TAPTEIL WineMaker



	An Interveiw with Tapteil's WineMaker and Owner, Larry Pearson • Why did you plant ? The brief answer is that I enjoyed wine (cabernet sauvignon, particularly) and had wonderful experiences when touring and experiencing vineyards and wineries. Then, it took a while until I felt comfortable enough to actually consider planting a vineyard…but, in the spring of 1985 it happened! The possibility of planting a vineyard in the mid 1970's (when I initially began thinking about vineyard involvement) seemed remote…until the spring of 1984. During that spring of 1984, I visited the Yakima Valley numerous times (I was then living and working in Seattle ) to identify a possible vineyard site. Having a sense of desired soil type, rainfall, heat units and slope, as well as the grape I wished to grow (cabernet sauvignon), I asked vineyard managers and winemakers their thoughts on where the best areas for growing cabernet sauvignon might be. After narrowing the search, I was fortunate to identify some available parcels at the end of Sunset Road on Red Mountain . Then, the details of preparing the vineyard site had to be addressed….now, that was a new experience! However, with the help of family and friends (yes, they still are) we planted the initial 3-1/2 acres in April 1985. Tapteil Vineyard now encompasses 25 acres.

An Interveiw with Tapteil's WineMaker
and Owner, Larry Pearson

• Why did you plant ?

The brief answer is that I enjoyed wine (cabernet sauvignon, particularly) and had wonderful experiences when touring and experiencing vineyards and wineries. Then, it took a while until I felt comfortable enough to actually consider planting a vineyard…but, in the spring of 1985 it happened!

The possibility of planting a vineyard in the mid 1970's (when I initially began thinking about vineyard involvement) seemed remote…until the spring of 1984. During that spring of 1984, I visited the Yakima Valley numerous times (I was then living and working in Seattle ) to identify a possible vineyard site. Having a sense of desired soil type, rainfall, heat units and slope, as well as the grape I wished to grow (cabernet sauvignon), I asked vineyard managers and winemakers their thoughts on where the best areas for growing cabernet sauvignon might be. After narrowing the search, I was fortunate to identify some available parcels at the end of Sunset Road on Red Mountain . Then, the details of preparing the vineyard site had to be addressed….now, that was a new experience! However, with the help of family and friends (yes, they still are) we planted the initial 3-1/2 acres in April 1985. Tapteil Vineyard now encompasses 25 acres.