Vineyard Update #1

First, thank you to all who came to visit us at the vineyard this weekend, your interest is the lifeblood of the farm/winery! I was charmed by so many things, the eco-conscious children, the excitable puppies and the enthusiasm for our "*cide-free" farm and vineyard.

Second, there's so much going on this week:

1. May is the month to put on size on the vines, so I will be putting my all into watering, protecting, fertilizing and shoot selection and training the vines with the aim of developing maximum vigor. The on farm harvest this fall will be modest but with good growth we will start to take off in 2027. Meanwhile we plan to work with the excellent fruit from the original Epona vineyard and our spray-free friends in Zillah to provide the juice for 2026.
2. I'm going to a winemaking seminar in Richland this week. One of the topics is using non-saccharomyces yeasts to control spoilage microbes like brettanomyces. This portends improved wine quality in the coming years, the continuation of a long-standing trend.
3. Bottling the 2025 whites and rosés. I'm particularly excited about the Chenin Blanc and the Maréchal Foch rosé. The former is elegant and lightly sweet, the latter is saturated with fruity and herbal aromas.
4. I will finalize winery production location this week. This is foundational to bringing 2026 vintage Epona to you in 2027.