Check out the award-winning wines from these incredible wineries, all featured in the Wine-By-Cougars Wine Club! To recommend a new WBC winery, please email us at wsuaa@wsu.edu.
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4 Whistles
Featured Cougs: Samuel Dailey ’18, Phil Dailey ’88, and Jane Dailey
Last Featured: February 2024
As the son of a fourth-generation dryland wheat farmer, Phil and his wife Jane dreamed of investment ideas. After tasting a few glasses of Washington's finest wine, 4 Whistles Winery began as a boutique family-owned and -operated winery, founded on the principle: "Great wine starts with great grapes!" They planted their first estate-grown grapes in the spring of 2017 while Samuel, the couple's fourth son, finished his Viticulture and Enology degree at WSU Pullman. The family believes constant assessment and improvement is the only way forward and strives to make all their wines with as little input and interference as possible. By doing this, they can highlight each grape varietal's unique character and vintage.
Airfield Estates
Featured Cougs: Jason Stout ’10
Last Featured: February 2013
For four generations, the Miller family has been farming in the Yakima Valley. Until recently, the entire production was sold to other wineries. Now, they have expanded into winemaking and are making 100 percent estate wines that showcase the quality of their vineyards. The vineyard is located at the foot of the Rattlesnake Mountains in the Yakima Valley with the winemaking facilities housed in an old airplane hangar next to a retired airstrip.
Alexandria Nicole Cellars
Featured Coug: Ali Boyle
Last Featured: November 2021
Jarrod and Ali Boyle’s dream began in 1998 when they planted a barren hillside with over 20 grape varietals. Since then, they have been hand selecting fruit from their Destiny Ridge Estate Vineyard and are dedicated to showcasing the terroir. This gorgeous site is nestled in the heart of Washington’s best-kept secret, the Horse Heaven Hills. The Alexandria Nicole Cellars winemaking team uses the rolling hillside, multiple soil profiles, and the maritime influence of the Columbia River to continue their quest to consistently create award-winning wines that can be enjoyed now or cellared for years to come.
Alia Wines
Featured Coug: John Olsen ’86
Last Featured: December 2011
Alia Wines is a small family-owned winery located in Snohomish, about three miles from the Evergreen Fairgrounds. “Alia,” which is Latin for “by another way,” helps to describe the blending of old world and new age winemaking techniques to produce remarkable wines. Alia produces very small lots of handcrafted wine, and sources its grapes from some of the best vineyards in Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, and Wahluke Slope.
Amavi Cellars
Featured Coug: Shane McKibben ’89
Last Featured: February 2018
Located in Walla Walla Valley, the vineyards of sister wineries Pepper Bridge Winery and Amavi Cellars are managed by Coug Shane McKibben. He nurtures the estate vineyards to produce some of the most sought-after grapes in the state. Pepper Bridge Winery and Amavi Cellars practice sustainable viticulture, remaining committed to the long-term viability of the winemaking industry in the Walla Walla Valley. Both craft ultra-premium, world-class but still approachable wines with an estate-vineyard focus. These vineyards, Les Collines, Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge, are recognized as three of the best in the AVA, the state, and beyond.
Arabilis
Featured Cougs: Allison and Kenny McMahon
Last Featured: April 2022
Arabilis is a méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine house with a few ‘Coteaux’-style wines to showcase the dynamic nature of the vineyards with which they partner. Arabilis,from arable meaning “that can be farmed,” was founded by Allison and Kenny McMahon. They are first-generation winemakers who both received their PhDs in Food Science from WSU. Allison researched red wine finish, and Kenny researched sparkling wine. Driven by their intuition, knowledge, a taste for precision, and a certain form of freedom—all fostered at WSU – they couldn’t be more excited to share this wine with their fellow Cougs.
Arbor Crest Wine Cellars
Featured Coug: C. Harold Mielke ’58
Last Featured: December 2015
In 1982, the Mielke family purchased a winery in California and moved the operations to the family’s old cherry-packing facility near the Upriver Dam in central Spokane. Two years later they sold their very first wine, officially starting Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, the 29th winery in Washington state. Shortly after, the Mielkes acquired the historic Spokane Valley estate of Royal Riblet to serve as the idyllic new headquarters of the winery. Despite continued growth, Arbor Crest’s family values, wonderful wines, and beautiful surroundings have remained unchanged since the winery’s founding nearly 30 years ago.
Armour Wines
Featured Cougs: Tyler (’10) and Sarah Armour (’07)
Last Featured: November 2023
armourwines.com
Armour Wines was opened in 2020 by Tyler and Sarah Armour in Wenatchee, WA. They source grapes from select vineyards around Washington state and believe in producing wines with minimal intervention. By using the best fruit possible, their wines require little to no additions or processing. Their grapes are all hand-harvested and ferment whole-cluster, utilizing native yeast and bacteria on the grapes naturally. All grapes are crushed by foot. Armour strives to make fresh and vibrant wines that are drinkable right away.
Armstrong Winery
Featured Coug: Tim Armstrong ’00
Last Featured: November 2023
Armstrong Family Winery is a first-generation, family-owned-and-operated winery started by spouses Tim and Jen Armstrong. The couple got their start in a warehouse in Woodinville after moving their young family from Chicago to pursue their dream of making world-class wine. Tim honed in on his winemaking craft as a participant in the WSU Viticulture and Enology program and started Armstrong Family Winery with the harvest of 2011. The winery quickly grew, and in 2017, the Armstrongs moved their family and production to the Walla Walla Valley, where they soon began farming two estate vineyards. Today, while the winery has grown, the Armstrongs remain committed to crafting small lot wines of the finest quality. They continue to operate a tasting room in their original production space in Woodinville. They are also building a new tasting room on their family farm in Walla Walla.
B. Wise Vineyards
Featured Coug: Brion Wise ‘68
Last Featured: November 2020
It was in 1993 that Brion Wise came out to California looking for vineyard land. He was originally attracted to the property in Sonoma because of the reputation of the surrounding area that would eventually become the Moon Mountain District. The property had been a cattle ranch; it had no infrastructure and a dirt road with no easements. Wise drilled a well and ran everything on generators. From the time he started B. Wise Vineyards in 2002, Wise’s ambition was to make something he could hold up to the best wines he had tasted in his travels. B. Wise Vineyards is about the enjoyment of life. Wise and his wife Ronda make their own prosciutto, they brine olives, and grow and make wine. The Wises share all of this with their friends, staff, workers, and customers. Through everything they have done, there is this love of farming and a sense of the kind of perfection you can achieve through patience and hard work.
Balboa Cellars
Featured Coug: Amy Glase ’92, Tom Glase
Last Featured: September 2023
Balboa was founded as a small boutique winery in 2005 with the belief that the Walla Walla Valley is capable of producing the finest wines in the world. With a small production that sources 95% of its grapes from estate vineyards located in the Rocks District of Milton Freewater, the winery is comprised of a dedicated, close-knit group of people who work together to produce the finest wines possible.
Barnard Griffin Winery
Featured Cougs: Elise Jackson, Dana Phillips, Liz Woerman, and Megan Hughes
Last Featured: February 2022
Wine is a family business at Barnard Griffin. Deborah Barnard is co-owner, Rob Griffin is winemaker, and both their daughters work at the winery, too. Eldest daughter Elise Jackson is Barnard Griffin’s “tasting-room savant,” and Megan Hughes is the assistant winemaker and enologist. Megan’s passion for winemaking started while helping her parents label bottles in the winery. Back then, she was paid in M&Ms, but the chocolaty compensation was far from her sole motivation for assisting at the winery. She found the winemaking process fascinating. Now happily employed at the winery for more than just candy, Megan helps Barnard Griffin produce some of Washington’s most exceptional wines by ensuring that the winery partners with excellent growers to cultivate the very best grapes. Megan is a member of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers and the Washington Wine Technical Group. Elise and Megan see great opportunities for women in the wine industry and work to encourage other young women to follow in their footsteps.
Barons Winery
Featured Coug: Rick Ellingson ‘75
Last Featured: May 2017
Rick Ellingson, who owns Barons Winery with four partners, is certainly passionate about two things: wine and Cougs. Barons celebrated its first vintage in 2001 with a commitment to producing world-class, premium wines from the finest vineyards in Washington. They take great pride in the quality of the grapes to ensure each wine is crafted with balance and acidity to age gracefully, with a fine polish.
Basalt Cellars
Featured Cougs: Rick Wasem ‘80, Lynn DeVleming ‘79
Last Featured: February 2023
Business partners and Cougs Rick Wasem and Lynn DeVleming founded Basalt Cellars in 2003 with a shared passion for creating solid, age-worthy wines. They have one primary mission: to produce highly awarded and respected wines from the finest vineyards in Washington State. Rick and Lynn prefer the individual varietal characteristics to remain intact, which begins with harvest and continues throughout the entire winemaking process. Basalt’s red wines are aged primarily in French oak barrels for 18 to 30 months before bottling, then cellared and released at drinking perfection.
Bergevin Lane Vineyards
Featured Cougs: Annette Bergevin ‘86, Kristy Olson ‘96, and Jaden Bergevin
Last Featured: February 2022
Bergevin Lane Vineyards was established in 2002 by Annette Bergevin, her father Gary Bergevin, and her business partner Amber Lane. Annette is the general manager and took over the reins from Gary and Amber back in 2014. Bergevin Lane sources fruit from Annette’s family homestead, which they have been farming since the early 1900s. Annette is part of a very rare group of Washingtonians who produce wine from grapes grown on the land on which they grew up. Bergevin Lane is a past Cougar Collectors’ Series producer and an early participant in WBC. In addition, Annette is a past member of the WSU Alumni Association Board of Directors and an Alumni Achievement Award winner, the Alumni Association's highest honor. Annette and Kristy are both proud graduates of WSU, and daughter Jaden, a sixth-generation Walla Walla native, is currently a freshman at WSU. Go Cougs!
Bledsoe Family Winery
Featured Cougs: Drew Bledsoe ‘92
Last Featured: February 2021
For former Cougar and NFL Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, owning a winery has been a longtime aspiration that allows him to combine his passion for fine wine and love of the Walla Walla Valley, his hometown. Drew returned to Washington in 2007 to plant his original estate vineyard, McQueen, on the southern end of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. The following year, Drew and his wife, Maura, launched Doubleback, an estate-focused winery with the goal to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. For this undertaking, Drew collaborated with his childhood friend and fellow Coug, Chris Figgins of Leonetti Cellar. Figgins consulted on all winemaking and worked with Josh McDaniels who is now CEO and Director of Winemaking at Doubleback. Bledsoe Family Winery is a sister project to Doubleback.
Blended Learning
Featured Coug: WSU Viticulture and Enology student winemakers Ayla Bales, Alexandra Porter, Sydney Cross, Brittany Lopez, Alicia Olivares, Jared Grace, Hector Estrada, and Elle Jennings
Last Featured: April 2024
Established in 2012, Blended Learning is a student winemaking course that pairs WSU Viticulture and Enology students with Washington’s most distinguished growers and winemakers to create unique wines using select grapes that represent the state’s distinct growing regions. Thank you to Amavi Cellars for your significant support and expertise on this project.
Bonair Winery
Featured Coug: Shirley & Gail Puryear ‘68
Last Featured: May 2009
Shirley and Gail graduated with degrees in foreign languages. After spending a year in Chile’s wine country as exchange students, they developed a love for producing wine. What started as a fun hobby expanded to include a small production facility in 1985. Currently, Bonair Winery has 32 acres of wine grapes in production, a chateau hospitality center open year-round, and a state-of-the-art winery.
Bookwalter Winery
Featured Coug: Gretchen Bookwalter, Chance Cruzen ‘12, Zachary Green ‘20, Madelyn Calderon ‘20, Annette Loring
Last Featured: April 2023
J. Bookwalter Winery prides itself on family heritage, deep roots, and a centuries-old commitment to the land. After taking over the winery from his father in 1997, John Bookwalter and his wife Gretchen have transformed J. Bookwalter Winery, introducing a sleek new brand identity and award-winning packaging. In 2021, Bookwalter opened the doors to its brand-new production facility and modern tasting room next door to the original winery, which is home to the renowned Fiction @ J. Bookwalter restaurant. Today, J. Bookwalter has grown from one of Washington’s oldest wineries into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most recognized boutique wine brands, relying on exceptional vineyard sources and meticulous winemaking to produce some of the world’s finest wines.
Boyd Family Vineyards
Featured Coug: Stan Boyd ‘77, Carter Marks Wiggins
Last Featured: November 2020
In 1998, Stan bought the property in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley that is today Boyd Family Vineyards. Many different varietals of grape vines were planted, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec, Viognier, and Sauvignon Blanc. Shortly after planting the vineyard, Stan left his life-long career as Senior VP Sales & Marketing with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts to pursue his dream of owning and running a vineyard/winery as well as becoming its full-time winemaker. Twenty-one harvests later, he is still the winemaker and is involved in every aspect of the business. In 2014 Carter Marks Wiggins joined Boyd Family Vineyards and began learning the vine and wine business as a summer intern. In 2016 she moved to Napa fulltime becoming their first and only employee and Stan’s “Right Hand Cougar!”
Bridgepress Cellars
Featured Coug: Brian Padrta ‘85
Last Featured: September 2018
Bridgepress Cellars is a family-owned winery specializing in hand-crafted, small-volume wines. The winery was established in 2005 as a collaborative project between Brian and Melody Padrta and Grande Ronde Cellars owners Dave Westfall and John Mueller, but is rooted in history. Bridgepress resides in the historic Foresters of America building in Spokane, built in 1910. Their goal is to make fantastic red wine from Washington’s prestigious Walla Walla Valley, while sourcing fruit from top-quality, well-established vineyards, along with the use of 100% French oak barrels.
C.R. Sandidge Wines
Featured Coug: Charles Sandidge ‘77
Last Featured: October 2008
C.R. Sandidge Wines was founded in 1999 by Charles Ray Sandidge III, and it remains a family venture, as Charles’ son and father are now both actively involved. They approach both grape growing and winemaking in a traditional, old-world manner. Their focus is on producing premium wines for discriminating wine lovers.
Canoe Ridge Vineyards
Featured Coug: Brittany Komm ’11, ’14
Last Featured: February 2020
Canoe Ridge Vineyards is one of Washington’s most recognized wineries, with its namesake vineyard established in 1989 in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Producing wines that combine tannic complexity with a full-flavored body, this Walla Walla-based group specializes in creating award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay wines. The winery was named after a ridge near the vineyard that resembles an overturned canoe, aptly referred to as “Canoe Ridge” by Lewis and Clark as they journeyed down the Columbia River in 1805. Now in its 30th year of business, Canoe Ridge credits its success to paying special attention to the wine, from vineyard to cellar.
Capstone Cellars
Featured Coug: Roy Bays ‘69
Last Featured: September 2014
Capstone Cellars, a boutique winery located just west of Longview, produces small lots of premium, award-winning wines from grapes sourced from some of the finest Yakima Valley vineyards. The winery was established in 2003 by Joel & Cathleen McNelly and Roy & Sandy Bays, and was the first bonded winery in Cowlitz County. The wine is aged in French, Hungarian, and American oak barrels for at least 20 months and bottle-aged up to a year prior to releasing.
Castaway Cellars
Featured Cougs: Shelly Crawford
Last Featured: November 2018
Castaway’s mission as a small family-owned business is to provide its customers with well-crafted, balanced, elegant wines from a variety of exceptional vineyards in the Pacific Northwest. Soon after completing her education at WSU, owner Shelly Crawford was given the opportunity to start making her own wines and learn the industry from award-winning Coug winemaker (and recently featured) Robert Smasne. She then turned her love for wine into her dream job, from a home wine-making hobby to the creation of her own winery. Both the Castaway logo and tasting room have a fly-fishing theme, as Shelly and husband Scott are avid outdoorspeople.
Cedergreen Cellars
Featured Cougs: Kevin Cedergreen ‘79, Julie Cedergreen ‘80
Last Featured: May 2019
Kevin and Julie founded Cedergreen Cellars as a family-run winery in 2002 with a focus on finely crafted wines. From their experiences growing up in Eastern Washington and attending WSU, they knew that they wanted to pay homage to the best fruit of the Columbia Valley. Cedergreen’s wines feature bright flavors that delight the palate and deliver the optimum expression of each varietal. Kevin and Julie’s extensive experience working at wineries across Washington state and New Zealand, along with widespread travels around the world, has shaped their winemaking philosophy to value Old World concepts and New World techniques. They strive to make wine that captures the essence of harvest. By combining incredible fruit and careful handling, Cedergreen Cellars has wine that showcases the very best the fruit has to offer.
Celaeno Winery
Featured Coug: Brian Countryman ‘05
Last Featured: November 2017
Brian Countryman first learned the art and science of wine from his father, an engineer turned winemaker, and from his mother, a chemist. He went on to study Enology at the WSU Research Center in Prosser. After serving as a winemaking assistant to other Cougars (Dave Minick at Willow Crest Winery and Ray Sandidge at Lake Chelan Winery), Brian ventured to launch his own enterprise. With a name pulled from Greek mythology, Celaeno Winery focuses on the marriage of wine with oak. Each barrel is specifically chosen to complement and enhance the natural characteristics of each varietal, as well as to assist in the maturation process.
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Featured Cougs: Theodor Baseler ‘76, Stacy Martens ‘08
Last Featured: February 2015
Founded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle pioneered vinifera grape growing in Washington State and has been producing classic European varietal wines under the Ste. Michelle label since 1967. The winery combines an ongoing dedication to research with a commitment to classic winemaking traditions. As Washington state’s oldest and most acclaimed winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle features award-winning wines and unparalleled ambiance at its historic chateau nestled on 105 wooded acres in Woodinville, Washington. The winery’s site – just 15 miles northeast of Seattle – is one of the Puget Sound region’s top visitor attractions offering tours, tastings, wine and food classes, chef dinners, a popular summer concert series, and other special events.
Chris Daniel Winery
Featured Coug: Chris Daniel Stewart ‘11
Last Featured: September 2022
Chris Daniel Stewart’s dream to become a winemaker formed early in life and he pursued this dream earning his degree in Viticulture & Enology and Spanish at Washington State University. Chris gained experience through studying abroad at Casa Lapostolle in Chile and his travels to Pommard Burgundy, France at Domaine Lejeune Winery. His trip back to Chile at the Viña Viu Manent Winery allowed him to learn from some of the best grape growers and winemakers. Chris makes his wine in the classical French style, with his first vintage in 2014. Chris Daniel is a proud Coug winery and family. All three sons and dad attended WSU. Mom, well she’s an NDSU Bison. Nobody’s perfect.
Cinder Wines
Featured Cougs: Joseph Schnerr ‘99, Melanie Krause ‘00
Last Featured: February 2020
Cinder may be named after the layers of volcanic remnants found under the high-desert plain vineyards in Idaho, but its story was born in the wheat fields of the Palouse. Winemaker Melanie Krause and Co-Founder Joe Schnerr met in the CUB in 1999, and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2006, the two proud Cougs returned to Idaho (Melanie’s home state) after Melanie spent five years working in winemaking at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. They decided to start their own winery, crafting award-winning Syrah, Tempranillo, and Viognier using grapes from several different vineyards in the Snake River Valley AVA. Cinder’s Laissez Faire label is just what its name implies – a “let it be” wine in terms of both winemaking and drinking style. Melanie and Joe specifically intend for it to be a versatile, midweek wine for the discerning wine drinker.
Claar Cellars
Featured Cougs: Crista Whitelatch ‘72, Audrienne Albro Claar ‘44, Russell Claar ‘42
Last Featured: May 2007
Audrienne ‘44 and Russell ’42 Claar began the family farm in Zillah almost 60 years ago and diversified their crops by planting grapes in 1979. Their daughter, current owner and manager, Crista ’72, and her husband, Bob, retired as US Naval Officers in 1983 and followed their passion for premium wines by joining the family business. The 80 acres of premium estate vineyards are on south and southwest facing hillsides above the Columbia River. After years of selling quality grapes to nationally recognized wineries across the country, the family-owned operation decided to take the leap to become an estate winery in 1996.
Clearwater Canyon Cellars
Featured Coug: Coco Umiker ‘11
Last Featured: February 2022
The story of Clearwater Canyon Cellars began in 2003 when winemaker Coco and vineyard manager Karl planted the first block of Umiker Estate Vineyard on Coco’s family’s century farm in Lewiston, Idaho. In 2004, the Umikers founded Clearwater Canyon Cellars and made a four-barrel vintage. They became committed to putting the Lewis-Clark Valley on the map of world-class wine regions, which led Coco to pursue her Ph.D. at Washington State University in the enology and viticulture program. Her doctoral research focused on wine microbiology and allowed her to collaborate with industry professionals across the country and globe. Coco is a proud recipient of the WSUAA Alumni Achievement Award. Coco believes that a glass of wine is an art form created with intention when one truly understands the science from vineyard to bottle.
Coeur d’Alene Cellars
Featured Coug: Hailey Laws, Kimber Gates ‘98, Devin Simons ‘08
Last Featured: November 2021
After spending time in the Burgundy region of France and getting her MBA from WSU (Go Cougs!), Kimber began making wine in her hometown of Coeur d’Alene, ID. It did not take long for Kimber to discover that Coeur d’Alene was a great place to start a winery. A true family business, Kimber’s mother, Sarah Gates, is the artist behind the watercolor paintings that grace the labels of each wine. Coeur d’Alene Cellars currently employs two other Cougs. Devin Simons recently joined the team as the winery manager, and Hailey Laws works in the tasting room as a wine specialist.
Col Solare
Featured Coug: Will Wiles ‘09
Last Featured: November 2006
Col Solare, which is Italian for “shining hill,” is produced by a partnership between Chateau Ste. Michelle and Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinor Winery. Piero Antinori, a 26th generation Italian winemaker for the Marchesi Antinor Winery, made his first trip to Washington in 1992. His respect for the quality and diversity of the state’s wines led him to Chateau Ste. Michelle. Ted and Piero dreamed of a partnership which would achieve something never done before in state of Washington. Their dream became reality with the release of the 1995 Col Solare Red Wine.
Colter’s Creek
Featured Coug: Melissa Sanborn ‘13
Last Featured: February 2022
Thanks to wine-tasting road trips with her family, Melissa Sanborn knew that she wanted to be involved in the wine industry from an early age. That lead to graduate work at WSU studying sensory science and wine chemistry.
The original vines for Colter’s Creek vineyard were planted in the 1980s, making it one of the oldest commercial vineyards in Idaho. But the vineyard was abandoned until 2007 when Melissa Sanborn and Mike Pearson purchased and revived it. They have since expanded the vineyard to over 30 acres of vines in the Lewis-Clark Valley AVA, which they helped establish in 2016. The estate vineyard produces over 17 varietals of grapes, which allows the blend-driven wine program at Colter’s Creek to create a diverse library. Both hailing from the Northwest, Melissa and Mike chose to establish their estate winery in Juliaetta, Idaho, for both the rich wine-grape growing history of the region, as well as the incredible outdoor opportunities the area offers.
Columbia Crest
Featured Cougs: Kevin Corliss ‘86, Laura Sorge
Last Featured: September 2015
Founded in 1983, Columbia Crest has grown from a small winery in a relatively unknown wine region to one of the most significant wineries in the U.S., and a major force behind Washington’s emergence as a world-class wine region. In 2009, Wine Spectator magazine named the Columbia Crest 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon the No. 1 Wine in the World on its Top 100 list, the first time a wine from Washington state had received the ranking.
Couvillion Winery
Featured Coug: Craig Noble ‘74
Last Featured: February 2010
The name “Couvillion” (Koo-vee-yon) is French-Canadian and the family name of Dr. Connie O’Neil, a dear friend of the Nobles’ family. Couvillion is rooted in the finest French winemaking tradition.
Coyote Canyon Winery
Featured Coug: Michael Andrews ‘73
Last Featured: May 2011
Coyote Canyon Winery is a reflection of the Andrews family’s lifelong tradition of cultivating the land. Located in the heart of the Horse Heaven Hills, the unique terroir and climate have nurtured Coyote Canyon Vineyard’s award-winning premium grapes since 1994. Their love for the land and desire for perfection in attending to the smallest vineyard detail are reflected in every glass of Coyote Canyon’s premier wines.
Craftsman Cellars
Featured Coug: Greg Shelman ‘75
Last Featured: November 2016
Years after earning a pharmacy degree from WSU, Greg Shelman found himself growing increasingly intrigued by winemaking. In 2003, he returned to WSU and became the first graduate of WSU’s Viticulture and Enology certificate program. Winemaking allowed Greg to leverage his strong science background and utilize his craftsman-like attention to detail developed through his hobby of making fine furniture. He interned at Hogue Winery in Prosser focusing on viticulture, then at Arbor Crest Wine Cellars concentrating on enology where he worked as assistant winemaker for several years. In 2013, he started Craftsman Cellars. Greg’s ambition is to produce hand-crafted wine in the old-world style.
Ded.reckoning
Featured Coug: Doug Charles ‘83
Last Featured: May 2017
Ded.reckoning, an offshoot of Compass Wines, was founded in 2004 by Doug Charles and Will Parks. Doug graduated in 1983 with a Hotel and Restaurant Administration degree, and remains a WSU guest lecturer and member of the Steering Committee for the Department of Wine Business Management. Ded.reckoning focuses on unique, high-quality wines from the top Washington state winemakers to craft custom wines with each vintage.
DeLille Cellars
Featured Coug: Quinn Schreyer, Keri Tawney ‘98
Last Featured: September 2022
DeLille Cellars is a top American producer of Bordeaux-style blends, showcasing a tradition of quality and excellence over its 30-year history. Founded on the concept of crafting world-class wine from Washington state, DeLille was the first winery in the state to focus distinctly on both red and white Bordeaux-style blends. Seeking to create the best blends through combinations of different grape varietals and vineyard sites, the founders of DeLille Cellars believed that all good blends transcend the sum of their individual parts. This founding principle and company philosophy of “always seeking” guides the winery’s commitment to constant improvement, continuous discovery in the cellar, and the creation of exceptional wines and experiences.
Dineen Vineyards
Featured Cougs: Marissa Dineen
Last Featured: November 2023
Dineen Vineyards was founded in 2001 and grows 12 varietals in the hills of the Yakima Valley AVA, just north of Zillah, WA. The site is well-suited to both reds and whites from Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley, where the vines tend to produce rich and deeply colored wines with soft and elegant tannins. Dineen Vineyards understands that the quality of wines begins with the land in the vineyard, and its Certified Sustainable status demonstrates that the vineyard meets strict standards based on science, expert input, and independent verification. Marissa Dineen, the second-generation owner and vintner, is a graduate of both the Viticulture and Enology Certificate Programs at WSU.
Doubleback Winery
Featured Cougs: Drew Bledsoe ‘92, Maura Bledsoe, Chris Figgins ‘96
Last Featured: February 2018
Former Coug and NFL Quarterback Drew Bledsoe returned to his hometown of Walla Walla in 2007 to plant his original estate vineyard, McQueen. The following year, Drew launched Doubleback, with the sole purpose to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon that is balanced and elegant. The vision for Doubleback remains to be a premium wine experience completely focused on quality from the winery’s four estate vineyards and made by winemaker Josh McDaniels. Drew and his wife Maura are committed to using only the most sustainable, superlative viticulture and winemaking practices to ensure that Doubleback will be one of the best bottles of wine you will drink.
Dumas Station Winery
Featured Cougs: Jay DeWitt ‘80, Peter Thorson ‘00
Last Featured: September 2021
Established in 2003, Dumas Station is a family-owned estate winery dedicated to vineyard-driven winemaking. They employ attentive farming techniques to grow the grapes to perfect ripeness and source their hand-nurtured grapes entirely from the Walla Walla AVA. Dumas Station wines are crafted using traditional, small-lot winemaking practices that have stood the test of time. The resulting wines are complex, balanced, and approachable. Each sip provides a glimpse of their work in the vineyard.
EFESTE Winery
Featured Cougs: Kevin & Angela Taylor ‘93
Last Featured: November 2021
EFESTĒ came from a family tradition of winemaking. According to owners Angela and Kevin Taylor, Angela’s grandfather sold jug wine out of his basement in Chicago during prohibition. Daniel, Angela’s father, carried on the yearly tradition of making wine with his grandfather’s wine press. In 2001, Kevin and Daniel started a new tradition of bottling and labeling their wine, imagining they would just make a couple of barrels. However, a couple of barrels quickly rocketed into EFESTĒ. The winery plants exceptional vines known for producing fruit with great intensity, including three vineyards established by Kevin and Angela to produce estate bottlings. The Taylors firmly believe that great wines should have personality. They are committed to employing minimalist techniques to create full, rich, complex wines.
Eight Bells Winery
Featured Cougs: Timothy Bates ‘09, Andy Shepherd ‘09, Frank Michiels ‘10
Last Featured: September 2020
After many years of garage winemaking, Tim, Andy, and Frank established Eight Bells in 2009. Denise and Neal Ratti joined the partnership in 2018. The boutique winery produces 2000 cases of small-lot, single-block wines working with fruit from Red Willow Vineyard and Boushey Vineyards. The wine is sold through club memberships and a few selected restaurants and wine shops.
Eleganté Cellars
Featured Coug: Douglas Simmons ‘70
Last Featured: November 2023
Eleganté Cellars is a small, boutique winery that produces ultra-premium, award-winning red wines that are rich and smooth. The fine wines are subtle, complicated, and quite sophisticated. Their hand-picked grapes come from the finest vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley. All of their seven wines are made in small quantities, 100% varietal, with about 25% new oak. An international wine writer once described Doug's winery style as "old-world, European in character."
Ellensburg Canyon Winery
Featured Coug: Gary Cox ‘80
Last Featured: October 2013
Ellensburg Canyon Vista Winery produces wine made exclusively from grapes produced from their Cox Canyon Vineyards, which has been producing high-quality, award-winning grapes for a number of Washington wineries. Wines from Ellensburg Canyon Vista Winery bear labels dedicated to their winery pup: "Ralf Rae," a German Spitz Mittel who was orphaned to the streets of Yakima. Rescued by a good friend who could not keep a dog, Ralf Rae became the vineyard dog who now loves wine grapes, romps through the vineyards, and keeps the varmints at bay.
En Garde Winery
Featured Coug: Brion Wise ’68
Last Featured: February 2009
En Garde Winery focuses on small production Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon from the mountains of Napa. Their wines are prized for having a lush mouthfeel, fragrant complexity, and being age-worthy.
Erath Winery
Featured Coug: Theodor Baseler ‘76
Last Featured: February 2023
9409 NE Worden Hill Rd
Dundee, OR 97715
503-538-3318
www.erath.com
Winemaker Leah Adint is a 2008 graduate of WSU. After college, she worked several vineyard and winery internships in California, including Hall Wines in Napa Valley in 2007, Belletto Vineyards and Dutton-Goldfield in Russian River in 2008, and Trinchero Family Estates in 2009. Leah joined Chateau Ste. Michelle as a traveling winemaker in 2015 and is now the head winemaker for Erath Winery–the first female winemaker to hold the position. Erath is an Oregon-based winery passionate about the production of Pinot Noirs. Oregon became a hub for these French varietals to flourish, bringing new winemakers to the region as Erath continued to set the stage for what is now home to a mature and burgeoning wine destination.
Fidelitas Winery
Featured Coug: Loren Hoppes ‘87
Last Featured: October 2011
"Fidelitas", Latin for faithful, loyal, and true, is a family-owned winery with Loren and, his winemaker brother, Charlie Hoppes. As Loren explains, Fidelitas is faithful to Cabernet Sauvignon, loyal to classic Bordeaux winemaking techniques, and true to Washington state’s unique terroir.
Fielding Hills Winery
Featured Coug: The Wade Family
Last Featured: September 2023
Fielding Hills Winery is a Coug family-owned, multi-generational business with a shared passion, which enables them to care for and oversee each step in the winemaking process. Mike and his wife, Karen, along with their children, family, and friends, made and sold wine out of an orchard warehouse in East Wenatchee. Mike was named Washington State’s Rising Star Winemaker by Wine Spectator with his first vintage, and the demand for Fielding Hills surpassed production ability after that. In 2014, Fielding Hills Winery expanded, building a tasting room and production facility along the shores of Lake Chelan.
FIGGINS
Featured Coug: Chris Figgins ‘96
Last Featured: February 2024
Nestled in the Blue Mountain foothills overlooking the Walla Walla Valley lies the distinctive 32-acre Figgins Estate Vineyard. Inspired by the success of the Figgins family's Leonetti Cellar varietal wines, Chris Figgins, CEO and Winemaking Director for Figgins Family Wine Estates, planted the site in 2004 with the singular goal of cultivating a single vineyard, Bordeaux-style wine of world-class quality to complement those he crafts at the iconic Leonetti Cellar. Hoping to blur the lines between vineyard, winery, and brand, the winery focuses on establishing a masterpiece of varietal selection, trellising, and intensive viticulture. A self-proclaimed "farmer first, winemaker second," Chris graduated from WSU in 1996 with a BS in Horticulture.
Finn Hill Winery
Featured Coug: Rob Entrekin ‘08
Last Featured: April 2023
It all started with a question..."what makes a wine great?" Chasing the answer to that question transformed biomedical engineer Rob Entrekin from a wine drinker into a winemaker. In 2007, Rob enrolled in the Washington State University enology certificate program. Inspired by his fellow classmates, many of whom were already professional winemakers, Finn Hill Winery was licensed and bonded in Rob's two-car garage on Finn Hill in September 2008. Space constraints dictated a move to the warehouse district in Woodinville, where annual production today is less than 1,000 cases—still at the "micro-winery" level. Working at this small scale allows Rob to pay tremendous attention to every detail of the wine-making process, from using the best grapes to finding the finest French oak barrels available. Rob's goal is to handcraft small lots of premium Washington wine that taste fantastic.
Five Star Cellars
Featured Coug: Cameron Rushton ‘10, Lynda Gable, Matt Huse
Last Featured: September 2023
Five Star Cellars is a small family-owned winery. The founder, Dave Huse, transitioned from a life in the farm machinery business to working in the blossoming wine industry in Walla Walla. He and his son, Matt Huse, the head of winemaking, started a small winery that now, 23 years later, is still producing high-end Walla Walla Red wines. Matt’s wife, Traci Huse, is the winery's CFO and wine club manager and has been involved from day one. Cameron Rushton joined the winemaking team in 2010 and is a graduate of WSU’s Viticulture and Enology program. Lynda Gable is another owner and the general manager of the Woodinville tasting room and also attended WSU.
Florence Cellars
Featured Cougs: Lisa Anderson and Hal Iverson (not pictured)
Last Featured: April 2022
The wines of Florence Cellars are characterized by a rich palate texture, ripe fruit intensity, and balance. Started by Travis and Lisa Anderson in the budding winery district of Maltby, just North of Woodinville. Jesse Schmidt and Hal Iverson, winemaking team, have made multiple 100-point wines. Hal’s favorite Cougar memory was attending the 2008 Apple Cup. The Cougs (1-10) beat the Huskies (0-10) in double overtime on a Nico Grasu field goal. Hal said, “never did 2-10 feel so good.”
Forgeron Cellars
Featured Coug: James Reep ‘68
Last Featured: October 2007
Founded in 2001, Forgeron Cellars contracts with twelve top vineyards to craft wines that achieve the unique flavors that wine aficionados have come to enjoy from Washington state. Jim Reep ’68, a long-time Walla Walla resident and owner, started Forgeron with a few close friends on the former site of a blacksmith shop, which helped determine the name for the winery as Forgeron is French for “blacksmith”.
Fortuity
Featured Cougs: Lee Fergestrom '96
Last Featured: April 2020
Located in the Yakima Valley and established in 2017, Lee and Emily Fergestrom work closely with wine grape growers – all family owned – to select fruit that showcases the best of the Yakima Valley. Quality is the top priority, and the results are bright, fruit-driven wines – perfect for pairing with food!
Fratelli Perata
Featured Cougs: Gino & Carol Perata ’73
Last Featured: November 2020
For Fratelli Perata, the story begins with a dream to make wine in the style of their Italian roots in the hills above Genoa; wine made to be drunk with reverence and to be shared with family and friends. That search eventually led to Paso Robles, where the Perata brothers, Joe and Gino, found the perfect site with warm days to bring the ripeness and richness, but cool enough evenings to keep the wine balanced. Historically home to Zinfandel, it was the Cabernet Sauvignon of Paso Robles that caught the brother’s attention. For forty years now, the Perata family has called that vineyard home and it remains a family operation. Gino Perata, the family patriarch, still oversees all aspects of the vineyard and winemaking, joined now by his daughter, Cathy. Gino’s wife, Carol, regales customers in the tasting room while their daughter, Joanne, manages the wine club. Paso Robles may be half a world away from those rolling hills of Genoa, but stepping in to Fratelli Perata is like a trip to the Italian countryside, with the fantastic wines to match!
Frichette Winery
Featured Coug: Greg Frichette ‘98
Last Featured: February 2023
Frichette Winery is all about being in the moment. Their vision is simple: to be a destination winery known for stellar hospitality, breathtaking views, and premium wines. The owners, Coug alum Greg Frichette and his wife Shae, want guests to be “wowed” in every aspect, from the team’s spectacular wine knowledge to every sip of their flavorful, smooth red wines. The couple strives to be positive contributors to the Benton City community, as well as good land stewards as they continue to grow wine grapes.
Gamache Vintners
Featured Cougs: Jessica Gamache ‘03, Mitch Venohr ‘06
Last Featured: September 2015
Brothers Bob and Roger Gamache have been growing wine grapes since 1982 in the Columbia Valley, located near the White Bluffs. With adding Jessica Gamache as their general manager, Gamache Vintners officially became a second-generation business. Gamache Vintners started with its first wine release in 2002 using the philosophy that the art of winemaking starts in the vineyard and is finished in the cellar. Over 30 years of viticulture experience has gone into elevating the quality of fruit used by Gamache Vintners.
Gard Vintners
Featured Coug: John Lawrence ‘68
Last Featured: October 2010
Gård Vintners is dedicated to crafting world-class wines from its sustainably farmed estate vineyard on the Royal Slope of Washington's Columbia Valley AVA. They produce 6,000 cases a year for their wine club, three tasting rooms, and select distribution. Founded in 2006, Gård Vintners is a family-owned and operated estate winery founded by Josh and Lisa Lawrence, along with Josh's dad John Lawrence and uncle Sandy Lawrence, who had farmed the Royal Slope for more than 40 years.
Goose Ridge Estate
Featured Cougs: William Monson ‘87, Darci Monson ‘90, Molly & Robert Stutesman ‘89, Taylor Monson Jackson ‘16, Ty Jackson, MaKenzie Monson ‘21, and Blake Monson ‘19
Last Featured: September 2021
With more than 2,000 acres producing world-class wine, Goose Ridge owns and operates the most extensive contiguous estate vineyard in Washington State. All Goose Ridge wines are made with 100% estate fruit, ensuring the finest quality across all of their varietals. In addition to the 40,000 cases produced annually under its own brands, Goose Ridge helps produce and vinify wines for several other well-known Northwest wineries. Since its launch in 1998, the winery has remained true to the vision established by M.L. Monson and his son, Arvid. The company is led and managed by Arvid's three children: Valerie and Cougs Bill and Molly.
Gordon Estate
Featured Cougs: Jeff Gordon ‘71, Vicki Gordon, Katie & Marc Nelson ‘98
Last Featured: February 2019
WSU roots run deep for Gordon Estate. Jeff and Vicki Gordon have received just about every award WSU bestows. In 1980, featured Cougs Jeff and Vicki, along with brother Bill Gordon, planted their vineyard on a sagebrush-covered slope in the Columbia Valley, making their winery the oldest estate-grown brand in Washington state. Five years later, the Gordons released their first wine, a Chardonnay, and since then the winery continues to grow in production and acclaim. And, this family of Cougs continues to grow as well! More recently, Jeff and Vicki’s daughter Katie and her husband, Marc, joined the business and are committed to maintaining the unique quality and value the estate vineyard offers. Katie and Marc’s son, Isaac, is a current WSU student and hopes to carry on the family’s tradition.
Hamilton Cellars
Featured Coug: Stacie Hamilton ‘81
Last Featured: May 2018
Located on beautiful Red Mountain, Hamilton Cellars is owned by third generation Coug Stacie Hamilton and her husband, Russ. Hamilton Cellars is committed to producing very small lots of exceptional wines that are elegant, complex, and very drinkable. The winery believes in the value of aging red wine properly and, with few exceptions, will not release one that has aged less than two years in barrel and three years in bottle.
Hard Row to Hoe Vineyard
Featured Coug: Don Phelps ‘80
Last Featured: February 2021
Don Phelps is one of the pioneers in developing the Glacial Gravels and Gray’s organic estate vineyards on the North Shore. His passion for land stewardship resulted in the first certified LIVE and Salmon-Safe vineyard in North Central Washington. Don works magic and oversees 13 acres of 10 varietals. He believes estate-grown grapes allow Hard Row to Hoe to highlight the Lake Chelan terroir and create wines of exceptional quality. Don works the vineyard using sustainable viticulture and is committed to the long-term viability of the winemaking industry in Lake Chelan Valley.
Hedges Family Estate
Featured Cougs: Sarah Hedges-Goedhart
Last Featured: September 2020
In 1986, Washington native Tom Hedges was marketing American wines in Taiwan. From that humble beginning, Hedges Cellars, then a "virtual" winery, found its first customer: the government of Sweden. Tom and his wife, Anne-Marie, marketed their Cabernet/Merlot blend to foreign buyers exclusively for two years before opening up North American distribution. They took a chance buying acreage on an obscure little hill called Red Mountain. They are generous supporters of the Wine Science Center and have also donated grapes for use in the WSU Blended Learning wines. Their daughter, Sarah Hedges-Goedhart, is the head winemaker, and their son Christophe Hedges is the General Manager.
Hestia Cellars
Featured Coug: Shannon Testa ‘98
Last Featured: December 2011
Hestia Cellars is dedicated to producing extraordinary wines of individual character, richness, balance, and longevity. Their wines are handcrafted on a small private estate nestled atop the Snoqualmie River Valley. Hestia Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery that believes that great wine isn’t explained, it’s uncorked.
Hogue Cellars
Featured Coug: Jim Mills ‘01
Last Featured: May 2007
All Hogue wines have a liveliness and ripe, zesty fruit flavors that make them ideal complements to a wide range of food. At Hogue, “reserve” is more than just a word on a bottle; it's the designation they give to the wines that the viticulturists and winemakers, including Jim Mills ’01, pay the most attention to from the vineyard and to the cellar.
Horan Estates Winery
Featured Cougs: Douglas McDougall ‘69, Kelly Riedinger ‘82
Last Featured: May 2008
Doug and Diana McDougall made their first vintage of wine to share with friends and family in 2000. It was such a hit with family members that they decided to ask close friends Ross and Kelly Riedinger to join them in beginning production on a commercial scale, and soon Horan Estates Winery was born. The winery sits alongside a small vineyard on the south slope of Frenchman Hills, just north of Royal City.
JM Cellars
Featured Coug: Amy Garofano ‘97, Courtney Massey ‘07, and Dru Seed ‘18
Last Featured: December 2011
Woodinville - 14404 137th Pl NE Woodinville, WA 98072
Maltby - 9206 200th St. SE Ste C-5 Snohomish, WA 98296
360-799-6815
www.jmcellars.com
JM Cellars is a family-owned winery focused on producing handcrafted, limited-release wines since 1998 when it was founded in the Seattle home of John & Peggy Bigelow. John and JM's winemaking team work with a diverse collection of Washington’s premium vineyards to craft superior quality wines styled for balance, power, dimension and finesse. Small production lots allow the winery the pleasure of producing a broad selection of distinguished wines that showcase the region in which they were grown. Honored to have staffed more than a handful of Cougs over the past 20+ years, the winery is currently "home" to alums, Amy Garofano (Enologist and Wine Educator), Courtney Massey (Director of Wine Sales & Marketing) & Dru Seed (Brewmaster for JM's brewery project,
Hops & Seed Brewing Co. amongst also assisting with wine production during harvest).
Jones of Washington
Featured Coug: Gregory Jones ‘01
Last Featured: February 2011
Jones of Washington is committed to creating wines of distinction from the rolling acres of family vineyards in its region. The winery is family-owned and operated, committed to crafting small-batch artisan wines with love and attention from people who are closely tied to the land.
Kestrel Vintners
Featured Coug: Flint Nelson ‘91
Last Featured: September 2015
Every grape that is hand-picked from Kestrel’s estate vineyard is intended to go into its Reserve and Winemaker's Select Series with little waste. This system allows for the crafting of wines in a multi-tiered system to bring great wines to your table, every day. Flint Nelson says, "We make wine for birthdays, anniversaries, and Mondays." Kestrel uses old-world methodology and new-world technique to create their delicious wines.
Kiona Vineyards & Winery
Featured Cougs: Tyler Williams, Mellissa Whitaker, and Jesse Mejia
Last Featured: April 2021
Kiona Vineyards and Winery pioneered the Red Mountain AVA in 1975 when they planted the first ten acres of their Kiona Estate vineyard. Today, the Williams family farms over 270 acres of high-end Red Mountain wine grapes for their own winery and more than 60 of the top winemakers in the Pacific Northwest. Given the Williams family’s strong connection with WSU (both Scott and Tyler Williams are graduates), it makes sense that they would hire other WSU alumni to help produce these incredible wines. Tyler Williams is one of Kiona’s winemakers, Jesse Mejia works as their accountant, and Mellissa Whitaker is busy running their enology, cellar, and operations. With no investors, no banks, no outside ownership, and several WSU graduates currently working for the winery, this three-generation family operation is both a Red Mountain and a WSU institution.
Kitzke Cellars
Featured Cougs: Paul Kitzke ‘77, Janaina Kitzke
Last Featured: February 2024
Agriculture has been a passion of the Kitzke family for three generations. Their love of farming led them to plant a small vineyard of Bordeaux varietals on Candy Mountain in 2000. They made their first vintage in 2005, and their love for viticulture continued to grow. Passionate about the land and unique terroir on Candy Ridge, their goal is to showcase Candy Mountain for what it truly is: unique, balanced, and structured. The family remains committed to the land and sustainable farming, going herbicide-free in 2016. They believe that expressing their land's soil differences through minimal intervention winemaking techniques delivers a transparent, distinctive wine from Washington State.
Kontos Cellars
Featured Coug: Rebecca Tompkins ‘05
Last Featured: May 2010
Kontos Cellars is family-owned by Rebecca and Cameron Kontos. They specialize in ultra-premium wines from the heart of the Walla Walla Valley. Small-lot production enables them to work closely with local vineyards, hand-selecting the grapes that go into Kontos Cellars’ beautiful wines.
Kramer Vineyards
Featured Cougs: Keith Kramer ’70, Trudy Kramer ’71
Last Featured: February 2024
Kramer Vineyards is a family-owned winery that has flourished for nearly four decades. Established in 1984 by WSU alums Keith and Trudy Kramer, the winery is a testament to their enduring commitment to sustainable viticulture. Their devotion to sustainable farming ensures that their vines are cultivated with the utmost care and that the quality of their wines truly reflects the terrain's unique character. Their grapes are hand-picked and carefully sorted to ensure that only the finest fruit is selected for fermentation. The winemaking team, led by second-generation winemaker Kim Kramer, utilizes traditional techniques and modern technology to produce elegant, balanced, and expressive wines.
L’Ecole No.41
Featured Cougs: Jean Ferguson ‘46, Rebecca Clubb ‘13
Last Featured: March 2016
Rebecca Clubb is the granddaughter of Jean Ferguson, credited with being “the first woman of Washington wine.” L’Ecole N° 41 is a family-owned artisan winery located in the historic Frenchtown School in Lowden. Founded in 1983, it is the third oldest winery in the Walla Walla Valley and focuses on terroir-driven, distinctive, and expressive wines created through sustainable farming. Rebecca represents the third generation in the family enterprise.
Lagrioth Winery at Chelan Valley Farms
Featured Coug: Jeana and Chad Steiner
Last Featured: September 2023
Lagrioth Winery is located in the heart of Chelan Valley Farms on a 20-acre working farm in beautiful Manson, Washington. These Cougs are focused on producing wines grown in the Lake Chelan AVA, as well as other distinctive vineyard sites in Washington State. On their estate, they grow three clones of Pinot Noir – 777,115 and Pommard – Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.
Laterus Winery
Featured Coug: Tyler Farnsworth ‘09
Last Featured: April 2024
A Washington native, Tyler began his winemaking career like most of us do: from the very bottom. Having spent years in the restaurant industry serving tables and tending bar, his interest in wine began to take off. In 2005, he drove to Pullman to see what WSU had to offer and ended up earning his bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Enology four years later. After interning for the University at their Prosser Research Station, spending his days planting vines, grafting buds, and collecting data for research studies, he returned home to Western Washington. In 2009, he interned at DiStefano Winery in Woodinville, working with winemakers Hillary Sjolund and Victor de la Luz. Upon finishing his internship, he was hired by winemaker John Bigelow at JM Cellars as the cellar master. A few years later, he was promoted to assistant winemaker, a position he held for 12 years.
Laurelhurst Cellars
Featured Coug: Gregory Smallwood ‘90
Last Featured: December 2011
Laurelhurst Cellars was established in 2004 by Greg Smallwood, Gabe Warner, and Dave Halbgewachs in the basement and garage of Gabe’s home. From the start, their vision was to create wines that would stand alone, showcasing their personality as a result of unique soil, climate, and vineyard management techniques. Laurelhurst Cellars produces premium, hand-crafted wines with a commitment to quality.
Leonetti Cellar
Featured Cougs: Chris Figgins ‘96, Amy Figgins ‘92
Last Featured: November 2014
Since its founding in 1977, Walla Walla Valley’s oldest winery has been producing world-class red wines under the careful eye of the Figgins family. Leonetti wines are some of the most sought-after wines in the world and have received international acclaim and top rankings by wine media around the globe. The goal of Leonetti is to make small-batch, ultra-high-quality, hand-crafted wines. Leonetti only sells their wines through their mailing list and to a few select national distributors.
Locus Wines
Featured Coug: Rich Burton
Last Featured: April 2021
Rich Burton is the winemaker and one of two proprietors of Locus Wines. Rich’s passion for winemaking led him to make wine long before earning his enology certificate from WSU. So, of course, after obtaining his certification, he couldn’t rest until he had created an exceptional winery, Locus Wines.
Latin for “location,” Locus sources fruit from cooler-climate vineyards in the Yakima Valley and Naches Heights AVAs of Washington State to produce unique, handcrafted wines that showcase where they were sourced. Locus’s Old World-like approach to their favorite varietals – Syrah, Cinsault, Sémillon, and Sauvignon Blanc – produces wines with higher acidity and less oak that are approachable and destined for food pairing.
Longship Cellars
Featured Coug: Kyle Welch ‘11
Last Featured: November 2022
Longship Cellars is a family- and veteran-owned winery from the Tri-Cities in the heart of Washington wine country. The name “Longship” is a nod to their family’s Scandinavian heritage, while their symbol, the Viking Longship, boldly embodies their journey to produce some of the finest wines in the Pacific Northwest. Their tasting room opened at the end of 2016 not just to feature their wine, but to create a space for community—a place for friends and family to enjoy life together with a glass (or bottle) of handcrafted Washington wine.
Madsen Family Cellars
Featured Cougs: Dana Madsen ‘70, Bjorn Madsen ‘01, Leif Madsen
Last Featured: May 2011
Madsen Cellars is a family-owned winery sourcing its fruit primarily from Horse Heaven Hills and other Washington AVAs. Wines are all made individually and blended artfully for taste and complexity after aging.
Marcus Sophia Winery
Featured Coug: Leala Cramer ‘08
Last Featured: February 2012
Marcus Sophia Winery is a small boutique winery nestled into a hill overlooking the beautiful Orting valley with views of Washington’s grand Mt. Rainier. They specialize in producing small lots of high-quality handcrafted wines, including several Bordeaux varietals in a selection of premium blends.
Market Vineyards
Featured Coug: Kelly Precechtel Bright ‘81
Last Featured: December 2014
Market Vineyards is a dream brought to life by five partners who all shared a love of wine and an attention to detail and quality that comes second nature. Market Vineyards’ philosophy is reflected in their choice to have one of Washington state’s industry leaders, Charlie Hoppes, as their winemaker. They take pride in having access to hand-picked fruit sourced from premier Washington vineyards located in the Columbia Valley and Red Mountain growing regions.
Martin-Scott Winery
Featured Coug: Michael Scott ‘65
Last Featured: February 2011
Mike has a passion for the ag industry and has established himself as a leader in this field. Deeply rooted in the Wenatchee Valley, Mike's vision for his winery is different than most. He hopes to keep the winery small to ensure quality and keep the focus on having fun. He truly enjoys sharing his wines with friends and allowing the “fruits of his labor” to be part of celebrations.
Maryhill Winery
Featured Coug: Craig Leuthold ‘82
Last Featured: September 2022
Maryhill showcases regionally inspired food along with approachable, award-winning wines in Goldendale, Spokane, Vancouver, and Woodinville, Washington. Family-owned since 1999, Maryhill is proud to showcase the rich and diverse flavors of Washington state wine with passion, patience, and balance. Visit one of Maryhill’s tasting rooms and experience award-winning wines along with stunning locations and full Bistro menus to enhance your wine tasting experience. Maryhill earned 2022 “MVP” Most Valuable Producer, three-time winery of the year, and three-time winemaker of the year honors.
McKinley Springs Winery
Featured Coug: Douglas Rowell ‘83
Last Featured: May 2010
McKinley Springs Winery was established in 2002 with a goal of producing balanced, flavorful wines offering excellent value. McKinley Springs grows over 20 varietals on its 2000-acre estate vineyard in the southern part of Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills appellation. They also supply over 25 noted area wineries with grapes, including Northstar, Hogue, and Columbia Crest.
Mercer Wine Estates
Featured Cougs: Rob Mercer ‘91, Brenda Mercer ‘90, Will Mercer ‘92, Jeremy Santo '03
Last Featured: November 2022
The Mercer family farming tradition spans five generations. Since 1886, their family members have been actively managing the same Washington state property. Overseeing nearly twenty different vineyard sites in the Horse Heaven Hills and Columbia Valley, the Mercer family takes pride in the stewardship of these lands. In 1972, Don and Linda Mercer entered the wine industry as the first family to plant grapes in the area. Mercer Wine Estates was established in 2005. Rob and Will Mercer, both WSU grads, now run Mercer Estates Winery. Today, more than a dozen (and growing!) WSU graduates help collaborate and keep the family tradition alive.
Merry Cellars
Featured Coug: Patrick Merry ‘04, Peter Virtue ‘13, MacKenzie Fancher ‘18
Last Featured: April 2020
Patrick Merry founded Merry Cellars in 2004 in Pullman. Producing 5,000 cases annually and with a focus on varietal character and true expression of terroir, Merry Cellars works with only the finest vineyards in Washington state to ensure that their wines exhibit the highest quality that Washington wines have to offer.
Milbrandt Vineyards
Featured Cougs: Jeremy Santo '03, Lacey Lybeck ‘10
Last Featured: May 2015
Milbrandt Vineyards is a family-owned and operated winery. They planted their first vines on the Wahluke Slope in 1997, and now farms 12 distinct estate vineyard sites totaling more than 2,500 acres. In 2005, they embarked on their first vintage of wines and launched the Milbrandt Vineyards label in 2008.
Muret-Gaston
Featured Coug: Kyle Johnson ‘00, Amy Johnson ‘98
Last Featured: May 2018
When winery owners Kyle and Amy Johnson tied the knot, they didn’t know that some fifteen generations ago their two families, the Murets and Gastons, lived in adjacent villages in southern France. They named the winery after their mothers and each bottle bears the signatures of their grandfathers. These award-winning, barrel-select wines are not only the result of a fine winemaker and superior fruit, but also of the love and respect they have for their families, old and new.
Native Suns Winery
Featured Cougs: Kyle Johnson ‘00, Amy Lagler Johnson ‘98
Last Featured: December 2014
A restless pursuit to create compelling, age-worthy wines from Washington’s finest viticultural areas, coupled with Kyle and Amy Johnson’s agrarian heritage form the foundation upon which Native Sun is built. Kyle and Amy’s families have been farming in the Pacific Northwest for over a century. That heritage fostered a respect for the earth and a need to communicate a passion in winemaking through each vineyard. Picking at optimum ripeness, gentle handling in the cellar, spontaneous fermentation, and judicious use of new French oak results in a more complex, complete wine with a tannin structure suitable for aging but retaining consumability at a young age.
Northstar Winery
Featured Coug: David Merfeld ‘13
Last Featured: October 2013
Northstar was established in the early 1990s to guide the creation of world-class Merlot-based wines that demonstrate the potential of the varietal in Washington state. The region has since been recognized as one of the world’s most exciting and acclaimed regions for Merlot. David “Merf” Merfeld, head winemaker since 2005, uses the top two percent of Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley AVAs’ finest Merlot grapes to create wines of great distinction and acclaim.
Pepper Bridge Winery
Featured Coug: Shane McKibben ‘89
Last Featured: February 2018
Located in Walla Walla Valley, the vineyards of sister wineries Pepper Bridge Winery and Amavi Cellars are managed by Coug Shane McKibben. He nurtures the estate vineyards to produce some of the most sought-after grapes in the state. Pepper Bridge Winery and Amavi Cellars practice sustainable viticulture, remaining committed to the long-term viability of the winemaking industry in the Walla Walla Valley. Both craft ultra-premium, world-class but still approachable wines with an estate-vineyard focus. These vineyards, Les Collines, Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge, are recognized as three of the best in the AVA, the state, and beyond.
Piolet Vintners
Featured Coug: Andy Ferguson
Last Featured: April 2024
The concept of Piolet was derived on the slopes of Tahoma (Mount Ranier) in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. As the alpenglow broke over the eastern side of the state, new life took over the mind and body. Just as the sun gave energy to the climbers, so it did to the grape vines. The parallel was drawn. Piolet materialized in the Fall of 2015. Working many long nights required the same discipline as climbing. All to achieve the goal of reaching the summit and perfection. Piolet represents the expression of purity and exploration and seeking the highest quality fruit for wine moments that can put you on top of the world.
Pomeroy Cellars
Featured Cougs: Dan Brink ’04, Destiny Brink ’07
Last Featured: May 2018
Dan Brink is owner and winemaker at Pomeroy Cellars, a small 1000 case per annum operation. Dan grew up on the Pomeroy Farm in Yacolt, WA, and is a fifth generation descendant of the farm's founder, Edward Charles Pomeroy. Together, he and wife Destiny are helping carve out a niche in the budding southwest Washington wine region.
Purple Star Wines
Featured Cougs: Kyle Johnson ‘00, Amy Lagler Johnson ‘98
Last Featured: February 2014
With 10 years of viticulture and winemaking experience in Washington state, Kyle Johnson and Amy Lagler Johnson know a thing or two about making wine. They use grapes hand-picked at their optimal flavor profile and juice fermented at cooler temperatures for longer periods, resulting in wines exhibiting softer tannins and retaining more varietal character.
Ragaire Cellars
Featured Coug: Cameron Rushton ’10, Christine Rushton ’14, Leslie Rushton ’84, Casey Rushton ’84
Last Featured: November 2022
Ragaire Cellars, formerly Raptor Cellars, is a Cougowned boutique winery focusing exclusively on red wine. Winemaker Cameron Rushton is a 2010 graduate of Washington State University’s Viticulture & Enology program. He co-owns Ragaire with his Coug family, including Leslie Rushton, Casey Rushton, Christine Hanon, Tristan Hanon, and Catelyn Webber. Whether it’s harvesting, crushing, bottling, or tasting, it’s all hands on deck in the Ragaire family. Cameron also serves as an owner and part of the wine team for Five Star Cellars, Ragaire’s parent winery.
Recusant Cellars
Featured Coug: Jason Merriman '04
Last Featured: November 2019
Recusant Cellars, in the Columbia River Valley, grew from a farm that has been family owned for over 70 years, carved out of the sagebrush and lovingly tended. Jason and Brenda Merriman have expanded the vision for the farm from its original alfalfa beginnings. In addition to thriving apple and cherry orchards, the land now features a beautiful vineyard that receives a luscious 300 days of warm sunshine each year. The hot, dry weather concentrates the flavors in the grapes, and a controlled irrigation system provides perfect water levels to augment the ideal climate of the region. In this rich, seasoned soil, the Merrimans continue a family tradition of farming as a labor of love, cultivating the land to produce the lushest vines and most flavorful grapes, which they now present in their estate wines. The winery’s mission is to capture the stunning beauty of the Pacific Northwest and share it with the world in wine. Every bottle is hand-crafted, striving for the unforgettable, rich, smooth, and fruity flavors of wines at their best.
Reininger Winery
Featured Cougs: Kelly Tucker ‘87, Ann Tucker ‘86
Last Featured: September 2020
At Reininger Winery, it’s all about family. Kelly and Ann Tucker are partners in Reininger and manage the business and marketing side of the operation. Kelly’s sister, Tracy, is also a partner and married to the winemaker/founder, Chuck Reininger. The Tucker family has been farming in the Walla Walla Valley for seven generations. After spending years as a mountaineering guide on Mt. Rainier, Chuck Reininger developed a unique intuition about the environment that made him thirsty to find a new way to "bring the outside in." He decided a brewery wasn't the right avenue, and Chuck began experimenting with home winemaking and advancing his wine education. He officially caught the "wine bug" when he literally got his feet wet crushing grapes for long-time friends at renowned Waterbrook Winery. Sharing the bounty of nature and the excitement of crush solidified a desire to become a part of the winemaking world, in a place where Chuck recognized amazing potential.
Robert Ramsay Cellars
Featured Coug: Bob Harris ‘98
Last Featured: November 2018
Robert Ramsay Cellars is a boutique winery that creates small lots of unique wines with an emphasis on Rhone varietals. These blends show off incredible, regional fruit and add the minerality and earthiness reminiscent of wines from their French inspiration. The winery’s namesake is founded upon Bob Harris’ great uncle Mason Ramsay, who embodied community, hard work, and attention to detail.
Silver Lake Winery
Featured Coug: George Howard ‘57
Last Featured: December 2007
Silver Lake Winery released its first vintage in the fall of 1989, since then the winery has grown from 2,000 cases to more than 50,000 cases of hand crafted wine annually. Today, Silver Lake is owned by over 1,200 wine enthusiasts who have pooled their resources together to make Silver Lake one of the state’s largest locally owned wineries.
Skylark Winery
Featured Coug: John Lancaster ‘82
Last Featured: November 2020
John Lancaster has always had a passion for wine. He started his career in the restaurant industry, which led him to the culinary and wine destination of San Francisco. Lancaster quickly became the wine director at the wildly eclectic Cypress Club, where he was recognized for his award-winning wine list. He then spent 20 years as the wine director at the James Beard award-winning restaurant Boulevard, which received the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since every year since 1999. After travelling extensively through the world’s wine regions studying wine production, Lancaster started Skylark Wine Company with his business partner Robert Perkins in 2002. They continue to produce award-winning wines from selected Northern California vineyards at their facility in Sonoma. Lancaster is also proud to be a professional wine judge and a consultant for the hospitality industry.
Smasne Cellars
Featured Coug: Robert Smasne ‘99
Last Featured: February 2018
Built on the foundation of family, farming heritage, love for the area, and a passion for wine, Robet's mission for Smasne Cellars is to produce small lots of limited-release, world-class artisan wines from vineyards that are noted for yielding the highest quality wine grapes. Smasne Cellars is committed to making wines with dimension and varietal expression; wines that allow the characters and terroir of Washington’s best vineyards to shine.
Stemilt Creek Winery
Featured Cougs: Kyle Mathison ‘76, Susan & Robin Graham ‘07, Jan Mathison ‘79
Last Featured: May 2013
At the turn of the 20th century, the Mathison family planted their first fruit trees atop their Stemilt Hill homestead, igniting a century-long tradition that has thrived for five generations. Now, world-renowned tree-fruit growers, Kyle and Jan apply their wisdom and passion to their role as vintners. The heritage and zeal of the Mathison family combined with the distinctive climate of North Central Washington creates a wine experience that dances and lingers on the palate.
Succession Wines
Featured Coug: Devon Griffith '16
Last Featured: February 2023
The Lindsay Family began Succession Wines after their home burnt down in a wildfire, setting them out on a new endeavor driven by the desire for adventure. With their choices of stand-out AVAs in Washington State, they began their business in Manson, Washington, where they took advantage of the booming wine region and the beautiful views. Brock worked to master the winemaking process as they began selling their wines with the name Succession–a testament to their story and the journey they endured to get to where they are now.
Terra Blanca Winery & Estate Vineyard
Featured Cougs: Daryl Baker ’01, Jordan Neuhaus ’12, Mackenzie Dawson, and Katie Carstens ’23
Last Featured: February 2024
After purchasing virgin land in a desert consisting of sagebrush located on the southwest slopes of what has become recognized as one the world’s great growing regions, owners Keith and ReNae Pilgrim began the development of their Red Mountain vineyard and winery in early 1993. One of Terra Blanca’s biggest passions is to bring people together through the enjoyment of great wine and food alike. They are a family-owned and operated winery & estate vineyard comprised of hard-working members of the local community, many of whom are Cougs at heart. Owners Keith and ReNae Pilgrim are Coug parents whose youngest daughter is a WSU student studying to become a veterinarian. Many of the staff are WSU alums—you likely recognize Katie Carstens as the now-gradated Wine-By-Cougars intern.
Tetrahedron Wines
Featured Coug: Kelly Johnson '01
Last Featured: September 2021
Located on a property that has been family-owned for three generations, Tetrahedron Wines is nestled on a Lyle hillside overlooking the Columbia and Klickitat rivers. Owner and winemaker Kelly Johnson grew up in Lyle, Washington, and attended Washington State University (Go Cougs!). After earning a BS in Biology, she moved to California and embarked on her wine-industry career. Working in the Napa Valley for 13 years, Kelly developed skillsets in both winemaking and enology. These skills eventually allowed her to return home to the Columbia Gorge and build Tetrahedron Wines and Big River Laboratories on her family's historic property. Kelly is passionate about producing wines with natural fermentations, no chemicals, no fining, and no filtration. All Tetrahedron wines are hand-crank-pressed, hand-bottled, and hand-labeled. According to Kelly, Tetrahedron wants it to be just you, them, and their wines.
Thurston Wolfe Winery
Featured Cougs: Wade Wolfe, Rebecca Yeaman ‘77
Last Featured: December 2010
Dr. Wade Wolfe founded Thurston Wolfe Winery in 1987 to fulfill a dream of producing unique, finely crafted wines in small case lots. They have produced outstanding wines from a number of grape varietals not commonly used by other Washington wineries. Wade was honored as “Grower of the Year” at the 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Auction of Washington Wines.
Tipsy Canyon
Featured Cougs: Mark Garvin '81, Tami Garvin, Lexi Garvin '15
Last Featured: November 2019
Tipsy Canyon Winery is a family-owned boutique winery located in the Chelan Valley. The goal of owners Mark and Tami Garvin is not just to make delicious wine; they want to give visitors an experience they will never forget. So how did it all start? After 30 years in the fast-paced corporate world, Mark and Tami were looking for a change. Knowing that they would retire in the Chelan area, they decided to start making wine as a hobby with the help of friends, family, and local winemakers. Their first batch of wine, 12 cases in all, came from 400 pounds of grapes fermented and stored in their basement. It was a huge hit among their loved ones, who complimented the wine’s complexity. The Garvins enjoyed the process so much that they made more barrels each year, and thus as their operation expanded, so did their dreams. In 2013, they purchased their own eight acres of property and spent the following years making wine, building a tasting room, and planting vines of their own. What was once a hobby has turned into a full-time operation—far from the 400 pounds of grapes for their first batch, the Garvins crushed more than 37 tons of grapes in the 2019 season.
Tirriddis
Featured Cougs: Andrew Gerow '20, Gabriel Crowell '21, and Matthew Doutney '21
Last Featured: April 2024
Tirriddis is a Washington state sparkling-only winery founded in 2020 by Andrew Gerow, Gabriel Crowell, and Matthew Doutney, three graduates of Washington State University’s Viticulture & Enology program. The name comes from Tirage, Riddle, and Disgorge - the three steps to produce sparkling wines naturally. Focused solely on this traditional method, they proudly implement ground-breaking and unique “non-traditional” styles to emphasize Washington’s world-class growing environment. In addition to wine quality and sustainability within the community and our environment, the owners strive to help represent and push forward the future of Washington wine.
Townshend Cellar
Featured Cougs: Donald Townshend ‘87, Carrie McGuinn ‘02
Last Featured: October 2007
Townshend Cellar is dedicated to producing quality wines from premium grapes grown across the state of Washington. The Townshend wines derive their distinctive flavors from extensive oak aging in small French and American oak barrels and the selection of grapes from some of the finest vineyards in the Columbia Valley. Winemaker, owner, and alumnus Don Townshend founded the winery in 1998.
Tranche Cellars
Featured Coug: Richard Wylie ‘96
Last Featured: May 2015
In straight translation, tranche is a French term meaning "slice". At Tranche Cellars the several “slices” explore a growing range of estate-grown, Mediterranean and Rhône-inspired varietal wines and blends. These diverse varietals are a further expression of Tranche’s abiding curiosity about wine. From the vineyard to the bottle, every step is taken from sustainable viticulture, to hand-farming each block, to producing very low yields to create intensely-flavored fruit and to ensure the utmost quality.
Tsillan Cellars
Featured Coug: Shane Collins ‘05
Last Featured: February 2010
Tsillan Cellars is the crown jewel of the youthful, vibrant, and rapidly growing Lake Chelan wine region. The winery sits on a 135-acre estate on the gently sloping shores of Lake Chelan, and offers natural stone bridges, Tuscan stone columns, a 35-foot bell tower with a 650-pound cast bronze bell, three waterfalls, and gardens that overlook Lake Chelan and the Cascade Mountains. The attention to the finest viticulture techniques has already produced numerous award-winning wines and richly deserved attention from wine connoisseurs.
Walla Faces
Featured Coug: Rick Johnson ‘06
Last Featured: October 2013
Rick and Debbie Johnson married in 1999 and quickly began searching for a vineyard property where they could plant their dream: a union of wine, art, and hospitality that they could share with the world. With distinctive wines, beautiful inns, a premium vineyard, and original art, Walla Faces is the realization of that dream.
Walla Walla Vintners
Featured Coug: Marvin Ruzicka ‘86
Last Featured: December 2010
Walla Walla Vintners is a limited-production winery dedicated to making premium red wines. They specialize in sourcing exceptional fruit from sustainable vineyards across the Columbia Valley and especially the Walla Walla Valley.
Wautoma Springs
Featured Cougs: Jessica Munnell ’98 ’03
Last Featured: November 2021
Born and raised in Tri-Cities, WA, Jessica Munnell’s wine journey officially started in college. She studied viticulture at WSU. She earned her master’s degree under the tutelage of renowned viticulturist Dr. Robert Wample. After graduating, Jessica started working as a viticulturist for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, where she met second-generation grape grower Tom Merkle. The two hit it off, and in 2010 they made their first vintage of Wautoma Wines with grapes from Tom’s Wautoma Springs Vineyard (Cabernet) and the prestigious Stone Tree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope (Malbec). In 2016, the pair met Rachel Mercer, who joined their partnership and helped them start a small wine club. It was so successful that three years later, the trio was able to open a tasting room in Prosser, WA.
Wawawai Canyon Winery
Featured Cougs: David & Stacia Moffett
Last Featured: December 2008
Wawawai Canyon Winery is located just east of Pullman on state route 270 and is known for producing wines of exceptional balance. By dividing fruit into small lots and completing fermentation in the barrel, they capture unique notes and flavors that are carefully preserved until the final blend is made.
Wedge Mountain Winery
Featured Coug: Mary Ann McKee ‘71
Last Featured: February 2007
Located in the Cascade Mountain foothills just east of the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Wedge Mountain Winery has its own unique history and setting. Charles and Mary Ann McKee have been fruit orchardists in the area since 1976. In 1999 they made the decision to diversify by planting vines and opening a small winery. Wedge Mountain is dedicated to making small batches of premium hand-crafted wines.
Westport Winery
Featured Cougs: Blaine Roberts ‘85, Kim Roberts ‘81
Last Featured: February 2013
Blaine and Kim Roberts opened Westport Winery in 2008, adding a farm-to-fork restaurant, bakery, and wedding venue soon afterward. They express their passion by crafting great wines in a friendly atmosphere. Westport Winery was named Evening Magazine’s Best Winery 2010 and Best Tour 2012, and one of Western Washington’s top ten new restaurants in 2011.
William Church Winery
Featured Coug: Rod & Leslie Balsley ‘80
Last Featured: May 2014
Rod & Leslie Balsley founded William Church Winery with the idea of crafting high quality, artisan wines. Both WSU Cougars, they specialize in old-world winemaking practices and limited use of new oak to make wines that are approachable and true to their vineyards of origin. William Church wines have earned exceptional recognition from 90+ points in Wine Enthusiast & Wine Spectator to Double Gold at the Seattle Wine Awards and Double Platinum from Wine Press Northwest. Their wines have also been recognized in the Top 100 wines of the Northwest by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine.
Winescape
Featured Cougs: Phillip and Patricia Butterfield
Last Featured: April 2020
Owned by WSU faculty (and soon to be double retirees) Phillip and Patricia Butterfield, Winescape’s production facility and tasting room are located on a 14-acre homestead Southeast of Spokane. Winemaker Phil (aka Dr. Winescape) has a Ph.D. in biofilm engineering and previously designed water treatment plants for multi-national engineering firm CH2MHill. Phil’s background in water chemistry is frequently utilized at the winery through his analytic and laboratory work for Winescape’s vintages, keeping each wine clean, bright, and true to varietal. Patricia (aka the other Dr. Winescape) served as WSU’s Dean of Nursing from 2007 through 2015; since that time, she has taught students and conducted public health research as a WSU College of Medicine faculty.
Wit Cellars
Featured Coug: Flint Nelson ‘91
Last Featured: April 2023
Winemaker Flint Nelson began his career in winemaking after he graduated from WSU and moved to Prosser and has been making wine for over 30 years. Flint and his partners took a leap of faith seven years ago to begin WIT Cellars and the Mazzacano label. They have two locations in Prosser, with their production facility and tasting room, and also in the Woodinville Warehouse District. You’ll experience an elegance of style in both WIT Cellars and the Mazzacano label while the two brands mingle in tasting rooms, with each wine carrying a unique expression that defines them. Mazzacano is the culmination of lifetimes of love for wine. Their wine bridges generations, from an Italian immigrant creating wine in his basement during prohibition to passionate professionals in the modern wine industry. At Wit Cellars, they are committed to artfully crafting outstanding wines, which respect the elegance of each region, and the talents of each wine grower.
Woodward Canyon
Featured Coug: Rick Small ‘69
Last Featured: February 2020
Woodward Canyon Winery was established in 1981 by Rick Small and his wife, Darcey Fugman-Small. The winery was named for the canyon where Rick’s family farmed for four generations and where the Woodward Canyon Estate Vineyard is now located. Woodward Canyon was the second winery to be established in the Walla Walla Valley, and the Smalls were instrumental in the process of obtaining federal approval of the Walla Walla Valley Appellation in 1984. Rick and Darcey’s children, Jordan and Sager, share in the ownership of Woodward Canyon, making this truly a family-owned and -operated business.