Quiddity Wines, a small production winery located in Woodinville, Washington, represents the fulfillment of a lifelong passion for its winemaker and proprietor Greg Peiker.
Greg Peiker.
After years of adhering to the traditional route of success—earning good grades, obtaining the right degree, working diligently, and climbing the corporate ladder—he found himself questioning the destination of this path and ultimately decided to pursue his true passion: winemaking.
Establishing Quiddity Wines was his way of taking control of his destiny, focusing on what brings joy and satisfaction. His mission is simple: to create excellent wines that bring smiles to people’s faces, all while having fun and not taking life too seriously. He eschews the pretentiousness often associated with wine culture, opting instead for a straightforward approach to winemaking.
For nearly two decades, we’ve made frequent trips to Woodinville, Washington. Initially, our plans to cross the border and visit a small town 30 minutes northeast of Seattle for wine tasting were largely met with confusion and blank stares. Woodinville has rapidly transformed over the years, now boasting more than 130 wineries and tasting rooms, and the reactions have since shifted to enthusiastic requests to join us.
Among these wineries, Sparkman Cellars has distinguished itself as a must-visit destination, renowned for its consistent quality and outstanding visitor experience. With a new state-of-the-art facility and the expertise of winemaker Linn Scott, Sparkman is clearly committed to continually elevating both.
Miguele (Miggy) de Quadros-Sherry & Chris Sherry [Source: Elentone]
Many of the winemakers we’ve encountered would likely agree that making wine for a living requires a touch of madness. Chris Sherry & Miguele (Miggy) de Quadros-Sherry take it a step further, as some might deem them downright certifiable for attempting to produce sparkling wine in a region known for its warm climate and still wines. However, those who achieve success often diverge from the usual path, and based on the wines we sampled at Elentone, Chris and Miggy are demonstrating that their daring approach will lead them to great success.
40 years. While 4 decades may seem like a long time to most people, for a wine region it’s a relatively short amount of time to establish itself. But Walla Walla has done just that, growing from one commercial winery to 120, winning wine critics and wine lovers along the way for producing consistently excellent wines. Its diversity across all aspects of its terroir including soils, elevation, and climate, means a diverse range of grape varieties can not only be grown there, but be grown well. For Walla Walla, turning 40 isn’t just something to celebrate, it’s a sign of great things to come. Click the link below for highlight from our most recent trip there that includes stops at Avennia, Caprio Cellars, Force Majeure, Yellowhawk, Brook & Bull, Spring Valley Vineyard, & Hedges Family Estate. Other wineries we’ve visited and would highly recommend include: Leonetti, L’Ecole No. 41, & Woodward Canyon
We have closely followed the development of Washington’s DeLille Cellars since near its beginning. We will always remember a stunning 1998 DeLille Chaleur Estate Red, a Cabernet Sauvignon dominated Bordeaux blend that not only thrilled, but helped cement our love of Washington State wine; a love that has endured ever since.
Since that first encounter, DeLille has grown in both size and in stature. We think they might have only made two wines when we first tasted DeLille, that Chaleur Estate Red and their Merlot dominated D2. Today their portfolio has over a dozen wines and has gone beyond just Bordeaux style blends and includes whites, Rhone style wines and even a sparkling. What has remained constant throughout this time is their focus on quality.
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