Champoux Vineyard

The land that would become Champoux Vineyard was originally part of the expansive 6,600-acre Mercer Ranch in the Horse Heaven Hills, a property owned by Don and Linda Mercer that was primarily devoted to dry-land agriculture including corn, carrots, and potatoes. In the early 1970s, Dr. Walter Clore of Washington State University, often called the Father of Washington Wine, convinced Don Mercer that the region had exceptional potential for premium wine grapes. Acting on that advice, Mercer planted the first 7-acre block of Cabernet Sauvignon vines in 1972. The site for this original block, later known as Block One, was chosen in part by happenstance: it sat along the main road in a segment of the ranch that was out of reach of the circle irrigation sprinklers needed for other crops. By the mid-1980s, the ranch had grown to more than 132 acres under vine and the winery Mercer Ranch Vineyards was founded. In 1989, the winery operation folded, though grape sales to other Washington producers continued. That same year, Paul Champoux, a former hop farmer from the Yakima Valley who had managed the original Columbia Crest vineyard for Chateau Ste. Michelle, arrived and began managing the estate. He and his wife Judy began leasing the vineyard from the Mercers in 1990 and, seeing enormous potential in the aging vines, set about reviving the property through intensive soil improvement and canopy management.

• The Mercer Ranch covered 6,600 acres and grew crops including corn, carrots, and potatoes before viticulture was introduced
• Dr. Walter Clore, known as the Father of Washington Wine, persuaded Don Mercer to plant the first vines in 1972
• Block One, the original 7-acre Cabernet Sauvignon planting, remains among the oldest grapevines in Washington State
• Paul Champoux came to the property with experience managing the Columbia Crest vineyard for Chateau Ste. Michelle from 1979 to 1986

After leasing the vineyard for several years and demonstrating a dramatic improvement in fruit quality, Paul and Judy Champoux seized the opportunity to purchase the property outright in 1996. Recognizing that they needed financial partners to acquire the estate, they approached several Washington wineries that had already been buying their grapes and had witnessed the transformation firsthand. The Champouxes formed a partnership with the owners of Andrew Will, Powers Winery, Quilceda Creek, and Woodward Canyon. Quilceda Creek's Paul Golitzin, Andrew Will's Chris Camarda, Woodward Canyon's Rick Small, and Bill Powers of Powers Winery all joined the consortium. The vineyard was renamed Champoux Vineyard to honor the couple's efforts in revitalizing the site. Paul Champoux served as the majority owner and day-to-day manager, while the partner wineries held minority stakes that secured their access to some of the state's most coveted fruit. Paul managed the vineyard until his retirement in 2014, following health challenges stemming from a 2009 bout with West Nile virus. In 2021, Quilceda Creek acquired an additional 22 acres from Woodward Canyon, increasing its ownership to 79 percent of the vineyard, totaling 133.51 acres. Dan Nickolaus, Quilceda Creek's viticulturist, has farmed the property since 2014.

• The 1996 purchase consortium included Andrew Will, Powers Winery, Quilceda Creek, and Woodward Canyon alongside Paul and Judy Champoux
• Paul Champoux served as majority owner and vineyard manager from 1996 until his retirement in 2014
• In August 2021, Quilceda Creek increased its ownership to 79 percent, controlling 133.51 acres of the 169-acre estate
• Dan Nickolaus of Quilceda Creek has managed all vineyard farming since 2014

Champoux Vineyard is located near Alderdale in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, approximately five miles north of the Columbia River and 35 miles south of Sunnyside, Washington. The site occupies a south-facing slope at elevations ranging from 600 to 800 feet, which is notable for a region where the Horse Heaven Hills AVA is one of the warmer appellations in the Columbia Valley. The elevated position allows cool nighttime air to drain down from higher elevations and accumulate across the site, creating a substantial diurnal temperature swing of 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit between day and night. This thermal contrast is central to the vineyard's reputation: fruit ripens fully in the long, warm summers while retaining the freshness and natural acidity that gives the wines their structure and longevity. The soils are classified in the Sagehill series, a fine sandy loam that is well-drained and highly uniform, promoting deep root development and even vine vigor across all blocks. These soils were shaped by a combination of ancient basalt lava flows and glacial deposits left by the Missoula Floods more than 13,000 years ago. Proximity to the Columbia River generates strong westerly winds that reduce disease pressure, thicken grape skins, and moderate temperature extremes. The vineyard's semi-arid climate receives only around 8 inches of rain per year, making precision drip irrigation essential for vine health and cluster-size management.

• Elevation of 600 to 800 feet creates a large diurnal temperature shift of 30 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, preserving acidity and extending the ripening season
• Sagehill-series fine sandy loam soils, shaped by Missoula Flood sediments and ancient basalt, provide excellent drainage and uniform vine vigor
• Proximity to the Columbia River generates 30 percent more wind than other Washington regions, reducing disease pressure and thickening grape skins
• Annual rainfall of approximately 8 inches requires precision drip irrigation, which also allows close control of cluster size and concentration

No vineyard in Washington State carries a more storied critical legacy than Champoux. The pivotal moment came with the 2002 vintage of Quilceda Creek's Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which was sourced from approximately 90 percent Champoux fruit and became the first American wine from outside California to receive a perfect 100-point score from The Wine Advocate under Robert Parker. Quilceda Creek matched that feat with the 2003 vintage, and subsequently earned additional perfect scores from The Wine Advocate for the 2005, 2007, and 2014 vintages, all relying heavily on Champoux fruit. The 2014 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was notable as the first 100-point wine sourced exclusively from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Across all critics and publications, Quilceda Creek has earned more than three dozen 100-point scores, the vast majority of which are built on a foundation of Champoux Cabernet Sauvignon. Wine Spectator's senior editors have identified Champoux as one of the top 30 terroirs in the world. Beyond Quilceda Creek, partner wineries Woodward Canyon and Andrew Will have also produced landmark vineyard-designated wines from the property. Andrew Will's Sorella, a Bordeaux blend using Block One Cabernet Sauvignon, and Woodward Canyon's Old Vines Dedication Series are among the most celebrated examples of the vineyard's versatility.

• The 2002 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced primarily from Champoux, was the first wine outside California to earn 100 points from The Wine Advocate
• Quilceda Creek has earned perfect scores from The Wine Advocate for the 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 vintages using predominantly Champoux fruit
• Wine Spectator's senior editors named Champoux Vineyard one of the top 30 terroirs in the world
• Andrew Will's Sorella (from Block One) and Woodward Canyon's Old Vines Dedication Series are landmark vineyard-designated wines from the site

Paul Champoux's approach to farming was rooted in a deep understanding of plant nutrition and its relationship to flavor development. He divided the growing season into distinct phases, which he described as the seasons of the vine, and applied targeted foliar nutrient programs at each stage to accelerate ripening, enhance color, and amplify varietal character. This philosophy of balanced nutrition rather than heavy fertilization was central to transforming the vineyard from a declining Mercer Ranch property into one of the world's most acclaimed sites. Although Champoux Vineyard is not certified organic, no synthetic fertilizers have been used on the property in over 20 years; cover crops and compost are used to sustain microbial activity in the soil. Under Quilceda Creek's direction since 2014, the vineyard has undergone a significant replanting program in which 22 acres of white varieties including Chardonnay, Muscat, and Lemberger were removed and replanted by hand with specific clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The project involved hand-planting 43,500 individual vines, and the result is that Champoux Vineyard is now entirely planted to red Bordeaux varieties. Newer plantings average 2,074 vines per acre at high density to promote competition below the surface, smaller root zones, and tighter cluster control. The five distinct Cabernet Sauvignon blocks vary in vine age and mesoclimate, giving winemakers the ability to blend terroir-specific lots for added complexity.

• Paul Champoux developed a targeted foliar nutrient program applied at each of the four key growth phases of the vine to maximize flavor and varietal character
• No synthetic fertilizers have been used at the property in over 20 years; cover crops and compost sustain soil health
• Under Quilceda Creek management, 22 acres of white varieties were replanted by hand with specific Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc clones, making the vineyard 100 percent red Bordeaux varieties
• Newer high-density plantings average 2,074 vines per acre, promoting smaller root zones and precise cluster control

Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety at Champoux, concentrated in five distinct blocks that vary by vine age and mesoclimate and that represent the core of the vineyard's reputation. The five Cabernet blocks give winemakers a range of lot profiles to blend, from the deeply concentrated old-vine fruit of Block One, planted in 1972 and among the oldest vines in Washington, to younger blocks with different structural profiles. Following the recent replanting program, the vineyard is now entirely devoted to red Bordeaux varieties, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec planted alongside the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon. In any given year, more than 20 wineries purchase Champoux grapes, with approximately 16 using the fruit consistently year after year. Quilceda Creek uses the vineyard almost exclusively for its flagship Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Andrew Will produces both its Champoux Vineyard-designated red blend and its acclaimed Sorella from Block One. Woodward Canyon draws on the oldest blocks for its Old Vines Dedication Series. Other notable producers who have sourced Champoux fruit include Fidelitas, Januik Winery, and Avennia. Demand for the fruit consistently exceeds supply, with winemakers commonly placed on waiting lists to secure any allocation. The name Champoux on a vineyard-designated label has become a reliable signal of exceptional quality and extraordinary aging potential among Washington wine collectors.

• Five distinct Cabernet Sauvignon blocks varying in vine age and mesoclimate allow winemakers to blend lots for greater complexity
• Block One, the original 1972 planting, is the most coveted lot and is reserved by Andrew Will for its Sorella bottling
• Following recent replanting, the vineyard is 100 percent red Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec
• More than 20 wineries purchase Champoux fruit in a given year, with demand consistently exceeding supply and winemakers frequently on waiting lists