Alki Wines
Bubbly White, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Red Blend offerings will be 10% off for Owners this Friday.
In place of our regular Wine Tasting this month, we wanted to share with you a bit about our currently featured wines from Alki Wines. All owners save 10% on these select wines this Friday, November 19th.
Our Wine Department wrote up the following notes about this company to share with you all.
Alki (Al-Kai), meaning "hope for the future," is Washington State's motto and the backbone of their approach to winemaking. By selecting the top 1% of fruit from over 3,500 acres of estate vineyards across the Wahluke Slope and Ancient Lakes AVAs, they grow, produce, and hand-craft some of the best wine Washington has to offer. Made with quality, value, and longevity in mind, their vision of sharing world-class Washington wines for years to come has a bright future.
Ancient Lakes AVA
Designated: 2012
Vineyards: 1,603 acres (648 hectares)
Top Varieties: Riesling and Chardonnay
Average Annual Precipitation: 6 inches
Named after series of thirty-five lakes that dot the area, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley AVA is one of Washington’s more northerly appellations. For this reason, heat accumulation begins later and tapers off sooner. The appellation’s location also contributes to large diurnal swings that help lock in acidity.
The Ancient Lakes is one of the few appellations in Washington dominated by white varieties, specifically Riesling. However, there are over 20 different vinifera varieties planted in the region.
Like most of eastern Washington’s growing regions, the soils are defined by the Missoula Floods. While soils vary considerably across the appellation, fine sand along with silt and sandy loam are predominant. Some sites, such as Evergreen Vineyard, have significant deposits of caliche*, which is rich in calcium carbonate.
The Ancient Lakes is wholly contained within the Columbia Valley appellation. The majority of the Ancient Lakes appellation has a gentle slope of less than 4% going toward its eastern boundary. The Columbia River, which defines the appellation’s western boundary, protects many of the areas from early and late season frost, which can affect nearby regions.
*an area of calcium carbonate formed in the soils of semiarid regions.
Wahluke Slope AVA
Designated: 2006
Vineyards: 8,932 acres (3,615 hectares)
Top Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay
Average Annual Precipitation: 6 inches
The entire Wahluke Slope appellation sits on a large alluvial fan, which has a constant, gentle grade of less than 8%. This makes the soils notably uniform over a large area. The uniformities in aspect, soil type, and climate are the major distinguishing features of the area.
Elevations vary between 425 feet above sea level by the Columbia River, which forms the western boundary, to 1,480 feet, though most vineyards lie below 1,000 feet. Precipitation averages less than 6 inches (15cm) annually. Irrigation is therefore required to grow vinifera grapes, as is the case in most of eastern Washington. Winds in the area lead to smaller leaf size and smaller grape clusters compared to other regions, concentrating the resulting wines.
The topsoil is deep, wind-blown sand with a depth, on average, of more than 5 feet (150cm). This provides both ample drainage for vinifera vines and greater uniformity in plant vigor and ripening than seen in other areas of Washington.
You can choose from Bubbly White, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Red Blend offerings.