Charles Smith
Charles grew up just outside of Sacramento, California, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. From a Welsh mother and French father, Charles’ first exposure to winemaking was the barrels of “family” wine made every year by his father. Charles travelled the world, moving to Denmark for a “hot piece of…,” (aka a girl ) and then spent the next nine years there managing rock bands, living and travelling throughout Europe. In 1999, he moved back to the United States, specifically to the Northwest, opening a wine shop on Bainbridge Island in the Puget Sound.
On a road trip, he passed through Walla Walla and met a young Frenchman named Christophe Baron. Finding a common passion for great Syrah, Christophe suggested Charles move to Walla Walla and make wine. In 2001 Charles Smith made Walla Walla his fulltime home and released 330 cases of his first wine, the 1999 K Syrah Walla Walla Valley.
A self-taught winemaker—having never taken a winemaking class or made wine for someone else— Charles is a true artisan.
