Esther Bricques is located in one of those special microniches grapes seem to so enjoy approximately 8 miles south of Oroville, Washington.
Oroville is the last town before the US/Canadian border on Highway 97 located in Okanogan County in North Central Washington State. Known for its great climate for fruits such as apples and pears, the area can now add grapes to its list of agricultural successes.
Tucked in at the base of Mt Hull on the east side of the valley, on a rise above the valley floor on a glacial outwash, the site is protected from high winds, benefits from downdrafts of cool evening air from the mountain, and is steeped in the sunlight needed to turn grapes into great wine.
The Wines We Craft...
... grow on their own roots in the Okanogan Valley of Washington, where...
the soils are leftover deposits from the last Ice Age...
the water flows to their roots from the snowmelt of the Eastern Cascades, and...
when the sun shines, its hot, and at night, its not!
The Grapes...
The Harvest...
...is how the grapes gently leave their stems behind, and become...
juice if they are white, or...
mash if they are red...
...is done by hand into 25-30 pound boxes, just when...
the sugar levels, the acids, the skins and the seeds come to that unique point of ripeness...
that creates unforgettable flavors...
The Crush...
The Ferment...
....comes from the union of yeast and grape, the feeding frenzy of the yeast on the grapes’ generous supply of sugar resulting in the generation of heat, carbon dixoide and alcohol.
...But something else happens as well as the grapes or juice release flavors not present earlier, happening gradually, coolly, with the help of gravity...
| DATA COPIED FROM NATALIEMACLEAN.COM |
DATA COPIED FROM NATALIEMACLEAN.COM
DATA COPIED FROM NATALIEMACLEAN.COM
