Behind every bottle at Purple Sky Winery lies an intense, round-the-clock operation. Under the guidance of Head Winemaker/General Manager David McKieve, the winemaking process is a meticulous science that begins long before sunrise.
Harvest begins under the cover of darkness, typically between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. Picking grapes during the coldest hours of the night allows the fruit to remain as cool as possible for processing. By morning, the grapes arrive at the winery and immediately enter a pneumatic bladder press to extract the juice. From there, the juice flows directly into large stainless-steel fermentation tanks. Wrapped in temperature-controlled glycol jackets, these tanks allow McKieve to precisely monitor fermentation for approximately 30 days. Once fermentation is complete, the wine moves through an in-house bottling line capable of filling, labeling, and sealing 2,000 bottles per hour. Because every step—from picking, pressing, fermenting, and bottling—happens directly on-site, the winery maintains complete control from vineyard to bottle.
Crafting exceptional wine in Northern Utah requires adaptive techniques. Because standard European grapevines can struggle with the region’s cold climate, Purple Sky utilizes cold-tolerant French-American hybrid grapes suited to Northern Utah.
The vineyard is where quality begins. Over more than five years with the project, he has focused on selecting the right varieties and growing regions—an essential foundation for wines that reflect both Utah’s challenging climate and its emerging place in the world of winemaking.
To complement the estate lineup, McKieve works with trusted growers in Washington, Oregon, and California. Those grapes are brought to Utah, where Purple Sky handles the production, fermentation, and bottling on-site to ensure the highest quality.
Meet the MAKERS
David MaKieve has been at the center of the winemaking process since the project began more than five years ago. Recruited from California, where he had built his winemaking background, he helped develop Purple Sky’s winery. Today, his role encompasses both winemaking and the broader direction of the operation. For MaKieve, the journey is an ongoing labor of love focused on elevating the region's profile. "We're really trying to help pioneer winemaking in Utah."
At the adjoining restaurant, general manager Nate King has spent the past several months refining Purple Sky’s dining experience with the same commitment to quality. His vision is elevated fine dining paired with a level of hospitality designed to make guests feel cared for.