WeatherEye Estate Grenache Red Mountain 2021

WeatherEye's inception dates back to 2004 when Owner and Washington wine advocate Cam Myrhvold began purchasing the land, which would one day become WeatherEye vineyards. Slowly and surely over time, Cam acquired parcels along the ridgeline of Red Mountain, accumulating to 30 acres planted with Rhône, Bordeaux, and Spanish varietals. With the guidance of Vineyard Manager Ryan Johnson, they thoughtfully designed each plot into distinct "micro-blocks", each with its own unique set of planting standards that caters to the varying exposures, soil make-ups, and topographies. If you ask Cam & Ryan, from the very beginning, they intended to develop a premier grape-growing site to showcase the possibilities of Washington fruit. If that were successful, only then would they establish a wine brand to honor the estate, and that day came in 2018 when WeatherEye Wines launched with their estate Syrah and Grenache.

The quality of WeatherEye Vineyard's grapes is a testament to Ryan's meticulous management and Red Mountain's ideal growing conditions and terroir. He spent almost six months walking the property before planting a single vine so he could come to know each area intimately before deciding what and how to plant. Ryan implements different trellising and vine densities depending on the plot's needs. Most of the vines are head-trained in the "en enchalas" or "bush vine" methods, and densities range from 300 plants per acre all the way up to 4,000 plants per acre. Choosing to head train is two-fold, as this style behooves the high elevations (up to 1410 feet in some blocks) and is traditionally used with Rhône varietals in France that represent a large portion of the vines at WeatherEye. "En enchalas" allows for easier vineyard management by hand, as the steep slopes do not allow for machinery. Combined with Ryan's careful stewardship of the vines, Red Mountain's sedimentary soils, diurnal temperature shifts, and prolonged southern sun exposures aid in the fruit's balanced ripening and concentrated flavors.

Despite the vineyard size, WeatherEye produces a shockingly small amount of wine, totaling just 800 cases across six wines in the 2021 vintage. 160 cases of the 800 were the 2021 Estate Grenache featured this month in Under the Radar. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeast, and 30% of the clusters remained intact, enhancing the texture and spice. Pepper, clove, and nutmeg tones color the waves of red and citrus fruit aromatics. The lifted, refined acidity on the palate intertwines with soft tannins, showcasing strawberry, cherry, and licorice flavors.