In vineyard speak, a block is a term referring to a group of vines. In neighborhood speak, a block is your neighborhood. The Red Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA) Alliance is hosting the inaugural Red Mountain AVA Block Party on September 29, 2012 from 10am-6pm.
Pictured top: The little red trolley on Red Mountain with proprietor Jon Artz. Below left: Ciel du Cheval Vineyard looking out over the Red Mountain AVA. Below right: Ed Shaw, the Alliance president with his wife Eve Shaw, both of Portrait Cellars.
“We like to think of this event as creating a neighborhood of wine lovers and winemakers, grape growers and friends. We’re also hoping to have a lot of fun on that Saturday, which is right in the middle of the harvest here,” says the Alliance’s president, Ed Shaw, owner and winemaker of Portrait Cellars on Red Mountain.
Tickets will permit guests to speak directly to winemakers, vineyard owners and growers, sample wines at participating wineries, enjoy vineyard walks, hikes and trolley trips from wineries, as well as gain an intimate education into the unique terroir of Red Mountain AVA. You’ll get a map to start. Then you’re on your way to explore the activities that are reserved just for ticket holders. You may see the “little red trolley” which your ticket allows you to hop on and hop off as it cruises to wineries on Red Mountain.
Shaw says, “Red Mountain is consistently recognized as one of the most outstanding areas for growing red wine grapes in the world. Since we are a small AVA covering some 4000 acres, our intention for the Block Party is to create stronger relationships among our winemakers, grape growers and guests that will educate and endure.”
Participating Wineries & Vineyards are as follows: Col Solare, Corvus Cellars, Cooper: A Red Mountain Winery, DeLille Cellars Doyenne/Upchurch Vineyard, EFESTE Wine, Fidelitas Wines, Goedhart Family, Hedges Family Estate, Hightower Cellars, Kiona Vineyard & Winery, Montes Scarlotto Vineyard, Portrait Cellars, Tapteil Vineyard Winery, Terra Blanca Winery & Estate Vineyard and Upchurch Vineyard.
Selected Events by Venue
Col Solare — Red Mountain Block party guests will be entertained in the Barricaia cellar, where they will experience a special tasting of the limited single varietal production of Red Mountain Syrah and Red Mountain Cabernet, along with a sampling of cheeses and exotic game sausages to taste with the wines.
Cooper: A Red Mountain Winery – In addition to barrel samples, Neil Cooper will have entertainment. A food vendor will be on site as well.
Corvus Cellars — Owners Randall and Jennifer Hopkins will be opening up their Red Mountain Tasting Room for the ONLY time this season. Gourmet food from Andre’s Food cart will be available for an additional cost.
DeLille Cellars Doyenne/Upchurch Vineyard – At Upchurch Vineyard winemaker Chris Upchurch will be sampling a wine normally reserved for DeLille Cellars Wine Club members and be talking about their Red Mountain vineyard, Grand Ciel.
Fidelitas— Owner and winemaker Charlie Hoppes takes you on a leisurely stroll through our Estate Vineyard followed by vertical tastings of our Red Mountain Red and Ciel du Cheval Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a few other surprise wines. Food will be available for purchase from our favorite local taco truck. Sit back, relax and enjoy the view.
Goedhart Family – Owner Sarah & Brent Goedhart will be serving up winemaker Sarah’s selections along with freshly baked bread. Their wood-fired oven will provide Sarah’s homemade kale pesto, arugula and fresh cheese paninis for $10.
EFESTE — Partner Daniel Ferrelli will be taking guests on a walking tour through one of the winery’s estate vineyards for the first time ever.
Kiona Vineyard & Winery – The Williams Family has scoured their library and pulled three Estate Cabernets dating back to the 1990s made from our original 1975 block on the Kiona Estate vineyard. We’ll focus on the age ability of Red Mountain wines and winemaking philosophies at Kiona.
The Hedges Family Estate — Pouring their 2009 Red Mountain Club Limited wines, in the French Country Kitchen with either winemaker Pete Hedges or assistant winemaker Sarah Goedhardt Hedges. The tasting will be in the French Country Kitchen, and will be limited to 18 people at a time, every 30 minutes.
Hightower Cellars – Visit with the owners and winemakers, Tim and Kelly Hightower, at their uniquely designed winery overlooking their estate vineyard. You will get to tour the winery, experience the winemaking process, and taste some library wines as well as enjoy Macrina Bakery bread made from the natural yeast on their estate grapes paired with cheese and Boat Street Pickles.
Montes Scarlatto Vineyards — Entertainment is the theme at Monte Scarlatto, where owner Joel McKay will host music, catered food and a 9-hole par-3 golf tournament with prizes for low score, closest to pin and most times visiting the vineyard.
Portrait Cellars – Owners Eve and Ed Shaw will offer winery tours, a barrel tasting and, if they are fortunate enough to be processing fruit that day, a grape harvesting experience.
Tapteil Cellars — Sample wines with Larry and Jane Pearson, owners, and afterwards enjoy an old-fashioned grape stomp.
Terra Blanca Winery & Estate Vineyard — Owner and winemaker Keith Pilgrim will be tasting groups of guests through a six vintage vertical of ONYX going back to “99 and five single varietals libraried wines including the ‘07 Petit Verdot and 07 Cabernet Franc among others.
Upchurch Vineyard — Winemaker Chris Upchurch and his wife and co-owner Thea Upchurch invite you to explore their vineyard throughout the day, limited to forty people. Guests will learn about the newest Red Mountain winery, sustainable viticulture and biodiversity from one of the first certified by L.I.V.E. (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) vineyards on Red Mountain.
Tickets for this event are available online here. For additional questions please contact Sandi Whistler at (509) 588-4460 or visit www.redmountainava.com.