Rio Jean Photography - Prosser, WA {The Bunnell Family Cellar}

I was first introduced to The Bunnell Family Cellar during a trip to Woodinville Wine Country. I immediately fell in love with Bunnell's Mourvedre, Syrahs, and Vif (a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Petite Sirah).  

Wine O'Clock in Prosser

Tasting Room in Woodinville

The Bunnell Family Cellar (BFC) http://www.bunnellfamilycellar.com/ordereze/home.aspx has some AMAZING wines!  I have to say,  I absolutely love every single red wine they offer and I even like some of their white wines. 

I was invited to Wine O’Clock, the tasting room in Prosser, and the day could not have been more perfect.  It was freezing and snowing outside and the tasting room was warm and cozy.  We were lucky enough to be seated with our backs to the fireplace and the pizza oven. Can you imagine warming yourself next to the fireplace, while enjoying some wine and some food?  It was perfect!

Wine O'Clock

Let me just say, I probably gained about 5 pounds that day due to all of the delicious food I ate and all of the wines I tasted.  The Bunnell Family Cellar is owned and operated by a husband and wife team, Ron and Susan.  Susan runs Wine O’Clock, and Ron is the winemaker.  We met with Susan and she was beyond amazing during our visit. Susan reminds me of a longtime friend, as she has a genuine smile and an overall warmth that radiates from her.  This feeling is evidenced in the way she speaks to the guests and staff and also by the overall energy and atmosphere of the tasting room.   

The menu at Wine O’Clock changes weekly, so the tastes we enjoyed may not be featured on your visit. We started our eating festivities with a Tomato Bisque which was accompanied by a grilled cheese Coppa Crostini and paired with a Sangiovese.

Next was Hawaiian Kajiki, wild caught blue marlin, seared, cold center with matchstick vegetables, and dashi broth.  I paired this dish with the Mourvedre as I enjoyed the combo of "buttery" flavor from the fish paired with the "peppery" taste of the wine.

We also sampled the Lamb Ragu, which was very delicious!  The noodles had this kind of bounciness to them and of course the Lamb was perfect, not too muttony. I paired the lamb with the Lia (38% Mourvedre, 34% Cinsault 14% Petite Sirah, 14% Syrah) and the Grenache. 

We then tried the Artisan Cured Meat Pizza which had salumi of Seattle,  oregano salame, shaved onion, fresh mozzarella, and two soft set eggs.  If you have never had soft set eggs on your pizza, you don't know what you are missing!  I was a little skeptical at first but, the combo of the eggs, with the spicy molé salame, and other toppings made it phenomenal! I didn't pair this pizza with any wines, I enjoyed it with the Malbec, the ALX, and the Fête. 

The next pizza we tried was Savory and Sweet which had pear, bacon, green onion, olive oil and aged white cheddar.  This one was my favorite of the two, as I really enjoyed the contrast of the sweet pear and savory bacon.  I drizzled a mixture of olive oil, anchovies, and garlic on the pizza which added another dimension that made it even more awesome.  As with the other pizza, I didn't pair it with any particular wine, I tasted it with the Clifton Hill Syrah and the Snipes Creek Redd. 

At this point in the day, I thought I was going to explode from eating so much.... but I had to make some room for desserts!   They were a rasberry and sour cherry clafoutis and a chocolate chunk bread pudding with bourbon sauce. My favorite was the clafoutis as it wasn't too sweet whereas the bread pudding was good, but very rich.  If you are a chocolate fan, then you would definitely love the bread pudding.   

Are you hungry yet?  I am!  Just writing about this food is making me want to go eat there again. Here are more pictures of Wine O'Clock.

The Bunnell Family Cellar had their first harvest in 2004 and opened the Prosser tasting room in 2009.  BFC produces about 3,500 cases a year and plans to stay a smaller production winery, producing up to 5,000 cases a year.  All of the grapes are handed picked and all of the punch downs are done by hand.  BFC sources its grapes from various vineyards such as Discovery Vineyard, Boushey-McPherson Vineyard, Milbrandt’s Clifton Hill Vineyard, and Stonetree.  

Three words used to describe The Bunnell Family Cellar brand are family, handmade, and divergent.  When you visit the tasting room, it really feels as if you are in the Bunnells’ home.  One of the features I enjoyed most about the tasting room was the kitchen was right in front, it reminded me of sitting at my mom's counter while watching her prepare a meal.

Sourcing grapes from a variety of vineyards provides BFC with the opportunity to produce what they want and to also enjoy a greater variety of wines.  Susan states that some of the aspects she enjoys most about owning a winery are, "Everyday is different, I enjoy building something I love.  I love walking into the winery in the early morning; standing there, being silent, and hearing the fermentation: smelling it, feeling it, seeing it.”  Susan goes on to say that ultimately, she is "building something for the kids, for family.”  Isn't that beautifully stated?  It makes me love this winery even more.

BFC supports its community by helping out with the Prosser Boys and Girls club as well as the 4H.  I really enjoy hearing about the various types of philanthropy a winery does.  As a small business owner myself, I feel strongly about giving back to the community I live in - I can't afford not to.  It’s always interesting to hear what philanthropy a winery does as it provides more insight into what is near and dear to the owner's heart, and again, with the Bunnells, it's family.

If you have not tried Bunnell wines, get on it!  You have no idea of what you are missing! As I stated previously, I love all of these wines and I guarantee you will too!  If you are traveling to Eastern Washington or if you already live there, make sure to stop by Wine O'Clock.  If you are in Western Washington, the Woodinville tasting room is also a must see! Let me know how your experience was and how you like the wines!

Cheers!

Melanie