In 1867, pioneers, William S. Frazier and his wife Pauline Rachael
arrived in the Walla Walla Valley and settled in what is now known
as the Milton-Freewater area. Their granddaughter Anna Marie,
a pillar of the local community, was introduced to Earl and Lorraine
Brown, who settled in the valley during the mid 1950’s.
It was inevitable that these two families should come together through
the marriage of their children, and the modern-day Browns honor
this union by naming their first vineyard Anna Marie. The
Anna Marie vineyard was planted in 2001,
above lower Dry Creek and has a commanding view of the Walla Walla
Valley. Anna Marie’s commitment to family, her tireless
work ethic and her strong environmental awareness are perpetuated
in the Browns' farming operations. Subsequently, three additional
vineyards, McClellan Estate, Watermill
Estate and Dugger Creek, have been
established in close proximity to the original plantings.
Each of these vineyards has unique distinguishing characteristics
and has produced unrivaled wines in the Valley.
The Anna Marie vineyard, was the combination of sediments from the Lake Missoula floods, overlaying by wind blown loess. This well-drained, sandy loam is ideal for wine grape production. This soil type together with hot days and cool nights in fall, results in superlative terroir allowing the production of premier wines, which have been recognized by prestigious vintners in the Walla Walla Valley, including Chateau St. Michelle’s North Star Winery. The original plantings concentrated on the noble cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, but additional plantings include Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. All these vines are trained to a single cordon, spur-pruned, vertical shoot
position.
The McClellan Estate vineyard, planted by the Brown family in 2003 sits adjacent to Seven Hills Vineyard and borders the acclaimed Windrow Vineyard. The well-drained, silt-loam soils of the McClellan Estate are highly suitable to Bordeaux style grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Grapes, from these vineyards grown on a Geneva Double-cross training system have produced unmatched wines, including those of critically acclaimed Saviah Cellars and Seven Hills Winery.
The Watermill Estate, located in the immediate vicinity of Cayuse Winery was selected due to its alluvial nature and planted in 2006. These well-drained, rocky soils are home to Syrah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo and Mouvedre varietals, trellised on a vertical shoot position. Grapes from this outstanding vineyard are major constituents of Saviah Cellars and Watermill Estate Wines.
The Dugger Creek Vineyard was planted in 2009. Along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the Browns added four new varietals to their lineup. The addition of Sangiovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Grenache brings the estate varietals to 12. Dugger Creek is not yet ready to pull fruit from, but the Browns are very much looking forward to doing so in the coming years.
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