USA (Washington): Charles Smith

Few winemakers have a legacy quite like that of founder Charles Smith. Although he was born and raised just an hour from Napa Valley, CA, Charles didn’t discover his love for wine until he moved to Europe. While living abroad, he managed a number of rock bands, including the famed Danish duo The Raveonettes. It was the wining and dining of a rock ‘n’ roll life on the road that sparked his passion for great wine.

In 1999, while on a road trip to Walla Walla, WA, Charles met a winemaker who convinced him to start making his own wine, true to his own story and vision. In 2001, he released the first 330 cases of his debut vintage. Within eight years, he was named Winemaker of the Year by Food & Wine magazine, an honor he received again in 2014 from Wine Enthusiast.

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