A love for the Italian coast prompted scientist Samuel Regev Ph.D. and his free-spirited daughter Shir to begin their boutique, family-owned and operated vineyard and winery in Benton City; a part of the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA). Shir, after spending time in Italy with the United States Navy, developed a desire to bring a little bit of the Italian culture she became enamored with to America.
With a focus on producing quality varietals rarely seen and tasted outside of Italy, their passionate dedication is noteworthy. An ardent and hardworking pair, they hand select and plant their cuttings, spending years cultivating and caring for their unusual fruit.
A concentration on red varieties, they are most proud of their Malbec and their unique pure Cinsault. Of the 19 varietals they grow and harvest on their 2-acre vineyard, only 2 are white. The have many wines to choose from including reserve reds from independent growers. As their vintages are produced in handcrafted batches of less than 30 cases, their wines often sell out because of high demand to try their unique varieties.
Their reds consist of their flagship wine Marathon Red made with Primitivo fruit, a pure Cinsault, Primitivo, Mourvedre, and a special reserve Nebbiolo. They recently added a non-alcoholic cold-pressed unfiltered grape juice, made of Malbec and Primitivo, to their offerings.
They have several unique red blends including: “Sexy Red” a blend of Barbera, Sangiovese, Primitivo, Anglianico and Dolcetto; hearty “Italian superstar” blend of Grenache, Barbera, and Sangiovese, (50/25/25); their bold “Chianti-type” blend of Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Grenache, Malbec, and Primitivo (30/30/20/10/10); and their balanced “Northern Italy” blend of Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Grenache (40/30/30). In addition to these they have an “Amarone-style” Corvina and Molinara blend.
They also have several rosé and white blends as well; including their “Life is Sweet” Muscat canelli and Gewürtztraminer blend and their favorite distinctively off-dry rosé blend of Cinsault and Primitivo (50/50).
Reasonably priced between $18 and $25, they also offer a 10% discount for purchases of 6 bottles or more. Without a stable public tasting room, most of these exquisite rare wines are only purchasable by contacting the owners, Sam and Shir, directly. A few varietals are available at small boutique shops like Ariel Gourmet & Gifts or Ms. Rhoda’s Wine Garden or by visiting the Richland Farmers Market on Fridays and the Northwest Regional Food Hub in Richland, Washington.