Rocky Pond Wines and the Rocky Reach AVA

An absolute must taste, must see for Washington wine lovers

The Rocky Reach AVA, Washington's 20th, was certified not quite two years ago thanks to the persistent efforts of the founders of the Rocky Pond Winery. Since then I’ve had the opportunity to tour the property and to taste most of the releases from the past couple of vintages. Getting a new AVA authorized is a costly, time-consuming and difficult process. So along with congratulations on the success of the new AVA, I looked at the wines to see if they in fact seemed to represent something new, something important enough to justify the effort.

The geology of the region, as described to me by Dr. Kevin Pogue, who did the spadework for the Rocky Reach application, certainly makes a good case for it. "With its granitic cobblestone terraces, Rocky Reach really is different from anything else in the Columbia Basin" Pogue notes. “I think the area has a very bright future and the wines will just get better as the viticulture gets completely dialed in."

John Ware, who spent many years running the business end of Quilceda Creek, was hired by the owners of Rocky Pond in 2020 to fill the role of President. That tells you something – here's an industry veteran working at one of the greatest wineries in the world moving to a virtually unknown entity in an as-yet-undefined Washington wine region. At the time of the announcement I asked John to elaborate on why he made the change and what potential he saw (and sees) in this emerging new AVA. Here is what he had to say:

"After 20+ years in the Washington wine industry, I was ready for a change. A mutual friend of mine introduced me to David Dufenhorst. When I first flew to Double D (Rocky Pond’s flagship vineyard), I could sense this energy in the vineyard. It is hard to describe until you visit the site. This was only amplified by David and Michelle’s vision of creating a world-class wine destination resort. That was something new to me and I was (and am) very excited about creating this legacy. The wines showed promise but I saw opportunity in the vineyard practices with new techniques and innovation in the cellar. From a regional perspective, I had a bias that the northern Cascade and Chelan AVA could not get fruit ripe enough. That paradigm has changed for me and we have neighboring wineries in the region that are doing some exceptional work.”

"The Rocky Reach AVA has a geological story dating back 100,000,000-70,000,00 years when islands in the Pacific were thrust under Washington and thrust up into this 32,333 acres called Rocky Reach. Then 18,500-16,000 years ago, two glaciers carved out the Columbia River, depositing sandy soils and the prolific cobblestones. We do not have any basalt like most of Washington, and in fact, are higher in silica and quartz minerals. So what does that all mean for wine drinkers? We have a distinct minerality that is fused with ripe fruit that expresses itself in the wines. Double D and Rocky Reach Estate are warm sites. The stony surfaces and cobblestones quickly warm and heat the vines and promote faster and more complete ripening. The coarser soils are more efficient in transmitting water which encourages the vines to establish deeper roots than vines planted in silty soils."

To sum up, John felt that Washington state’s 20th AVA would "show the world wine audience this is an exciting region to explore and taste. Quality wines are being crafted, with a unique geological narrative, and a very high quality-to-price ratio that makes Washington one of most exciting wine regions in the world."

Early in 2022 Liz Keyser moved up from Napa to take over the winemaking. Last year I asked her to comment on her experiences in this new wine region.

LK:  "This growing season was a lesson in patience. The slow and cool start to the growing season set us on a path of being 1-2 weeks behind historic phenology data and meant most of our fruit was going to be harvested in a very tight window. There were many sleepless nights in early-October spent poring over weather reports and debating early picks, but ultimately I trusted that we could push hang time and the grapes would be able to bounce back from light rain, or even a frost event. We started harvesting red fruit on October 19^th and were all in by November 9^th (90+ tons in approx. 3-weeks). We have an incredible vineyard and cellar team who worked at a grueling pace to accomplish this harvest.”

"A major strength of the Rocky Reach AVA is the ability to achieve even ripening across the spectrum of varieties grown at Double D and Rocky Reach Estate vineyards, even in a challenging vintage. I attribute the balanced and even ripening to the low elevation and sandy-rocky soils that radiate heat into the canopy. Being able to hold onto heat into the evening hours really helped to push ripening along. I am continually impressed by the wines produced from our vineyards in the Rocky Reach AVA. For young vines the fruit exudes so much character and sense of place.”

I recently tasted the winery’s current releases – wines from 2021 and one of the first wines of the 2022 vintage – Keyser’s first at the winery. Here are my notes.

Rocky Pond

Rocky Pond 2022 Glacial Treasure White Blend – The blend is almost two thirds Pinot Gris, the rest a mix of Riesling, Marsanne, Semillon and Viognier – all sourced from the two estate vineyards. Fermented separately prior to blending, one can’t help but wonder how this unusual mix was arrived at (the blending trials must have been a blast). The blend works seamlessly, with ripe stone fruits underscored with a mineral base and highlights of citrus zest. All too often such varied white blends can be a bit vague, formless, but here there is a strong focus and penetration through a lingering finish. 580 cases; 13%; $32 (Lake Chelan) 92/100

Rocky Pond 2021 Double D Vineyard 11 Dams Red – This is evenly split between Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented separately, then aged in one third new oak for 20 – 22 months. It’s a big change from the previous vintage which was more than half Merlot. This latest reflects the hand of a new winemaker and speaks to the ongoing experimentation at Rocky Pond. For me this rings every bell – I love Malbec, I think it’s a fine match to Cabernet, and both grapes singly and together reflect the unique terroir of the Rocky Reach AVA. Spicy, dark, tight, focused, this layers berries and cherries and cassis fruit flavors in a compact core, underpinned with appealing minerality. The finish is veined with espresso, licorice and char, all in proportion with polished tannins framing the fruit. More highlights of tobacco and sandalwood pop up as the wine trails out. I expect this wine to age for another 10 – 15 years. 1295 cases; 14.5%; $48 (Rocky Reach) 94/100

Rocky Pond 2021 Double D Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a full-on Bordeaux blend – three quarters Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec, 10% Cab Franc and 5% Merlot. For me these Rocky Pond wines from the very start have had a distinctive profile, separate from any other Washington AVA. A winemaker change has brought changes to how these wines are constructed. This is quite different from the 2020, which had no Cab Franc or Malbec, but did have a touch of Syrah. I’m all for young wineries taking chances and experimenting – it’s too soon to settle on a formula (not that a formula is ever likely to be a good thing). The ’21 is tight, layered, spicy and beautifully balanced. All the pieces fit and contribute. The Cabernet is the centerpiece, showing the strength of the estate vineyard, while the other grapes pull their weight and fill out the flavors. The result is a seamless, spicy, delicious wine that will stand out in any peer group. Given almost two years in 45% new oak, it’s still the fruit and the terroir that command your attention, while the barrels add nuanced accents. This is the sort of wine that can fool the sip ‘n’ spit reviewers who don’t give it ample time to unpack. I suggest you give it all the time it deserves. 443 cases; 14.6%; $75 (Rocky Reach) 96/100

Rocky Pond 2021 Stratastone Red – This is 24% Grenache, 62% Syrah and 14% Mourvèdre – quite different from 2020. The wine spent 18 months in puncheon, 30% new, and is due for release this autumn. Sourced from the Double D and Clos Chevalle vineyards – both estate, but in different AVAs, hence the generic Columbia Valley on the label. If you don't know Rocky Pond now is the time to get on board. Still eminently affordable for the quality, this is a sophisticated and stylish blend with brambly purple and black fruits, espresso, licorice and a focused purity that commands attention. The blend is spot on, with pristine acidity and exceptional length. 330 cases; 14.8%; $48 (Columbia Valley) 94/100

NOTE:  Rocky Pond has tasting rooms in Chelan, Leavenworth and Woodinville along with the winery itself. They maintain a very active calendar of events, accessible here.  

Featured Wine

Concluding each Substack post is a special featured wine. Some will be exceptional values and some will simply be superstar wines (95 points and higher).

Rocky Pond 2021 Estate Syrah – I continue to be dazzled by the Rhône-style wines from this new winery. This was blended from both estate vineyard – Double D and Clos Chevalle – one in the new Rocky Reach AVA and the other in the Lake Chelan AVA slightly north of the winery. The tight, steely fruit and baseline minerality give the wine precision, length and focus. The aromatics open up with aeration giving a solid expression of the variety, leading into a finely-woven web of brambly berry, espresso, rich earth, tobacco and toasted walnuts. This definitely belongs with Syrahs from the Rocks District and special sites such as Boushey among the best in the region. 210 cases; 14.9%; $50 (Columbia Valley) 95/100

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PS: My band, the DavePaul5, will be playing at AK’s Mercado on Friday March 8th – part of Walla Walla’s Guitar Fest weekend. Totally stoked for that! Walla Walla wineries take note – we are now filling up our calendar for the 2024 season. If we have performed at your winery previously and have not been in touch please send me a note and let’s get back on your schedule!