Dunham Cellars

"Dunham Cellars Blends
With Trey Marie to Create
One Label"

By Christina Kelly
Avalon Editor/Writer
1/29/03

Dunham Cellars and Trey Marie Winery, based in Walla Walla, WA, merged wineries recently and now operate under one label, Dunham Cellars.

The wines produced by both wineries will continued under the Dunham name, said winemaker Eric Dunham.

Trey Marie Winery, owned by the David Syre family of Bellingham, began as a joint venture with Dunham Cellars in 2000. A mutual banker introduced the Syres to the Dunhams after discovering the families shared a similar interest in wine, said David Blair, project manager for the Syres' Trillium Corporation, based in Bellingham.

"The matchmaker was the bank," Blair said. "They agreed to form a joint venture to share a winery with separate identities. Trey Marie is actually owned by David Syre's three grown children, but the wine is his passion."

Trey Marie produces a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Eric Dunham produces the wine. He also makes Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon for Dunham Cellars, owned by himself and his parents, Mike and Joanne Dunham.

However, after two years, the public was confused by the Trey Marie identity and despite good reviews and high marks, Trey Marie sales were slow.

"Many people thought Trey Marie was my second label," said Dunham. "It just made sense to do this."

The merger was prompted by Syre's purchase into Dunham Cellars last year. Blair explained that the Dunhams wanted to grow, but needed investment capital. Syre enjoyed Dunham's wines and bought into Dunham Cellars, enabling Eric to expand operations and vineyards. The winery will grow to about 10,000 cases this year, including 5,400 cases of Trutina, produced under the Dunham label. (Last year, Dunham produced less than 5,000 cases).

"This is a capital-intensive business," said Blair. "When Syre bought into owner of Dunham, they became equal partners. There was no reason to continue two separate identities of wine. It became apparent that trying to sustain the distinction between the two wineries wasn't working well."

Dunham Cellars owns 33 estate acres and hires the Appellation Management Group (AMG) to procure additional grapes. Dunham contracts fruit from some of Washington's premier vineyard sites. AMG manages 130 acres in the Walla Walla Valley at six different sites.

For the first time, Dunham will release three estate wines this year and increase production of the always-sold-out Syrah.

Eric Dunham, a native of Walla Walla, started out working for Hogue Cellars as an intern. He was hired in 1995 as an assistant winemaker for Marty Clubb at L'Ecole in Lowden, while his parents started Dunham Cellars. Eric moonlighted as Dunham's winemaker. He left L'Ecole in 1999 to work full-time for Dunham Cellars. The winery is located in a World War II airplane hanger.

Each year, Eric produces a limited white wine dedicated to his grandmother, Shirley Mays. All profits from the wine are donated to breast cancer research.

"This is an exciting time for us right now," said Eric. "We've increased production. We will introduce our estate wines this year and we've joined with Trey Marie. I look forward to making Trey Marie, and there will be more of it around."