Alan’s love of the land and landscapes have taken him around the world in search of beautiful lands on which to grow fine grapes and produce wines that uniquely express a sense of place, but Lonnie’s the guy who really knows how to grow great grapes. So working together, they found the land for the perfect vineyard and founded Volcano Ridge Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA.
Lonnie's renown stems in part from his discovering and bringing back to life an abandoned vineyard of Zinfandel grapes outside of The Dalles that today are 120 years old. So of course, in 2008 Zinfandel grapes were the first variety to be planted at Volcano Ridge, propagated from Lonnie’s cuttings (think 'Daughter of Old Vines').
Then in 2010 they followed the Zinfandel with plantings of Merlot, Chardonnay, and warmer-site Pinot Noir that total 25 bearing acres today. Starting with the 2013 harvest and continuing to today, the vineyard is certified sustainable by the L.I.V.E. (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) program and also is certified as Salmon Safe®.
At the end of 2018, new partner Steve Bruere came on to replace Lonnie Wright as co-owner of Volcano Ridge (although Wright and foreman Alejandro Rojas will continue to manage the vineyard). And in early 2019, Volcano Ridge officially changed their name to Windhorse Vineyard.
This rare Oregon Zinfandel deftly melds toast, sweet spice, buttered nut, espresso and black cherry flavors. It's big, bold, dark and delicious, with more lift than its high alcohol might suggest.
This vineyard is on the eastern edge of the Columbia Gorge, making this is a unique take on Merlot, falling somewhere between the broad, fleshy Washington style, and the more herbal southern Oregon style. The layered flavors mix berry, citrus and red plum, in an open, easydrinking wine that should pair well with a variety of entrées.
Winemaker’s Notes: The bouquet of this wine reveals layers of cherries in syrup and leather. In the mouth, you get the spice we love in a Syrah. The elegance persists with a full mouthfeel and concentrated flavors of ripe plum on the mid-palate, with notes of tart cherry and a touch of vanilla on the finish.
The soils in the planted areas of the vineyard are ALFISOLS that developed under mixed oak-pine-grass woodland from weathered volcanic sandstone in a semi-arid climate. They are mapped as Cherryhill series soils.
Grape vines reach their full expressive potential on the steep canyon lands if Windhorse Vineyard, nourished by ample winter rains, and bathed by hot summer sun. The strong sun exposure from cloud-free summer days, the day length...
At Windhorse Vineyard our flagship grape is Zinfandel. Our Zin is the ‘daughter’ of Lonnie Wright’s Pines Old Vines Zinfandel, having been propagated by us from cuttings from those 120+ year old vines.
For more information or to inquire about buying fruit from us, please contact Alan at 509-592-0756 or at alan@windhorsevineyard.com. Here is a current list of wineries that make wines from our fruit.
Mon - Fri 9AM - 7PM
Sat - Sun 10AM - 6PM
The Dalles, Oregon
Columbia Gorge