Owners and wine enthusiasts Derek Berger and Scott Heinrich began making wine together in 2004. Derek and Scott first began making beer together in the late 80’s while attending Engineering school in Bozeman MT which later evolved into a mutual passion for winetasting in the 90’s. From 1998 to 2001, Scott operated a winetasting web site called TasteofWine.com which provided wine-tasting packages to help people learn about different regions and varietals. Mutual winetasting passion evolved into a winemaking hobby run from Scott’s garage starting in 2004 and made its way into Woodinville in 2011. Starting fall of 2012, Genoa Cellars began offering its first carefully crafted wines beyond a small group of lucky people. Derek and Scott primarily focus on Super-Tuscan-style wines made from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot from the very best vineyards in Washington state located in regions such as Wahluke Slope and Red Mountain. We look forward to your camaraderie as we continue our journey. “Depth, Wisdom, Reflection”™ Everything from the wines we make to the theme of our winery to the colors of our brand represent the experience we are trying to create.

Our theme is sailing – there is nothing like the experience of smelling fresh salt air and feeling the Puget Sound wind in your hair as you hear water rushing by. We try to capture that feeling in every bottle of Genoa Cellars. The colors of Genoa Cellars are not accidental. Obsidian represents Depth, Pearl represents Wisdom, and Silver represents Reflection. Our blends are named for sailing terms that we feel have double meaning (i.e., Traveler, Even Keel, and The Boom).