"It was the one that put Washington red wines on the map," said Bledsoe, who currently lives in Bend, Ore. As Bledsoe's interest in wine swelled during his NFL career, he and his wife, Maura, decided to go all-in. Is Mexico's CONCACAF dominance in jeopardy with so many young Americans making waves in Europe? During our time in Walla Walla, we strategically developed four estate vineyards – McQueen, Bob Healy, Lefore, and most recently, Flying B — each with its own exceptional set of characteristics. Bledsoe had been doing just that for his 50-acre vineyard until hiring Figgins. The other 35 percent goes to restaurants and high-end wine shops in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Texas and Massachusetts. Too much water held near the surface encourages grapes to grow too large, giving them less flavor complexity than if they grow to a medium size. "I'm not a good enough golfer to play golf every day.". The 2008 vintage, an 86 percent cabernet sauvignon blend, was produced in 900 cases. It has now been more than ten years since we set out on this immensely rewarding adventure. Another 400 cases for that vintage didn't meet Bledsoe's standards; he used his power as the company's owner to keep the quantity at 600, rather than sell more with a lower quality. Although he wasn't looking for a business partner -- he prefers taking a financial hit in order to make the highest-quality wine rather than lower the quality to meet an earlier profit -- he understood he needed a winemaker to help his growth. Bledsoe said it doubled back to his hometown. The former NFL quarterback, who spent 14 seasons on the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, embarked on his new career while he was still in his old one. "You want those big [30- to 40-degree] swings," Bledsoe said. Check out what wine lovers say about Bledsoe Family Winery's U.V. (He played for the Patriots from 1993 to 2001 and for the Cowboys from 2005 to '06.) A Year End Letter from Woodberry Wine CEO, Dan Glisky. The addition represented a turning point, as Bledsoe calls Figgins a "rock star in the wine world. The staff is very knowledgeable, friendly and fun! Kyle Stack is a freelance writer in New York City who also contributes to ESPN The Magazine. Instead of directing an offense, he's calling the shots for his Doubleback wine label in his hometown of Walla Walla, located in southeast Washington. Cherries, blackberries, coffee, cobbler and dried herbs. ), That enabled the first vintage, a 2007 edition with a 75.5 percent cabernet sauvignon blend, to debut last year in 600 cases. In our unwavering enthusiasm for the Walla Walla Valley, we have made the decision to create Bledsoe Family Winery – a sister project to Doubleback. Temperatures average in the high 80s and low 90s while dropping to the low 60s at night during July and August. As with Doubleback, we welcome and invite you to be a part of our family by enjoying the wines of Bledsoe Family Winery. Woodberry Wine is a distributor of exceptional, high value wines from both the United States and around the world. Dark, concentrated and the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon to date! ", Leonetti Cellar was gaining steam toward becoming an estate-grown winery, meaning it would produce all its fruit without purchasing it from local growers. (The 16-acre breakdown is 11 acres of cabernet sauvignon, three acres of merlot and two acres of petit verdot.) Wine Producer, Copyright 2019 Woodberry Wines | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy, A Year End Letter from Woodberry Wine CEO, Dan Glisky. 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IN 2007, AFTER DREW’S RETIREMENT from the NFL our family planted our first vineyard, McQueen, and shortly after launched Doubleback, an estate focused winery that produces world-class Cabernet Sauvignon from the Walla Walla Valley, Drew’s hometown. Throughout those years we patiently cultivated our vision for the future. (The label's name references Bledsoe "doubling back" to Walla Walla after his NFL career. The Wine Buyer: 95 Points "The Bledsoe Family Wine is a customer favorite and a work of passion for Drew and winemaker Josh McDaniels. "When you look at facing retirement in your mid-30s, and all of a sudden the outlet for that passion and work ethic goes away, you can't just sit back in a rocking chair and be retired at 35," Bledsoe said. At $87 per bottle and with a modest bottle count, Doubleback retains an aura of exclusivity to its customers, 65 percent of whom buy from the website. Our expert and knowledgeable staff are committed to becoming our clients favorite supplier. "I had to step up my game a little bit and convince him that I was serious about making really great wine," said Bledsoe, who also runs a capital group that invests in emerging technologies, such as water purification. Restaurant/Country Club Ironically enough, it was the parents of Bledsoe's childhood friend and neighbor, Chris Figgins, who established Walla Walla's first modern vineyard -- Leonetti Cellar. Why Dortmund vs. Schalke is the Bundesliga's biggest derby by far, Wolves don't see clear choice for No. Enter Figgins, who in 2006 began talking more seriously with Bledsoe about a possible working relationship. More than 30 ratings (2015 Vintage) This vintage rates better than any other year for this wine … "Our very long-term prospective hinges on making the best possible wine we can," said Bledsoe, who acknowledged his investment in the vineyard is "significantly into the seven figures.". It was a great experience. Bledsoe described a two-pronged approach to his travels around the country to promote Doubleback: One is to market his label. Tasted 3 wines, purchased a bottle of wine and did not have to pay to taste! A large mouthfeel but a balanced finish that gives this wine the ability to drink now but will also age well for years to come." Red. As with Doubleback, we welcome and invite you to be a part of our family by enjoying the wines of Bledsoe Family Winery. "The Bledsoe Family Wine is a customer favorite and a work of passion for Drew and winemaker Josh McDaniels. They even went the extra mile to secure a special bottle of wine for my husbands 60th Birthday surprise! Bledsoe Family Winery Red This vintage rates better than any other year for this wine (2016 Vintage) Popular among Vivino users. They made that 80-acre purchase for $400,000 and planted 50 acres at $20,000 per acre without a winemaker, label or name. "You want hot days to get your fruit ripe but then you want it to cool off nicely at night so that the grapes stay on the vine longer and develop complexity.". Dark, concentrated and the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon to date! He succeeded, as Figgins officially became a consulting winemaker to Bledsoe's emerging vineyard in 2007. Count Drew Bledsoe as one who does just that. Good soil porosity is critical for a winery, Bledsoe explained. The region's climate also is ideal. Bledsoe has planted 16 acres of his current 50-acre vineyard, all of which is located in the Walla Walla Valley. Get the latest updates on Woodberry Wine's tasting events, inventory and news. At the same time, we have established long-term sources from some of the valley’s oldest and most revered blocks of vines. The other? Yet Bledsoe wasn't close to producing his vineyard's first bottle when he bought his first plot of land in '03. Figgins joined Leonetti in 1996 and, unknowingly at the time, eventually would play a significant role in Bledsoe's wine making career. An English major at Washington State University, Bledsoe didn't obtain a conventional education in wine making or agronomy. Yet it wasn't until he recognized when he would likely retire that he began seriously considering opening a vineyard. That latter description indicates the ability for water to move down the various soil zones from the surface. "At 4,000 cases, it turns into a good business where you can actually make money at it," he said, noting that 1,500 is a likely break-even point. Cherries, blackberries, coffee, cobbler and dried herbs. "We have great, complex soil that's nutrient-rich but fairly porous." Growing up in Walla Walla, a town of little more than 30,000, he was surrounded by the kind of farmland that's ripe for growing grapes. Wine Retailer For these reasons, we are compelled to push our boundaries to realize new wine varietals and to expand upon the standard of high-level wine growing and winemaking we have become known for. Bledsoe, 39, snapped up his first piece of property by purchasing 80 acres of land just outside Walla Walla Valley in 2003 while he was in the middle of his three-year tenure with the Bills. 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He wanted to ensure his customers know all the fruit used to make each bottle comes from a valley that produces wine on caliber with that of California's Napa. "We're phenomenally blessed in the Walla Walla Valley," Bledsoe said. Our family has been blessed with a rich history of which our labels reference, incredibly loyal and supportive customers, and an extremely talented and dedicated team – led by Winemaker Josh McDaniels. 1 pick, No one answer to fix fumbling woes, Elliott says, Phil nervous about fans at event before Masters, Power Rankings: Introducing the F1 Comfy and Uncomfy Clubs, A conversation about race and diversity in esports and gaming. A mutual friend of the two was advising the four-time NFL Pro Bowler as Figgins assessed the degree of Bledsoe's commitment to the vineyard. What makes southeastern Washington such good wine country is its terroir (pronounced "tay-wah") -- a combination of the region's soil, climate and other environmental factors that make it optimal for growing grapes. Bledsoe hopes to grow that to 1,500 cases for the 2009 vintage and 2,000 for the 2010 edition, eventually reaching 4,000 to 5,000 cases per year. "We took a ready, fire, aim approach initially," Bledsoe said of the foray initiated by the land purchase.

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