SCOOTENEY FLATS VINEYARD
One of two vineyards owned by Vinagium, Scooteney Flats rests at the lower elevations of Red Mountain. First planted in 2007, it gets its name from the Scooteney soil that makes up most of the vineyard, which is a coarse soil type that contains large pieces of broken stones. This soil imparts a very distinct character to the grapes grown there, which is passed on to the wines. Being on Red Mountain, this is definitely a "warm climate" site and tends to ripen quite early.
Vineyard manager Damon Lalonde has been managing the vineyard since it was first planted, and is far more concerned with practicing quality viticulture than he is with growing large tonnages. His approach to "smart viticulture" allows him extraordinary control over his canopy and berry sizes, which yields incredibly concentrated flavors in the grapes.
Scooteney Flats boasts several newer clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. For this project half of the Cab is sourced from a block of clone 8, which is the most widely planted clone of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in Washington, and clone 24, a newer clone.
For more information about the vineyard, please visit Vinagium's website at www.vinagium.com
