VINEYARDS

Mont Elise

From a simple farming background in North Dakota, Charles Henderson was hesitant about growing grapes in the unknown area of the Columbia Gorge, but he was willing to experiment. It was suggested to him by one of his close friends, Dr. Clore, in the late 60s to plant Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer in a south sloping plot on a vineyard he would later call Mont Elise. At first, he was met with hostility from his new neighbors, who said it would not be possible to grow grapes on the land. Dr. Clore convinced Henderson otherwise, saying the soil on his plot was similar to the soils in Germany where he grew up. Henderson discovered that the cooler nights and reflective heat during the day were perfect for growing grapes. Still in production today, the Mont Elise Vineyard is home to some of the oldest planted vines in the Columbia Gorge. Henderson always maintained a life motto that patience led to exceptionally qualified wines.

OTIS

Inspired by his father’s achievements at Alhambra Winery in the 1940s, Otis Harlan was instilled a passion for growing wine grapes. In 1954, Harlan purchased what is now Otis Vineyard, and within two years he had planted a six acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon. Soon after, Harlan met William Bridgman of Upland Vineyard and the two became fast friends, sharing their knowledge of the wine business. The Otis Vineyard plantings continue to produce today, on a much larger scale, making the vineyard one of the oldest recorded plantings in Washington State and a pioneer site for other varieties like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Upland

In 1914, William Bridgman, former mayor of Sunnyside, Washington, began planting table grapes on Harrison Hill, land located within Sunnyside’s city limits. He quickly transitioned from producing table grapes to planting wine grapes in 1917 during the early onset of prohibition in Washington State, as there was a huge demand for wine. Bridgman began planting more and more wine grapes and before long he was netting a larger profit than his neighbors. By 1935, Bridgman maintained more than 165 acres of wine grapes in a vineyard he called Upland.