Spectacular Alder Ridge Vineyards Yields Grapes for Zefina, Six Prong and Many Other Wineries

One of the best things about my job as a wine columnist is traveling to wineries and meeting with the people who are responsible for putting some great juice in my wine glass. A few weeks ago, I had another memorable experience when I spent some time with Rob Chowanietz, who oversees the operations of Alder Ridge Vineyards (pictured below).

To say that Alder Ridge is isolated would be a bit of an understatement. It’s located near the banks of the Columbia River in the Horse Heaven Hills Appellation, about 15 miles west of the tiny town of Paterson, Washington. A tour through the 800-plus acre vineyard is nothing short of magnificent, with countless rows of meticulously maintained grapes and gorgeous views of the river below.

The first plantings in the vineyard were completed in the 1997, and despite the fact that it’s literally in the middle of nowhere, the selection of the setting was no mistake. Rain is scarce, the winds nearly constant and the overall location is ideal for protecting the grapes from harsh weather conditions. Many regard this area as one of the finest vineyard sites in the state, and over 30 wineries use it as a source for their wines.

Chowanietz does the winemaking himself for the Zefina, Six Prong, and Alder Ridge Vineyard labels. Cabernet Sauvignon is his passion, but he’s also growing a number of other red wine varietals that include zinfandel, malbec, merlot, and sangiovese along with white wines varietals such as chardonnay, viognier, and roussanne. He treated me to a barrel tasting of some of his 2007 vintage reds and although they won’t be released for quite some time, it’s clear that they’re going to be outstanding wines.

After the tasting and tour, I was treated to a lunch prepared by Chowanietz’s wife, Jeanie, and admired the views from their home that sits atop a ridge overlooking the vineyards. For anyone who enjoys premium wines, beautiful scenery and good company, it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Zefina and Six Prong wines are well distributed at Bellingham wine shops and grocers with additional information available at www.zefina.com and www.sixprong.com.