Wine
Part 3: Shining a Spotlight on Independent Wine Producers
August 25, 2023
Welcome back to our spotlight on independent wineries. Frequently producing some of the most highly-rated wines in the country, independent wineries are often overlooked due to their limited distribution (read more in Part 2).
However, if you’re only shopping at your local retailer, you’re missing out on truly unique wines that you’ve likely yet to discover. Independent wineries employ some of the most dedicated—and well known—winemakers and wine educators around. They have incredible knowledge of their specific region, bringing a level of creativity and artisanship not typically found in mass-produced wines. Their autonomy allows them to push the bounds of what’s popular, crafting limited-production wines with authentically one-of-a-kind personalities (read more in Part 1).
Ready to explore? Join us on a stroll through a Pearl Jam-inspired Washington winery and Sonoma County’s first Regenerative Organic Certified winery.
We celebrate independent wineries because we believe their wines should be experienced by discerning wine lovers who already have great taste and want to explore acclaimed wineries off the well-trod path.
When you visit independent wineries, one thing you may notice is how distinct they are from each other. In the same afternoon and within the same wine region, you can taste wines in settings that are radically different from one another, each reflecting not only its soil and climate, but also the genius, vision, and personalities of the teams that have grown the grapes and built the winery over the years.
But as different as these independent wineries are from each other, they all have one thing in common: each one operates autonomously, crafting their wines without the constraints of efficiency obsessed larger businesses. The real question is, how does that impact you as a seeker of great wine?
With each independent winery able to remain true to its own vision and implement its own aesthetic decisions, the wines you get from independent wineries expose you to a much greater variety of wines than would otherwise be possible. That variety directly translates to more “explorability”, and—as we wine enthusiasts all know—“explorability” is one of the most fun and rewarding things about wine.
Take Sleight of Hand Cellars. Hailing from Walla Walla, WA, they stand out with their deep connection to music. Not only are their name, several wines, and vineyards inspired by music, co-owner and co-winemaker Trey Busch sees many similarities between wine and music. “You know, there’s tens of thousands of bands, and there’s tens of thousands of brands out there in the wine world.”
“Our love of great wines from around the world and our love of music inspired our vision and growth,” Busch explains. “The winery is named after a Pearl Jam album. There’s a lot of that. We have a few Pearl Jam name songs and a bunch of magic-themed stuff, obviously starting with the term ‘Sleight of Hand.’”
The winemakers aren't just Pearl Jam fans, either. Their music inspiration runs deep, naming their newest vineyard portfolio acquisition the Ziggy Stardust Block after the fabled David Bowie persona.
After all, what other winery offers an optional vinyl club available to their wine club members?
Many independent wineries are owned by folks with strong personal values and stances on environmental sustainability and minimal-intervention winemaking—being independent means they can live those values in the vineyard and cellar, without external pressures.
Crafting wines from grapes they grow and farm themselves, Medlock Ames recently became certified Regenerative by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.
“I love that we are making estate wines from Bell Mountain Ranch,” Abby Watt, winemaker at Medlock Ames in the Alexander Valley says, alluding to the 338-acre ranch, 44 of which is planted to vines. “I am able to walk the vines every day. I work with the vineyard workers. We have 100 different estate blocks in the vineyard, and we pick each one when it’s ready, ferment it how we want, and that gives us endless options."
With so much autonomy over their winemaking practices, independent winemakers continue to push the boundaries with exciting wines crafted from years of experience and an unmatched dedication to producing the highest quality wines they can. Their hands-on approach leads to higher quality limited-production, producing wines of unmatched character so you can drink the independence they’ve spent years perfecting.
In fact, two of our Washington wineries, DeLille Cellars and Pepper Bridge Winery made Wine & Spirits’ Top 100 Wineries of 2023.
Wine is about creating connections and sharing experiences: we love bringing the best of wine country to you, and we can’t wait to see where you take it. Explore our 40+ independent wineries and taste for yourself why wineries driven by passion, with a deep commitment to quality, really do rise above the rest.
Explore our wineries
We’re not just here to meet your shopping needs either. Our sommeliers, averaging 15+ years of experience, are here to guide you through a variety of curated wine experiences, and can also give you advice on collection and cellar management.
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