Meet Charles Smith – the rockstar of the wine world. The guy who went from managing European rock bands to creating wines that would shake up the entire industry. It’s not every day you hear about a winemaker who started with nothing but a van and a dream, but that’s Charles Smith for you. After a decade on the road with bands, he settled down, opened a wine shop, and quickly realized something: selling wine was great, but he wanted to make it.
So, with zero winemaking experience and almost nothing in his pockets, he took a road trip to Walla Walla, Washington, and made his first batch of wine – 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah. The rest? Well, let’s just say the wine world had never seen anything like him.
From there, he built an empire. Charles Smith didn’t just create wines – he created iconic wines. We're talking about K Vintners, the cult-favorite CasaSmith, and of course, Sixto, the resurrected Chardonnay project that’s taken Washington State by storm. This guy’s a visionary, and he doesn’t do anything halfway. He's earned over 300 scores of 95 points and above, and over 1,400 scores of 90+ points. That’s not just good; that’s rockstar winemaker-level good.
Charles has spent the last two decades making some of the most talked-about wines in the world. From the groundbreaking 100-point Royal City Syrah to the beloved Kung Fu Girl Riesling, his wines are made to make a statement. He’s taken Washington’s wine scene and turned it on its head, winning multiple awards, including Winemaker of the Year from Wine Enthusiast in 2014 and Food & Wine in 2009. His wines have graced top wine lists, earned spots on the Wine Spectator Top 100, and captured the hearts of collectors everywhere.
But here’s the thing: Charles Smith’s wines are for the people. He’s not about making fancy wines that only the elite can drink – he wants everyone to experience the magic of Washington’s terroir. That's why everything he makes, from the high-elevation, old-vine wines like Sixto to the more approachable blends, is 100% Washington-grown and 100% hand-made. No middleman. No gimmicks. Just the purest expression of Washington in every bottle.
From the back of an Astro van to the biggest urban winery on the West Coast, Charles has lived the kind of underdog story that makes you want to grab a glass and toast to it. If you’re into wines that have soul, that tell a story, and that push the boundaries of what wine can be, Charles Smith is your guy.
Aging: 19 months barrel-aged on lees in 25% new French oak barrels.
