Since meeting in 2005 in the MBA program at Eastern Washington University, Mark and Sarah’s relationship has evolved through their journey of learning about wine. Whether it’s a quiet night in cooking and pairing wine with their meal, a wine tasting at a new winery, or a trip to wine country for special occasions, wine is a constant. They’ve been wine club members at various wineries around the CDA/Spokane area including Liberty Lake Wine Cellars and have become familiar with many of the wineries in the area.
Mark and Sarah discovered Liberty Lake Wine Cellars in 2009 and it quickly became one of their favorite area wineries. They visited the winery often and became wine club members in 2011, eventually creating a relationship with previous owners Doug and Shelly Smith. One of their first visits to the winery led to inquiring as to if the fish wine rack was for sale. Doug and Shelly said no, that the fish belonged to the winery. Little did they know they’d finally get that fish wine rack!
In fall 2015, Mark and Sarah noticed that Doug and Shelly were not participating in crush. An email exchange later and discussions began about purchasing the winery. The idea of working hard for what you love has always been appealing to both Mark and Sarah. Growing up with entrepreneurial parents and both currently helping to run businesses for others as their day jobs, they have witnessed the joy that their parents and bosses have living out their dreams. The winery is the dream that Mark and Sarah have been striving for since they met.
Mark and Sarah making wine - Fall 2016