Illahe is a local Chinook word meaning “earth” or “place” or “soil”. At Illahe, the goal is to make wine as naturally as possible, from soil to bottle. The estate vineyards were first planted in 1983, however the Ford family has owned the farm since the 1940's. All work is done by hand on small lots with age-old techniques and materials. Some of their wines are made 100% by hand — the old-fashioned way — with no electricity or modern mechanization. Their vineyards cover 80 acres of south-facing vines that are planted primarily to Pinot Noir, but also Gamay, Tempranillo, Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner and Viognier. Illahe is LIVE-certified and Salmon Safe with cover crops planted throughout the vineyard to benefit the soil and increase biodiversity. Sulfur is used only to control disease and the mature vines are dry-farmed. The winery at Illahe is gravity-fed and solar-powered to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Their commitment to the environment is second-to-none, and this love of the land and their vines comes through in their wines.