Gård Vintners has a new award-winning winemaker to take the winery’s award-winning wines to an even higher level.

The year started out well for Gård Vintners with a double gold for its elegant, rich and bold 2007 “Twenty Six” Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve at the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, aka the “Largest Competition of American Wines in the World,” with a staggering 5,050 entries from 23 states.  Gård also brought home a silver for its inky and jammy 2008 Syrah at the January competition.

Two months later, award-winning Washington-born winemaker Aryn Morell joined the Gård team, with plans to use his talents and skills to craft the red wines of the 2010 vintage and all Gård wines in the 2011 vintage. Morell is also winemaker at Matthews Estate and Tenor Wines; previously he worked with several Napa Valley wineries, including the very respected Silver Oak Cellars.

With his appointment, the winemaking facilities will be moved to Walla Walla from Grandview – but you can continue to sample these awesome wines at tasting rooms in historic Ellensburg and the Woodinville Wine Warehouse District.

Of course, Gård’s Lawrence Vineyard will remain where it’s been since 2003 — on the Frenchman Hills in the small farming community of Royal City, in the heart of the Columbia Basin. The Lawrence family has been farming the Royal Slope for more than 45 years — the name Gård means “farm” and is a tribute to the Lawrence family’s Scandinavian heritage.

But back to the wines! Whether you’re a fan of the award-winning Cab ($40) and Syrah ($27), or if your palate prefers Riesling ($14) or Pinot Gris ($20), chances are you will really enjoy the wines of Gård Vintners. Cheers!

Gård Vintners | 19495 144th Ave. NE, Suite B240, Woodinville | (206) 494-4442