FEATURED WASHINGTON WINERY
EFESTE WINE CELLARS - WOODINVILLE,
WA
Great wines may be produced in the vineyard, but it is usually the winery that gets all the credit. And rightfully so, because there is nothing but great praise and recognition on the way for new winery Efeste. Pulled together from a shared passion for wine, Efeste is the result of a strong family bond, an excellent source for grapes, and an ambitious goal to enjoy the fruits of their labor with family and friends. There are many parts to this puzzle, but the result is pure greatness.
 Efeste, pronounced "F-S-T", was named after winery partners Daniel Ferrelli, Patrick Smith, and Kevin Taylor. Recently, this innovative winery made its home on the other side of the tracks in Woodinville’s garage wine mecca. However, the garage where their wine is made puts many others to shame. Why? The size for one, but also because it happens to be the very same spot that Januik/Novelty Hill used to call home before moving on to bigger and better things.
Even though Efeste is the new kid on the block, with their first release literally just a couple weeks ago, this article was a return of sorts for us. After all the head winemaker is none other than Brennon Leighton, and the last time we interviewed him was as the assistant winemaker for friendly Washington wine giant Chateau Ste. Michelle. Today, Leighton is enjoying his new role as head winemaker and winery renaissance man for Efeste, where he works to create art from nothing but dirt and vines.
So, here we are again on a busy afternoon in Woodinville visiting with old friend and head winemaker Brennon Leighton to get the scoop on one of Washington’s newest and most exciting wine projects.
WC:
“How did all of this get started?”
BL:
“From family and a passion for wine.”
 Daniel Ferrelli, aka “Big Papa,” and family have always made wine. He grew up learning winemaking from his grandfather, who learned it from his grandfather before him, and on and on. When Kevin Taylor married Daniel’s daughter, the two men pursued winemaking together out of the basement as it had been done for generations. This progression wasn’t likely to change until family friend Patrick Smith, who also enjoyed a good bottle of wine, helped channel their enthusiasm into something just a little bigger. (If they only had an idea of just how big things were going to get at the time, who knows what actually would have happened?)
Smith connected with industry contacts to bring in Chris Upchurch, praised winemaker from Washington’s DeLille Cellars. Their goals were still centered on producing wine for the sole enjoyment of family and friends, but they were looking to improve upon the overall quality and quantity of the wine they shared. Sourcing grapes from some of Washington’s best vineyards and utilizing the winemaking prowess of Upchurch has its price however, and the family hobby was starting to get considerably more expensive. It was actually Upchurch who recommended that they sell some of the wine they make in order to offset the increasing cost. At this point, their little basement wine project turned the corner to what we believe is going to be one of Washington State’s powerhouse wineries.
WC:
“How did the Efeste Winery come to be?”
BL:
“It was natural progression.”
Once the idea took hold, things really came together quickly for these three wine lovers. After they had already surpassed ten barrels, Upchurch told the group that he could no longer house the project. Taylor, thinking logically, replied, “We’re gonna need a bigger space and probably some more grapes then.” That is officially when Efeste took shape, with the partners purchasing the building in Woodinville that formerly housed the Januik/Novelty Hill winery. Production went from a 400 case wine project to an 1800 case winery in no time at all. Currently, Efeste’s 2007 production is up to approximately 5500 cases.
With so much wine being produced, this newly-formed winery also needed a full-time winemaker. Chris Upchurch, whose primary responsibility was DeLille, recommended Chateau Ste. Michelle’s assistant winemaker Brennon Leighton. This was a perfect fit since Leighton’s specialty is white wine, which would help to balance out Upchurch's affinity toward the big red blends already in the works. With a new winemaker on site for Efeste, Upchurch then saddled up for the role of consulting winemaker.
WC:
“How has the transition been from huge wine company Chateau Ste. Michelle to a brand new boutique winery?”
BL:
“I’ve become a janitor.”
 Comparing the difference between the corporate winemaking world and “renaissance winemaking at an idea house like Efeste” is all about where the time is spent and where the responsibility lies. “At Chateau Ste. Michelle my focus was primarily winemaking. Here, I have to do everything, whether I know how to do it or not. At Efeste, I’m chief mechanic, designer (of new equipment), and even toilet scrubber” says Leighton. From building cooling systems to fermentation tanks, Leighton is called on to do it all. “I didn’t understand how things moved through a cooling system, but, in time, I figured it out. I had to.” Even while conducting this interview, Leighton was called away to help lift some desks so we might as well add “furniture mover” to that list as well.
WC: “What wine style are you going for at Efeste?”
BL: “I prefer more earthy wines, softer; not just all fruit.”
Besides balancing out Efeste’s wine program with talents for white wine, Leighton also helps to make a more complex new world wine with old world feel. “I like wine with a little rumble” says Leighton. He prefers to use native fermentation techniques, which help bring an earthiness or personality to young fruit-driven wines. The result is a sleek, well-balanced wine that invites you to love it.
WC: “What are the plans for the winery?”
BL: “It’s going to be a place where you can spend time with family and friends to enjoy good wine.”
In line with the winery's beginnings, the theme of the tasting room and winery is based around old world charm and hospitality. It is a space where family and friends can gather to enjoy some Efeste wine, but with a modern edge where timeless wood meets modern steel. According to Brennon,“contemporary and classic” will be the mood.
Currently under construction, the future tasting room looks to be a fantastic place for those seeking comfort and hospitality amongst the garage wineries of Woodinville’s industrial park. There are plans to have a full kitchen built with a custom wood fire pizza oven, and a venue to host special wine events and winemaker dinners. And not to forget about the most important feature, a wine tasting bar nestled between massive windows that peer out into the production facility, as well as a fireplace and comfy chairs to sit and enjoy the wines.
Recently Efeste invested in 40 acres of vineyard on Red Mountain, which they will partner with Dick Boushey to manage. Be sure to keep your eye and your taste buds on this soon-to-be Washington wine industry icon.
EFESTE WINE CELLARS
19730 144th Ave NE
Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone: 425.398.7200
Fax: 425.398.7222
www.efeste.com
info@efeste.com
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