Vineyard

Estate grown. Family farmed. Certified Sustainable.

Wine begins long before it reaches the glass.

At Airfield Estates, our wines are made from 100% estate-grown fruit, allowing us to guide quality from vineyard to bottle and ensure every wine reflects the character of the place it was grown.

Our grandfather, Donald Miller, first planted our first wine grapes in 1968. Situated along the foothills of the Rattlesnake Mountains in the Yakima Valley AVA, our estate vineyard spans approximately 800 acres, including over 20 grape varietals.

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A remarkable terroir

The Yakima Valley’s landscape was shaped over millions of years. Lava flows and silt deposits from ancient glacial floods formed the soils that vines thrive in today. Several natural factors come together here to create exceptional conditions for growing premium wine grapes:

• More than 300 days of sunshine each year
• Warm days and cool nights that preserve acidity and aromatics
• Low annual rainfall, reducing mildew and disease pressure
• Diverse, well-drained soils shaped by volcanic activity and ancient floods
• Controlled irrigation from mountain snowmelt
• Long summer daylight hours at a northern latitude

These conditions allow grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, developing balance, structure, and depth of flavor.

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Soil

Our vineyard soils are primarily Warden silt loam, widely regarded as one of the most favorable soil types for wine grapes, providing:

• Excellent drainage, encouraging deep root systems
• Balanced nutrients for steady vine growth
• Ideal pH levels for Vitis vinifera

Variations across the vineyard—including sandier soils, fractured basalt, and differences in depth—allow us to match each varietal to the location where it performs best.

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Climate

The Yakima Valley’s high desert climate plays a critical role in fruit quality. Warm summer days promote ripening, while cool evenings slow the process, preserving freshness and aromatics. This daily temperature swing helps grapes develop vibrant flavors while maintaining balanced acidity.

Annual rainfall averages less than six inches, which allows us to carefully control irrigation and vine stress—an essential element in producing high-quality fruit. Water is supplied through the Roza Irrigation Canal, a project our great-grandfather, H. Lloyd Miller, helped bring to the Yakima Valley.

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Elevation

Our vineyard ranges from approximately 850 to 1,250 feet above sea level, providing excellent air movement, sun exposure, and temperature variation that help develop structure, color, and depth of flavor.

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Latitude

Located at 46° North latitude, our vineyard shares a similar growing latitude with some of the world’s most respected wine regions, including Bordeaux. Long summer days provide extended sunlight during the growing season, allowing grapes more time to develop complexity and balance.

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Farming with purpose

Generations of farming have taught us that great wine begins in the vineyard. Each season, we monitor vine health, manage crop levels, and harvest at optimal ripeness to ensure every wine reflects both varietal character and the place it was grown.

Every harvest reminds us that great wine is not made—it is grown, shaped by the land, the season, and the people who care for it. Farming the same land for generations has given us a deep understanding of our vineyards and how to grow exceptional fruit year after year.

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certified sustainable farming

Caring for the land has always been central to how our family farms. Today, our vineyards are proudly Certified Sustainable by Sustainable WA and Salmon Safe, reflecting our dedication to responsible farming practices that protect natural resources for future generations.

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Varietals