Snoqualmie
Vineyards A Y a k i m a V a l l e y w i n e r y o f S t e. M i c h e l l e W i n e E s t a t e s 660 Frontier Road | Prosser, WA | 800-852-0885 | 509-786-5558 Map to Snoqualmie Vineyards Winery & Tasting Room Wine Orders: 425-415-3703 Email:
info@snoqualmie.com Website: www.snoqualmie.com |
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Winery Information
Washington Winery of the Year - Wine Press Northwest, Spring 2006
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Winemaker:
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Tasting Room Gift Shop
Special events Tasting Room Hours:
Complimentary wine tasting Join Snoqualmie's Mailing List
VISA
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Great
wines are grown, not made. In fact, according to Snoqualmie
Vineyards' 23-year-veteran
winemaker Joy Andersen, "that's the most challenging aspect of winemaking...
the growing of the grapes. But the rewards of time spent in the vineyards are
huge!" More than a decade-long history with Snoqualmie Vineyards, beginning in 1991, gives Anderson intimate knowledge of Columbia Valley vineyards and winemaking -- the type of knowledge gained only through many seasons of first-hand experience. Her accumulated knowledge of individual growing regions within this huge valley Anderson considers to be among her strongest winemaking tools. The first Snoqualmie wines were introduced in 1984. In September of 2003, Stimson Lane Vineyards and Estates (now Ste Michelle Wine Estates), previous owner of Snoqualmie, opened the doors of its new state-of-the-art winery, located just off Interstate 82 in Prosser, Washington. The production portion of the winery is 44,816 square feet. The Snoqualmie facility in Prosser, allows Anderson to have close contact with the winegrowers with whom she works to produce her premium wines. The beautiful facility allows wine enthusiasts to enjoy tasting and purchasing Anderson's wines from the winery's well stocked wine and gift shop. Joy Andersen approaches winemaking like a master chef. She is in the vineyards throughout the growing season, assessing grape development. In the cellar, she enjoys experimenting with yeast strains and a variety of oak barrels; and her familiarity with grapes from nearby vineyards enables her to carefully blend Snoqualmie wines to capture the best of the Columbia Valley.
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Snoqualmie wines come from vineyards that lie within three distinct growing regions of the Columbia Valley, the Wahluke Slope, the Yakima Valley and Horse Heaven Hills. Each area produces grapes with flavors unique to the area, and winemaker Joy Andersen considers her familiarity with each growing region as among her strongest winemaking tools. Vineyards of Snoqualmie wines Wahluke Slope, one of Washington's newest AVAs (appellations) is situated not far from such established Columbia Valley sites as Indian Wells Vineyard. This is one of the warmest areas in the state and grapes from here are usually the first to ripen. Over the years, Anderson has found these grapes to offer outstanding varietal expression and structure. White wines from the Wahluke Slope are crisp, with generous aromatics. Wahluke merlot and cabernet give longevity and backbone to Snoqualmie wines, an important component of the winery's soft, lush wines, styled for easy drinking. Horse Heaven Hills, another newly authorized Washington appellation (2006), is located above the Columbia River in the south central Columbia Valley. White grapes are marked by a "dribble-down-your chin" juicy character. Like the whites, Horse Heaven reds are intense. Nothing bashful about these grapes. Merlot shouts blackberry, cherry and currant. Cabernet Sauvignon is classic. Yakima
Valley, Washington's oldest appellation, is a cooler-growing region, with a shorter
season, than either of the other two areas where Snoqualmie's vineyards
are located. Yakima Valley grapes work well in Anderson's blending
scheme to give Snoqualmie wines interesting, subtle overtones. These
vineyards contribute a hint of mint, just the right touch of
eucalyptus or a bit of licorice to Snoqualmie's white wines. Yakima
Valley merlots and cabs are substantial, giving tactile pleasure to
the wines. |
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Featured Snoqualmie Wines Naked
Wines
Reserve Wines
In making her reserve wines, Joy highlights what she feels is the best of the varietal, vintage and the terroir. As harvest nears, Joy is frequently seen tasting and re-tasting in the vineyard, ensuring that the fruit’s quality and structure is worthy of a Reserve designation. only the best of the best make it into Snoqualmie’s Reserve program. In the bottle, these wines offer elegant complexity with plenty of structure to endure the test of time. Snoqualmie produces a very limited quantity of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
Great wine begins in the vineyards, an old adage but it is the
backbone of Joy's single vineyard program. For 20 years Joy has
worked closely with vineyard managers at Rosebud vineyards, walking
the rows and focusing on refining viticultural practices. As a
result, Rosebud Vineyard produces cabernet sauvignon grapes so high
in quality and pure in varietal definition, that they are bottled as
a single vineyard wine. The fruit-focused style of these wines
showcases the beauty and elegance of the grapes, as well as Joy's
winemaking artistry.
Styled for easy drinking and as a complement to food, these wines are as welcome on a picnic table as they are on a linen tablecloth. Available nationally, these award-winning wines provide excellent value and are approachable food-friendly wines that can be enjoyed as part of any occasion, especially the family dinner table.
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Snoqualmie Vineyards, Prosser, Washington
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