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Damsel Cellars
WOODINVILLE
Not all damsels are in distress—especially not Damsel Cellars winemaker-
owner Mari Womack. She's more like the heroine of this story, what with
her wines that are at once sophisticated and playful, elegant and powerful.
Naturally, there is plenty of romance bottled up in her wines, too—befitting of
the winery's fairytale-inspired name.
Mari's love affair with wine began early on when she worked in Seattle
restaurants during college. The pure art of food and wine pairings—and how
the right combinations could be nothing short of magical—captured not only
her curiosity, but also her heart and her imagination. However, it wasn't until
2010, when she began working in Woodinville tasting rooms and volunteering
at Baer Winery during harvest, that she really started delving into the world
of winemaking.
Becoming a part of the Woodinville wine community fostered Mari's enthusiasm
for every aspect winemaking—from grape to glass—and encouraged her to
dream big and boldly. She became the assistant winemaker at Darby Winery
in 2011, in effect making a deal with winemaker-owner Darby English to
manage his tasting rooms if he would teach her how to make wine. Turns out,
it was a pretty good deal.
Mari started making wine under her own Damsel Cellars label in 2012, sourcing
grapes from premium vineyards including Stillwater Creek and Boushey
Vineyards. She has a special passion for Rhône varietals and single-vineyard
wines with a portfolio that includes Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet
LEFT Overlooking rows of Cabernet Sauvignon at Stillwater
Creek Vineyard.
Photograph by Mari Womack
ABOVE: Mari in the winery among her barrels.
Photograph by Sara Womack
