Winemaking at Purple Sky Winery
Growing grapes in Utah is a significant challenge that requires a combination of the right site, grape varieties, and diligent efforts by the vineyard team. While we are most excited for our Estate line of Utah grown French-American Hybrid grape varietals, we are also thrilled to bring in some incredible high-quality fruit from Washington, Oregon, and California.
This allows our winemaking team to really flex their capabilities and deliver a wide assortment of wine styles from the best possible regions, all made here in Utah. In addition to the varietal hybrid wines, we offer wines made in traditional varietal styles such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. As the weather warms up, try our slightly sweet Nadja’s Blush rose. We are also finishing production on a fun and approachable White Blend, as well as a nuanced and oak finished Red Blend, both releasing this summer.
Wine Production and Bottling Process at Purple Sky Winery
Our first harvest of hybrid varietals came from our Honeyville vineyard last year. These are not like most other wine grapes and offer an aromatic and flavor experience unlike almost anything else. It has been a pleasure working to showcase these grapes for what they can offer. We left the white wines slightly sweet to compliment some sharp acidity and bring out some candy character on the palate.
For this coming harvest, we expect around 20-30 tons of fruit coming in from our own vineyards, and we plan to bring in around 200 tons from vineyards in Washington, Oregon, and California. The fruit from our own vineyards will be the same French-American hybrids that will define our Estate line of wines. A small selection of the highest quality fruit from other states will be made in small batches for our Reserve line, while the rest will make a variety of other blends.
Reserve Wine
High-end wines made with grapes from premium regions of Washington and Oregon including The Rocks District and other notable vineyards across Walla Walla Valley. These are all well-known grape varieties that are true Vitis Vinifera (European wine grape). These are made in a traditional style that would be familiar to those well-versed in wine.
Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
Whites: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling
Sparkling: Blanc de Blanc, Rosé
Future: Chardonnay, Zinfandel
Estate Wine
These are wines made from our very own vineyards here in Utah. New, lesser-known varieties that are French-American hybrids. All of this year’s Estate wines came from our Honeyville Vineyard. These wines are more peculiar to an experienced wine drinker with some candy-like characteristics along with the more typical subtle wine flavors. The whites are slightly sweet, and the reds are soft.
Reds: Frontenac
Whites: Frontenac Blanc, Frontenac Gris, La Crescent
Blends
Our blends are where the winemaking team gets to have some fun and experiment a little. Keep an eye out for a variety of special releases over the years to showcase different wine styles with a little more spunk. For this year, our Nadja’s Blush is the perfect semi-sweet rose to enjoy chilled in the park or on the patio. Our “Cold-Blooded” line takes inspiration from the desert critters that fight for survival in the harsh Utah climate.
Cold Blooded Reds: Gila Sunset, Viper Red
Cold Blooded Whites: Woodhouse White
Rose: Nadja’s Blush
Future
As our vineyards reach maturity and come into full production, we are very excited to expand our Estate line. These wines are the pride and joy of our winery, as they truly represent the pioneer spirit and represent Utah winemaking from grape to bottle. We hope to share these wines across the country and globe as we develop Northern Utah into a distinct and valuable wine region here in the US.
We also love the idea of showcasing other wine regions out west, especially the Walla Walla Valley in eastern Washington and Oregon. Our team has been blown away by the incredible quality of wines coming out of this region and are thrilled to have them in our portfolio. The Reserve line will always be small batch production with the utmost attention to quality.
