Guardian Cellars

Usually in the culinary world, pairing refers to the marriage of food and wine; in the case of Jerry Riener, the cop and winemaker, and Seattle Times reporter Jennifer Sullivan, pairing in marriage would prove to be the recipe for building Guardian Cellars. Their vineyards are located from the sandy-soiled Columbia Valley west to the petrified tree fossils lining the soil in the Wahluke Slope and southeast to the loam soils of Red Mountain. Jerry began his interest in viticulture as a child working on his Uncle’s farms every summer. This led to the opportunity to drive a forklift while volunteering at a winery when he was 23. As a graduate of the University of Washington as an Organic Chemist and the Police Academy, he spent his free time volunteering 40-plus hours a week at wineries around Woodinville. Four years later, Guardian Cellars was born, producing one Bordeaux style blend, a Cabernet and a Syrah. In the meantime, over a shared interest in 90s music and a glass of wine enters Jennifer, who now manages the tasting rooms, events, staff and wine clubs, as well as their two daughters, Josephine and Jillian.

Both the blistering summers and frigid winters contribute to the bold, structured and complex reds and rich, fruit-driven whites produced by Guardian Cellars. Five vineyards provide grapes to their complex blends: Conner Lee, StoneTree, Klipsun, Obelisco, and Quintessence.

When Jerry and Jennifer opened their first Guardian tasting room in November 2007, every case of Gun Metal, Syrah and Cabernet were sold by the end of day. Releasing the 2005 vintage several months later had similar results, disappearing within days. The 2022 harvest yielded 16 different wines between two labels, totaling just over 11,000 cases. As a nod to Jennifer’s background as a reporter, some of their wines and one of the Guardian tasting rooms in Woodinville is named “Newsprint”.

Community is an integral part of Guardian Cellars. They contribute regularly to local nonprofits and charitable events.