Two Mountain Winery

Brothers Matthew and Patrick Rawn are today’s driving force behind Two Mountain Winery. However, they would be the first to tell you that they are but two members of a family of farmers that has been actively growing things for more than a half-century. In fact, their uncle Ron Schmidt was the initial driving force in converting part of the family’s fruit orchards to Vitis vinifera in 2000.

Today, Matthew and Patrick manage the 26-acre estate Copeland Vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA of the Yakima Valley, farming the fruit from bud break to bottling. Grape varieties include chardonnay, riesling, lemberger, merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and touriga nacional (a primary grape for making Portuguese port wine and one that’s rarely found in Washington). From these eight grapes varieties, the brothers Rawn craft varietal reds and whites, a rosé, and a couple of lip-smacking red blends. As you sample the cabernet sauvignon, imagine how grilled tenderloin would pair with this richly layered wine.

During most years, the vineyard generates 3 to 4 tons of grapes per acre, which translates to 200 tons of grapes. It takes a lot of pruning, tendril tucking, cluster thinning, and sucker pulling to harvest a couple of hundred tons of sugar-rich grapes each year. It might be fair to say that the brothers know every vineyard row and vine.

The tasting room and winery offer a stunning view of both Mount Rainier and Mount Adams. The vista serves as a reminder that the Cascade Range is responsible for both that major rain shadow over the Yakima Valley (only about 6 inches of precipitation falls per year) as well as the water that feeds the Yakima River. Thank you, Cascades!

• 

  Order the book!

  Two Mountain Winery was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Rattlesnake Hills WineTrail on page 290!