The concept of our wine style was born at a fine restaurant in Spokane in 2004. Dean and I (Ronn) had just ended another trip searching for the right vineyard site in the Walla Walla Valley. We ordered a Walla Walla Merlot which was so good that it became the touchstone for all our wine efforts. We knew then that half our search was over; we had our wine style defined for us that night and our mission crystallized.

The style we try to achieve is a food friendly wine which will compliment a red meat or any food with robust sauces. Like the Spokane experience the wine must also have three essential qualities: complex bouquet, balanced and rich mouthfeel, and long rewarding finish. Wines are made to make a good meal better, not overpower it.

We feel strongly that a quality wine is made in the vineyard with top quality fruit. Once the fruit enters the winery our winemaker’s main responsibility is to stay out of the way and make sure the human hand does not mute the terroir and efforts of the vineyard manager. This hands off approach assures a wine true to its varietal character without the winemaking manipulation typical of so many wines today.

Lastly, our barrel practices harken back to the middle of the last century before overoaking became a common practice in premium wine making. Great grapes do not need a lot of oak, and can smother a wine’s varietal character and complexity. Our new wines are aged in 50% new French and American oak with 50% one year oak for 20-22 months. Our barrels come from a variety of renowned cooperages and this balance of new and one year old oak is just the right balance for great fruit.

Ronn Coldiron & Dean Coldiron
Proprietors, Glencorrie Winery