Six thousand acres – much of it prime ground for vineyards or orchards – and irrigation water rights in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley are up for sale in a sealed bid auction. The land is currently home to dryland wheat and irrigated row crops on the expanse known as Weidert Farm.
“The fact that the property falls largely in the Walla Walla Valley AVA and the cache that carries, and it’s rolling upland landscape, and to top it off, the large amount of deeded water, really makes it desirable,” said Alan Busacca, a soil scientist and vineyard development consultant working with the seller. “There are definitely quite a few parties that are quite interested in this property, yet everyone acknowledges the size and scale and time frame required to really do this property justice.”
Bidding closes on Nov. 10. So far, interested parties in the site include tree fruit, wine grape and hop growers, along with institutional investors, such as the managers of a retirement fund, who would seek local partners to farm it, said Steve Bruere, the broker managing the sale.
Source: goodfruit.com
