Adamant Cellars

Warning: By the time you read this, Adamant Cellars may have moved, Why? Because of its success. You see, at the time of this writing, Adamant Cellars was in the fourth year of its six-year lease at the “incubator complex” at the Walla Walla Regional Airport and Industrial Park. The winery has fledged and will need to leave the proverbial nest and fly on its own. It has mastered the art of winemaking and — just as important — succeeded in the business factor of the equation. Such is the fate of all successful start-up wineries that get their start in this stylish incubator compound. The owners of Adamant will now need to find new space for the next chapter of their evolution.

The husband-and-wife team of Devin and Debra Stinger are those owners. Devin manages the winemaking duties, from working with select growers in the Walla Walla AVA through vinification and bottling. He even takes care of the unglamorous paperwork duties demanded by ever-watching federal and state regulators and tax collectors. Meanwhile, Debra performs “everything else,” which essentially means she’s kept busy full-time managing the tasting room, marketing their wines, crushing grapes and mopping floors. It’s hard work. Also noteworthy is the fact that Devin has a full-time job with Walla Walla–based Key Technology Inc. One wonders if, with two full-time jobs, this guy ever sleeps!

The couple began their winemaking adventure in 2000 in the basement of their Portland home, where they made their first wine. Using the name “Adamant” (a substance of impenetrable hardness, whose name shares the same etymology with the word “diamond”), the Stingers embarked on their winemaking business venture in late 2006, when they began leasing space in a bright red, state-of-the-art incubator building. They provided the winemaking equipment (tanks, pumps, and barrels) and long hours to create a style of wine in keeping with their own preferences—balanced, elegant, and approachable.

Look for Devin to continue to evolve his portfolio of wines. Now that he’s established excellent wines relying on Walla Walla’s “fruit salad” of varieties (cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, sémillon, and sauvignon blanc), look for him to venture into Spanish-style wines with the release of tempranillo and albariño wines. There’s even a tempranillo-based sparkling wine in the works, made using the traditional méthode Champenoise (Champagne method). Realizing they now have to fly on their own, the Stingers are aiming to soar.

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  Order the book!

  Adamant Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Walla Walla as part of the Walla Walla Airport WineTrail on page 478!

• 

  Order the book!

  Adamant Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Walla Walla Airport WineTrail on page 478!