ALDER RIDGE VINEYARD
Horse Heaven Hills
Though the site is warm, its proximity to the river brings cool winds and ambient air circulation, cutting down on the likelihood of the grapes developing rot. Alder Ridge slopes face south, and are
composed of poor, sandy soil which allows excellent drainage making for low-yield, high-quality fruit.
GRAPE STATS
WHY WE LOVE IT
VARIETALS SOURCED: Zinfandel
CLONES: Clone #6
ROOTSTOCK: Own rooted
VINEYARD STATS
Much like Pinot Noir, Zinfandel shares a close association with the sites where it is grown, and will not do well in all sites, which is the reason that we source all of our Zinfandel from Alder Ridge (think steep hill, very sandy, poor soil, great air drainage with south slope facing the Columbia Valley). Zinfandel clusters are big and ripen unevenly, and sometimes one side of the cluster is still green while the other side has turned deep red in color, which makes picking decisions difficult and makes it imperative to have a good vineyard partner like we do at Alder Ridge.
TOTAL NUMBER OF ACRES: 1,125
ACRES SOURCED: 0.75
POSITIONING: South slope
EXPOSURE: Steep hill above the Columbia River
ELEVATION: 300'-1,000'
SOIL TYPE: Bone-dry desert, sandy soil
TRELLISING: Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP)
IRRIGATED: Yes
FARMED BY: Adam Bright
YEAR PLANTED: 1997
SUSTAINABILITY: Sustainably farmed,
Integrated Pest Management
OUR ALDER RIDGE VINEYARD WINES
ZINFANDEL
Zinfandel is one tough grape to grow well, and it requires long hang time in order to obtain an even point of ripeness. Overlooking the Columbia River, Alder Ridge provides a cooling down each day, allowing for the grapes to avoid ripening too quickly which allows us to produce a balanced Zinfandel with moderate alcohol, which really is a trick. We have made this wine since we opened in 2001 and it has become part of the fabric of the winery.
Cody Janett, Winemaker