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3 Doubleback Winery WALLA WALLA For former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe, his field of dreams always extended way beyond the stadium turf—all the way back to his Walla Walla Valley hometown and to the land of the grapes there. Even during his 14-year football career, which included time with the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys, he had his sights set on his post-game plan. Owning a winery was a longtime aspiration for the athlete, as it would allow him to combine his passion for fine wine with his love of the valley. Upon his retirement in 2007, Drew returned home to plant his original estate vineyard, McQueen, on the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. The following year, in 2008, Drew launched Doubleback as an estate- focused winery with the goal to produce world-class cabernet sauvignon— the winery's name a reference to his return back home. To make his dream a reality, Drew hired Winemaker and General Manager, Josh McDaniels. Josh, also a Walla Walla native, was named a "Game Changer of Washington Wine" by Wine Enthusiast and has most recently earned Doubleback's highest rating with 97 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Since the very first release—the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon—Doubleback has received numerous accolades including a spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 List. The vision for Doubleback remains a premium wine experience completely focused on quality. To further assist the vision of high-quality, estate-focused wine, Drew has concentrated on developing individually FACING PAGE: Biodiversity in full swing at Bob Healy vineyard. ABOVE Drew & Maura Bledsoe enjoy a sunset bonfire at McQueen vineyard. Photographs by Andrea Johnson

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