Olympic Cellars has a 25-year heritage of winemaking that has been handed down from founder Gene Neuharth. The winery originated in 1979 as "Neuharth Winery," one of the first 15 wineries in WA State, and the first to locate on the Olympic Peninsula. It was initially located in an old dairy barn in Sequim, WA. But a highway bypass around Sequim and through the old winery required a move to our "new old dairy barn" in Port Angeles.
Although the winery changed its location and its name to Olympic Cellars after the death of it's founder, there are some traditions, formulas and techniques that have not changed.
- We still have our grapes hand-picked at the peak of ripeness, in the cool morning hours so sugars and acids are not compromised.
- We still get our grapes from two of eastern Washington's oldest and most prestigious vineyards, Sagemore Farms and Champoux Vineyards, contracts that Gene established 25 years ago. We've added Aldercreek Vineyard in 2003 because of their reputation, the quality of their grapes and to ensure we have a chain of supply to meet our growth.
- We still hand shovel the grapes (over 40 tons) on to the conveyer belt so we can hand sort and toss out inferior grape clusters, leaves and other assorted "stuff" that somehow jumps into our grape bins.
While laborious, time consuming and costly, each step is performed manually, to ensure the highest quality wine. The results speak for themselves.
Our wines highlight the fruit that reflects our state's terroir (the sum of all conditions that affect a vineyard - soil, slope, climate, elevation, etc.... and contribute to a wine's personality). Soft tannins make them easy to sip, and oak aging provides for a smooth, long finish. They are made to be savored with friends and family.
We have grown from around 1000 cases to 3200 cases in three short years. Currently, we produce 3 different labels, Our award-winning Working Girl series (Working Girl White; Go Girl Red; and Rose the Riveter) is designed to be distinct, yet affordable - for sharing with co-workers after a long day in pantyhose and pumps! We're working to have this series designated, "The Official Wine of Working Women."
Our premium La Dolce Vida line includes five varietal wines produced in small quantities - we make only 150 to 200 cases of each varietal each year. La Dolce Vida wines, as the name implies, are intended to be shared during those special occasions when we take time to reflect of the fruits of our labors and share the good life.
Dungeness, our heritage and artist series label, was first made in 1980. Our Dungeness White is a semi-sweet Riesling, and the Washington's oldest and most prestigious vineyards.
