Brockmeyer Family Wines 'Otis Vineyard' Albariño, Yakima Valley, Washington 2025
Founded in 2018 by Richard "Brock" Brockmeyer and his son Brett, Brockmeyer Family Wines is a boutique, family-driven project rooted in a multigenerational connection to viticulture. The label traces its origins to the Cederquist family farm south of Fresno, where Brock's grandfather Ernest planted Grenache in the 1890s. With Brett's relocation to Walla Walla in 2022, the project expanded into Washington State, where the family sources from some of the Yakima Valley's most historically significant sites — including Otis Vineyard, which first supplied their Albariño with the 2022 vintage.
- Winemaker: Brett Brockmeyer
- Farming: Sustainable
- Variety: 100% Albariño.
- Terroir: Otis Vineyard is one of Washington's most storied sites, originally planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1956 by Otis Harlan — among the oldest commercial wine grape plantings in the state. The Albariño block is a more recent addition to the property. Soils are classified as Warden Very Fine Sandy Loam, a well-drained, low-organic-matter profile shaped by Missoula Flood deposits over basalt bedrock. The Yakima Valley AVA — Washington's first federally recognized wine region, established in 1983 — is characterized by an arid, high-desert climate with just 8 inches of annual rainfall, long summer days, and significant diurnal temperature swings that preserve natural acidity while enabling full fruit development.
- Vinification: Hand-harvested in the early morning hours on September 30, 2025, and rushed to the winery for immediate pressing. Juice was transferred to a small stainless steel tank and fermented over four weeks at 60°F. SO₂ was added post-fermentation to block malolactic conversion and protect aromatics. The wine was racked off the lees into a plastic egg tank for two months, then sterile filtered and bottled January 30, 2026. 200 cases produced.
- Aging: Two months in a plastic egg tank. No oak contact.
- Tasting Notes: Pale straw in color with bright aromatics of citrus zest, white peach, and stone fruit. The palate is crisp and refreshing with lemon, grapefruit pith, and a saline, mineral undercurrent typical of the variety. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a clean finish. Residual sugar: 1.0 g/L. Alcohol: 13.9%.
- Food Pairings: Shellfish, grilled fish tacos, tapas, Iberian-style cured meats, and fresh goat cheese.
Brockmeyer Family Wines 'Otis Vineyard' Albariño, Yakima Valley, Washington 2025
Founded in 2018 by Richard "Brock" Brockmeyer and his son Brett, Brockmeyer Family Wines is a boutique, family-driven project rooted in a multigenerational connection to viticulture. The label traces its origins to the Cederquist family farm south of Fresno, where Brock's grandfather Ernest planted Grenache in the 1890s. With Brett's relocation to Walla Walla in 2022, the project expanded into Washington State, where the family sources from some of the Yakima Valley's most historically significant sites — including Otis Vineyard, which first supplied their Albariño with the 2022 vintage.
- Winemaker: Brett Brockmeyer
- Farming: Sustainable
- Variety: 100% Albariño.
- Terroir: Otis Vineyard is one of Washington's most storied sites, originally planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1956 by Otis Harlan — among the oldest commercial wine grape plantings in the state. The Albariño block is a more recent addition to the property. Soils are classified as Warden Very Fine Sandy Loam, a well-drained, low-organic-matter profile shaped by Missoula Flood deposits over basalt bedrock. The Yakima Valley AVA — Washington's first federally recognized wine region, established in 1983 — is characterized by an arid, high-desert climate with just 8 inches of annual rainfall, long summer days, and significant diurnal temperature swings that preserve natural acidity while enabling full fruit development.
- Vinification: Hand-harvested in the early morning hours on September 30, 2025, and rushed to the winery for immediate pressing. Juice was transferred to a small stainless steel tank and fermented over four weeks at 60°F. SO₂ was added post-fermentation to block malolactic conversion and protect aromatics. The wine was racked off the lees into a plastic egg tank for two months, then sterile filtered and bottled January 30, 2026. 200 cases produced.
- Aging: Two months in a plastic egg tank. No oak contact.
- Tasting Notes: Pale straw in color with bright aromatics of citrus zest, white peach, and stone fruit. The palate is crisp and refreshing with lemon, grapefruit pith, and a saline, mineral undercurrent typical of the variety. Dry and light-bodied with lively acidity and a clean finish. Residual sugar: 1.0 g/L. Alcohol: 13.9%.
- Food Pairings: Shellfish, grilled fish tacos, tapas, Iberian-style cured meats, and fresh goat cheese.