Submitted by Wesport Winery
Westport Winery will celebrate its tenth anniversary on Saturday, March 31, with several significant events happening at their headquarters located halfway between Aberdeen and Westport on the Washington Coast.
All the members of their wine club are invited to an aerial fireworks’ show high above the winery’s 20-acre destination garden resort. Blain Roberts, co-founder of the venture said, “We are working with some close friends who put on the fireworks show for the Statue of Liberty’s 100-year celebration. They guarantee this show will blow your socks off!” (In fact, they asked if the Roberts wanted the show to be seen from Aberdeen, Ocean Shores and Westport for those who are not in the wine club.) The celebration for wine club members will begin at 8:30 p.m. Members are encouraged to share transportation and arrive early as parking is limited.
Carrie Roberts, now a co-owner of the winery with her parents and brother, said, “Our most popular wine in recent years is an incredible Bordeaux blend called Smoky Nor’wester and it has been sold out for months. We thought our anniversary would be the perfect time to release the latest vintage to our wine club members. We even designed a beautiful commemorative bottle that we’re super excited to reveal that evening.” The frosted and decorated bottle is designed to be recycled for use with the winery’s extensive selection of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Her brother and head winemaker Dana Roberts also has a special new feature to share with his fans. “I’ve been working for years building my own ‘barrel program’ for aging our red wines. I’ve finally acquired enough oak barrels that we created a room just to house them that will reflect the true romance of wine-making.” This new space will be revealed that evening to ten-year club members and will become the final stop on his Backstage Winemaker’s Tour offered every Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The tour is free for wine club members and their guests and is $5 for those who do not belong to the club.
Kim Roberts, the family matriarch said, “We are also hosting a private party for those wine club members who have been with us the entire decade. They deserve our unflinching gratitude for investing in this unlikely venture from the very beginning. At this point many are dear friends and feel like a part of our family.” Ten-year club members need to bring their invitations with them for entrance to this private celebration.
Since its inception in 2008, the winery has garnered numerous accolades including over 500 medals in national and international wine competitions. Winemaker Dana Roberts began his career producing wine for his family’s business with his first harvest at age twenty-two marking him as one of the youngest winemakers in the state at that time. He said, “I’m not sure what my parents were thinking when they invested their entire life’s savings–and a lot of borrowed money–in the notion that I could learn to make world class wine, but I’m so appreciative that they did.”
His sister Carrie, now the company’s general manager said, “I don’t know what Dana and I would have done if the folks hadn’t decided to build this winery. Although we had our degrees, neither one of us had a particular passion that would have lead us to anything close to this opportunity.”
The family credits former county extension agent Don Tapio with suggesting they, “Plant a vineyard and build a winery. It will be historic.” The original 12-acres of grapes, which were never able to produce ripe fruit, has evolved into 20-acres of display gardens including 55 outdoor sculptures commissioned by the family and crafted by local artists. The gardens and art have been Kim’s creative outlet. “I always tell people this land is my canvas and I want to paint on it for the rest of my life.” They hope someday that this destination will be the Butchart Gardens of Washington State.
The entire family, including Dana’s wife Rikki (and a plethora of critters between the various family homes) all live on the property. Blain said, “For us, the greatest blessing is working every day with our kids, being their neighbors, and having the chance to really get to know them as adults. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to share this property and the business with the people I love most.”
On top of all this, during the winery’s first decade, the Roberts’ family has contributed a portion of the proceeds from each of their wines to forty local charities with contributions totaling over $400,000. The family agrees that this has been their greatest achievement.
In 2017, Westport Winery was named Greater Grays Harbor Business of the Year. The Sea Glass Grill at Westport Winery Garden Resort was voted #2 winery restaurant in the nation by USA Today. The business has been voted Best Winery by King 5 Evening Magazine seven times.
In 2016 Westport Winery was honored as one of the top twenty most-admired wineries in North America by Winery & Vineyard Management Magazine. The business earned Best Winery, Best Wine Shop, and Best Boutique Winery for 2016 by South Sound Magazine. They received the Grays Harbor Environmental Stewardship Award in 2015. They were named the Best Washington Family Business Silver Medal winners in 2012 by Seattle Business Magazine. And in 2011 they garnered Washington Winery to Watch by Wine Press Northwest.
Westport Winery’s new location at 810 Broadway in Seaside is open daily from 11am to 6pm and until 8pm on Friday and Saturday. Family-friendly Westport Winery Garden Resort, is located on the corner of Highway 105 and South Arbor Road, halfway between Aberdeen and Westport. The Sea Glass Grill at the resort is open daily or breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and until 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information or reservations call 360-648-2224.
