EPISODE # 23 NATE WALSH: WALSH FAMILY WINE FOUNDER & WINEMAKER

Fine Wine Confidential Podcast

Walsh Family Wine was birthed when Nate and Sarah Walsh had the opportunity to lease Bethany Ridge Vineyard and produced their first wine, a Sauvignon Blanc in 2014. Several years later they entered an agreement with the owners of North Gate vineyard and winemaking facility where they had been sharing space since 2017. They would end up purchasing it. They now produce wine from several vineyards they farm which includes Bethany Ridge, which they would eventually expand from its original 4.5 acres to 25. Twin Notch Farm which they developed along with the purchase of North Gate Vineyards. They also buy Merlot from Russ Mountain and negotiated a lease that has them farming the vineyard as well.
Nate & Sarah have made a name for themselves as one of the leading wine producers in Loudon County. Nate is active in Virginia Vineyards Association and just recently was appointed to the Virginia Wine Board by Governor Ralph Northam.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INTERVIEW:
a). just out of college and looking for a job Nate answers and ad and goes to work during harvest at Horton Vineyards where he would remain for 3 years.
b). He then decides he wants to travel and see other wine regions and gets a job in Oregon and then goes to Central Otago in New Zealand after getting an appreciation and love for Pinot Noir.
c). In 2008 he returns to Virginia and the owners at Sunset Hills a prominent winery in Loudon County in Northern Virginia takes a chance on him and he takes over as the winemaker.
d). Nate and Sarah begin to produce limited amount of wine in 2014 from Bethany Ridge and for the next several years they are moving from winery facility to facility as they have no winery of their own. He describes how difficult that was.
e). He gets excited when he let's me know they have planned 1 acre of Chenin Blanc.
f). Nate discusses the future of winegrowing in Virginia and the impact that he has already seen from Climate Change when I ask him about growing hybrids.
Much, much more. Listen below and download the text transcript.
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