Wineries Across U.S. Open for Tasting

New facilities spring up in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Ohio, New York and Maryland

 

 
Canyon's Edge owner Brian Groth basks in his new Kennewick tasting room.

San Rafael, Calif. -- With the seemingly eternal winter winding down at last, new tasting rooms and winery operations are blossoming across the United States. Here are postcard views of a few: If you know of others, please drop us a line at edit@winesandvines.com.

Branching out in Washington
Canyon’s Edge Winery, established in 2002 in Prosser’s Vintners Village, has opened a satellite tasting room in the Southridge Village development in Kennewick. Owner/manager Brian Groth told Wines & Vines that the space, next door to Benton City-based Anelare’s tasting room, opened two weeks ago as a tasting room/wine bar, and will soon evolve into a tapas restaurant/wine bar.

Groth explained that he took over the spot briefly occupied by Michael Haddox’ Michael Florentino Cellars. Haddox, founder of Winemakers’ Loft in Prosser, had moved his operation to Southridge last summer, but has since moved to California, Groth reported. He described the 200-acre Southridge project as a mixed-use development that eventually will contain restaurants, a hotel and a water park to draw both visitors and Tri-City residents. Another wine-oriented business, AVA wine bar and retailer, is already open. Groth said Canyon’s Edge will maintain its current production of about 12,000 cases per year.

An old favorite in Eastern Washington reopened this week under new ownership. Caterina Winery, housed in a refurbished antique dairy in downtown Spokane, was acquired by Don Townshend, owner of 10,000-case Townshend Cellar in Colbert, northeast of Spokane. Caterina, which produces 5,000 cases per year, will maintain its own identity, and Townshend plans his first Caterina crush this year. 
 
 
International investment in Oregon
The Loosen family, producers of the well-known German brand Dr. Loosen, has made official its collaboration with Willamette Valley’s J. Christopher Wines, purchasing a 40-acre property with 25 plantable acres in the Chehalem Mountain AVA near Newburg. The Loosens have signed a joint venture agreement with J. Christopher owner/winemaker Jay Somers and will develop the vineyards and build a winemaking facility on the property.

Kirk Wille, Loosen’s VP of import operations, said that Somers has been working in leased space using contracted grapes. The new property will “give Jay his own winemaking space, an estate vineyard and better distribution,” Wille explained. He said he expects the barrel cellar to be complete in time for 2010 crush. Five acres of Pinot Noir (Pommard, Dijon 114 and Wadenswill) will be planted this spring; eventually, the group hopes to increase Pinot Noir production from 3,500 cases to 8,000. J. Christopher also produces one of Oregon’s few Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Four in a row in Colorado
 
 
Visitors to the new Colorado Winery Row will be able to sample wines from four distinct producers.Denver’s new Colorado Winery Row will officially open March 20 at 4640 Pecos St. Four wineries will showcase their wines there: 1,500-case Bonacquisti (produced on-site); 4,000-case Cottonwood Cellars, Olathe; 2,500-case Garfield Estates Vineyard and Winery, Palisade; and 200-case Verso Cellars (also produced on-site). Colorado Winery Row will be open for tastings Wednesday through Saturday, and will host special events and private functions.
 
Now open in Ohio

Long-time home winemakers Bob and Mary Tebeau recently went pro, planting a vineyard, building a winery and opening a tasting room on their 36-acre farm in Helena. They’re now producing Traminette, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc and various blends from purchased grapes and juice, but have 1,200 vines in the ground and will plant another 220 this spring. They also plan to install a 33kW wind turbine to power Chateau Tebeau.

Add a digit to Finger Lakes’ total

Eleven Lakes Winery opened a new tasting room in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Owners Matt Jones and Stacee Elliott launched the brand last fall. Eleven Lakes sources grapes from 17 leased acres and from local growers. The wines are produced at 50,000-case Wagner Vineyards, Lodi. N.Y. Jones formerly worked with Goose Watch Winery in Cayuga Lake, N.Y. He and Elliott hope to educate customers with descriptive wine labels that tell the Finger Lakes story.

Legends of Maryland

Legends Vineyard, a 3,000-case winery that opened in 2008, will finally have a tasting room, slated to open in late spring. “The snows of 2010 have gotten us a little behind. We are hoping to be open by early June,” according to Ashby Everhart, who owns Legends with his wife Carrie and partner Greg O’Hare. The winery won the most awards of any in Maryland last year, according to Carrie Everhart, with golds in the state competition for Pinot Gris, Meritage and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2,000-square-foot building under construction will house the tasting room and the bottling line, which will be viewable behind a glass wall.