Katie Nelson

Assistant WinemakerKatie Nelson

Katie Nelson’s winemaking philosophy is basic – an exceptional wine begins in the vineyard. She believes that her job as winemaker is to enhance that fruit quality and preserve it for years to come.

Nelson saw the value of quality grapes long before she was a winemaker, let alone before she could drink. “My parents were into wine and used to drag me to different tasting rooms in Napa, Sonoma, and Temecula when I was a kid,” she recalls. “Since I couldn’t drink, I would walk the vineyards looking for the best grapes. That’s when I first started getting interested in winemaking.”

Nelson’s first winery job began shortly after her 21st birthday as a crush intern in Healdsburg, California. After receiving a degree in Chemistry at Sonoma State University, she started as a Laboratory Supervisor for Associated Vintners in Sunnyside, WA. After a stint as an enologist at Eola Hills Winery in Oregon, she returned to Washington and began her career at Ste Michelle Wine Estates in Quality Assurance. In 2003, she was promoted to Assistant Winemaker for Snoqualmie Vineyards.

Ask her favorite thing about being a winemaker, and she smiles and replies, “I love knowing that all of our sweat, hard work and long hours put in, from the vineyards to the bottle, will be enjoyed by the consumer, whether they toasting a new job, visiting with friends and family, romancing a first date, or taking part in other happy life occasions. It makes it all worthwhile.”

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