By Kimberlea Miller

Before Wildflower, I wrote for Sip in Washington, my own Washington State wine blog. My background in wine originated through a long history in the restaurant industry and I was particularly focused on Italian wines.

I got interested in Washington wine when I worked at Lombardi’s in Issaquah and was challenged by a customer to explore the beauty of Washington State wine. I accepted the challenge and started exploring.

After Lombardi’s closed in 2013, I started digging deeper. I interviewed winemakers, vineyard owners, and viticulturists, asking what drove them to start producing wine in Washington State. The answers all came down to the same thing: Washington has the best growing soil to harvest some of the best grape vines ever planted.

The greater Columbia Valley, winding down from Canada and across the Washington, Oregon and Idaho borders, was carved out of the remains of the Missoula flood over 15,000 years ago. The rivers today and the glaciers before them, have ground out a unique concoction of rich, fertile soil. We have some of the best agriculture in the world due to that massive flood. Pair that with the bountiful sunshine east of the Cascades, and it really is the perfect climate for growing incredible wine grapes.

I have had the privilege to walk through some of Washington’s finest vineyards. I have had winemakers demonstrate how they choose their grapes, the vineyard and even the particular soil the grapes are grown in. And, of course, I’ve tasted their wonderful work. It is a remarkable process and the passion of those committed to it is tangibly evident. I love Washington state wine. We have beautiful stories throughout the state’s wine industry and I feel blessed and honored to share them with you.

Since this is the month of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to talk a little about the romance associated with wine. I have come across some beautiful, romantic stories during my research and one that has stuck with me is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Hedges. My husband and I were invited to the Hedges Estate and were lucky enough to have Sarah Hedges Goedhart emerge from her laboratory and take us on the grand tour. She graciously poured us a tasting, explaining the history behind the graceful wines and the beautiful family estate.

The deep Red Mountain hills were rolling, the vines were perfectly rowed and I could feel the love, romance, and passion radiating from Sarah as she talked.

Tom and Anne-Marie Hedges brought a sense of romance from Champagne, France that is visually evident in the grounds and permeates the wine. I was entranced with the family wines from the estate.

At the time of our visit, Pete Hedges, Sarah’s uncle, was the executive winemaker for the estate. However, Sarah has since taken the lead and produced her first harvest for the estate label in 2015.

I asked Sarah what her secret was. Her answer: “Get your ingredients, move forward with them and never try to make the same wine every year because your vintage will always be different.”

The wines hold fast to the Bordeaux-style blends that Washington wine lovers love so much. HIP (House of Independent Producer) was created to highlight single varietal wines. I really enjoyed the Goedhart Family 2010 Syrah, which they use as a source for their lovely rosé.

The Goedhart Family label was once a separate estate and business that has since merged with Hedges. The flagship wine, Hedges Family Estate Red Mountain, represents all the vineyard blocks farmed within the Hedges Family Estate Vineyard portfolio.

The family strongly believes in farming the land biodynamically, keeping the soil clean so that the grape can remain true to its natural flavor. John Gomez, vineyard manager, states that once you start farming, you will never stop until the day you die. The beauty, the wine, and the family environment are amazing.

Hedges Red Mountain is a staple in the Washington State industry and every wine lover must visit the Guardians of Red Mountain.

Kimberlea Miller is co-owner of Wildflower Wine Shop in North Bend.