A Passion for Wine Born Out of a Passion for Coffee….

By Christian Chandler, winermaker

Welcome to our first blog post! Kim and I are excited to share the journey of Caelestis Cellars with you. I will document the story of Caelestis Cellars in this blog. To get us started, my passion for wine was born out of my passion for coffee…

I got started in coffee in 1994 in the coffee capital of the world, Seattle, Washington. The specialty coffee industry was just beginning to emerge. Starbucks was not yet a household brand and there was a definite buzz (pun intended) in the industry. I quickly fell in love with everything about coffee...the wonderful and distinct differences in varietals from all over the world; the interesting and creative ways to roast, brew, and experience the beverage; the storytelling that could paint beautiful imagery of every aspect from the farm to the cup; and the way a cup of coffee could bring people together and start a conversation. Fast forward 25 years and following a long tenure with Starbucks in many different roles I still have both passion and respect for the many different elements and people that make the coffee experience special.

My love for wine is, in many ways, a perfect complement to my love for coffee. Great wine, like great coffee, is a result of similar factors...microclimate, soil nutrition, soil makeup, farm practices, harvest timing, fruit processing, attention to quality and food safety, and of course, the art and science of the craft of coffee roasting and winemaking. Additionally, both have great stories to tell which weave these similarities together. So in a very real way, my passion for coffee helped define and inspire my passion for wine. 

After years of visits to wineries big and small, I decided to formalize my wine education through Washington State University’s Viticulture and Enology program. Upon completion in 2013, I made it a goal of mine to one day operate my own winery making wines that can tell their own stories. Caelestis Cellars is this dream coming to life. We are so excited you are with us!

Every day is a drink-the-good-wine-day.