Vineyard Relationships

”You can make a bad wine out of good grapes, but you can’t make a good wine out of bad grapes.

- Any Winemaker

The above quote is so accurate and I am honored to have the relationships that I have established with a few amazing vineyard owners in the state of Washington.

For my first vintage, grapes were mainly from Boushey and Red Willow Vineyards and I made 250 cases. In the second year Conner Lee, Destiny Ridge and Dineen were added among others and I made 700 cases.

I never planned to grow as quickly as I did, but when you get in with such great growers, I couldn’t say no when they offered fruit. In 2011, I added another with Obelisco, so in just 2 short years I jumped from 700 cases to around 3000 cases. Each year I would source from 7-8 different vineyards.

In the last few years I have narrowed down my favorite flavors and terroir and not surprisingly wound up sourcing a lot of my fruit now from the two vineyards I started with; Boushey and Red Willow. I have also changed my Cabernet Sauvignon program and began receiving fruit from two vineyards off of Red Mountain which are Quintessence and Shaw vineyards and I couldn’t be happier with the fruit or the management of these vineyards.

Finally, my newest project is a Syrah out of the Rocks AVA; Stoney Vine Vineyard in Milton Freewater, OR.

To collaborate with people that Bonni and I respect and care so much about and blend their hard work with mine, into a bottle is an honor!

Cheers,

– Kevin Correll

BOUSHEY VINEYARD

Boushey Vineyards, owned by Dick and Luanne Boushey is located in the Yakima Valley, five miles north of the town of Grandview, WA. Dick was putting grapevines in the ground in 1980, three years before the Yakima Valley was recognized as an AVA.

Boushey Vineyards, owned by Dick and Luanne Boushey is located in the Yakima Valley, five miles north of the town of Grandview, WA. Dick was putting grapevines in the ground in 1980, three years before the Yakima Valley was recognized as an AVA. The fruit grown on Boushey acreage varies in elevation from 800-1400 feet, which is considered a cool growing site. The different elevations offer a diverse range of soils due to the Missoula floods, along with a longer ripening time, offer more distinctive, rich flavors… or is it the “Boushey Touch”?

Our grapes are harvested from both the “House Block” and "Gazebo Block". We are lucky enough to source the majority of our varietals from Boushey Vineyards including our Viognier, Chardonnay, Syrah, along with our Merlot and Cabernet Franc that is blending with Red Willow Vineyard Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Barrage Cellars is even mentioned in the Dick Boushey/Boushey Vineyard Wikipedia… That must mean something!

Hands down, Dick Boushey is one of the top viticulturists in the United States. While managing his own 200+ acres of wine grapes along with another 140 acres of cherries, apples, and juice grapes, Dick also manages multiple vineyards up on Red Mountain… he’s just that good.

Our conversations with the Boushey’s when stopping by the house are rarely just about grapes… We’ll talk about dogs, kids, and beer while watching Luanne garden or checking out the fancy chicken coop. Dick and Luanne are some of the most down to earth people we have ever met and truly enjoy our relationship with them both.

Red Willow Vineyard

Located about 15 miles south of Wapato, on a steep south-facing slope of the Cascade foothills. it is one of the oldest vineyards in the state with warmer sites in the Yakima Valley, which provides fruit with excellent structure, character, and acidity.

Mike Sauer, son-in-law to Harold Stephenson and brother-in-law to Vern Stephenson, returned from college in 1970 to start farming the Stephenson land. Vern worked general farming while Mike wanted to experiment with wine grapes on some of the land that was less suitable for field crop.

The first grapes planted in 1971 were Concord grapes, while the first red wine grapes weren’t planted until 1973, just three acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, naming the vineyard “Red Willow”.

The legacy was born. In 1983, the state would recognize the Yakima Valley AVA in which Red Willow sits.

Mike is a pioneer in the grape growing industry in Washington. He realized that “wine grapes do best on poor soil and vines love the hillside”. That hillside he speaks of is home to an iconic landmark, their own hillside chapel, build from stones from the farm, deposited there from the Missoula floods.

Red Willow Vineyard has continued to be family owned with both of Mike’s sons Jonathan and Daniel, and son-in-law Rick working by his side making this a 4th generation farming family.

We harvest our Cab Franc and Merlot from the lower elevation Marcoux block and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mercer block. What I love about this fruit is the great balance and nice structure, across the board!

Mike and Jonathan always take the time to visit when we visit the vineyard, they, along with their entire family are probably some of the most down to earth, kind and caring individuals we have ever been blessed to know.

QUINTESSENCE VINEYARD

Shaw Vineyard and Quintessence Vineyard are both located in Benton City, WA in the Red Mountain AVA with similar elevations between 500 and 1144 feet with silt and loam terroir. Both vineyards produce big and bold red varietals because of the south facing slope that brings hotter temperatures during the day with cooler nights, resulting in smaller berries with high tannins.

Shaw Vineyard and Quintessence Vineyard are both located in Benton City, WA in the Red Mountain AVA with similar elevations between 500 and 1144 feet with silt and loam terroir. Both vineyards produce big and bold red varietals because of the south facing slope that brings hotter temperatures during the day with cooler nights, resulting in smaller berries with high tannins.

Dick Shaw began planting grapes back in 1981 and now covers over 3000 acres in different AVA’s in Washington state. Our personal relationship with both vineyards is with Marshall Edwards, Vineyard Operations Manager. Marshall has over 30 years of viticultural experience and it shows! The vineyards he manages are impeccable, the time he will spend with me while visiting the vineyards or the times he and his wife will stop by at our winery, there are lots of laughs and stories to tell, usually over a glass of wine. We value his friendship and knowledge.

We harvest Cabernet Sauvignon from both vineyards along with a small amount of Malbec off of Quintessence. I love the unique characteristics that Red Mountain showcases, it is unique and distinctive verses any other AVA in the state resulting in big bold Cabernet’s that rival any other in the world!

SHAW VINEYARD

Shaw Vineyard and Quintessence Vineyard are both located in Benton City, WA in the Red Mountain AVA with similar elevations between 500 and 1144 feet with silt and loam terroir. Both vineyards produce big and bold red varietals because of the south facing slope that brings hotter temperatures during the day with cooler nights, resulting in smaller berries with high tannins.

Shaw Vineyard and Quintessence Vineyard are both located in Benton City, WA in the Red Mountain AVA with similar elevations between 500 and 1144 feet with silt and loam terroir. Both vineyards produce big and bold red varietals because of the south facing slope that brings hotter temperatures during the day with cooler nights, resulting in smaller berries with high tannins.

Dick Shaw began planting grapes back in 1981 and now covers over 3000 acres in different AVA’s in Washington state. Our personal relationship with both vineyards is with Marshall Edwards, Vineyard Operations Manager. Marshall has over 30 years of viticultural experience and it shows! The vineyards he manages are impeccable, the time he will spend with me while visiting the vineyards or the times he and his wife will stop by at our winery, there are lots of laughs and stories to tell, usually over a glass of wine. We value his friendship and knowledge.

We harvest Cabernet Sauvignon from both vineyards along with a small amount of Malbec off of Quintessence. I love the unique characteristics that Red Mountain showcases, it is unique and distinctive verses any other AVA in the state resulting in big bold Cabernet’s that rival any other in the world!

STONEY VINE VINEYARD

Stoney Vine Vineyard is located just a bit more than a stone's throw from the Washington State line into Milton Freewater, Oregon. This 17-acre vineyard sits at an elevation of 870 feet and was planted in 2007.

Stoney Vine Vineyard is located just a bit more than a stone's throw from the Washington State line into Milton Freewater, Oregon. This 17-acre vineyard sits at an elevation of 870 feet and was planted in 2007. The distinct profile of this vineyard is that it is grown out of an ancient, dried-up portion of the Walla Walla river bed, loaded with stone up to 300 feet deep, which offers up a terroir intense in minerality and earth. Although surrounded by the Walla Walla AVA, it has been given its own AVA known as “The Rocks”. We source our “Stone and Vine” Syrah from this unique, one of a kind vineyard.

Working with the Winegrowers, Chad and Corey is like hanging out with friends. Their vineyard knowledge is extensive and because they also make wine (Dusted Valley) from their own vineyards, there isn’t a question you could ask them that they won’t share their suggestions or experiences. We have also been treated to a few vineyard tours that have allowed us to get a view of the Walla Walla Valley from the top of the world!

To put it simply; Great Grapes~Great People.