Hightower Cellars

A love story from the start, Tim and Kelly Hightower met while working at a Woodinville winery. Carpooling to work fueled their romance and they also used the commute time to formulate a business plan for their own winery.

Already being in the wine business, the couple tasted many Washington wines as part of their daily routine. Long before starting Hightower Cellars they discovered their favorite grapes came from Red Mountain. True to their original preference, Red Mountain has been a mainstay in Hightower Cellars' wines since its first vintage in 1997. In 1998 they added Pepper Bridge in Walla Walla and Alder Ridge in the Horse Heaven Hills to their repertoire of vineyards.

An Aging Barn Gets a Northwest Makeover

The Hightowers' first winery was in a small warehouse space in Woodinville. In 2002, they persuaded one of the original residents of Red Mountain to sell them 15 acres on the southwest facing slope of Red Mountain, one of the most exciting appellations in the state. They eagerly moved forward with the deal and left the Eastside to take up residence on Red Mountain.

At that time the 15 acres were just horse pasture with a barn ideally nestled into the land. The Hightowers converted the barn into their winery in 2002, and went on to plant the vineyard in 2005. Three years later, in 2008, Tim and Kelly remodeled and expanded the barn into a true Northwest style tasting facility.

The view from their west-facing patio is nothing short of spectacular. In addition to overlooking their estate vineyard and the Yakima River, it gives you panoramic views of the Horse Heaven Hills and Rattlesnake Hills. Watching the light play over the Hills during certain times of the day is simply beautiful and the dramatic sunsets are truly romantic.

Handpicked, Handsorted, Handmade

What Mardi and I really enjoy about Hightower Cellars is their down home hospitality. Their motto (and method) is Handpicked~Handsorted~Handmade. In addition to showing their heartfelt approach to making wine, it hints at the bigger picture of how they share their craft with others. Most any day you will find a winemaker/owner in the tasting room who is eager to show you how their small production, high-end, handmade wines are crafted.

In addition to making Hightower Cellars wine from their Red Mountain estate grapes, the winery also gets grapes from E&E Shaw and Artz Vineyards on Red Mountain, Pepper Bridge Vineyard in Walla Walla, and Alder Ridge on the Horse Heaven Hills. Producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and three Bordeaux style blends, they are best known for their Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tim and Kelly are most proud of their Red Mountain Wine because it shows the grace and power of Red Mountain fruit without being overly tannic or extracted. Their goal is to produce exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Wines of elegance, depth and complexity that showcase the natural balance in Washington Wines.

Renee Erickson, Owner and Chef of Boat Street in Seattle, mainly features French wines on their wine list. However, she makes an exception for Hightower Cellars. "The Hightowers are fantastic people that make delicious wines that maintain elegance. Their wine making style supports my belief that wine is made to have with food, to complement it, not to overwhelm it. They make wines with balance, bright fruit and great acidity. At the end of the day I am pleased to recommend Hightower wines to my customers." It's a recommendation that Mardi and I are equally happy to pass along to you about their welcoming winery.