Kyle and Amy Johnson of Muret-Gaston and Purple Star Wines
It wasn’t until after they were married that Kyle and Amy Johnson discovered their families were connected ages ago on a distant continent. That discovery eventually led to their Muret-Gaston label, which highlights the two family names. But before that label appeared, Olsen Estates where Kyle was winemaker closed its doors, prompting Kyle and Amy to launch Purple Star wines that now receive 90 points in Wine Spectator. The publication named Purple Star a Washington Winery to Watch. It’s also an ideal source of accessible, affordable and approachable wines, as no bottle is more than $20 and the wines can be found in many grocery stores. The tasting room located between Benton City and Prosser offers flights and glass pours of Muret-Gaston and Purple Star wines, along with picnic packs and other artisanal food items.
Both the Muret-Gaston and Purple Star wines highlight outstanding fruit from the Red Mountain, Wahluke Slope, and Yakima Valley AVAs. Kyle also produces roughly every five years a Native Sun label, which is now always a Cabernet Sauvignon from Heart of the Hill Vineyard on Red Mountain and has received 94 points in Wine Spectator. The multiple labels allow for different price points, but also for a variety of winemaking techniques, including a champagne press for whites and rosés, native yeasts for many wines, whole berry fermentation, a solera style non-vintage blend, and a mix of concrete and oak fermented Chardonnay. Learn about these techniques, new plans for sparkling wine, and much more from listening to this interview.
Listen to the Interview: