Just below McNary Dam, the Columbia River flows like a wide silver ribbon between the Oregon and Washington borders. Above the river’s north shore, the land tumbles to the water’s edge in a dizzying rush of sand and rock, carved into a patchwork of ancient coulees and canyons called the Horse Heaven Hills. Alder Ridge Vineyard spreads across 812 acres here. Standing near the top of the vineyard, on a ridge nearly 1,000 feet above the Columbia with a commanding view of vines below and the river stretching away to the west, you can see blocks of 30 different varieties of grapes, from the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon to the more unusual Mourvedre, Counoise and Viognier.

These vines were planted in 1997 by Corus Estates & Vineyards, the offspring of the company that once owned the venerable Washington brands Columbia Wines, Covey Run and Paul Thomas before selling them to Canandaigua. The Corus group retained the land at Alder Ridge, and has carried on their legacy of winemaking from there. CE&V today includes five labels – Alder Ridge, Six Prong, Battle Creek, Sawtooth and Zefina. The company sells most of Alder Ridge’s bounty to other producers, including Canandaigua. Cabernet makes up the largest share of the tonnage, but several smaller blocks are devoted to Rhone varieties, including Cinsault, Roussanne and Grenache.

CE&V President Ken McCabe says the south-facing hills at Alder Ridge are ideal for Rhone grapes. The water effect provided by the Columbia River helps moderate Eastern Washington’s intense climate. Sandy soils and an average of 3,000 heat units per year also contribute. But the biggest factor might be the wind. Howling through the river corridor and whipping the face of the slopes above, the Horse Heaven Hills see up to 30 percent more wind than other regions, keeping vines here dry during ripening, and warm during the frosty winters.

With the first Rhone vintages off Alder Ridge, says McCabe, “We thought we had something special. We tasted them first separately, but when we blended them together we knew they were special.” And so they made the decision to take a leap. In the heart of Eastern Washington’s vast expanses of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it’s the more uncommon Rhone varieties that define Corus’s Zefina label. The annual 3,000-case production includes Sangiovese and Zinfandel, as well as the noteworthy Serience blends – a Roussanne/Viognier white, and the more complex red, comprised of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise and Cinsault.

Winemaker Rob Chowanietz talks here about Alder Ridge, Zefina and the grapes of the Horse Heaven Hills.