Charles Koh
San Francisco Tasting on October 20 Showcases
Five Walla Walla Valley Wineries as Part of Premier Line-up
October 14, 2015 (Walla Walla, WA) – Wine & Spirits magazine honors Pepper Bridge Winery, listing it among the top 100 wineries as part of the publication’s annual list. Critics look for consistency across a range of bottlings and consider wineries that make three or more wines each year to determine the annual list. Pepper Bridge was honored for its 2011 and 2012 vintages.
“At 170 acres, one of Walla Walla’s largest and most important vineyards serves a winery of the same name,” quoted the magazine’s critics. “Pepper Bridge’s intensely structured cabernet-based bottlings excelled in the warm 2012 vintage.”
Pepper Bridge along with four Walla Walla wineries: àMaurice Cellars, L’Ecole No. 41, Reynvaan and Spring Valley Vineyard will be part of a special Top 100 tasting in San Francisco on October 20 at City View at METREON. The entire award list can be viewed at Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting.
“Receiving this honor from one of the top wine publications in the nation is a great accolade for our winemaking team,” said Jean-François Pellet, winemaker. The two vintages were very different as 2011 was a cool year while 2012 proved to be warm and dry. Both vintages added fruit from Octave, a vineyard plot on the SeVein Ridge parcel partly owned by Pellet. Pellet believes it’s a strong Cabernet site, with a strong wind influence that helps create small berries, dark fruit and lots of structure in the wines.
Pellet has been making wine for Pepper Bridge Winery for 16 years. Born and raised in Switzerland, he is a third-generation wine grower. He’s worked in Switzerland, Germany and the Napa Valley before coming to Walla Walla in 1999. In 2001, Pellet helped launch Amavi Cellars, a sister winery allowing him to expand his winemaking talents into Sémillon, rosé of Cabernet Franc and Syrah, working primarily with the Les Collines vineyard. A partner in both wineries, his passion is crafting wines from the estate vineyards of Pepper Bridge and Amavi Cellars.
About Pepper Bridge Winery
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. Pepper Bridge Winery produces Bordeaux-style wines using traditional winemaking techniques, French oak and estate fruit from the Walla Walla Valley. Pepper Bridge wines are collectibles that showcase complexity, structure and balance. Combining old-world philosophy with modern innovation, the winery has become an industry leader. For more information visit www.pepperbridge.com
