Michael and Cindy Rasch, owners of Golden Ridge Cellars, took advantage of the incubator winery program offered by the Port of Walla Walla when the opportunity arose to open their own tasting room in 2019.
The Raschs have been cultivating Golden Ridge Vineyard since they bought it in 2007. The eight-acre vineyard was originally planted in 1998 with help from legendary grower Paul Champoux.
“Golden Ridge Vineyard itself is pretty exciting,” says Michael. “It is one of the few vineyards located in the northern part of the Walla Walla Valley. That area is almost entirely planted in wheat, and securing water rights has been a challenging enough prospect to deter many a prospective winegrape grower.”
Just two years after taking over the vineyard, the Raschs released their first 110 cases under the Golden Ridge Cellars label. Michael, a former lawyer, completed Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture program to launch his second career in 2009.
“I am pursuing the full vigneron model, managing every aspect of the wine from viticulture to vinification,” says Michael, who gives credit for successes along the way to family friend Jason Gorski, director of winemaking for DeLille Cellars. The wines are expressive single-vineyard designations, full bodied and filled with valley terroir.
Visit the tasting room at 598 Piper Ave., Walla Walla. Check the website for hours at www.goldenridgecellars.net.
Here are three releases we recently reviewed:
Golden Ridge Cellars 2016 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $45
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding, 92 pts.
Opulent, displaying depth to the luscious dark fruit flavors of crème de cassis, blackberry and cherry that interplay with dark chocolate, espresso and tobacco accents. Refined tannins emerge on the intensely long finish peppered with cedar spice.
Golden Ridge Cellars 2016 Estate Cabernet Franc, $40
Editor’s Choice – Excellent, 90 pts.
Smooth and well polished, brimming with expressive aromas of ripe blue and red berries mixed with salinity. Densely structured with ample weight balanced by bright acidity, and richly layered with flavors of blue plum, crushed raspberry, mocha, licorice and intriguing mineral notes on the finish.
Golden Ridge Cellars 2012 Estate Red, $38
Editor’s Choice – Excellent, 90 pts.
Immense depth flows through this boldly styled Bordeaux varietal red blend, offering floral-etched flavors of jammy blackb eery, fresh boysenberry, fig and dark plum sauce stitched together with a tight core of tannins and savory underpinnings of cigar box, graphite, cocoa and spice.