WALLA WALLA, Wash., April 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Echolands Winery in Walla Walla, Washington, has achieved USDA Organic Certification from California Certified Organic Farmers for their Echolands Estate Vineyard location on Mill Creek Road.
Echolands Winery was created by MS.MW, Doug Frost, and conservationist Brad Bergman in 2018. With winemaker and general manager Brian Rudin at the helm, Echolands pursues its winemaking endeavors with a sustainably driven mission. As a young, burgeoning winery, this certification marks the newest achievement in their commitment towards responsible stewardship and regenerative farming.
As in the name, Echolands pursues vineyard management with the phrase “echo the land” in mind. Plantings for the Echolands Estate Vineyard began in 2021 with soil restoration. Cover cropping, composting and incorporation of bio-char (a carbon-rich charcoal) have greatly improved soil structure, while helping to regenerate soil microbiome.
Today, Echolands has planted over 10 different grape varieties at its Estate Vineyard on Mill Creek, including Gamay Noir, Cabernet Franc, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Chardonnay and others. Echolands will continue its planting on new clones into 2027 and 2028. The first harvest from their organic crop will be this fall 2026. Echolands currently sources from Taggart Estate Vineyard, a part of the SeVein Vineyard Project on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Taggart Estate Vineyard is a Sustainable WA certified vineyard. Among other sources include Blue Mountain Vineyard, Les Collines Vineyard and Riviére Galets Vineyard in the Rocks District AVA.
In their sustainable efforts, Echolands utilizes an onsite herd of goats and sheep to weed and maintain undergrowth. They are dedicated to never using herbicide in the vineyard. To promote plant, fungus and bacterial populations, methods such as grazing, hand-pulling, mechanical and other methods are relied upon to control weeds. Synthetic-free fungicides and fertilizers made only with organic materials are used as well. To continually improve and nourish the soil, organic cover crops such as crimson clover, arugula, radishes and turnips are planted throughout the vineyard rows. Once the plants have died there are then used for green manure to further enrich the soil.
Co-owner Doug Fost MS, MW said, “This is the culmination of the ideas that Brad Bergman and I have had for our land all along. To bring modern winemaking and grape growing into harmony with the needs of the land. For a great wine, you need a great vineyard. For a great vineyard, you need healthy soils. This is our aim.”
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SOURCE Echolands Winery
