A toast to Arbor Crest’s 25th

Arbor Crest is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, a landmark event for any Washington winery. Perhaps more importantly, it is one of a growing number that have passed winemaking duties on to the second generation.

Winemaker Kristina Mielke van Loben Sels is just now wrapping up her ninth Washington harvest since relocating from California, where she grew up, studied fermentation science (at UC Davis) and found work as enologist/assistant winemaker at Ferrari-Carano.

Arbor Crest was founded in 1982 by the Mielke brothers, David and Harold (Kristina’s father). The family business was orchards and fruit. David had already begun growing grapes in the Wahluke Slope; Harold was living in the Bay Area, working as a medical researcher. They hired Scott Harris from California’s Davis Bynum winery to be their winemaker, and made mostly white wines, highlighted by a fruity, French-oak aged, slightly sweet sauvignon blanc.

Arbor Crest had its ups and downs in the years that followed, but fortunes took a sharp turn for the better when Kristina and her husband Jim made the commitment to move to Spokane in June 1999. “The reason I returned,” she explained, “was because my uncle had the notion to retire and it was either now or never. I had about four weeks to give notice (at Ferrari-Carano) and move up to Spokane. It was not an easy decision considering all that I had going – an excellent position, a new house on six acres, plans for a vineyard …”

A tough decision indeed, but one which is comfortably behind her. She and Jim have worked steadily since to upgrade their grape sources and refine winemaking techniques. Over time they have completely re-invented the Arbor Crest brand, right up to and including a new label.

“I feel like we’re finally getting to know the fruit, and get the vineyard sources we want,” she said during a recent interview. It shows in the current crop of new releases, a strong step forward. I especially admire the commitment to make all of these wines 100-percent varietal, with no other grapes blended in. Not that blending is bad, but when the pure flavors of a single grape (and often vineyard) are expressed in a tightly focused wine, it’s a chance to really see what Washington fruit is capable of achieving.

The Arbor Crest 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($11) remains the flagship white wine and an excellent value. Fruit is sourced from Bacchus vineyard vines, now approaching 35 years of age. It’s stainless steel fermented, aged on the lees and finished at 13 percent alcohol. Ripe but not sweet, tart but not too citrusy, it shows good balance and texture.

The Arbor Crest 2005 Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay ($18) is balanced and clean. Barrel fermentation provides some texture to the finish. “Chardonnay in Washington is harder to grow than in California,” Kristina admits. “It’s kind of a different animal. We don’t get the ripe, tropical flavors.” But she does get balance, purity, and a fine food-friendly wine.

The Arbor Crest 2004 Wahluke Slope Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) shows moderate (13.8 percent) alcohol and pure cabernet character, with a slightly herbal/black olive edge. This delicious wine is matched by the excellent Arbor Crest 2004 Syrah ($20), a blend of Stillwater Creek and Sundance vineyard fruit. Scents of cured meat and smoke wrap around berry and currant fruit. Decant this and let it breathe awhile to open up the flavors.

The 2004 vintage was a difficult one due to a freeze that reduced or eliminated the crops in many vineyards. Arbor Crest did a good job with their 2004 Merlot ($15) and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($20), though the cab is just a bit on the light side. The merlot is the better choice, with tart purple and black fruits, layers of earth and a green streak running through the tannins.

Coming up

The winery will have its annual 50-percent off case sale Friday through Nov. 11 at the Cliff House Tasting Room. The sale will include previous vintages, along with special wine features honoring its 25 years of winemaking.

Nov. 16 to 18 is Holiday Wine Fest for all Spokane wineries. Arbor Crest will have food and wine pairings in both tasting rooms.

On Dec. 1, the winery will host a special Riedel stemware tasting combined with a cheese and wine pairing at the Cliff House tasting room. Advance tickets must be purchased through the tasting room.

At the Riverpark Square tasting room on the first Friday of every month a featured artist’s work is displayed and live music is offered.

For more information on any upcoming events, contact the winery at (509) 927-9463 or www.arborcrest.com.