Climate

The vast majority of the Yorkville Highlands’ vineyards are planted on a continuous string of bench land between 1,000 and 2,200 feet in elevation. As the warm afternoon air begins to turn hot, cooling breezes blow up into the region from the nearby Pacific Ocean. The bench land vines benefit from this cooling effect, which protects the fruit from over-ripening and causes some of the coldest evening temperatures along the North Coast. These frigid nighttime conditions are essential for preserving grape acidity. The moderated temperatures allow for an extended growing season, with the majority of the fruit being picked late in the season. Mature tannins in the red wines are the result; they are long and complex without being overpowering. Most winemakers of the region agree that Yorkville Highlands fruit can ripen evenly, with acidity, structure, and richness balancing each other in the wines of the appellation.

It rains quite a bit more in the Yorkville Highlands than it does in either of its neighboring appellations. In the last decade we’ve averaged nearly 68 inches (That’s 5'8" or 1.73 meters). Seattle only averages 37 inches! The good news is that it doesn’t rain much or often during the harvest season. Generally, we don’t get more than a few sprinkles until the last week of October. This “Indian Summer” allows our grapes to hang until full maturity and helps us avoid washed-out vintages.