Walla Walla primarily based vineyard The Partitions has bought French Creek Winery in Yakima Valley. The acquisition was made in partnership with James Utz, a Tri-Cities-based wealth supervisor.
“I wished The Partitions to have its personal property story,” says proprietor and founder Mike Martin. “This helps do this.”
Positioned in Prosser, French Creek Winery is 40 acres, 33 of that are at present planted to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and white and pink Rhône varieties. The winery is probably finest recognized for its Chardonnay, with the primary vines planted in 1981. This makes them among the many oldest Chardonnay plantings within the state. The winery additionally has Cabernet Sauvignon plantings that date to 1991.
Since its founding in 2014, The Partitions has used French Creek Winery for its Martin’s Gold Chardonnay. French Creek can be the supply of vineyard’s Lip Stinger Grenache Blanc and Merciless Summer time Rosé. Martin says the acquisition will assist the vineyard develop components of its portfolio.
“It offers us an opportunity within the years forward to develop some varieties that we’re conversant in and hopefully complement some wines and possibly make some new wines as properly. It’s going to take time.”
Fruit from French Creek additionally goes to quite a few different high flight Washington wineries, together with Sleight of Hand, Valdemar Estates, Grosgrain Vineyards, Devium, and Forgeron Cellars, all of which have made French Creek designated bottles previously.
“They’ve been working with the winery for some time, some most likely longer than us, and my intention and expectation is that they’ll proceed to within the years forward,” Martin says.
Grower Damon Lalonde, who has managed the location since 2011, will proceed to farm French Creek. Over time, Martin expects to plant extra white Rhône varieties, in addition to some Portuguese varieties that may be new to the state.
“It offers us a little bit of a canvas to play with,” Martin says of the acquisition.
French Creek was first planted in 1981 by Shad E. Hope, whose in-laws homesteaded on the website. The winery was subsequently bought by Rajan Parashar, who later bought it to Jon Meuret, the founding father of Maison Bleue. Meuret’s Au Contraire Chardonnay helped carry the winery to larger prominence. In 2013, Meuret bought the winery to Tom O’Brien, the newest proprietor.
The acquisition of French Creek offers The Partitions its third property winery, with the vineyard buying Rockgarden within the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater from Buty Vineyard in 2020. The Partitions can be at present planting one other 20-acre website within the Rocks District that it bought in 2015. Each Rocks District vineyards are anticipated to largely be used for the Pášxa model, which was launched in 2020.
“The model and the mannequin for The Partitions is rarely actually going to be 100% property vineyard,” Martin says. “We take pleasure in making completely different sorts of wines, and we’ve got some nice companions. However given the lay of the land and dealing with [winemaker] Todd [Alexander], I definitely respect the worth of vertical management.”
Picture of French Creek Winery Chardonnay by Richard Duval.
