Co Dinn Cellars

Co Dinn of Co Dinn Cellars

June 2017 marks a new beginning for winemaker Co Dinn, as his tasting room opens its doors in downtown Sunnyside, WA.  After 17 years of working first as white winemaker and then head winemaker for Hogue Cellars, Co decided to start his own Co Dinn Cellars label in order to focus on single vineyard wines from the Yakima Valley AVA.  His years at Hogue provided him with invaluable knowledge of vineyards and growers across the state, so he was in an ideal position to select the precise vineyards and growers he wanted to work with in making his wines.  There was no question that he would plant his winemaking flag in the Yakima Valley AVA, because of its amazing diversity of temperatures, soils and slopes, as well as its overall moderate climate.

Not only does the town of Sunnyside have historical significance for the wine industry, but Co’s tasting room is also housed in a fascinating historic building.  Built in 1930, the art deco inspired structure was home to the Sunnyside Water Department and the town’s two wells, remnants of which still can be seen in the tasting room basement.   A large crane is also preserved above the tasting room bar.  The venue is unique, the wines superb, but you will never hear the sound of a cork popping as you sip.  After years of doing research on wine bottle closures, Co has decided to use only Stelvin screwcaps for his wines.   Listen to this interview to find out why he abandoned corks, why he uses one-ton bin fermentation, which wine provided an AHA moment that turned him into a winemaker, and much more.

Listen to the Interview: