In the current spring print edition of Sip Northwest, where columnist Chris Nishiwaki tackles the topic of outside wine areas moving into Northwest vineyards. For more in depth stories like this, subscribe or pick up a copy at your local newsstand.
After initially contracting fruit and winemaking operations in Washington for their yet-to-be-released Cabernet Sauvignon blend while making decisions remotely from their Napa Valley headquarters, the Duckhorn Wine Co., is staking firm claims in Washington wine growing soil.
Earlier this month, Duckhorn concluded an exhaustive search for a full-time Washington-based winemaker for Canvasback, their Washington brand. Brian Rudin, outgoing (and outgoing) winemaker at Cadaretta and its second label Buried Cane, will be the new winemaker for Canvasback.
Duckhorn has been among the iconic California producers turning to the Northwest for expansion, diversification and leverage. Since the 2012 harvest, Duckhorn has been contracting fruit from vineyards in Washington and contracting the winemaking process, under the guidance of their winemaking team in Napa. Duckhorn finished their second vintage of Canvasback last fall in Walla Walla’s custom crush facility Artifex, the same facility where Rudin made Cadaretta’s wines the last four years.
By the beginning of this year, Duckhorn raised their investment in making wine in Washington, committing to hiring a full-time winemaker based in Washington and planting estate vineyards on Red Mountain. At the end of last year, Duckhorn bought 20 acres on the Red Mountain AVA, which will be planted to mostly Cabernet Sauvignon this spring. Duckhorn announced in February its search for a full-time, Washington-based winemaker.
Rudin grew up in Wenatchee, earned a Bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., before earning a degree in enology and viticulture from the Institute of Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College in 2007.
Rudin was the assistant winemaker at Cadaretta and Buried Cane from 2008 to 2010, before being promoted to head winemaker in 2010, a position he has held until now. Prior to Cadaretta, Rudin was the production manager at the now defunct Zefina and Six Prong Winery in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. He also interned at Walla Walla’s L’Ecole No. 41 during the 2006 and 2007 harvests while a student at the Institute of Enology and Viticulture.
The seasoned Washington vintner and his winemaking team will be responsible for making Canvasback starting with the 2014 vintage next fall as well as selling the first vintage of Canvasback, 2012, about 2,000 cases of a Cabernet Sauvignon blend to be released also next fall for about $40. Canvasback plans to raise production to up to 20,000 cases by the 2015 vintage.
