Some AVAs Are Genuinely Meaningful While Others Are Vanity Projects

Q&A with Rocky Pond winemaker Elizabeth Keyser on her first Washington vintage

Washington state currently has 21 AVAs – legally certified American Viticultural Areas. I couldn’t name them all, and I’ve been paying attention. The newest is Beverly; the smallest is Candy Mountain; the oldest is the Yakima Valley; the biggest is the Columbia Valley. Among other designated AVAs are The Burn of Columbia Valley, Goose Gap, Lewis-Clark Valley... the list goes on (and on and on).

To achieve certification is a lengthy, expensive and complex process, and yet the basic requirements are pretty straightforward. The applicant must find historic evidence for the chosen name and explain the why and how of the proposed boundaries, with specifics shown on USGS maps. For most AVAs here in Washington and elsewhere, the details come down to differences (often subtle) in soil types, natural geographical boundaries such as rivers and mountains, and (sometimes) parameters for required elevation.

But when all is said and done, what really has been accomplished? Are more and more AVAs chopping up the viticultural landscape valuable indicators of wine industry growth and maturity? To quote the Firesign Theater, “maybe yes, maybe no”. Are they marketing tools? Maybe yes – in theory more than practice. Are they of value to consumers? Very few can realistically claim to be important to all but a handful of enthusiasts.

If you follow the news you’ve probably heard the famous quote from political strategist James Carville – “it’s the economy, stupid.” Carville was talking about what matters to voters. For anyone thinking that marketing their wines’ AVA will matter to wine consumers, I’d say “it’s the flavor, stupid.” Because it is their flavor – not some line on a map – that makes wines from a small AVA stand out. I’m not referring to the biggest, broadest designations such as the Willamette Valley or the Columbia Valley. Of course they need sub-AVAs to acknowledge that they are not uniformly the same throughout. But those sub-AVAs will essentially be meaningless if you can’t identify specific flavor characteristics expressed in wines made within their borders.

Why? Because that is the principal indicator of terroir. Terroir translates to flavor, and in a few AVAs the connection is quite apparent. For me the Rocks District is the greatest example of this, but there are others as well. And when the Rocky Reach AVA was officially certified in 2022, and I first tasted the wines from Rocky Pond, I was immediately struck by the distinction I found in them. When I visited the winery that summer I saw for myself why that AVA needed to exist, and it’s visible in the landscape as well.

A recent offer of Rocky Pond Stratastone on Full Pull, an e-retailer, agrees, noting that “the most special feature of Rocky Reach is its bedrock, which is granitic in nature. The rest of Washington’s winegrowing regions (with the exception of parts of Lake Chelan) are on basalt bedrock. This is something different... cobbly soils that encourage vine depth, and those vines, as they get deeper, are encountering a suite of minerals that is completely different than most of the rest of Washington.”

I turned to Rocky Pond winemaker Elizabeth (Liz) Keyser for her perspective. She arrived at Rocky Pond three years ago after working at a prestigious Napa valley winery, and the wines from her first Washington vintage are just now being released. I began our conversation by asking her if making that transition had a major impact on her winemaking.

PG: How much of what you did in Washington in 2022 was different from making wine in Napa, and how much was the same?

Liz: “The growing conditions in 2022 were unlike any that I experienced in Napa – it reminded me very much of 2015 in the Finger Lakes – cool, late, and compressed. A lot of the discussions with our vineyard team early on in the growing season were focused on getting canopies opened up and crop loads reduced as soon as possible – especially on Cabernet Sauvignon – to help advance maturity in the compressed growing season. So, while the growing conditions were drastically different, a lot of the approach I took was still very much what I had learned in Napa (and elsewhere), which is focus on the vineyards first and by the time harvest rolls around, you’ll have a general idea of fruit quality/conditions and how the fruit will behave in the cellar.

“I think more than anything my time in Napa made me a very technical winemaker. The winemaking team that I worked with at Hall came up through the ‘school of Mondavi’ and a lot of the training was focused on maintaining a boutique touch even at large scale production.”

PG: How does this work at Rocky Pond?

Liz: “Things like day of harvest meetings where as a team we discuss how the fruit is going to be handled based on fruit condition, all the way down to granular [fermentation] decisions like percentage of whole berry, saignée etc.; and daily tank tasting to dictate the cap management of each tank. There is no recipe or prescription for each tank, it’s all driven by taste and needs of the ferment, so having a system in place means that the cellar team can move forward with work without having to wait for me if I’m starting the day in the vineyard with the picking crew or deliberating over drain decisions.”

PG: Coming from Napa not only to Washington but to a new and quite unusual new grape growing sub-AVA must have been a challenge!

Liz: “This vintage required a huge palate recalibration for me, working at higher acidity levels with high tannin varietals was a new challenge. I ended up doing a lot of up front extraction with multiple cold soak pump overs daily, fermenting at slightly higher temperatures to try and get as much pulled out early in the fermentation, and off the skins on the early side as well. Some of the impulse to extract fast and get off skins fast was the reality of needing to turn tanks since we were harvesting about 100 tons of red fruit in a three week window with 40 tons of tank space – but even on the final turn of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon I was draining with some level of residual sugar and letting the drain wine finish in tank before barreling down for ML.

“I was also much more cautious of end-of-fermentation temperatures with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In Napa we would often edge temperatures up 2-3 degrees Fahrenheit per day during post-dryness maceration, and the wines would flesh out and build structure. My fear was that in edging up temperatures at the end of fermentation on wines that have higher acidity than I was used to, I wouldn’t see the same fleshing out and would overshoot the building tannin.

“The final piece of the equation for me is 2022 was the first time I was in total control of all winemaking decisions, and it moved the stakes even higher, working with new (to me) fruit, new cellar, new team, new everything. There were definitely some sleepless nights.”

PG: Having survived that first vintage, what evolved in ’23 and ’24 as far as your knowledge of Washington wines, your familiarity with the estate vineyards, and your overall approach to making wines here in the Pacific Northwest?

Liz: “I think starting off with a challenging vintage like 2022, made 2023 seem like a cake walk – and even though 2024 started off with some winter damage concerns, it was a relatively even-keeled growing season. Having the opportunity now to work with our vineyards for three very different growing seasons has helped create some core patterns in the vineyard blocks, and it’s been really interesting watching the character of the vineyards shine through in each vintage. We’re fortunate to have built the cellar and matched tank sizes around our actual vineyard blocks. We can keep most of our blocks pure unless we are intentionally co-fermenting.

“The original plantings of our Double D Vineyard are now 12 years old, so there is also an evolution of character in the vineyard from the vines being more mature, with more restrained vigor. There’s freshness, tension and focus to the fruit from our vineyards in both the Rocky Reach and Lake Chelan AVAs.”

PG: Are there any new experiments or trials underway in the winery?

Liz: “Yes, another carry over from my time at Hall is a love for conducting trials. We didn’t necessarily have the luxury of time in 2022 to execute a full suite of trials in winemaking, but in 2023 and 2024, with the help of my Assistant Winemaker, Jill Lukacs, we’ve been able to conduct a series of whole cluster, co-fermentation, yeast, cooper, stirring intervals and fermentation vessel trials. The whole cluster and co-fermentation trials have been especially eye opening and guiding how I’ve handled our Rhône varietals. And for the Bordeaux program, cooper trials have been huge in finding a blend of coopers better suited (in my opinion) to Washington fruit – focusing more on lifting fruit, sweetness and mid-palate density and moving away from stronger toast levels.”

PG: Finally, returning to the opening topic, what have you learned about the specific terroir of the Rocky Reach AVA?

Liz: “I think I’ve just scraped the tip of the iceberg on really exploring the Rocky Reach AVA. There is a really strong anchoring of a gravel character in the wines produced from our estate vineyard in the Rocky Reach, and I’m excited to taste more fruit / wines from neighboring vineyards in the Rocky Reach to help build a broader profile for the AVA.”

Thank you Liz! On to my notes on your just-released ‘22s.

Rocky Pond

Rocky Pond 2022 Double D Vineyard Merlot – This is pure Merlot, smooth as silk and sexy as hell, a powerful and potent style that can push many Cabs out of the way of that burger or rib roast. All of these ’22 Rocky Pond reds are chocolatey wines, instantly likeable, yet structured and nicely layered for aging. This Merlot was aged 22 months in two thirds new oak, and for now the barrel toast dominates. The higher the percentage of new oak, the longer it will take to pull itself together seamlessly. This needs decanting if you’re drinking it any time soon. 313 cases; 14.8%; $60 (Rocky Reach) 92/100

Rocky Pond 2022 Double D Vineyard Malbec – Don’t cry for me Argentina, Washington Malbecs need not take second place to your finest. If you love the grape as a pure varietal, sourced from a single vineyard in an emerging AVA, this is one to try. Blueberries and chocolate, with further accents of coffee grounds and sweet tobacco roll across the tongue. Aging 22 months in 55% new oak barrels brings a spicy tang and suggests that further aging will help to pull it all together. 245 cases; 14.1%; $60 (Rocky Reach) 93/100

Rocky Pond 2022 Double D Vineyard 11 Dams Red – As noted above this is the first complete vintage for Rocky Pond winemaker Elizabeth Keyser-Hadley, who came on board the same year that the Rocky Reach AVA was certified. She has kept the Cabernet/Malbec mix at the heart of the wine, with 8% Syrah and a splash of Merlot newly added. Aromatic and inviting, it’s got a pleasing dusty character that calls to mind the Cabs from Napa’s Rutherford Bench. Mouthcoating flavors of blue fruits, cassis, shaved chocolate, sandalwood, espresso and a touch of licorice are artfully combined, set against smooth, ripe and persistent tannins. Aged 22 months in one third new French oak barrels, it’s drinking beautifully and may be at its best over the next half decade. 650 cases; 14.1%; $48 (Rocky Reach) 94/100

Rocky Pond 2022 Double D Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – This pure Cabernet is focused and compelling, giving a clear expression of the vineyard and the grape and the terroir. That said, the previous vintage included Malbec, Franc and Merlot in the blend, which added extra depth and detail. So it’s a stand-off flavor-wise. Do you want the focused purity of a single grape, or the extra dimensions of a well made blend? Taken for what it is, this wine packs a lot of power, with rich red fruits, caramel, mocha and silky tannins. It’s smooth and immediately appealing with mid-range ageability. 380 cases; 14.5%; $75 (Rocky Reach) 94/100

Catching up with a few more bottles from recent tastings...

Blakeslee Vineyard

Blakeslee 2022 Estate Reserve Chardonnay – Scents of lemon and lime with a touch of mineral lead into comparable citrus fruit, green apples and white peaches. Fermented and aged in a mix of stainless steel and neutral barrels, it's clean and refreshing, with ample acidity, and finishing hints of toasty spice. 200 cases; 13.5%; $58 (Chehalem Mountains) 91/100

Blakeslee 2023 Estate Reserve White Pinot Noir – Estate grown Pommard clone Pinot Noir is quickly pressed, barrel fermented and aged in 12% new oak. It looks, feels and tastes like a Pinot Blanc, with medium body and clean, smooth, lightly buttery flavors. 96 cases; 13.5%; $60 (Chehalem Mountains) 90/100

Blakeslee 2023 Rosé of Pinot Noir – Light and pretty, with a toasty character like Rice Krispies and grilled pecans. Fruit flavors of watermelon and strawberry, moderate acidity and a strong finish. Drink now. 250 cases; 13.9%; $36 (Chehalem Mountains) 90/100

Blakeslee 2021 Estate Reserve Select Cluster Pinot Noir – This pretty wine opens with scents of wild berries and brambly brush. The palate offers rhubarb, pomegranate and raspberry fruit, firm acids and more of that brambly forest character. The tannins are tight and proportionate. This is a savory, well-structured wine with a decade of aging potential 14.1%; $64 (Chehalem Mountains) 91/100

Panther Creek

Panther Creek 2023 Chardonnay/Pinot Noir White Blend – This is a white wine, 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir quickly pressed off the skins to avoid color. Apart from a wash of savory herbs and finishing tannins, it could pass for a cool climate Chardonnay. Fruit flavors are clean and neutral, with the fresh herbs adding depth and detail to a medium finish. Special February pricing. 300 cases; 13.5%; $25 (Willamette Valley) 90/100

Panther Creek 2022 Seabreeze Vineyard Pinot Noir – This is the first time Panther Creek has made a Seabreeze Vineyard selection. It’s a juicy wine with plenty of citrus, rhubarb and a hint of sour cherry. It falls away and finishes light with trailing notes of dried Provençal herbs. 100 cases; 14.1%; $60 (Van Duzer Corridor) 90/100

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