakima Valley wines. The group’s Twitter chat about Yakima grapes and wines is Saturday 3/13, starting at 8 am PT/11 am ET. You can follow along by using the #WinePW hashtag.

Please note that while the wine for this post was provided, opinions are my own.

A semi-arid land

Before moving across the country last June, I’d always flown into Seattle to visit family. From the western side of the state, the Cascades loom large and deep green. But approaching these mountains from the east, you can see just how dry and brown this landscape is.

Yakima is located in the rain shadow of the Cascades. East-moving storms off the Pacific dissipate before they ever reach this valley. The region gets only seven to eight inches of precipitation each year. The definition of a desert is anything less than 10.

Sunshine is abundant here – 300 days a year, more summer sun than San Diego, Phoenix, or Honolulu typically get. But there’s a huge difference between day and night temperatures in this valley during the growing season, with afternoon highs in the 80s that dip into the 50s overnight. This diurnal shift locks in the bright acidity that distinguishes Yakima Valley wines.

Though this valley is dry, water from mountain snowmelt fills a system of canals and rivers that makes irrigation possible, not just for grapes but for apples, cherries, pears, and other agricultural products, too.

There are more grape varieties grown here than you might expect to find in one wine region. “The fact that our valley runs east-west is a big part of this,” Kerry explains. South-facing (warmer) slopes are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay is planted in a north-facing (cooler) area, while Syrah thrives on a west-southwest aspect. The Shiels also grows Riesling and Cabernet Franc.

“Couple the aspect [direction a slope faces] with our incredible diurnal temperature shift, and these are very different microclimates. It takes a lot longer for the north-facing slope to warm up during the day, but it cools down just as quickly at night. Over the season, that’s a huge difference.”

Growers in eastern Washington have a lot of control over the amount of water their vines receive, thanks to irrigation, and vineyard management helps with diversity, too. “We can stress red grapes more [hold back water] to develop color and structure,” Kerry explains. “With whites, we can water a little more, developing the canopy to prevent sunburn and phenolics.”

Bedrock matters

Below the surface lies another key to understanding the Yakima Valley: the basalt bedrock. In ancient times, lava flowed out of fissures in the earth and covered this land. The rock was so heavy it actually depressed the earth’s crust to form the Columbia Basin. Add to that lava spewing from volcanic peaks that rise to the west – Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood.

Along with volcanic activity, the movement of tectonic plates shapes the region. “Generally speaking, Oregon is rotating and pushing up on the border of Washington,” Kerry explains. “Hills are being thrust up. Horse Heaven Hills is a series of ridges and geologically growing at a rate of ¼ millimeter a year.”

Then you have the Missoula floods. More than 10,000 years ago, glacial Lake Missoula broke through an ice dam and flooded eastern Washington over the course of two millennia. At lower elevations, the water deposited sediments suitable for growing crops like mint and hops. At higher elevations, though, where the vinifera wine grapes are planted, the soil is topped by a superfine, windblown material called loess.

Finally, one last geologic event to mention – the ancient Columbia River that once flowed over the DuBrul Vineyard and left behind limestone, river rock, and gravel. Taken together, the effect of all this volcanic and seismic activity, the floods, the ancient river is a well-draining, nutrient-deficient soil devoid of pests common to other wine regions around the world. A clean slate ready for a winemaker to imprint her story on it.

Q&A with Kerry Shiels

Linda: Please describe what you see when you look out the window from your winery. 

Kerry: When I look out the winery, there’s a view up the Yakima Valley to Mt. Adams. Snipes Mountain is to the south/left, with the Rattlesnake Hills to the north/right. The winery is a few miles away from the vineyard and lower on the valley floor, so there are Concord grapes growing around the winery, not vinifera.  

From the vineyard, you see the whole valley, sweeping below. On the hillsides are wine grapes and apples, as you go down the hill to the valley floor, the agriculture changes to hops, mint, and alfalfa. Both Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier are prominently visible from DuBrul.

Both spots are pretty. Desert light, especially at sunrise or sunset, creates a fabulous display of colors on the hillsides. Depending on the season, the cherries, apples, or other fruit trees are in bloom. Mint harvest smells amazing. Hop plants grow quickly, adding to the ever-changing nature of the valley.

Linda: I’m interested in learning more about your sustainable farming practices. What does a “deficit irrigation regime” mean? 

Kerry: Deficit irrigation means that we withhold water from the plants early in the growing season. This keeps the canopy (leaf area) smaller and more open, as well as keeping the grapes small. Advantages for quality include flavor concentration, increased color and phenolic structure, and more complex wines. From a sustainability standpoint, there are lots of benefits too. Deficit irrigation allows for better water utilization throughout the season. Small canopies require less water to stay healthy, so this is a great resource conservation strategy. Open canopies allow sunlight and airflow, which creates an environment that is less susceptible to pests and disease, reducing the need for crop protection products. The low pest and disease pressure in our dry environment makes Yakima one of the most sustainable places in the world to grow grapes.

Linda: What inspired you to leave your engineering career and become a full-time winemaker?

Kerry: My parents planted DuBrul Vineyard in 1992, so I grew up in the wine industry and made wine in middle school and high school for science projects. The wine industry was very small when I graduated from high school, and like a lot of people, I wanted to leave home and explore the world. At Northwestern University, I went into engineering because I like to make things. My first job out of college was in a leadership development program with Fiat. When I was in Italy, I worked in prototyping – we built cars by hand! It was tactile, exciting, and tangibly rewarding. I got promoted to a role where I was making spreadsheets and PowerPoints, and I missed that tactile, creative aspect. Plus, wine is more fun than cars and tractors, and the winery definitely smells better than the factories.  

Wine is a wonderful community, that stretches around the globe. Grapes grow in beautiful places. They are farmed and vinified by dedicated people. Sharing the wines with others is rewarding and special. It’s a great way to live!

Linda: How would you describe your winemaking style?

Kerry: Our winemaking philosophy is to showcase our vineyard with classically styled wines. We aim for clean wines of balance, finesse, aromatic intensity, structure, integrated use of oak, and complexity. Vintage variation will produce different expressions in a cool year, such as 2011, or a warm year like 2015, but the quality of the site and the wines is consistent.

Small scale fermentations allow us to pay meticulous attention to detail of each and every lot. With the exception of the Riesling and Rosé, the wines are unfined and unfiltered (which also makes them vegan, dry, keto friendly, and all the “wellness” buzzwords).

Linda: What’s the biggest lesson/change you’ve instituted since becoming a winemaker in 2009?

Kerry: The biggest difference between 2009 and 2021 is the range of wines that we make. We’ve added a Spatlese style Riesling, dry Cab Franc Rosé, Syrah, and a whole second label celebrating our historic Train Station Tasting Room. The Train Station wines are more experimental with Washington styling. It’s allowed for a fun sense of play, while keeping the tradition and consistency of the Côte Bonneville wines.

Linda: Who are some of the wineries that source grapes from you?

Kerry: We still sell about 75% of the grapes we grow. Betz Family Winery, DeLille Cellars, Owen Roe, Kevin White Winery, Va Piano, Woodward Canyon, Longshadows, and Quilceda Creek are all working with, or have worked with, DuBrul Vineyard grapes.

Linda: When not opening your own wines, what’s in your glass?

Kerry: I love the diversity of the wine world! Having lived in Italy, the Barolo/Barbaresco area is my enological home away from home. I love Riesling. Champagne is a wonderful way to celebrate, even if the reason is that it’s a Monday. I’m taking some club members on a Rhône River cruise next summer and find myself drinking a lot of Syrah/GSMs from around the world lately. In the dead of winter, I like refreshing whites, like Sancerre and Soave. I would drink our rosé all throughout February if I had any left.

The wine: 2018 Côte Bonneville Chardonnay, Yakima Valley

Kerry learned the concept of food and wine going together from living in Italy, where wine is integral to the meal – just like it was at home. “That time in Italy hammered home that my family is not unique.”

For the Côte Bonneville Chardonnay, Kerry’s vision is an elegant, balanced, Burgundian-style wine with a lot of finesse.

“Our site grows Chardonnay with richness and texture, great natural acidity, and wonderful fruit flavors. Choosing to barrel ferment, put the wine through full malolactic fermentation [ML], and then extended lees aging [17 months in French oak] maximizes all of these characteristics from the site.  

To have balance and complexity in the final wine of this style, the grapes need to start with intensity of fruit, natural freshness, and richness. This type of Chardonnay is wonderful, but you need exceptional grapes to stand up to the oak, ML, and time in barrel, and still come out with lots of fruit elements.”

My tasting notes: Bright gold in color. Aromatic nose blending green apples, baking spices, and wet rocks. Palate is loaded with lemon – all parts of a lemon – a touch of butterscotch and distinct minerality. High acidity. Rich, textured mouthfeel. Long finish. Unfined and unfiltered. Alcohol: 14.2%. Price: $50.

My pairing: I was worried how a baked white fish would pair with a medium-bodied Chardonnay. So I decided to place the garlic butter rainbow trout over pesto linguine for more oomph. Good choice. The wine and fish were instant friends. But I must say, the wine also found a rapport with a light salad of greens in a lemon/olive oil dressing with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and lemon zest. It works because while this wine has some heft, it also packs acid.

Lots more from the Yakima Valley in these posts below. Hope you can join us for the Twitter chat!

• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla doubles up with Yakima Valley’s Sin Banderas Rhone Roses Compliment Dishes with Asian Flair and Mediterranean-Inspired Dishes Paired with Yakima Valley Wines from Dineen Vineyards.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass invites us to Meet Kerry Shiels: A Yakima Valley winemaker with Vision.
• Terri of Our Good Life shares two posts: Fortuity…Taking Advantage of Life’s Great Wines! and Two Mountain Rose and Fennel Wild Mushroom Tarts.
• Payal at Keep The Peas declares Yakima Valley Wines FTW!
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm matches Smoked Beef Brisket with Canvasback Cabernet.
• Rupal the Syrah Queen offers Yakima Valley – Red Willow Vineyards Producing Some of Washington’s Finest Syrahs.
• Jane of Always Ravenous makes our mouths water with Filet Mignon paired with Washington Yakima Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Martin with ENOFYLZ Wine Blog gives us A Taste of Washington State’s Yakima Valley.
• David at Cooking Chat has two posts for us also with Lamb Ragu Pasta with Red Wine from Dineen Vineyards and Sin Banderas Rosé with Corned Beef & More Yakima Valley Wine Pairings.
• Nicole of Somm’s Table shares Big, Beautiful Reds from Yakima Valley and Tasty, Meaty Fare.
• Jennifer at Vino Travels tells us about Italian Grapes of the Yakima Valley with Sleeping Dog Wines.
• Gwendolyn the Wine Predator explores Washington Syrah: Hedges, L’Ecole, VanArnam with Lamb Stew.
• Susannah at Avvinare pours Malbec from VanArnam Vineyard in Yakima Valley.
• Lori at Exploring the Wine Glass shares Tasting the Soul of Wine in the Heart of Yakima Valley.
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles writes Yakima Valley AVA – Blends of friendship and history with wines from Eight Bells and Pearl and Stone Co.

DuBrul Vineyard and Côte Bonneville photos courtesy of Kerry Shiels. Many thanks to Wine Yakima Valley for providing wine, information, and the contact for this post.