“Tie most distinctive AVA in the United States… making some of the greatest wines in America” -Harvey Steinman, Wine Spectator www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
What is Tie Rocks District? Tie Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) approved by the TTB on February 9, 2015. Tie Rocks District is known for producing a unique fmavor profjle that is recognized by wine afjcionados around the world. Tie wines from Tie Rocks District are of the highest quality, and have a track record of receiving some of the highest scores on average of any wine region in the new world. Tie Rocks District is also the only wine region in Oregon to produce a wine to received a perfect 100 point score from one of the three major wine publications (Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocate) . Tie Rocks District AVA resides on the Oregon side of the larger, cross-state, Walla Walla Valley AVA. Tie Rocks District is the only AVA in the United States whose boundaries (96%) have been fjxed by virtue of a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan). www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
What Makes Tie Rocks District AVA Unique? Tie singular Freewater soil series Specialized farming practices and found within Tie Rocks District is training forms are being developed to unlike any winegrowing region in support growing vines in this distinctive the new world. Difgerent from the soil focusing on capturing and radiating compacted sand, silt and ash of the the sun’s energy by virtue of exposed surrounding Valley, Tie Rocks District cobbles, assuring phenolic ripeness/ is easily identifjed by its composition fmavor development. of volcanic basalt stones and gravels at the surface. Tie additional heat provides protection from extreme temperature fmuctuation Derived from the Blue Mountains and facilitates aromatic wines with Tie cobble/gravel layers extend many feet below the this cobblestone-rich soil type was savory complexities and umami surface, making for extremely well-drained soils, deposited by the Walla Walla River. character. encouraging deep root penetration in pursuit of water. www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
Walla Walla Valley History 1 Million BC to 100,000 BC: fjnd its way into the wild Walla Walla 1818: Tie Canada-based Northwest Continental shifu forms the basalt base River, eventually being deposited, Company establishes Fort Nez Perce of the Walla Walla Valley hundreds of feet deep, within Tie as a fur trading outpost. Tiis is the Rocks District as an alluvial fan. fjrst permanent, non-tribal, settlement 100,000 BC to 15,000 BC: Volcanic in the Walla Walla Valley. activity prior to the last ice age leaves 7,000 BC: People of the First Nations, layers of compacted volcanic ash. the ancestors of the modern day 1856: Fort Walla Walla is built and Umatilla and Nez Perce tribes, arrive the city of Walla Walla is founded. 13,000 BC to 10,000 BC: Tie in Southeastern Washington and receding ice shelf causes the Missoula Northeastern Oregon. 1868 & 1873: Tie independent Floods, which remove layers of topsoil cities of Milton and Freewater are and deposit massive amounts of silt 1805 & 1806: Lewis and Clark formed in the Walla Walla Valley as loam throughout the Valley. become the fjrst eastern explorers to processing towns for lumber and local travel through the Walla Walla Valley, agriculture. 10,000 BC to Present: Erosion causes then part of the English territory volcanic basalt to break ofg of the known as the “Columbia District”. surrounding Blue Mountains and www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
A History of Walla Walla Valley Wines 1859: A.B. Roberts establishes 1917: Prohibition ends any remaining a nursery and brings in the fjrst commercial production of wine. recorded vinifera to the Walla Walla Valley. 1974: Gary Figgins plants Leonetti Vineyard, beginning the modern wine 1859-1883: Walla Walla develops as a era in Walla Walla Valley. wine region. Settlers produce wines for consumption and to sell to travelers 1981-1985: Woodward Canyon, on the Oregon trail and heading to the L’Ecole, Waterbrook and Seven gold fjelds of Idaho. Hills are founded, forming a fjrm foundation for the Walla Walla 1883: Severe frost kills most of the wine industry. vinifera in the Walla Walla Valley, and other crops are planted in their 1984: Tie Walla Walla Valley place. appellation is approved by the TTB. www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
A History of Rocks District Wines 1997: Cayuse Vineyards plants the 1998 & 1999: Tom Waliser plants 2011: Work begins on the AVA fjrst modern day vineyard in what is Waliser and Eidolon Vineyards; formation; spearheaded by Steve now known as “Tie Rocks District of making Rocks District fruit available Robertson. Geologist, Kevin Pogue Milton-Freewater”. to the larger marketplace. Ph.D is hired to provide the technical petition requirements, and to 2005: A Rocks District wine is delinieate the boundaries of Tie rewarded a perfect 100 point score Rocks District, predicated upon the from the Wine Advocate. Wine Freewater soil series. Enthusiast follows with another perfect 100 point score in 2008...many 2015: Tie TTB grants formal AVA more 95+ scores follow. designation status to “Tie Rocks District of Milton-Freewater”. 2006: Plantings increase and for the fjrst time orchards are removed to 2018: Tie Rocks District Winegrowers make way for vinifera wine grapes. (non-profjt) is formed, marking the fjrst time a member efgort has been made to promote the region. www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
Where is Tie Rocks District? Tie Rocks District is a nested AVA, residing entirely in Oregon and within the WA/OR, cross-state Walla Walla Valley AVA. Tie 3767 acre (5.9 square mile) AVA was defjned by the wild Walla Walla River; which formed an alluvial fan when it found the Valley’s fmoor, depositing basalt cobbles and gravels hundreds of feet deep from its Blue Mountain headwaters. Located in the rain shadow of the Cascade mountains, the Walla Walla Valley receives an average of 12 inches of rain and nearly 300 days of sunshine annually. While the dry and sunny conditions make for excellent growing conditions, Tie Rocks District lies in close proximity to the foothills of the Blue Mountains, making it more temperate then other winegrowing areas in the Columbia and Yakima Valleys. In addition to grapes, Tie Rocks District is also a major producer of tree fruit. www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
Who grows in Tie Rocks District? At present there are only 338 acres of wine grapes spread MEMBER VINEYARDS across 37 planted vineyards with another 175+ acres in A & K Estates River Rock Vineyard development. Ancient Stones Riviere Galets Ansbah Vineyard Rockgarden Estate Tiis makes Tie Rocks District one of the smallest AVAs in Arthur Estate Rotie Rocks Barrett Station Vineyard SJR Vineyard the United States. Tiis AVA’s Rhone varieties are capturing the Cougar Hills Vineyard Stone Valley wine world’s attention with wines that are capable of Eidolon Stones Speak Vineyard showcasing “place” . Freewater Rocks Tie Walls Vineyards Funk Estate Vineyard Waliser Vineyard Hooker Vineyard Watermill Estate Vineyard Of the total 3,767 AVA acres, approximately 3,400 acres are Maison Bleue Estate Waterstone Vineyard plantable. With only 14% of viable land currently in use for wine Noble Rock Winesap Road Vineyard grape production there is tremendous potential for growth. Proper Estate Vineyard Yellow Jacket Vineyard Rasa Estate www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
Who makes wine from Rocks District fruit? More than 35 producers utilize Rocks District AVA MEMBER WINERIES fruit in their wine. Beresan Winery Rasa Vineyards Betz Family Winery Rotie Cellars Currently, there are three production facilities and no tasting rooms Brook & Bull Rulo Winery Buty Winery Saviah Cellars open to the public located within the AVA. (Close by, many more are Canvasback Seven Hills Winery located in Walla Walla.) Additionally, there are three new wineries in Cougar Crest Winery Siren Song Vineyard various stages of construction within the AVA. Delmas Tertulia Cellars Doubleback Tie Walls Vineyards Ducleaux Cellars Two Vintners Estimated maximum production for the region is currently around Force Majeure Valdemar Estates 55,000 cases. In comparison, the Walla Walla Valley is upwards of Maison Bleue Watermill Winery 500,000 cases, Red Mountain about 425,000 cases, and the Dundee Proper Winery Zerba Cellars Hills about 125,000 cases. www.rocksdistrict.com Milton Freewater, Oregon
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