Sleight of Hand Cellars

In July of 2002, Jerry and Sandy Solomon were at the Sun Valley Wine Auction, enjoying the wonderful weather and tasting some incredible wines. They happened upon a table that was occupied by none other than Trey Busch, who was then making the wines for a small Walla Walla winery. Along with the amazing wines, Jerry and Sandy fell in love with Trey’s charismatic personality....so much so that they invited him back to their house the next three years to host a winemaker’s dinner. It was at these dinners that Jerry and Sandy decided to take a trip to Walla Walla. After one visit, they knew that this place was special...the community of winemakers, the historic downtown, and the beautiful Blue Mountains sucked them in. It was then that Trey dropped the bomb on them that he was looking for a partner for a new winery. Who would have thought that a chance meeting at a wine tasting would set in motion what is now Sleight of Hand Cellars.
Launched in 2007, Sleight of Hand Cellars inaugural release included the 2006 "The Magician" ( 100% Gewurtztraminer), a multi-vintage wine called "The Spellbinder" (42% Cab Franc, 29% Sangiovese, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon), and a "Right Bank" Bordeaux-style blend called "The Archimage" (46%Merlot, 28% Cab Franc, 26% Cab Sauv, and 1% Petit Verdot). The wines were an immediate hit, and within months, Sleight of Hand Cellars was named as one of the "The Next Generation" of up and coming wineries in Washington State by Seattle Magazine. These wines can now be found in your favorite restaurants and wine shops in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, Maine, and Georgia. You can of course order the wines online here as well, on our secure, online wine shop!
We hope you get a chance to enjoy our wines in the future. For those of you with an adventurous spirit, we have launched the Wine Illusionist Society - The first and only wine club exclusively for screw-offs and cork-pullers. You can sign up here on our website, or stop into the tasting room as well. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Trey, Jerry, and Sandy http://www.sofhcellars.com

FEATURED WASHINGTON WINERY
MARK RYAN WINERY - WOODINVILLE, WA
If you haven’t already heard, there’s a winery that’s well on its way to becoming a modern “Rock” icon of the Washington wine industry. Mark Ryan Winery in Woodinville, WA is quickly reaching celebrity status with their superbly blended reds and luscious flavorful whites. If you haven’t tried any of their fantastic wines then your missing out, which isn’t uncommon since most of Mark Ryan’s wines sell out almost immediately upon release.But how exactly does one reach “Rock Star” status in the wine industry? First, you obviously have to have great wines. CHECK. Well known for making big bold reds, like the Long Haul and Dead Horse, and now with a couple great whites, Chardonnay and Viognier, Mark Ryan has been putting out some of the most sought after wines in Washington State. Second, you must have a sweet pad. CHECK. While the industrial warehouse complexes of “Hoodinville” aren’t exactly every rock star’s dream pad, Mark Ryan has managed to convert their space into something found inside a downtown club. Sparsely furnished, dimly lit, and decorated with rich paints, pop art, and a vintage espresso machine in the corner. Can you say “Urban Chic”?Next, you must throw killer parties! CHECK. Mark Ryan’s release parties are infamous for offering a hip contemporary scene with a club type atmosphere, rock music and great food. All of which brings out the see-me-dig-me’s and young professionals that line up outside the door, as if they were trying to get into one of LA’s hottest nightspots. Often times a Mark Ryan release party can double as an exotic car show with the number of expensive rides parked outside. Finally, what Rock Icon would be complete without t-shirts? CHECK. Don’t be surprised if while out tasting in Woodinville you happen to see a hot young bombshell sporting a “I (Heart) Mark Ryan” tee. No self-respecting groupie would be without one. We have several!Actually, there is one more important criterion in the pursuit of rock star status – a stage name. So, just like Madonna and Prince, Mark Ryan is actually a stage name for the true talent behind the winery, winemaker & businessman Mark “Ryan” McNeilly. Yes that’s right people; Mark Ryan is not a real person! We’ll pause to let that news sink in… Well I guess technically it really is a person, since Ryan is Mark’s middle name. But, whatever you choose to call him just know that Mark McNeilly is one of the hottest new winemakers in Washington State. Check out these current releases from Mark Ryan Winery available at most local retailers and stay tuned for more great things to come:• The Wild Eyed Syrah• The Dissident Red Blend• Chardonnay
MARK RYAN WINERY 19501 144th Ave NESuite F-900Woodinville, WA 98072Phone: 206-91...Fax: 425-398-4984http://www.markryanwinery.com/mark@markryanwinery.com

"Yellow and Blue - Wine in a Box" I know most of you have already heard me talk about this wine. I am sure you all have had wine from a box at some point in your life. Remember the Gallo boxes with the spout that allowed you to fit the wine in your fridge. Well, they're baaaack! This time the marketing scheme is "low carbon footprint" and "prolonged freshness after opening" and in this case, organically grown. Actually much of the box wine is better quality wine then the Gallo days. Also, like in this wine, you get a fairly nice liter of wine for $10. Any way, I do like my bottles. They are so much fun to touch and I love to pull their corks. But I digress. I thought as an area of interest I would share my friend's recent marketing success with this wine. They are available in the State stores. http://www.ybwines.com/______________________________________________________________ This morning, the Today Show did a feature on quality wines for the budget minded. The segment was hosted by Joe Bastianich, who is a very well-known wine importer and New York restaurateur (he's Mario Batali's partner). Joe did the segment with Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. I'm happy to report that our 2008 Yellow+Blue Torrontes was very prominently displayed on the table in front of Joe, Matt and Meredith.They only tasted a few of the dozen wines on the table, but our Torrontes was one of them. We were the only wine in Tetra Pak, and the only organic wine of the group.Click the link below to view the 4 minute segment for yourself, but here are the highlights...Joe Bastianich: "It's the real deal!"Meredith Viera: "Excellent!"http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29547775