Our Story
Our Heritage
Winemaking is in our blood. My grandparents, Dugan and Irene, left Little Rock, Arkansas during the Great Depression and settled in Brea, California. It was there that they began making wine at home, a passion that quickly spread through our family. Though I never had the chance to taste my grandfather’s wines, their legacy lives on through family stories—especially from my mother, who often helped him blend and sample wine right in their garage.
A Spark Ignited
My personal journey with wine began during college at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In my free time, my friends and I would often escape to nearby wine regions like Santa Ynez Valley, Paso Robles, and Sonoma. It was during these early adventures—alongside the usual stops on State Street—that I began to appreciate wine more deeply.
A Love for Rhône Wines
The turning point came after college, when I moved to Lourmarin, France. I lived there for more than two years, racing bicycles and studying French in a charming village in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Weekly visits to the local Co-Op to fill empty bottles with their red, white, and rosé blends introduced me to Rhône-style wines—and to Philippe, the Co-Op manager who became a mentor and friend. His generosity and knowledge sparked a lifelong passion for Rhône varietals and blending techniques.
Turning Passion into Practice
In 2019, I enrolled in the Viticulture Certificate program at Washington State University. I was intrigued by topics like Grapevine Anatomy and Physiology and Principles of Soil and Nutrient Management. But the real fun was in the winemaking. For me winemaking is the perfect blend of art and science. My biology undergraduate degree from UCSB was very helpful to better understand the Wine Chemistry courses where we studied sugars, organic acids, alcohols, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, phenolics and their importance in wine making.
I completed the Viticulture Certificate in 2021, followed by the Enology Certificate in December 2023. In between, I earned my WSET Level II Award in Wines, passing with Merit in 2022.
Though accepted into the UC Davis program, I stayed with WSU for its strong focus on Washington wines—a better fit for my goal: opening a winery in the Lake Chelan AVA.
Rooted in Lake Chelan
Our connection to Lake Chelan began in 2007, during visits to see friends. The moment we first crested Navarre Coulee and looked down at the lake, we knew it was someplace special. In 2010, my wife and I bought a second home here, and that feeling of peace and awe still hits me every time we see the lake. Lake Chelan isn’t just beautiful—it’s home. And it’s the perfect place to share our Rhône-inspired wines with you.
In 2025, we purchased 18 + acres of land in the Lake Chelan AVA. Eventually our tasting room, production facility and estate grapes will come from the High Street property. In the meantime we will continue to source our grapes from quality vineyards throughout the state and within the Lake Chelan AVA.