In 1968, Thomas A. Alberg, Sr., purchased 235 acres of land now known as Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Frenchman Hills of the Columbia Valley near Royal City. Though Mr. Alberg and his family long suspected the land would make an excellent vineyard, it wasn’t until the Albergs gathered historical data from the property in the late 1990’s that the site’s suitability for wine grapes was confirmed.
In 2000, the Albergs began planting a wide selection of premium vinifera grapes with the intent of developing a vineyard known for its quality grapes and unique selection of clones. Mr. Alberg’s son, Tom, is the Managing Director of the family entity that owns and operates Stillwater Creek Vineyard. His brother, Mike, was actively involved in the development and early management of the Stillwater and their brother, David, manages a cherry orchard on a portion of the property. Tom and his wife, Judi, also founded Novelty Hill Winery, focusing on estate-grown wines crafted by veteran winemaker, Mike Januik, primarily using grapes from Stillwater Creek Vineyard. In addition, approximately two-thirds of Stillwater’s grapes are sold to other top vintners in Washington State.
Stillwater Creek Vineyard is a 235-acre site on the Royal Slope of the Frenchman Hills. Planted in 2000 on a steep, south-facing slope with one of the most diverse clone selections in Washington State, Stillwater Creek quickly has earned a reputation as one of the Columbia Valley’s top vineyards.
The site’s fractured rock and extreme southern exposure are ideal for reds, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. White grapes are planted on a mixture of fractured rock and areas of fine sandy loam. Temperatures during the growing season favor warm days and cool nights. Grapes ripen beautifully under these conditions, enhanced by both hours of light per day during the summer and the total number of sunlight days from bud-break through harvest.
Stillwater Creek Vineyard is dedicated to growing high quality wine grapes through careful vineyard management and innovative clonal selection. Sharing that vision is award-winning Washington winemaker Mike Januik, who began consulting on plant selection and vineyard design in 1999. Like many winemakers in the state, Mike believes the next leap in Washington wine quality will come through clonal selection; to that end, Stillwater Creek is planted with a variety of clones, including both Entav and Rauschedo selections. The four principal varieties planted at the vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Chardonnay – represent 17 different clones. The vineyard is a mix of 80% red, 20% white grapes.
