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3 2 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | M a y - J u n e 2 016 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m complex range of soils, elevations and aspects," he says. "You have all these different microclimates pro- ducing unique flavors and styles of wines, all sitting rather close to each other. That's exciting." While additional sub-appellations of the valley are inevitable, Clubb says it's too early to think about that. "From a marketing point of view, we have a big enough chal- lenge talking about Walla Walla, let alone sub-AVAs," he says. "We're better off right now marketing Walla Walla Valley." Surely, exploration and expan- sion will continue. While areas higher up into the Blue Mountains were once thought to be too cool to grow grapes, the success of areas such as Upper Mill Creek have peo- ple questioning those assumptions. " I n e v e r t h o u g h t [ g r o w i n g grapes at] 1,700 feet was possi- ble," Figgins says. "Well, hell, I'm growing Petit Verdot at 1,700 feet now, and it's some of the most exciting wine I have." As growers plant higher, it may one day even lead to a redefining of the appellation itself. "When we redrew the boundaries in the 1990s at 2,000 feet, I think now, 'Shoot, I think we went way too low!'" says Figgins. "I think, over time, those higher areas are going to be really enticing to people. I know they are to me." Sean P. Sullivan is a contribut- ing editor for Wine Enthusiast and is also the founder of Washington Wine Report, an online publication dedicated to the wines and winer- ies of the Pacific Northwest. Sulli- van also writes regularly for Seattle Metropolitan, Washington Tasting Room, and Edible Seattle. He lives in Seattle, Wash. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. Walla, which purchased a long-term lease for a vineyard in the area. PROFOUND CHANGE The implications of this flurry of vineyard development are far- reaching for the valley, with most expecting it to raise Walla Walla's p r o f i l e . " W i t h m o r e v i n e y a r d s to buy from, you're going to see more and more wineries with their own Walla Walla Valley-designated wines," Clubb says. "That's good for everybody." The vineyard expansion also promises to bring with it new win- eries. The southern part of the valley, in particular, has always had few wineries relative to other areas. Willamette Valley Vineyards opening a winery within SeVein seems sure to change that. "It's a bold move on their part to put a winery there," says Figgins. "I think you might start to see some dominoes fall in terms of winery development." Overall, it's the diversity of the various new regions that Clubb finds most intriguing. "You have a really Marty Clubb, co-owner and managing winemaker at L'Ecole N° 41 and a part- ner in SeVein, finds Walla Walla Valley's diversity of terrain to be one of its most intriguing aspects. s c i e n c e a p l a t f o r m f o r p r o g r e s s 67th ASEV National Conference June 27–30, 2016 Portola Hotel and Monterey Marriott Downtown Hotel Monterey, California USA i N C l U D E S : Managing Water in California Vineyards Symposium (7.0 CCA CEUs) June 28, 2016 Portola Hotel JOiN NOW AND SAVE! Member registration fees are significantly lower than non-member fees. Apply online! American Society for Enology and Viticulture Visit Our Website for Updates on the 2016 Program | www.asev.org | 530-753-3142 NORTHWEST WATCH SEAN P. SULLIVAN