Vineyards featured in Wilridge Wines |
VINEYARDS |
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Unlike many wineries that produce only blends, Wilridge Winery specializes in single-vineyard designated wines. We endeavor to make wines that illustrate the unique terroir of their vineyard sources.Over the years we have developed close relationships with the owners and managers of some of the best vineyards in the Pacific Northwest who share our goal of producing the best possible wine without compromise. We are entrusted with wonderful fruit from these vineyards which we then carefully vinify using gentle, natural methods and a minimum of human intervention. Each year, we seek to highlight the characteristics of the vineyard and the vintage, not the hand of the winemaker. At the end of the winemaking process, we cannot produce a wine that is any better than the grapes from whence it came. The following vineyards have earned a place in our single vineyard program because they consistently provide Wilridge with exceptional fruit |
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| Klipsun Vineyards |
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 Klipsun Vineyards is located on Red Mountain at the eastern
end of the Yakima Valley near Benton City, Washington. Red Mountain is perhaps
Washington State's most famous "terroir" for red wines and Klipsun's grapes
may be the most sought after in the State (they are certainly among the most
expensive). In 2003, Wine & Spirits Magazine named
Klipsun one of the twenty-five best vineyards in the world. The prime location
on the gentle, South-West facing slope of Red Mountain receives ample sunshine
and warmth. Klipsun is always one of the first vineyards to ripen in Washington
State and the arrival of Klipsun Merlot typically marks the beginning of
harvest for Wilridge Winery.
Wilridge Winery has been buying grapes from Klipsun Vineyards since 1990. We work closely with vineyard manager Fred Artz and owners Patricia and David Gelles to ensure that the grapes are harvested at peak condition and ripeness. Strict pruning and irrigation regimens ensure that yields are kept low to maximize the quality of the fruit. In each vintage, the grapes have never failed to fully ripen and we have never had rain at harvest (something they could never boast of in Bordeaux). The consistently ripe fruit flavors and burly tannins are a signature of Klipsun in the glass.
If you would like to visit the Vineyard and enjoy the spectacular view of the Yakima River, please contact us for directions. We hope you enjoy Wilridge wines from Klipsun Vineyards. |
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Wilridge Winery 1416 34th Avenue Seattle, WA USA 206-325-3051 Email Us |
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©1999-2004 Wilridge Winery |
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Presently, Wilridge purchases Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
and Nebbiolo from Klipsun. Klipsun is one of the few vineyards in Washington
State to grow Nebbiolo, and we are proud to obtain 100% of the crop -- which
we bottle as Wilridge "Nebbiolo di Klipsun." All of the grapes are hand picked
into individual 25 pound lugs to ensure a safe trip to Seattle in refrigerated
trucks. At the winery, each grape varietal is vinefied separately. Blending,
if any, does not occur until shortly before bottling -- to allow us to showcase
the characteristics of each grape and the Klipsun terroir.