Originally published in the Summer 2013 Print Issue
In the same way a good wine pairing doesn’t compete with, but only adds to an accompanying meal, John Patterson is a winemaker who believes in the spirit of cooperation.
Take for example the profitable niche he’s found renting out wine equipment to help small wineries crush grapes and process their wines. Or the intern program he runs, which allows the interns to use all the equipment for one year free of charge. Or the work he does with the Woodinville Wine Country organization to promote the area as a destination on behalf of all the businesses in town.
Helping others out is how Patterson’s career in wine began, when he started working right out of high school at the winery of family friends, where his father Jack was a cellar hand. Although he didn’t initially plan on it being his vocation—John was in franchise sales until going back to school at the age of thirty to study natural science and find a new path—the world of wine won him over. In 2000, he and his father opened a winery in Monroe.
“There was a lot of traveling (in my previous career), and I thought this would be more relaxing,” Patterson says. “I enjoy the stress associated with it and the problem solving.”
Growing the Brand
After seven years in Monroe, where the winery’s main customer (then known as Washington Wine Company) was Costco, the Patterson’s made the move to the warehouse district of Woodinville, which John Patterson terms an “adult Disneyland” with its plethora of sipping opportunities. That’s when things really started to change, as the retail tasting room opened under the leadership of sales and marketing manager Stephanie Cuffel, who keeps the operations side humming smoothly.
This is also when Patterson Cellars became the “Hertz rental of wine equipment,” jokes Patterson, offering crush services to small or startup wineries. While this has been a boon to their business and a great way to make connections with people in the industry, it comes with its own set of obstacles, including lots of early mornings and late nights during the two months or so of crush season. “A big challenge is trying to balance time between focusing on our product and working for other wineries during harvest time,” Patterson says.
Another expansion came in mid-2012, when Patterson Cellars launched their second tasting room in the Hollywood Hill tourist district of Woodinville, open seven days a week. Located next door to The Station Pizzeria, visitors can enjoy tasty pizza and a bottle of wine on the patio.
The modern but cozy interior features a fireplace, concrete floor, wooden-beamed ceiling, long communal tables, a curved bar, and artwork. “We were at the right place at the right time to get into this space,” Patterson points out, adding, “We’re lucky to have a restaurant next door.”
Tastings yield visitors three to four whites and three to four reds, plus a memorable time. “We like to have fun, and that is translated through the labels we create and focus we give the guests, ensuring they leave with a memorable experience which invites them back to the tasting rooms,” Cuffel says.
A Community Fixture
Patterson has thrown himself into the thick of the Woodinville scene, joining the Woodinville Wine Country board and renting out equipment to nearby wineries. Although the town has just over 11,000 residents, with nearly 100 local wineries there are plenty of knowledgeable people around to talk shop with. “It’s great to meet up with people you can communicate with about wine,” Patterson says.
He’s developed good working relationships with local colleges to recruit interns, most of whom have aspirations to go pro and open their own wineries. “I continually try to talk them out of it,” Patterson says with a smile, noting the effort involved in such an enterprise.
Knowing that he’s not likely to scare them off, though, he instills a strong sense of marketing in the interns, stressing that a good winery is about more than just good wine. “If people don’t know what you offer or don’t find your products attractive, they aren’t likely to become loyal customers,” he says.
Patterson Cellars uses focus groups to test their branding ideas and find creative ways to reach their audience. That’s not to say that they don’t make good wines. Their fruit comes from the Columbia Valley, Red Mountain, Lake Chelan, and Horse Heaven Hills.
Their Cabernet Franc and Syrah are particularly popular, and the Forbidden line (with a red, white, and Rosé) has something of a cult following, as does their Late Harvest Roussanne. They produce about nine wines a year, with a goal of keeping the offerings consistent so that customers can connect to the products year after year. Although Patterson gets the final say on the contents of the wine, the blending trials are conducted among a group with a diverse mix of palates.
Defining a Niche
While the winemaking and a myriad of tasks behind the scenes keep the closely knit winery team busy, John Patterson and Stephanie Cuffel still find time to work in the Hollywood Hill tasting room on a regular basis, interacting with all those who wander through the doors. “The key is creating an experience with the customer,” Patterson says. “If you don’t, they won’t come back.”
It’s a lot to juggle, but for Patterson, there’s nowhere else he’d rather be. “This has been a great passion for twelve years. It’s constantly changing and never boring,” he says.
As Woodinville’s wine scene continues to evolve and grow, there’s one element that appears destined to remain unchanged: the thriving spirit of friendly cooperation that bonds this winemaking community together.
Written by Haley Shapley