Arbor Crest Wine Cellars

Born into a family that had farmed the land in Washington State for over a century, brothers Harold and David Mielke realized (in the late 70's) that the land had enormous potential to grow grapes for producing world class wines. Their dream became a reality in 1982 when they, along with Harold's wife Marcia, established Arbor Crest Wine Cellars as the 29th winery in Washington State.

Two years later, the Mielke family purchased the Riblet Estate and relocated the winery to the estate's Cliff House, a National Historic Landmark built in the Florentine-style in 1924. Perched on cliffs overlooking the Spokane River 450 feet below, the Cliff house today allows guests to enjoy majestic views of the Spokane area while experiencing the beauty of Arbor Crest's critically acclaimed wines.

A Family Affair

Arbor Crest's winemaker, Kristina Mielke-van Loben Sels, is a second generation winemaker. Daughter of Harold and Marcia, she graduated from the University of California Davis in Fermentation Science. After seven years as the associate winemaker of Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery of Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County in California, she and her husband Jim (an experienced viticulturist) joined the Arbor Crest Wine Cellars staff.

Kristina's wines showcase the varietals and the region in which they are grown. Strict attention is given to the vineyard location. Once the fruit is received by the winery, a minimalist approach is used to protect the fruit essence without excessive use of oak.

Her goal is to capture the power of the fruit and the purity of the vineyards with balance and style. It's a goal she achieves, according to Scott and Kara Cook, owners of Ambrosia Bistro and Wine Bar, who say they "feature Arbor Crest wines because it is a local winery producing world-class wines and Kristina’s style, being balanced and approachable, pairs beautifully with the cuisine at Ambrosia."

Using grapes grown in the Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, and Wahluke Slope, Arbor Crest produces a wide variety of wines. Named by Wine Spectator as one of the "Top 50 Producers Every Wine Lover Should Know," Arbor Crest Wine Cellars is best known for their Sauvignon Blanc and their red blend called DIONYSUS, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Tasting with a View

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars is a 75-acre estate landscaped with beautiful gardens surrounding the estate landmarks—including a gazebo, croquet court, and famed life-size checkerboard that faces the swimming pool.

The architectural style of the current tasting room blends with the ambience of the landscape, which is very reminiscent of a villa estate in Tuscany. The tasting room, constructed in 2003, is modeled after the 1924 Cliff House.

Tours, Tastings and More

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars offers tours of the Cliff House during Mother's Day weekend as well as the November holiday wine fest. Private tours of the Cliff House can be pre-arranged other times during the year and include wine tasting plus a gourmet lunch.

Wine tasting is available daily and guests will learn the true portrayal of the superior-quality of Arbor Crest wines that are part of the Washington wine industry. Plus, if you're visiting in summer you might catch their weekly concerts that showcase local musicians. Come August, Arbor Crest Wine Cellar also hosts a Classic Car Show and Art & Glass Fest, which pair well with their art of winemaking.