Rider Cellars began as a leap of faith by owners Colby and Kristen Rider. In 2016 they decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of the Seattle area in favor of the more serene environment of Selah. “Neither one of us had any experience in the wine industry, but when we found the home we now live in, with the vineyard on site, we decided to embark on this new adventure,” says Kristen.
Their five-acre property came with a vineyard that had been planted in 2000. Colby and Kristen have spent the past three years diligently taking the vineyard to the next level and have begun releasing wines filled with expressive character. Colby single-handedly covers all aspects of working the vineyard to ensure they are making the best quality wine possible. He says they are working towards being certified organic.
Kristen admits that starting an estate winery from scratch and opening a tasting room has been a big learning curve for them. “We have been learning as we go about licensing, winemaking and all that goes into the vineyard. We want to make Selah proud of their hometown winery, and are striving to build a family business to pass on to our son Lucas.”
There’s a good chance visitors will find Colby pouring wine on weekends at the tasting room in downtown Selah. The gregarious viticulturist enjoys sharing in earnest about the unique wine varietals like Zweigelt and Pinot Blanc they are growing.
Visit the tasting room at 3 N 1st St, Selah or learn more at www.ridercellars.com
Here are two releases we recently reviewed:
Rider Cellars 2018 Estate Pinot Blanc, $20
Editor’s Choice – Outstanding (91-94 pts.)
This crisp, off-dry white varietal is precision-built, delivering richly layered aromas and characters of peach, honeydew, poached pear, key lime, lemon citrus and white flowers, ending with graceful minerality.
Rider Cellars 2017 Estate Zweigelt, $24
Editor’s Choice – Excellent (88-90 pts.)
Zweigelt is Austria’s most widely grown red varietal. This homegrown version comes from some of the oldest plantings of the varietal in the Yakima Valley. Bright and earthy, with light spice on the smooth palate, joined by loamy soil, pie cherry, fig and juicy blackberry.