Wine collectors no longer satisfied by names on a bottle are paying among the higher prices in the entire country for wine made with Red Mountain grapes .
Block-16 Syrah
Vigneron
vi · gne · ron
, vēn-yə- ’ rōn NOUN
A person who cultivates grapes for winemaking . this situation . The high pH of the soil , calcareous deposits near the surface , above average wind speeds , nearly no rain during the growing season with lots of southfacing slopes on sun-drenched warm days , are all ingredients in the recipe . Add to this the temperature-mitigating effect of the Yakima River and you also have a precious grape resource one that reflects its distinct situation in the distinctive taste of its wines . That high pH in the soils , in the context of wine grapes , acts like a phenolic enhancer , a megaphone for the color , flavor intensity , and tannins of red wines .
he observes , “ just three years old . What ’ s remarkable is that they are already showing so well .”
At the heart of every vigneron is the desire to watch the soil and grapevines express themselves together in a way that has a voice , an expression like no other . In the European tradition , grapevines are the most “ transparent ” instruments for the vineyard to identify itself . When the vigneron has done their job , an attentive taster can use the wine to identify the region , grape variety , and age . This lucid transparency is all too easily ruined . Chemical adjustments , the wrong oak barrels , a weird yeast strain , can all obfuscate the work of even the most careful farmer .
Ryan has been able to choose his customers carefully for these grapes , WeatherEye ’ s grapes , are already becoming world famous . And for multiple reasons . Whether it is the concentrating wind or the lack of rainfall , the neighboring flora of sage and lavender , or the careful pruning or lack thereof , Ryan employs these elements like the colors on a painter ’ s palette , along with his knowledge
The high pH of the soil , calcareous deposits near the surface , above average wind speeds , nearly no rain during the growing season with lots of south-facing slopes on sun-drenched warm days , are all ingredients in the recipe .
The impressionistic recognition of this small region booms with applause , both financial and artistic . Auctions of five-acre parcels ( 10 years ago ), still hold the record for price paid per vineyard acre in the Northwest , and the door is wide open to creativity . Wine collectors no longer satisfied by names on a bottle are paying among the higher prices in the entire country for wine made with Red Mountain grapes .
This is where Ryan Johnson thrives . He does not have to charge the most for his grapes — yet . “ These ( vines ) are adolescents ,”
Cameron Myhrvold
38 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE