Guardian Cellars
Guardian Cellars is a Washington State boutique winery producing approximately 11,000 cases annually across 16 wines under its Guardian and Newsprint labels, selling direct-to-consumer through two Seattle-area tasting rooms, three subscription wine clubs, and a Washington-only online store.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSnohomish, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Guardian Cellars does
Guardian Cellars is a Washington State boutique winery founded in 2004 by Jerry Riener (a former chemist and police officer who became lead winemaker) and Jennifer Sullivan (a former Seattle Times reporter who manages tasting rooms, events, staff, and wine clubs). The company produces approximately 11,000 cases annually across 16 SKUs spanning two labels: Guardian Cellars (premium Bordeaux-style blends such as The Alibi, The Wanted, Gun Metal, The Rookie, Chalk Line, Five-O, and The Informant) and Newsprint (single varietal wines including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, plus Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc), launched in 2013. Grapes are sourced from premier Washington AVAs including Conner Lee (Columbia Valley), StoneTree (Wahluke Slope), Quintessence and Obelisco (Red Mountain), Coyote Creek (Horse Heaven Hills), and Corfu Crossing.
The business operates on a fully direct-to-consumer model with three revenue streams: (1) bottle sales ranging from $23 (Angel Sauvignon Blanc) to $58 (The Rookie Cabernet Sauvignon) through the company's website and two tasting rooms; (2) three subscription wine clubs (Grand Theft Level at 12 bottles twice yearly, Theft Level at 6 bottles twice yearly, and the waitlisted Usual Suspects tier offering exclusive Felony and Misdemeanor releases) at allocation values of approximately $270-$540 per shipment; and (3) tasting fees of $25 per person, waived with a $45 minimum purchase. All sales are geographically restricted to Washington State. Distribution is via two physical tasting rooms (Woodinville Hollywood District and Maltby/Snohomish) plus an OrderPort-powered e-commerce storefront, with a Trade & Media page indicating nascent retail/wholesale enablement. The company is privately held, founder-operated, bootstrapped with no external funding rounds, and headquartered in Snohomish, Washington with a headcount of 11-50 employees.
Guardian Cellars firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Guardian Cellars
- Legal name
- Guardian Cellars
- Website
- https://guardiancellars.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Guardian Cellars is a Washington State boutique winery producing approximately 11,000 cases annually across 16 wines under its Guardian and Newsprint labels, selling direct-to-consumer through two Seattle-area tasting rooms, three subscription wine clubs, and a Washington-only online store.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Guardian Cellars industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Winery / Wine Production
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Bars (CRANACAE)
Keywords
Where Guardian Cellars is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Snohomish
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Guardian Cellars business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through tasting rooms and e-commerce website. Wines sold by the bottle with prices ranging from $23 (Angel Sauvignon Blanc) to $58 (The Rookie Cabernet Sauvignon).
- Wine Club Memberships: Three wine club membership tiers (Grand Theft Level, Theft Level, and Usual Suspects) that deliver wine shipments twice per year. Allocations range from approximately $270 to $540 per shipment depending on tier.
- Tasting Room Fees: $25 tasting fee at Woodinville location, waived with $45 minimum wine purchase. Large groups (7+) pay $35 tasting fee.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Angel Sauvignon Blanc |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Newsprint Chardonnay |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pursued Rosé |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Newsprint Cabernet Franc |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chalk Line Red Blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Wanted Columbia Valley Blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Alibi Red Mountain Blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Newsprint Syrah |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Newsprint Petit Verdot |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Rookie Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Informant Co-fermented Syrah |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tasting Fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Grand Theft Level (The Heist) |
| Subscription | Annual | Theft Level (The Heist) |
| Subscription | Annual | Usual Suspects Wine Club |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Guardian Cellars product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Guardian Cellars is a Washington State winery that produces and sells approximately 11,000 cases per year of premium wines across two labels (Guardian Bordeaux-style blends and Newsprint single varietals), sourced from premier Washington vineyards. The company sells directly to consumers through two physical tasting rooms (Woodinville and Maltby), an online e-commerce store, and three subscription wine club tiers delivering wine twice per year.
Product overview
Guardian Cellars operates as a Washington State winery producing wines under two distinct labels: Guardian Cellars (premium Bordeaux-style blends and varietal reds including The Alibi, The Wanted, Gun Metal, The Rookie, Chalk Line, Five-O, The Informant, and Confidential Source) and Newsprint (single varietal wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Chardonnay, plus Pursued Rosé and Angel Sauvignon Blanc). The portfolio encompasses 16 different wines across red, white, and rosé categories. The company also offers wine club memberships (The Heist at Grand Theft and Theft levels, and Usual Suspects), operates two tasting room locations in Woodinville and Maltby, Washington, and sells directly to consumers through their website.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Newsprint: Single varietal wine label created in 2013, honoring Jennifer's journalism background. Produces single varietal wines including Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and a red blend.
Products and services
- Guardian Cellars Label Primary wine label producing Bordeaux-style blends and premium straight varietal reds, including flagship wines such as The Alibi, The Wanted, Gun Metal, The Rookie, Chalk Line, Five-O, The Informant, and Confidential Source, targeted at premium wine consumers.
- Newsprint Label Sub-brand wine line featuring single varietal wines including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and a Red blend, celebrating journalism and the free press, targeted at wine enthusiasts seeking premium single-varietal expressions.
Companies that use Guardian Cellars
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Guardian Cellars technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Guardian Cellars partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Guardian Cellars competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DeLille Cellars: Washington State winery specializing in Bordeaux-style blends and premium red wines from Red Mountain and other top AVAs; operates a Woodinville tasting room and a wine club, directly comparable to Guardian's positioning, sourcing strategy, and DTC model.
- Betz Family Winery: Woodinville-based boutique winery producing limited-production Rhône- and Bordeaux-style wines from Washington fruit. Comparable in scale, premium positioning, and DTC/wine-club model.
- Walla Walla Vintners: Walla Walla Valley estate winery producing premium Bordeaux-style wines, with a wine club and tasting room. Comparable in scale, varietal focus, and DTC club model.
- Matthews Cellars: Woodinville-based Washington winery producing Bordeaux-style blends and single varietals. Comparable because Guardian's winemaker previously volunteered there, and both target the same premium DTC customer in the Seattle metro.
- L'Ecole No 41: Historic Walla Walla Valley winery producing premium Bordeaux-style and varietal wines with a long-standing wine club and tasting room. Comparable in portfolio composition, premium positioning, and DTC emphasis.
- Mark Ryan Winery: Woodinville-based Washington winery focused on premium red blends from top AVAs, with a wine club and tasting room. Directly comparable because Guardian's winemaker Jerry Riener previously volunteered there, and the two share a similar DTC, blend-heavy, premium-red positioning.
- Efeste: Woodinville-based boutique winery focused on premium reds from Red Mountain and other Washington AVAs, with a tasting room and wine club. Comparable in size, sourcing philosophy, and DTC-driven go-to-market.
Broad incumbents
- Chateau Ste. Michelle: Washington's largest and most established winery, producing a broad portfolio of wines across price points with extensive national distribution. Overlaps with Guardian on Washington sourcing and varietal focus, but at vastly different scale and distribution model.
- Charles Smith Wines (K Vintners): Larger, well-funded Washington wine portfolio (K Vintners, Substance, Sixto) producing premium red and white wines from top AVAs. Comparable in style and regional sourcing, but operates at significantly greater scale and brand reach.
Regional players
- Browne Family Vineyards: Walla Walla–based Washington winery producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. Comparable in style and DTC focus, with a broader geographic footprint within Washington.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Guardian Cellars social profiles
Digital presenceGuardian Cellars financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Guardian Cellars leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Guardian Cellars funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Guardian Cellars M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Guardian Cellars
What does Guardian Cellars do?
Guardian Cellars is a Washington State winery that produces and sells approximately 11,000 cases per year of premium wines across two labels (Guardian Bordeaux-style blends and Newsprint single varietals), sourced from premier Washington vineyards. The company sells directly to consumers through two physical tasting rooms (Woodinville and Maltby), an online e-commerce store, and three subscription wine club tiers delivering wine twice per year.
Is Guardian Cellars a public or private company?
Guardian Cellars is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Guardian Cellars founded?
Guardian Cellars was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Guardian Cellars based?
Guardian Cellars is headquartered in Snohomish, United States, in the North America region.
How does Guardian Cellars make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are wine Club Memberships and tasting Room Fees.
Who are Guardian Cellars's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DeLille Cellars, Betz Family Winery, Walla Walla Vintners, Matthews Cellars, L'Ecole No 41, Mark Ryan Winery and Efeste. Broad incumbents are Chateau Ste. Michelle and Charles Smith Wines (K Vintners). Browne Family Vineyards is listed as a regional player.
Does Guardian Cellars have an API?
No public API is recorded for Guardian Cellars.
What industry is Guardian Cellars in?
Guardian Cellars's product category is Winery / Wine Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAE, Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 5180.