Piety Flats better for wine sales than fruits and vegetables stand

By MARTHA GOUDEY

DONALD-Six years ago when Jim and Kristine Russi, and partner, Bryan Eglet, took over the empty Donald Fruit and Mercantile Building off 1-82, they thought they would do as the previous owners did, sell fruits and vegetables.

"We tried to emulate Paul and Amy McDonald," Jim said. "Now we know why they aren't doing it anymore."

It became obvious that Piety Flats wasn't a great place to sell fruits and vegetables. What was in demand were local wines for which the Yakima Valley was becoming known.

Eglet and Russi changed the name to Piety Flats Winery and Mercantile. Piety Flats was a nickname the area received when an itinerant preacher came to the area to save souls at the end of the 19th century.

Eglet and the Russis acquired a wine and beer license and began the tasting and promotion of Yakima Valley wines exclusively at the mercantile. They took a trailer out to pick up wines one at a time.

"We were doing okay," Russi said.

Then they met Dave Minick of Willow Crest Winery in Prosser. Minick was capturing awards for best of show out of 81 wineries in the state.

CAPTION Jim and Kris Russi stand behind their gold medal wines at the wine tasting counter at Piety Flats Winery and Mercantile. The two, with partner Bryan Eglet, have been selling their Piety Flats label since 2003.

"We bought two or three cases of his 99 Syrah and sold out the next weekend," Russi said.

A year went by, and the partners continued talking with Minick. Eventually Minick suggested they get their wine license. He would be their winemaker and go into partnership. That was three years ago.

"What we learned is that it's a lousy location for a fruit stand but a great place for a winery," Russi said. "It has been fantastic."

The winery sells 2,300 cases a year, up from 1,300 the first year. Much of Piety Flats' wine business is on the Internet. People visit Piety Flats, buy wine, and then want more once they are home.

Eglet is the president of the Rattlesnake Hills Tourist Trail group, and the Russis are members.

Victor Palencia, an apprentice winemaker with Minick, has been promoted to chief winemaker for Piety Flats Winery. At 21, he is the youngest winemaker in the United States. Because of his age, he went to school in Walla Walla on a special permit to get his winemaker's license.

"The kid is amazing," Russi said. "I don't have the palette. I know a good wine, but I can't discern the raspberry or the blueberry. But he has the palette." As a result, Piety Flats wines have achieved recognition in the past two years. At the Sunshine and Wine state competition in State Fair Park on June 23 the winery won a gold medal for its Chenin Blanc.

On May 14 at the University Washington, Piety Flats was .warded two gold medals for its 2005 Black Muscat and 2003 Mercantile Red blend. More than 3,000 people attended the Husky Band fundraiser, tasting hundreds of wines from 130 wineries. The Russis and Eglet buy their grapes primarily from Prosser. The grapes for their Black Muscat wine come from a tiny l0-acre spot in Sunnyside where the only Black Muscat grapes in the state are grown.

"They were planted in the 30s to grow raisins," Jim said.

According to Kris, the winery has become a destination spot. It is just off 1-82 at a historic 1890s hop kiln, a distinctive building some mistake as a barn. People from Yakima come to the winery because of its close proximity. "People love to come down here for a little outing. It's a nice spot to sit and relax," Kris said.

"We are trying to keep the feel of an old-fashioned country store," she added. "And the wines are becoming more well known, too."

The winery and mercantile are open seven days a week through December. During the winter months the store is open only on weekends.

Source: Yakima Valley Business Journal, August 2006.
The Yakima Valley Business Journal and the Yakima Valley Visitor Guide 2006 are published by Yakima Valley Newspapers.