Six wineries and a distiller have a new location in Maltby that was custom built to each of their requirements. J.P. Trodden Whiskey and the wineries: Guardian Cellars, JM Cellars, Two Vintners, Gorman Winery, Covington Cellars and Laterus winery. They have all moved their production from from Woodinville to the new Maltby location. The tasting rooms are in three 18,000sqft buildings called “The Vault”, located a short drive from Woodinville at 9206 200th St. SE, Maltby.
The Vault tenants:
J.P. Trodden: After almost 10 years in Woodinville, J.P. Trodden has made its move to Maltby. The whiskey distillery has doubled in size to meet the growing demand for its bourbon. The tasting room has rustic charm and features large windows that overlook the production facility. Owner Mark Nesheim bottles three bourbons barrel-aged a minimum of three years.
JM Cellars: Launched in 1998, the winery is headquartered at Bramble Bump, a 7-acre property in Woodinville. Owner John Bigelow worked in Walla Walla vineyards with such acclaimed winemakers as Charlie Hoppes, Mike Januik and Holly Turner before purchasing his own — Margaret’s Vineyard — in 2006. JM Cellars’ tasting room in Maltby focuses on the winery’s trademark burgundy-striped barrels. Pictures below: Winemaker John Bigelow showing Kevin and I the new production space and tasting out of a clay vessel.
Covington Cellars and Two Vintners: These sister wineries are owned by David and Cindy Lawson. Winemaker Morgan Lee, who oversees all red and white wine production for Covington Cellars and Two Vintners, was named Winemaker to Watch by Seattle magazine in 2016. Lee said he’s going for a family-friendly vibe in the new tasting rooms. His motto: “There is no room for pretension in wine.”
Laterus Winery: A winery by Tyler Farnsworth, the assistant winemaker at JM Cellars. He was hired at JM Cellars in 2009 following graduation from Washington State University. The popularity of Laterus’ recent release of its rose, cabernet sauvignon, syrah and riesling wines is a sign that it’s one to watch.
Gorman Winery: Owner Chris Gorman has 28 years in the wine industry, 16 of those in wine production. Auction of Washington Wines selected Gorman as the 2019 honorary vintner. Though his focus is on cabernet sauvignon and syrah, Gorman’s rose, chardonnay and red blend have also won top honors at wine contests.
Guardian Cellars: This winery’s tasting room tells the story of the owners’ careers: Jerry Reiner is a cop; Jennifer Sullivan is a journalist. The downstairs wallpaper looks like stacks of newspapers. Black-and-white booking photos and police silhouette targets adorn the walls upstairs. While they’ve kept their day jobs, the husband-and-wife team has been making wine since 2004.
Above article content courtesy of the Washington North Coast Magazine
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