MUSIC ON AND OFF THE VINE

As children of the 1960s, Dean and Verdie Morrison are countercultural by nature. But with their Morrison Lane Winery in Walla Walla, they have extended their challenge-thestatus- quo attitudes to viticulture.

Lifelong residents of Walla Walla, the couple met at a dance more than 40 years ago, where they listened to the Dynamics, the Sonics, the Viceroys, and Merrilee and the Turnabouts. Today, though a little grayer and bespectacled, the Morrisons still have the confidence to march to a different beat. Indeed, all family members are musicians and take an active role in the winery.

Morrison Lane Winery was originally intended to be more of a Syrah house - selling the grape to other wineries and producing small amounts of Syrah under the Morrison Lane label. But in the past eight to 10 years, the couple could not resist the idea of offering something different.

Also planted on 23 acres are small amounts of Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Counoise, Carmenere, Cinsault and Viognier. They recently planted a small plot of Grenache, a southern Rhone valley grape. "Right from the beginning, I was told that I should be planting Cabernet Sauvignon," says Dean with a grin. "Well, that was it for me. If everyone else is planting Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay, then it seemed obvious to me that I'd better find something else."

Their switch to more Italian varietals started with Dean's cousin, Gene Cluster, who traveled extensively throughout Europe and brought the Morrisons wine from Italy. Dean and his cousin were trying to reinvigorate the farm in Walla Walla, which had been in the family since 1918, but was in disarray because of plummeting wheat prices. They planted Syrah in 1994 and sold their first grapes in 1997 to Glen Fiona, Cayuse and Seven Hills wineries. But they wanted to plant something no one else was growing in the region.

Over time, the couple began tasting more and more Italian wine, convinced that the Walla Walla region, with the same latitude as the Piedmont area in Italy, could grow the fruit well. Dean, who was working as a conductor for the Union Pacific Railroad at the time, would stop in Spokane, pick up wines and taste them with Verdie back home.

"We were starting from the ground floor, since we didn't really know anything about Italian wines," says Verdie, who takes care of finances and other practical matters at the winery. "Some of the wines we tasted weren't so good and we were surprised. We were mostly used to Cabernets -much bigger wines."

The couple admitted they had big expectations after reading about the lusciousness of Barolos and Barbarescos and researching the two wines. The Italian wines were lighter, had more acidity and focused on lighter red fruits compared with the black fruit-inspired wines from Walla Walla.

"Once I got over the initial expectation and disappointment that I wasn't drinking something as big as a Cabernet Sauvignon, it became an acquired taste," says Dean. "I very much like wines made with the Nebbiolo and Barbera grapes. We want to plant more."

One of the blends they produce is called 33⅓, a red field blend of one-third Syrah, Viognier and Counoise. It is also a clever tribute to the old LP vinyl album that the Morrisons grew up with. Music has always been part of the Morrison foundation, and jam sessions are as much a part of the winery as the wine. With Dean on bass, Verdie on piano, son Dan (who is currently making the Morrison Lane label wines) on guitar and a slew of musicians in the Walla Walla area, it is not unusual to stop by the tasting room late in the afternoon and hear rhythm and blues or jazz pouring from the winery.