Pepper Bridge Vineyard

From a beginning of ten planted acres in 1991, Pepper Bridge Vineyard has been expanded to almost 200 acres of vines. Grapes from this vineyard are known throughout the state of Washington for their outstanding quality and are featured in many of the premium wines produced in Washington State.

Pepper Bridge gets it name from the Pepper family, who used to farm the area, and more specifically, from a former military route across the Walla Walla River, known as "Pepper's Bridge." Many people tend to pick up on a peppery taste in the grape, but this is merely a coincidence and not a reason for the vineyard's name.

Vineyard Manager Tom Waliser oversees the day-to-day operations, using cutting-edge technology for its weather and irrigation systems. More than five dozen moisture monitors are installed throughout the farm, continuously logging moisture data once every hour. Weather data, such as temperature, humidity, wind, and sun energy units are also constantly compiled and input into the computer system.

All grapes are grown on the Smart-Dyson split-canopy trellis system, in which the vines are trained both up and down off the cordon, or grape-bearing wire.

The soil in this vineyard is classified as Walla Walla Silt Loam, which is composed of wind-blown glacial loess that is geologically young and full of minerals. This type of soil is one-third sand, which makes it drain easily. In certain blocks in the vineyard, significant amounts of ash from Mount St. Helens and Mount Mazama can be found as well.