Stephenson Cellars

Stephenson Cellars’ mission statement reads, "Pursuing the finest grapes, limited production, bottling poetry." Sounds simple enough, but the reality behind the statement is more blood, sweat and tears than romantic notions of owning a winery. To Dave Stephenson, it was cashing in everything, including his 401K, and selling his house, sailboat, and surfboard to start a winery east of town at the Walla Walla Regional Airport wine incubator complex.

Now, nearly 10 years later and producing just 1,200 cases annually, Dave can take pride in the numerous accolades he’s won with plenty of 90+ scores from wine critics. To wit, Dan Radil, wine critic for The Bellingham Herald, nicknamed Dave “Mr. Syrah” and referred to his 2003 syrah as “mind-boggling, with an incredible nose of violets and smoky undertones and lush flavors of blackberry.” Unfortunately for me, his reputation as one of Washington’s finest syrah winemakers resulted in the two words that every WineTrail enthusiast hates to catch sight of: “sold out.”

To realize his winery’s vision of “limited production,” Dave has a second career as a consulting winemaker, with Otis Kenyon Wine as a key customer. Given Otis Kenyon Wine’s success, there’s no doubt others will follow. As Dave notes on his website, “In two years, I can take anyone from zero to winery,” and this includes not just pressing grapes but the business side of the winery as well. To be successful, you need to have the talent to vinify the juice, market your product, and manage a mountain of bureaucratic paperwork — one aspect I suspect the wine courses at University of California–Davis leave out. For starry-eyed people smitten by the wine bug, hiring Dave Stephenson may be the best investment you can make besides choosing the right grape growers to work with (Dave can help you with that, too).

Fortunately, if you’re a Walla Walla wine tourist anxious to sample Dave’s wares, you can enjoy a glass of wine at his airy, art-filled tasting room on Spokane Street. Not just a pour, mind you. There are plenty of tables where you can sit and uncork a bottle of Stephenson Cellars’ finest. Even better, you can time your visit to coincide with live music performances, as my wife and I did on a Saturday night. As I sipped Dave’s smooth cabernet and listened to the music and surrounding laughter, I found myself wondering if he misses that old surfboard at all.

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  Order the book!

  Stephenson Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Walla Walla as part of the Walla Walla Downtown WineTrail on page 474!

• 

  Order the book!

  Stephenson Cellars was featured in WineTrails of Washington as part of the Walla Walla Downtown WineTrail on page 474!