Business Spotlight: Mongata Winery

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Quotes Courtesy of Scott and Vicki Nokleby

Originating in a barn that was packed floor to ceiling with the former owner’s boxes, stuff, dust, and dirt Mongata Winery has been thoroughly transformed into a multi-use venue! Perfect for weddings, parties, events, and even a variety of classes, Mongata Winery offers world-class wine that is getting excellent reviews, and Peter Devison as their winemaker who can help them bring awards in the coming seasons. 

The name Mongata is derived from the Scandinavian word “mangata” which means “the path of the moonlight,” in reference to the path that the moon takes as it passes between the mountains and over their land. Owners Scott and Vicki Nokleby are of Norwegian and Swedish descent, and they wanted a name that “reflected this place, and what makes it magical and special here.” Currently, they have 17 acres of planted wine grape varietals to include Syrah, Cab Franc, Cabernet, a clone of Chardonnay from the Hyde Vineyard in Sonoma (because of the river and the hillside), Wente Chardonnay, and Viognier.

Prior to being stewards of the land, Vicki and Scott lived another life as owners of an insurance agency assisting small businesses with employee benefits, in the Tacoma area. They put the agency up for sale in November of 2019 and began seriously considering a significant life change. For over a decade, Vicki had been looking around for the perfect place  for their blended family to settle into. Because their families live in various states surrounding the Walla Walla Valley, they had spent quite a bit of time enjoying the area, and looking for a new place to live. At what would become Mongata Winery, they found exactly what they were looking for: water, land, and a place for their beautiful family. “Something that’s been super important to us is to honor the history of this land; we felt the impact just standing here each time we came to visit.”

Months before they closed on the property, the previous owners moved out and left a crop of grapes hanging on the vines, and, on the fly, decided to get into winemaking right away! Their new friend and local Winemaker Keith Johnson had contacts at Sleight of Hand who offered to lend them the supplies they would need to get the harvest done before the end of the year, and advised them that they had to harvest the grapes that same day because a freeze was due to set in the next evening. So, that day, in Fall 2020, they made an on-the-spot decision, and Scott and Vicki rolled up their sleeves and jumped into their new career as Vintners! Within 24 hours, Keith Johnson, their Realtor Ben Sinner, and his wife Sharon Sinner, stepped in to get the fruit harvested. Brian Rudin of Canvasback donated time as the initial Winemaker for them, and the fruit arrived at Artifex Custom Crush facility.

“The fact that we’re sitting here in this winery is because Ben helped us get everything we needed. The community rallied around us to help us make our first batch of wine, and that’s why we’re sitting here right now drinking this wine, that would’ve been rotted on the ground if that hadn’t happened.” Scott and Vicki found that the people of Milton-Freewater were so helpful; different from the “cut-throat” corporate world from which they came. Scott says, “The whole wine community rallied to help us ‘outsiders’, and they were all wanting us to be successful. 

Vicki took courses in winemaking at UC Davis to build a basic custom plan, and, suddenly, they were in the wine business with a rough idea and learning everything on the fly! Now with Lance Bullock of Bullock Ranches helping manage the vineyard and the talented Peter Devison at the helm of winemaking, they feel blessed to be in this place.

“When we fell in with this property, we began to see things here that we always wanted when we visited wine country: to experience the vineyard and the process of agriculture.” They recently enjoyed a visit from wine reviewer and critic, Rand Sealey, who gave them raving reviews on their Syrah, Cabernet, and Rose.

As the sun sets, the snowy mountains turn an almost neon pink. Neighbor’s cows are grazing through the property, helping take down the fire risk. Vicki stated that when they set out on this adventure, they had wanted to “be part of a community. We’re just trying to make a good wine and create a genuine, authentic place. We’re letting the land do what it does.” 

For more information, visit their website, or call (541) 861-9485, or email welcome@mongatawinery.com, or stop by the tasting room