FEATURED WASHINGTON WINERY
GORMAN WINERY- SEATTLE,
WA
Typically in searching
for a new winery to feature on WineCOW.com
something speaks to us. Often times it’s
the voices in our head after several glasses
of a great wine. Something like… “Hey,
you like me? You better get on the ball
because I’m not going to be around
forever.” However, good wine is often
a given when featuring a winery so we also
look a unique story. When these two factors
come together, we know we’ve found
what we’re looking for.
So, it was while we were looking for the
next featured winery that we stopped by
one of our favorite local wine shops to
pick up some wine to drink…you know
market research. We were welcomed and instantly
brought up to speed on the new arrivals,
but nothing really stood out until they
got to a new release from Gorman Winery.
You would think that Gorman had the wine
shop employees on payroll the way they were
raving about this release. Just looking
at the wines however, told us that this
was a wine/winery to take seriously. Nice,
eye-catching high quality packaging, grapes
from Red Mountain, interesting label art,
and that Gorman works closely with Mark
McNeilly of Mark Ryan Winery; who is also
a local celebrity with his great big reds.
Our decision was focused on Gorman’s
inaugural release of red wine, the Evil
Twin (a late harvest syrah/cabernet blend)
going for $45, could it be worth it?
With a little more background and sales
pitch from the store worker we decided to
give it a try. Our skepticism was quickly
erased by the end of our first bottle of
Evil Twin.  Then,
just to make sure, we polished off a bottle
of Gorman’s the Bully (a Red Mountain
Cabernet Sauvignon) as well. Both wines
were excellent! Big bold Washington reds
with concentrated berry flavors; something
that you don’t often find or expect
out of a first year release.
So, with great wines and a reputation to
match we just had to meet this up and coming
winemaker. It wasn’t until several
weeks later that we hooked up with Chris
Gorman on a rainy afternoon (Surprise!)
in Woodinville, WA. The following is yet
another riveting WineCOW “featured
winery” interview…
WC: How did you get into
wine?
CG: “Wine has been
my only job since college, which I fell
into while trying to get out of Bellingham.”
After graduating from Western Washington
University in Bellingham with a marketing
degree, Gorman moved down to Seattle. The
first job he found was working in a warehouse
for an Italian Wine Importer. “It
was a horrible job but I liked the wine.”
During his 2 1⁄2 years working in
the warehouse Gorman started learning about
and drinking “mass amounts”
of wine, and eventually caught the “bug.”
(If you are unsure if you have the “bug”
or not…you probably don’t.)
As a self-proclaimed “fermentation
addict” he also got involved with
making wine, along with brewing beer, at
home. As Gorman’s knowledge and love
of wine grew he eventually left the warehouse
job, moving on to Elliot Bay Distributors
where he’s been for the last 12 years.
WC: With the success of
your first release would you leave your
day job?
CG: “NO.”
Ask Gorman if he is ready to give up the
distributor gig to concentrate solely on
winemaking and he is quick to tell you why
not. Working for Elliot Bay has offered
“great experience,” enabling
him to travel the world learning about and
“trying just about every wine that
is out there.” Actually, Gorman really
enjoys the distribution business, along
with the accounts and contacts he has made
as a result.
“Working fulltime [at Elliot Bay Distributing]
definitely makes winemaking harder but selling
[wine] easier.” And for most winemakers
who find it “harder to sell than produce”,
Gorman’s current arrangement seems
to be working out very well. In 2005 Gorman
Winery released just under 600 cases of
wine. The young winemaker’s inaugural
release was split amongst four labels; 2003
The Evil Twin (Syrah/Cab), 2003 The Bully
(Cabernet), 2003 The Pixie (Syrah), and
2002 Zachary’s Ladder (Red Table Wine).
All of the wines were sold out within 3
months.
 WC:
What is so different about your approach
to winemaking that sets you apart?
CG: “I’m not
trying to reinvent the wheel. I do things
differently out of necessity.”
“Every winemaker pretty much makes
their wine the same way, it is the different
things that they pay more attention to in
the process that makes their wine different.”
For Gorman there are definitely several
things that get exclusive attention during
his winemaking process. One major defining
factor is when to pick.
For him picking grapes later when the flavor
is right tends to be the key. “Flavors
come with mature fruit. Too many people
are looking at brix levels and picking on
sugar rather than flavor. Flavor is everything.”
All the same, higher brix levels are a consequence
of later picked fruit. And in turn higher
alcohol levels in the resulting wine. However,
according to Gorman solid alcohol content
is ok as long as it’s balanced. “Big
and balanced are the key. I have no problem
with 15% alcohol as long as the flavor is
there.”
WC: How did you come up
with the names and labels of your wines?
CG: “I choose the
names after the grapes; they describe the
grapes they are made from.”
This includes the Evil Twin named from the
two varieties used, Cab and Syrah, while
the Pixie is wicked and the Bully is big
and powerful. For wine labels, Gorman says
“whatever doesn’t annoy me sticks.”
His labels are simple, eye catching, and
will grab you from across the room. They
were self-designed and printed by Chris.
Not to mention the very commanding heavy
duty bottles and wood-burned case crates,
all of which give Gorman wines an air of
superior quality and craftsmanship.
Looking into the future, for the 2005 vintage
Gorman, the “one man show,”
was able to produce 32 barrels of wine,
which could prove to be his best by far.
When you combine his great wines with a
fantastic year of grapes, look out! Gorman
Winery will be one of those wineries where
the wine barely has a chance to sit on the
shelf before it’s all gone. You can
also look forward to a Chardonnay and an
“old vine cab” from Kiona Vineyard’s
30 year old vines. “I got three tons
of old block cab from Kiona this year which
will make some great wine.”
 Gorman
Winery
Chris Gorman - Winemaker
p. 206-351-0719
chris@gormanwinery.com
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