Brian Carter Cellars Woodinville

Passion for the Art of Blending

• Open any bottle of Brian Carter Cellars wine and you'll discover both an inspiration and a story.

  Our handcrafted wines reflect classic elegance and the centuries-old tradition found in true European-style blends. Balanced and well-rounded, each wine speaks anew to the art of blending and showcases Brian's personal passion for making exemplary European-style blends from Washington State's unique terroir.

• Just as an artist ponders each color possibility,

  Winemaker Brian Carter deliberates long and hard over his broad palette of grape varietals, blending around the edges to create an inspired new world representation of each European-style he makes. Brian didn't set out to be a blender. His art grew out of science and agriculture, and in fact, one wasn't possible without the other. Since coming to Washington State in 1980, Brian has been at the forefront of the Washington wine industry. By encouraging growers to plant different varietals, he influenced both the quantity and quality of Washington State varietals, and tremendous improvements in the industry. In turn he was able to develop the concept for Brian Carter Cellars and his passion for blending.

Celebrate Life's Moments, Big and Small

• Bon Vivant! Wine is a metaphor for "the good life," and we believe that every bottle should help create memories, connect people, and enrich our lives.

  From the unique artwork on the label to savoring that last sip, the wines of Brian Carter Cellars complement your special occasions, family gatherings, and life's moments, big and small. We hope each wine you enjoy will remind you of a special time and place.

Brian Carter Cellars Vineyards

• Of all the decisions a winemaker has to make – from grapes to barrels to yeast and equipment – the vineyards chosen for their wines is easily the most important.

  The site where the grapes are grown is the most critical piece of a wine's quality, followed by the way the grapes are grown. Therefore, when Brian decides to purchase grapes from a particular vineyard, the effect on the final wine is doubly important since it always involves a site as well as a grower/manager.

• Listed below are the eleven most important vineyards and growers from which Brian Carter Cellars currently purchases grapes.

  In addition to the AVA (American Viticultural Area), the varieties sourced and a brief description of the style of wines that from each site, we have listed the year the vineyard was first planted, and the year Brian first started to purchase from that vineyard (often dating back before the beginning of Brian Carter Cellars). Totaling the years, these eleven vineyards have been in existence – over 300 years – gives us some idea of the cumulative experience these growers have managing their sites. Totaling the number of years I have personally worked with the vineyards –129 years – gives us some idea of the cumulative experience I personally have had with them.

Brian Carter Cellars Vineyards - Info

• Klipsun Vineyard

  Within the Red Mountain AVA, David and Trisha Gelles provide us with Cabernet Sauvignon. These grapes result in big wines with a lot of concentrated structure. This adds to the strength and ability to age the blends.

• Stone Tree Vineyard

  Within the Wahluke Slope, Mark Wheeler and Tedd Wildman provide us with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. The outcome is a wine with full, ripe flavors, silky tannins, rich fruit, and good color.

• Boushey Vineyard

  Within the Yakima Valley AVA, Dick and Luanne Boushey provide us with Sangiovese, Grenache, and Cinsault. Consistent with Boushey Vineyard, enjoy food friendly wines with good balance, moderate structure, complex fruit aromas, and earthy notes.

• Solstice Vineyard

  The vineyard, located high on the Rosa north of Prosser is our coolest site. Jim and I have walked the rows together for over 25 years. Between his grapes and my winemaking we have put a lot of great wines into the glass.

• E & E Shaw Vineyards

  Within the Red Mountain AVA, Ed and Eve Shaw provide us with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Similar to Klipsun, these wines have a lot of structure and are often a bit more fruit forward.

• Upland Vineyards

  Within the Snipes Mountain AVA, the Newhouse family provides us with Viognier, Tempranillo, Graciano, Touriga Nacional, Souzao, and Tinto Cao. Benefit from well balanced wines with good fruit and consistent ripening from Upland Vineyard.

• Lonesome Spring Ranch

  Within the Yakima Valley AVA, Colin Morrell provides us with Grenache, Sangiovese, Touriga Nacional, Mourvedre, and Petit Verdot. Lively fruit, moderate structure and good color wine is experienced from Lonesome Springs Ranch.

• Olsen Vineyards

  Within the Yakima Valley AVA, the Olsen family provides us with Viognier, Roussanne, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, and Counoise. Olsen Vineyards fruit gives us great varietal character and well balanced wines.

• Chandler Reach Vineyards

  Within the Yakima Valley AVA, Len Parris provides us with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Good concentration, balance and dark color comes from Chandler Reach.

• Stillwater Creek Vineyard

  Within the Columbia Valley AVA, the Alberg family provides us with Syrah and Mourvedre. This translates into food friendly acidity, bright fruit and intense color.

• Dineen Vineyards

  Within the Rattlesnake Hills AVA, Patrick Dineen provides us with Cabernet Franc, Viognier and Roussanne. As a moderate to warm site, Dineen Vineyards produces low yields, wines of balance and concentration, with good varietal focus.

Brian Carter, Winemaker

"I came into the field of wine, not because my parents were wine drinkers, but because I was given a microscope when I was 12 years old. I heard about these things called yeast, and I wanted to see what they looked like under a microscope. I was told if you want to look at yeast you have to start a fermentation. So I picked some blackberries, fermented the wine, took a sample, and brought out my microscope and there they were the little yeast. I've been having those yeast work for me ever since."

• If there is a constant star in the world of Washington wines

  That star is Brian Carter. Since his arrival on the Washington State wine scene in 1980 when there were just 16 wineries, Brian continues to influence this industry which now boasts more than 750 wineries and is growing weekly. His involvement as winemaker, consultant, and guide to dozens of wineries has helped elevate the Washington wine industry from a regional industry to an international powerhouse.

• Brian's early curiosity about microbes led him to study microbiology at Oregon State University where he discovered his appreciation for the wines of Oregon.

  After two years at the University of California-Davis School of Enology, Brian honed his winemaking skill with stints at esteemed California wineries Mount Eden Vineyard and Chateau Montelena. But the Pacific Northwest beckoned, and Brian returned to join early Washington winemaker Paul Thomas Winery, where his skills and artistic touch marked him as a winemaker to watch. At a competition held at Windows on the World in New York City, Brian's 1983 Paul Thomas Cabernet took first place, outpacing the likes of Quilceda Creek and Chateau Lafite-Rothschild.

• Brian's initial success laid the foundation for his steady ascent.

  His wines garnered many awards, and this string of accomplishments led him to pursue a career as a consulting winemaker for a series of young wineries including McCrea Cellars, Hedges Family Cellars, Soos Creek, Silver Lake, and others. In 1997, after years of producing wines for others, Brian created a small production of his own wine, "Solesce," at the Apex winery where he was residing as winemaker and co-owner. The wine quickly sold out and the time for Brian Carter Cellars had arrived. With the introduction of the Brian Carter Cellars Collection in 2006, Brian completed one aspect of his outstanding career and began another.

• In 2006, Brian released his full line of blended wines, including Oriana, Tuttorosso, Byzance, and Le Coursier (formerly L'Etalon).

  Brian Carter Cellars became the first winery in Washington dedicated exclusively to producing blends.

• Brian was twice touted as "Winemaker of the Year" by Washington Magazine, and he is the only three-time recipient of the Pacific Northwest Enological Society's Grand Prize.

  Often recognized by his peers, Brian was the Honored Vintner at the 2007 Auction of Washington Wines, and he received the prestigious Industry Service Award from the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers. Dedicated to giving back to the industry that has supported him, Brian chairs the Wine Advisory Committee which makes recommendations on how state funds are spent on wine and grape research at Washington State University.

• "It's great to see my passion for blended wines transformed into these new European-style blends using Washington State grapes." - Brian Carter

• Brian's passion for winemaking has always been his hallmark, and his European-style blended wines are the culmination of his years as a premier Washington winemaker.

  With his connections to the best vineyards in the state, he is able to source the finest quality grapes to achieve his vision of wines with balance, dimension, and depth. The Brian Carter Cellars Collection epitomizes Brian's commitment to quality, taste, and terroir.