Forgotten Hills
Perhaps one of the most unique Syrah sites in the Walla Walla Valley, if not the entire state, wines from Forgotten Hills are big and ripe with terrific balance and healthy acidity. The expressive aromatics are consistent from vintage-to-vintage - dark plums, cassis, flint, game, salty/smoked meats and rich earthiness. Forgotten Hills is sustainably farmed and precision-managed in collaboration with our good friend, Justin Wylie, of Va Piano Vineyards.
Mars Hill
Mars Hill is one of the highest elevation vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley (at just over 1,300 feet elevation), planted along the southern-most ridgeline of the AVA directly above the esteemed Seven Hills Vineyard. Originally planted in 1981, Seven Hills is one of Walla Walla's most renowned and prestigious vineyards, and provides fruit for many of the top wineries in Washington State. We planted the first 12 acres of Mars Hill in 2007 and will begin making wines from this site starting with the 2009 vintage. Mars Hill is named after the famous Areopagus hillside in Athens, Greece, where St. Paul delivered his famous speech to the philosophers about the identity of "the Unknown God."
Old Stones
Old Stones was our very first estate vineyard planted on one of the rockiest sections of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. While still in its infancy, the fruit coming from this vineyard has incredible structure and consistency, and has the potential to be one of the best vineyards in our portfolio. This secluded, 15-acre site (a former apple and plum orchard) is fully planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, two different clones of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier. Old Stones is named after the large, football-sized basalt cobblestones that make up the entire soil profile in this small section of the Walla Walla AVA.