ABOUT GINKGO FOREST WINERY
OUR LOCATION
Good wine grapes just get better as they are stressed. With meager soils, limited rainfall and lots of sunshine, the Wahluke Slope has a winning combination. Millions of years ago fissures opened up along the Washington eastern border sending large amounts of hot lava to wend its way to the Pacific coast. Following the basalt flows, gravel and deposits from the Ice Age Missoula floods preceded the wind-blown soil which set the terroir of the Wahluke Slope. This area was also the center of a tropical forest which included ginkgo trees. Bounded by the Saddle Mountains and the Columbia River, the area is only 81,000 acres. When water was brought to this area, almost any type of plant flourished. Wine grapes seem to particularly develop intense, rich flavors.
TASTING ROOMS | EVENTS & TOURS
Led by owner and wine-maker Mike Thiede, Ginkgo Forest Winery staff enjoy sharing the joy of making wine with the people who drink it. The wide array of Ginkgo Forest wines provides consumers with wines to enjoy for all occasions and lifestyles. Our challenge is to share what we have learned about wine and listen to what our customers need, so that we can all have a better wine experience. Whether it’s in the tasting room, while on a tour of our vineyard and winery, or at special events outside the winery, learning from each other enhances our wine experience.
Basalt flows covered this area
Dinosaurs roamed the earth
Ginkgo trees thrived in this area
Glacial Lake Missoula floods
A few acres of vines were planted on today’s Wahluke Slope
Wahluke Slope named an American Viticultural Area (Washington State Wine Commission photo)
Ginkgo Forest Winery opened with the only tasting room on the Wahluke Slope
Many wineries produce award-winning wines from grapes of the Wahluke Slope