Where it all Began…
Growing up on our father’s farm, we’ve always loved agriculture and the rural way of life. Our family’s farming tradition goes back many generations and we want to build on that, but also make it our own and pass it on to our kids one day.
We are passionate about wine. Our expansion into wine comes from this obsession but also from our desire to add value to our fruits and diversify the business of our family’s existing berry farm. A winery, we thought, would be a simple next step.
But it wasn’t so simple.
Starting from scratch.
In 2000, we began building. Our winery was not to be in the mild, dry Columbia or Yakima Valleys, but rather in the cool, damp Nooksack River Valley in the northernmost corner of Washington’s Puget Sound Appellation.
Our plans were modest–not to create an elegant chateau (at least not right away!) but rather to convert an old dirt-floored dairy barn to an up-to-date winery and upscale tasting room at one of our father’s raspberry fields near Lynden, Washington.
Acquiring the craft.
Meanwhile, under the watchful tutelage and expertise of Canadian born, UC Davis-trained winemaker Ron Taylor, Rob developed product, fermenting batch after batch, testing, tasting, and learning.
Open at last.
On June 8, 2002, the winery’s doors opened. Our flagship wines were for sale and we created a place for folks to come and taste them. We called it Samson Estates in honor of our father, Sam.
We built a sparkling stainless steel production floor replete with oak barrels and a viewing window for visitors. Our lovely public tasting room has wood beams, fire hearth, and terracotta tile in warm welcoming colors. The patio, for warm weather picnicking and wine bibbing, has a view of our fields and the Cascade Mountains.
Family matters.
As you can see, family is of the utmost importance to us.
Rob is Samson Estates winemaker and horticulturist, managing not only Samson Estates Winery, but the companies berry farm as well.
Fruit of the vine and vineless wines.
We offer several viniferous varieties, using Washington State grapes; off-dry fruit wines, and dessert wines from local berries and hazelnuts.
We’re most excited about our fruit wines, from our traditional dessert varieties, to our quaffables, true to the fruit, off-dry berry wines which have developed a reputation as award winners. This has been made possible because of the right soils, mild winters and cool summers. Our winery is located in the Nooksack River Valley which grows 65 percent of the raspberries grown in North America, which makes up proud to say we grow almost all of our own fruit (and if its not grown by us, it’s grown by our neighbors). This is just one of the exciting community aspects that makes us proud of what we are doing!
and chocolate!
We’re really proud of our handmade chocolate truffles made by local chocolate company, Chocolate Necessities. These truffles our special and exclusive, featuring flavors blended with Samson Estates wines and available only in our tasting room!
