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Soos Creek Wine Cellars
KENT
Hard work and dedication are long-time companions of David Larsen,
winemaker and founder of Soos Creek Wine Cellars. A former marathon
runner, David's inspiration to found his winery began with a trip to Europe
after he completed his active duty with the Marine Corps. While in Europe,
he developed an appreciation for wine and discovered that he was fascinated
by how it enhanced a meal. When he returned home, he began making
blackberry wine as a hobby and even shared it with his wife, Cecile, on their
first date. In the 1970s, the pair traveled to Napa Valley in a trip that planted
the seed for starting their winery.
His love of wine continued in the following years as he worked in The Boeing
Company's finance department and soon joined the Boeing Employees
Winemaking Club. At the time, the Washington wine industry was still forming,
with very few wineries in the state. But these early wineries, which included
Leonetti, Woodward Canyon, and Quilceda Creek, provided the final example
that David needed to make the jump from corporate America to the vineyard.
Soos Creek started small—in David's garage, in fact—and grew to today's
maximum production of 2,500 cases annually. Drawing upon his background
in finance, David has kept his overhead low with creative partnerships like
trading a few bottles of wine for label designs, and as a result, Soos Creek
wines are among the best priced in the region.
As a winemaker, David focuses on the fruit first with an exclusive production
of red wine made from Bordeaux grape varietals. He bases his winemaking
decisions on taste, rather than making wine by the numbers, and it shows.
FACING PAGE: Pouring a sample at annual open house.
TOP: All 15 vintages of the Artist Series from 2001 - 2015.
Photographs by Richard Duval
