Isaac Schmid & Nova Chamberlain of Synne Cellars
Photos courtesy of Synne Cellars
Isaac Schmid and Nova Chamberlain never imagined they would be working in the wine industry. Isaac was an electrician for ten years and then worked his way up to management positions in the restaurant world. Nova was a Project Manager and gravitated to tech related projects. But while Isaac was studying for his Somm Certificate, he was invited by a winemaker to participate in harvest and, eventually, to make his own wine. He was hooked and has never looked back. He learned winemaking from other winemakers, and also took online courses at the University of California-Davis. The couple obtained a license for Synne Cellars in 2016, and opened their tasting room in Woodinville’s Warehouse District days before the world shut down in March of 2020. They persevered and pivoted and got by with outside service and lots of heaters.
More recently, Synne Cellars moved their tasting room into the historic Hollywood Schoolhouse building that they share with Maryhill Winery. It is the ideal place to linger while you sip, with plenty of comfortable indoor and outdoor seating and unique décor. They offer two labels: Synne Cellars which is mainly Bordeaux and Rhone style wines, and Del Toro which is devoted to Spanish grape varieties. Don’t miss Nova’s unique and popular creations of Wine Pops and Raspberry Berets. At a time when medical specialists are increasingly emphasizing the health risks of all forms of alcohol, Synne Cellars is dedicated to creating wines that are not only delicious, but also crafted with a commitment to health. What does it mean to craft wine for health? That is one of the many things we discuss in this interview.
Listen to the Interview: