Lake Chelan’s first sustainable and Salmon-Safe Vineyard
Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards operates a WSDA certified organic vineyard in the Lake Chelan AVA, farming without synthetic chemicals to protect soil health and the Lake Chelan watershed. And will be in effect for the 2026 harvest!
Our estate vineyards are certified organic effective for the 2026 harvest but have been farmed using organic practices in the Lake Chelan AVA since 2005. LIVE and Salmon-Salmon Safe since 2010.
Producers of certified organic grapes in the Lake Chelan AVA
Our Organic Vineyards
Lake Chelan AVA
Certified Organic Vineyard Practices
Salmon-safe and Sustainable Farming
Our Vineyards
Farming in the Lake Chelan AVA means working with glacial gravels, steep sites, and a climate that keeps us on our toes. It’s a hard row to hoe… but that’s exactly the point. These are the conditions that give us structure, character, and wines that actually say something about where they come from.
We farm for terroir, not convenience. Every block, every variety, every decision in the vineyard is about expressing this place as honestly as possible.
Organic, Sustainable and Salmon-Safe
Long before certifications were a thing, we made a decision: farm the way we’d want our own food and wine grown.
That means irrigating with clear, glacial water with no glyphosate, no synthetic shortcuts, and no stripping the vineyard down to bare dirt just to make things easier. Instead, you’ll see a living vineyard with grass and cover crops between the rows, beneficial insects doing their job, and soils that are actually alive. The praying mantis is our spirit animal and they are in abundance out there.
It’s more work. Always has been. But better farming makes better wine, and we’re not interested in doing this halfway.
Now Officially Certified
We’re proud to share that our estate vineyards are now officially certified organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.
The truth? This didn’t change a thing. We’ve been farming this way since we planted our first vines in 2005. The certification just catches the paperwork and bureacratic record keeping up to reality.
From day one we decided that If it didn’t belong in our glass, or our food then it didn’t belong in our vineyard either. That mindset came a clear understanding: what you put on the land doesn’t stay put.
Especially when you’re farming above Lake Chelan.
Everything flows downhill eventually. Soil, water, chemicals, fertilizer runoff, it’s all connected. Protecting the vineyard means protecting the lake.
Sustainable Before It Was Cool
More than 15 years ago, we became the first vineyard in North Central Washington to be certified LIVE sustainable and Salmon-Safe.
Not because it was trendy but because it was the right thing to do.
We believed then (and still do) that vineyards here should be farming with the lake in mind. And honestly, wouldn’t it be something if every vineyard in the valley earned that same distinction? That’s the kind of reputation that puts a region on the map for the right reasons.
Glacial Gravels Vineyard
Ivan Morse Road, Manson, North Shore of Lake Chelan.
Clear Glacial Water Irrigate our Vines
This is the first vineyard planted in 2005. Perched on the north shore of Lake Chelan, this 25-acre site started life as an apple orchard before we planted our first vines in 2004.
The soils are classic glacial till, sand, gravel, and rock which means the vines have to work for everything they get. That struggle shows up in the glass as quality, structure, minerality, and intensity, helped along by long hang times that often stretch into late October.
The southwest exposure, elevation, and steady airflow keep the fruit balanced while building flavor. Turns out, the harder the row, the finer the wine.
Poverty Hill Estate Vineyard
Ford St, Manson, North Shore of Lake Chelan.
The high-elevation new kid
The North Cascade Mountains overlook our newest vineyard, just a couple of miles up lake from the winery. The soil here tells a tale of ancient history, with materials from the upper reaches of Lake Chelan Valley, left behind by a glacier that once advanced down the lake.
In 2021, this beautiful property became ours, and we planted an acre of Alicante Bouschet, a rare variety that we planted because we love the kind of wine it makes, dark, bold and complex. And then in 2022, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon went in the ground. We are hoping to be able distinguish terroir in these planting, especially for the PInot Noir and Syrah which love to convey the characteristics of where they are grown (terroir) into the wine glass.
The star of the show though is a new grape called Caladoc, a cross between Grenache and Cot (Malbec), making its debut here in Washington on Poverty Hill. Our pioneering spirit leading the charge again.
Stay tuned!
Sitting atop a ridge on the far end of Manson, with a north and northeast-facing embrace, the views are awesome from here. Downlake winds will add to tannin structure, making for big, powerful wines. That Alicante Bouschet is going to be killer!
Gary’s Estate Vineyard
Wapato Lake Rd., Manson, North Shore of Lake Chelan.
Glacial soils from the Okanogan Lobe of the Cordilleran Glacier
In 2013, a 5.5-acre piece of beautiful, former orchard property landed in Judy and Don’s hands, and it was named Gary's Vineyard, a heartfelt tribute to Judy’s brother, who played a vital role in making this dream come true.
Nestled just 250 yards away from Glacial Gravels, Gary's Vineyard sits a little lower in elevation, but what sets it apart are the sandy soils, courtesy of the glacial runoff's depositing skills.
Glaciers are the geologic architects behind the unique growing conditions here. The Okanogan Lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet deposited gravels from the Methow Valley area right here in this part of Manson, giving the wines from Gary’s Vineyard a touch of minerality like no where else! Terroir really shows up in the glass in our estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from this vineyard.
So, join us in the tasting room and taste the wines from this special place, where each sip is a toast to Gary, the ice-age glaciers, Lake Chelan Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
