Benson Vineyards Estate Winery is family owned and operated by Scott Benson ’96 and Rebecca (Gilge ’98) Benson. Scott says, “Most of the vineyard’s 25 acres is planted to Syrah. It’s pretty much what we are known for.” The Mediterranean-inspired estate winery overlooks Lake Chelan, one of Washington’s newest wine growing regions. Today they are producing a little over 3,500 cases annually.
Blue Mountain Cider Company launched in 2002 when PLU alumnus Ron Brown ’76 decided he needed a hobby. Their lightly-carbonated version is made from real apples, not concentrate, and sweetened after fermentation with apple juice and only a bit of sugar.
Gård Vintners was started by Josh Lawrence in partnership with his dad and uncle who have farmed the Royal Slope for more than 40 years. Josh graduated from PLU in 1997 with a degree in Business Administration. It was there that he met his future bride, Lisa (Treadwell ’97) Lawrence. Gård, meaning “farm” in many of the Scandinavian languages, is a tribute to the family’s Scandinavian heritage and farming tradition.
Mountain Dome is owned & operated by the Manz family. Erik Manz graduated from PLU with the class of 1998. Mountain Dome is located on an 85 acre forest in the foothills of Mount Spokane and is the only family-owned business in Washington devoted almost exclusively to making sparkling wines.
Zerba Cellars is owned Cecil & Marilyn Zerba and operates in the Walla Walla Valley. Doug Nierman ’95 is the Zerba winemaker, he studied Biology at PLU and obtained his Masters degree in enology and viticulture before moving to the Walla Walla Valley. He views winemaking as an art that should be subtly guided and helped by science and fits in well with the artisanal winemaking and grape growing style Cecil established for Zerba Cellars.