Pepper Bridge Winery – Woodinville

About Us

Pepper Bridge Winery represents the pioneering spirit of the Walla Walla Valley. Owned and operated by three families--the McKibbens, the Murphys, and the Pellets--the winery is a leader in quality winemaking, hospitality, innovative technology and vineyard development. For over twenty years their hard work and dedication to the Walla Walla Valley has helped define it as one of the great wine regions of the world.

Attention to detail and functionality were the driving forces behind the design and construction of Pepper Bridge Winery. The three-level winery is built into a hill, set against the stunning backdrop of Pepper Bridge Vineyard. We are Certified Sustainable and vegan.

By utilizing innovative design and techniques, Pepper Bridge Winery has enhanced its quality and dedication to crafting premium wines. We built the first state-of-the-art, gravity-flow facility in Washington state, complete with subterranean caves. In a gravity-flow winery such as this, the grape pulp and juice are moved from the sorting table to the tanks to the barrels via gravity, rather than by pumps. This gentle treatment of the grapes prevents the shearing of seeds and the introduction of bitter tannins. Pumps are a choice rather than a constraint. As a result, all of our wines have elegant textures and exquisite flavor profiles. Winemaker Jean-François Pellet was also the consulting developer of a new optical sorter--yet another step in improving overall wine quality.

Growing & Operating Practices

Our estate vineyards – Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills, and Octave – produce some of the most sought-after grapes in the state. Furthermore, these vineyards are leaders in the practice of sustainable agriculture. We are committed to environmental stewardship, implementing the following practices within the vineyards:

- Applying compost tea to restore fungal and microbial components to the soil and feeding the tea with molasses. The compost tea contains living organisms and thus needs to be fed in order to stay alive!
- Adding compost to the soil to restore the soil humus.
- Using drip irrigation and buried soil-moisture monitors to ensure we do not waste water by irrigating below the roots of the vines.
- Leaving some ground cover un-mowed to preserve the habitat for beneficial insects.
- Planting wild roses and leaving blackberries where they exist to provide winter habitat for a parasitic wasp that attacks leafhoppers.
- Utilizing organic products such as sulfur and liquid fish oil to replace hard chemicals that control powdery mildew.

Winemaker Jean-François Pellet plays an active role in management of the vineyards and is a founding member of the Walla Walla Valley’s sustainable viticulture program, VINEA. The ultimate goal is to make quality wine and leave the soil healthier for future generations.