On a recent road trip we found ourselves turning off I-90 to become blissfully lost along the backroads of Zillah in eastern Washington. The sun was shining, the sky blue, a perfect day to wander aimlessly. The Rattlesnake Hills area as it is called, is known for its abundance of vineyards, wineries, and the most striking orchards of cherry, apple and pear trees. Along the way, my husband and I came across signs pointing to the Portteus Winery and Vineyard. I was familiar with their wines since the organization I volunteer for, the Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability (NBIS) often purchases cases for networking events because they are not only delicious, but also certified Salmon-Safe.
On the way up to the vineyard, one turns onto a good dirt road leading into the hills. At the top of the hill sits the winery on 74 acres of incredible scenery. When you arrive you are not greeted by a big fancy tasting room, but rather a no-frills, real-deal winery setting. If you are serious about wine this a great place to start. They are also the rare vineyard that produces wine from their own grapes. Now this might not seem that strange but it is more common for other wineries to buy lots from various vineyards and produce wine offsite.
Portteus produces wines that win awards on a regular basis and this year was no exception. They were the 2011 Seattle Wine Award winner for two Double Gold awards including one for their 2009 Portteus Winery Zinfandel “Old Vines,” and one for their 2008 Portteus Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. But fancy accolades aside, this family-owned winery puts a little more than great grapes into their wines. Their process for over 30 years includes staff who are like family and have been there for years; no chemical applications that are toxic or harmful; no sprays on plants after the first grapes have begun to show, and then nothing on the plants all the way to harvest. Their tank system uses a state-of-the-art Ozonator, which sterilizes and sanitizes the tanks. According to Paul Portteus, the process is 200 times stronger than chlorine with toxic or chemical effect.
So if you’re looking for a great trip to Washington wine country, don’t pass Portteus by. Drinking responsibly is whole lot tastier.
Photos by Robert J. Pennington
