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Pomum Cellars
WOODINVILLE
Hailing from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain, Javier Alfonso has
been in the wine business almost his whole life. In Spain, his family owned
vineyards dating back several generations, but never opened a winery, opting
instead to sell fruit to the local village cooperative. With the memories of
how challenging and laborious vineyard work can be, Javier initially wanted
nothing to do with the wine industry and pursued a degree in mechanical
engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. The choice would
lead to two life-changing events: meeting his future wife, Shylah, and the
cultivation of a shared passion for wine. The pair soon began exploring the
magnificent wines of Washington and the "wine bug" that was so deeply
rooted in Javier's genes finally bit. Together, Shylah and Javier began making
wine in their home in 2000, and by 2003 were making so much that they
could not give it all away. The time had come to get licensed and pursue their
dream further.
Pomum Cellars was founded in 2004 by Shylah and Javier Alfonso with a
simple philosophy: Make the wine during the growing season by closely
working with vineyard partners. Pomum works with the most meticulous
growers that own parcels of older vines in unique sites. Each year, Pomum
sources fruit from the same blocks, rows, and plants so that Javier, who
serves as winemaker, can hone his style and improve the quality of the wine
year after year.
Current offerings include a dry Riesling from the historic Upland Vineyards, a
steep gravelly hillside in the middle of the Snipes Mountain AVA.
FACING PAGE: Mount Adams as viewed from one of Pomum's
Cabernet Franc blocks at Dineen Vineyards in Zillah.
TOP: Pomum Cellars uses exclusively imported Spanish
amphorae (called tinajas in Spanish) to craft elegant and
age-worthy reds.
Photographs by Richard Duval
