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about gifford hirlinger

We know it’s a long and hard to pronounce name, but it actually means something to us!

Gifford Hirlinger is a small family owned operation that started way back in 2001.  It was in that year that the Berghan family purchased and began Berghan Vineyards in the heart of the Walla Walla Valley.  It started out simply enough, growing grapes and selling them to local wineries.  But after a couple of years they decided to complicate their lives by getting into the winemaking aspect of the business… resulting in Gifford Hirlinger. We know it’s a long and hard to pronounce name, but it actually means something to us!  We thought our family was new to the Walla Walla area, but as it turns out we have somewhat of a history here.  On both sides of the Berghan family, we have a direct ancestor who was born in Walla Walla when their families crossed the country in covered wagons in the mid 1800’s.  So, Gifford and Hirlinger were the last names of those relatives on the paternal and maternal sides respectively.

Stephen Tanzer's Int'l Wine Cellar

Good ruby-red. Plum, violet and chocolatey oak on the nose and palate.

Seattle Magazine, November 2008

Six years ago, after igniting a love affair with winegrowing and winemaking while working in the Napa vineyard owned by a friend...  Mike Berghan, his wife, Melissa, and his parents, Peter and Stephanie, started new lives as Washington winegrowers.