March 5, 2020 - Pepper Bridge Winery and Amavi Cellars

 We are delighted to offer the wines of Amavi Cellars and Pepper Bridge Winery for our March tasting.  

Pepper Bridge Winery represents the pioneering spirit of the Walla Walla Valley. Owned and operated by three families - the McKibbens, the Goffs and the Pellets, the winery is a leader in quality winemaking, innovative technology and vineyard development. Amavi Cellars is owned by the same families and signifies love (amor) and life (vita) through their wines, which are 100% estate, 100% Certified Sustainable, and 100% Walla Walla Valley.  The wineries are dedicated to producing estate grown wines that showcase the distinct personality of the Walla Walla region and the estate wineries are among the most famous and exclusive in Washington.

The winemaker for both wineries is Jean-François Pellet, a third generation Swiss grape grower and winemaker who worked for Heitz Winery in Napa Valley before coming to Walla Walla.  Jean-Francois plays an active role in management of the vineyards and is a founding member of the Walla Walla Valley's sustainable viticulture program, VINEA where the ultimate goal is to make quality wine and leave the soil healthier for future generations.

We are also incredibly honored to have Norm McKibben lead us through the tasting of these wines. For those of you who don’t know him, Norm is one of THE Founding Fathers of the Walla Walla wine region and Norm’s fingerprints are not only on his own wine, but also on many of the innovations in winemaking and vineyard management that have defined the Walla Walla region and as a mentor for many of the most successful people in wine in Washington State.

We will be tasting through the wines of both wineries which will give us a survey of classic expressions of wine from the Walla Walla Valley.