Saintpaulia Vintners

With his lofty goal “to produce wine that is complex and worthy of cellar space,” Paul Shinoda, winemaker and proprietor of Saintpaulia Winery, sets the bar high for his wines and focuses on creating red wines that are distinctly different. One visit to this Woodinville WineTrail North business park location will convince you that Paul’s wines do stand out from most other wines. And to the point about being “worthy of cellar space,” you will note that he is pouring wine from bottles that bear the vintage 1995, 1999, and so on. This isn’t wine bathed in oak for 18 months and made ready for the masses. With the motto “I will pour no wine before its time,” Paul hits you with a knowing smile as you swirl, smell, and sample.

“Saintpaulia” is the botanical name for the African violet and it pays homage to Paul’s flower-growing past. A 1959 graduate from the University of California–Berkley, Paul received his bachelor of science degree in plant pathology and worked for many years with his father at San Lorenzo Nursery in Santa Barbara, California.

Paul’s botanical background becomes evident as you work your way through his vertical flight of cabernet sauvignons; he will spend most of the time talking about the growing of the grapes and the fact that stressed grapes are the true flavor enhancers. For growing his grapes, he works closely with Black Canyon Vineyard in the Red Mountain area, near Benton City. As he points out, “It doesn’t matter what the leaves look like; they could all be brown and crinkly. What matters are the grapes, because that is where the plant is focusing its remaining energy.”

In the tasting room, take a moment to look around and be sure to note the photographs on the wall. These pictures reveal the heart and soul of Saintpaulia Winery, the family and friends who are dedicated to it. Even the distinctive purple labels were created by a friend of his daughters! As Paul puts it, “We are a stealth winery because we fly below the wine world radar. We’re a family-owned winery that takes great pride in producing fine-quality, special wines.”

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  Saintpaulia Vintners was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Woodinville WineTrail North on page 126!