Mike Conway & Natalie Conway-Barnes
Mike Conway started his wine career in 1972 in California as a microbiologist for Gallo. He learned winemaking via the apprentice method at Parducci Wine Cellars where he was hired in 1977. In 1980, he and his wife Ellena decided to move to Washington state where Mike became winemaker for a startup winery in Spokane. Two years later he and Mike Hogue entered a partnership in which Mike Hogue grew grapes, and Mike Conway made wine for Hogue Cellars and his own new Latah Creek Wine Cellars. That year 1982 also saw the birth of Mike and Ellena’s daughter Natalie, so Ellena was doing the new winery’s paperwork from her hospital room. In 1984, Hogue and Latah Creek went their separate ways, and Mike Conway has been focused on his own winery since then. Growing up amidst tanks and barrels, Natalie imagined herself a winemaker at an early age. She finally joined the family winery in 2004 as Assistant Winemaker, and today this father-daughter team continues to make award-winning wines.
Latah Creek Wine Cellars is truly a family-run winery. Mike and Natalie are the winemaking team, and Ellena oversees the amazing and extensive gift shop. Ellena has also written a cookbook complete with wine pairing suggestions for Latah Creek wines with each recipe. And there are many wines, especially white wines. The most popular wine by far is the Huckleberry d’Latah, which is Riesling and Huckleberry juice. There is also a very nice line of red wines that includes everyday drinking wines and also reserve reds meant to go with food. The reserve wines include grape varieties we don’t always see in Washington, including Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, and Petite Sirah. Listen to the interview to hear about Natalie’s new N collection label as well.
Listen to the Interview: