The Walla Walla Valley AVA and The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA were selected as the locations for Maison Bleue to position it amongst high quality vineyards and grape sources. The vineyards we’ve selected practice responsible viticulture, ranging from organic to sustainable management. Our style of winemaking focuses on the distinction of these sites as well as achieving true varietal characteristics.
Maison Bleue Estate Vineyard
Our Estate Vineyard was planted in 2018 with 15-acres of Syrah, Grenache and Viognier. It is located at the entrance to The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA and sits at one of the higher elevations ranging from 918 feet to 933 feet to minimize frost damage. The site also features some of the largest stones in the appellation, because it was in the center of the path of the Walla Walla River where the water was moving the swiftest to leave these large deposits. The soils throughout the land has been classified as Freewater very cobbly loam, which is deep, excessively drained and mixed with loess. These sediments were deposited by distributary channels of the Walla Walla River, primarily during the last 12,000 years, as the river gradually removed sediment deposited by the ice-age Missoula floods that once blanketed the floor of the Walla Walla Valley below elevations of 1200 feet. The vineyard is sustainably farmed LIVE and Salmon-Safe. The first harvest off our Estate took place in 2020.
Stone Valley Vineyard
Stone Valley Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards planted in The Rocks District by Tom Waliser. The original plantings date back to 2002 with Syrah added shortly thereafter. The vineyard lies within an alluvial fan of cobblestones derived from thousands of years of glacial flooding. These basalt cobblestones are up to 20 – 60 feet deep and are intermixed with silt loam, sand and gravel. This vineyard is sustainably farmed, Salmon-Safe and VINEA certified. Our Gravière Syrah is a single vineyard designate from the Stone Valley Vineyard that shows the traditional “Rocks” profile of meatiness, savory and earth, with dense core of black fruits.
Funk Estate Vineyard
The Funk Estate Vineyard was planted in 2007 and is one of the warmer sites in The Rocks District. There is a gentle slope to the site which provides for good air drainage. The soils consist of cobblestones derived from thousands of years of glacial flooding which can lie at depths of 20 – 60 feet deep and are intermixed with silt loam, sand and gravel. The vines at this site are trained using a quadrilateral system which helps to control the light exposure and air flow, resulting in lighter cluster weights and smaller berries. Our small-lot Frontière Syrah is a single vineyard Syrah sourced from the Funk Estate.
LeFore Vineyard
Planted in the late 1990s, the LeFore Vineyard in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is now one of the estate vineyards for Doubleback and Bledsoe Family Wines. With an elevation of 970 feet it sits at a higher elevation for the appellation and the soils consist of free water cobbly loam. Syrah from the LeFore Vineyard was used for our 2017 and 2018 Voyageur Syrah.
Les Collines Vineyard
French for "The Foothills," Les Collines sits at the base of the Blue Mountains with an upper elevation of 1,380 feet. The two distinct soil types for this vineyard are a combination of Athena and Walla Walla silt loam. Block 46, our source for Syrah, is located at the upper elevation and is predominately composed of Athena series. It consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in loess mixed with volcanic ash. Les Collines Vineyard is sustainably farmed, Salmon-Safe and LIVE certified. Syrah from Les Collines Vineyard was used in our 2017 Voyageur Syrah.
