Speaking with Jared Funk at Hospice du Rhone, I was so excited to see him taking on responsibilities at Saviah Cellars, one of Walla Walla’s consistently great wineries. He currently serves at his family winery as Assistant Winemaker & Viticulturist. I wanted to interview him and hear more about how he is going to be a second generation proprietor in the future. This is a really great development and I am so thrilled for Rich and his family. Without further adieu here is my exclusive interview with Jared Funk of Saviah Cellars.
OB: What was it like growing up at a winery? Any pros and cons?
JF: I was three years old when my parents started the winery, and eating dirt out of the construction piles is probably my first memory. But it quickly became my favorite place to be, I would be there as often as I could. I like to joke I’ve already spent a couple of my nine lives at the winery. The only downfall is that wineries are not exactly the safest place, even for adults, but they are fun! Falling off of equipment, crashing the four wheeler, and lots of other incidents were all a part of it - but nothing that killed me! Learning how to taste and spit wine is of course an early memory for me as well. One of my favorite things now is all of the nostalgic smells that I get to experience as a part of my daily life. Harvest has a super distinct feeling and aroma to me. It has been a full circle journey, and I wouldn’t have changed anything along the way.
OB: Talk about the mentorship that your father, Richard Funk, has given you. What are some of your future goals at Saviah?
JF: A lot was instilled in me by growing up around the winery. I developed a work ethic and a deep appreciation for each step of the winemaking process. My dad and I have spent a lot of time archery hunting and fly fishing together, both of which take a lot of patience and an intimate appreciation for nature. It is the same way he has taught me to approach our vineyards and the land, with patience and critical attention to every detail. Ultimately, it all boils down to hard work, and this is something that was reinforced to me during my experience working for the Vaira family at GD Vajra in Barolo. In order to operate a family winery, there are no shortcuts, no fast forwards. Throughout my entire life, I’ve watched my parents give everything to the winery with unwavering commitment and passion, and that is the most important example that has been set for me. Saviah will be celebrating 25 years next year, and I couldn’t be more excited for the future. I hope to add to our estate vineyard portfolio, hone in on as many viticultural details as possible and find new boundaries to push for Saviah, Walla Walla, and Washington Wine as a whole.
OB: You know The Rocks District exceedingly well and Saviah has two estate vineyards in this stony sub-AVA. Can you talk about the two Syrahs that you make from this region, The Funk Vineyard and The Stones Speak Vineyard? How are these Syrahs both similar and different?
JF: Our Funk Estate vineyard was planted in 2007. The site itself is unique and deeply influential to the wine, as it sits at the apex of the Rocks District. This allows for a series of differences. Due to the slightly higher elevation, we have never froze out at Funk Estate vineyard. Whereas at Stones Speak, 100 feet lower in elevation, and many other sites in The Rocks, farming for winter freeze events is the number one priority. Because of this, we are able to train these vines in a quadrilateral GDC form, which was chosen because some of the best wines in the cellar were consistently coming from this training method. The berries are smaller and more concentrated, the flavors are a little darker and have more depth, and its quality doesn’t waver. Stylistically, we co-ferment the Funk Syrah with a portion of Viognier, which plays really nicely with the darker fruit profile. The Stones Speak Syrah was planted in 2016. Coming from the lower site, it is a little bit cooler, generally lending a little more red fruit amongst the classic savory Rocks backbone. This wine historically is 100% Syrah, an unabashed expression of what Rocks Syrah is. Whole cluster fermentation is an important component of both of these wines. How much whole cluster and skin contact time is always dependent on the vintage and what the stems have to say in any given year.
OB: What led you to want to be involved with Saviah and eventually get into winemaking? What are some of your epiphany wines or experiences in wine that made you go all-in and devote 100% of your time to Saviah?
JF: Initially, it was really just a naive joy of being around the process. Not really knowing the world of wine as a kid, but just enjoying the environment and helping where I could. I remember picking our vineyard at the winery when I was 6 years old and loving it! I decided to study enology and viticulture in college, and after my first viticulture class at Cal Poly, I was hooked. Shout out to Dr. Jean Dodson Peterson, who is now the founding department chair at WSU. I ended up finishing my viticulture & enology degree at WSU, which was an awesome experience. Go Cougs! After graduation I pursued viticulture, working with Sadie Drury at Sevein as her viticulturist and soaking up every bit of knowledge from her as possible. I am incredibly grateful for that experience. I always think of viticulture as my “first love” in this business, but I have come to love every part of it. I spent some time during covid getting my WSET 3, and throughout that process became obsessed with Barolos and Northern Rhones. I would have to say that those are my epiphany regions. Finally, as I mentioned earlier, seeing the sheer amount of hard work and dedication my parents have given to the winery throughout my life, it felt natural to want to honor and carry on the Saviah torch.