Nota Bene Cellars

What Nota Bene Cellars does

Nota Bene Cellars is a Seattle-based boutique winery founded in 2001 by Master Vintner Tim Narby and Carol Bryant, operating from a winery in the South Park neighborhood. The company follows the French Négociant model, sourcing grapes from a curated set of premier Washington State vineyards — including Ciel du Cheval (Red Mountain), Arianses (Wahluke Slope), Dineen (Rattlesnake Hills), Heart of the Hill, and StoneTree — to produce small-lot, vineyard-designated wines across Bordeaux and Rhône styles. Winemaking is traditional: 250-gallon fermenters with twice-daily cap punching, malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels, and a co-fermentation technique using Viognier (Tablas Creek clone) for Syrah. Typical production per wine ranges from 50 to 275 cases.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through a Shopify e-commerce storefront with free local delivery in the Seattle metro area and in-winery pickup, supplemented by a three-tier wine club (Cellars Club quarterly, Futures Club annual, Founders Club three-year) that generates recurring subscription revenue and pre-sells upcoming vintages. Wholesale distribution to Washington State restaurants and retailers is managed through three regional sales agents. A secondary sub-brand, MCM Wine Company, broadens the portfolio with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Rosé, and white blends. The company has accumulated 84 catalog SKUs and consistent regional competition recognition, including Double Gold and Gold medals at the Pacific Northwest Wine Competition, Sip Magazine, and Cascadia International competitions in 2023-2025. Nota Bene is privately held with no external funding rounds disclosed.

Name

Nota Bene Cellars

Legal name

Nota Bene Cellars

Website

https://notabenecellars.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nota Bene Cellars is a Seattle-based boutique winery using a French Négociant model to produce small-lot, vineyard-designated Washington State wines sold direct-to-consumer, through wine clubs, and via regional wholesale to Washington restaurants and retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Winery / Premium Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Beverages (2080), 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), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Premium Washington wines
• Vineyard-designated wines
• Bordeaux-style blends
• Rhône-style GSM blends
• Wine club subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: E-commerce sales of vineyard-designated wines priced from $25-$99 per bottle. Free delivery in Seattle metropolitan area on orders of 3+ bottles.
2. Wine Club Memberships: Three-tier wine club program: Cellars Club (quarterly, 15% discount), Futures Club (annual, 20% discount), Founders Club (3-year, 30% discount). Recurring subscription revenue with automatic wine deliveries.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Wines available in stores and restaurants throughout Washington State. Regional sales agents manage trade relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nota Bene Cellars is a boutique winery producing premium, small-lot, vineyard-designated wines from Washington State's premier AVAs, including Bordeaux-style blends (Abbinare, Miscela), Rhône-style GSM blends (Una Notte), and single-vineyard varietals (Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, Viognier). The winery operates in the French négociant tradition, sourcing grapes from established partner vineyards (Ciel du Cheval, Arianses, Dineen, StoneTree, Heart of the Hill) and selling through an e-commerce site, wine club subscriptions, and wholesale to Washington State restaurants and retailers.

Product overview

Nota Bene Cellars is a Seattle-based winery producing premium, vineyard-designated wines from Washington State's premier grape-growing regions, primarily Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, and Wahluke Slope. The portfolio centers on single-vineyard designated wines from renowned sites like Ciel du Cheval, Dineen, Arianses, Heart of the Hill, and StoneTree, along with artisanally crafted Bordeaux-style blends (Abbinare, Miscela) and Rhône-style GSM blends (Una Notte). A complementary sub-brand, MCM Wine Company, offers additional wine styles including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Rosé, and white wine blends. All wines are sold through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform, with three wine club membership tiers providing regular shipments and member discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single-Vineyard Designated Washington Wines Premium vineyard-designated wines sourced from prestigious Washington State vineyards including Ciel du Cheval, Dineen, Arianses, Heart of the Hill, and StoneTree, featuring varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, and Viognier. Targeted at wine enthusiasts and collectors seeking terroir-driven Washington wines.
• Bordeaux-Style Blends (Abbinare, Miscela) Multi-vineyard Bordeaux-style blends combining Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec from various Washington State AVAs. Targeted at wine enthusiasts and collectors seeking cellar-worthy premium blends.
• Una Notte GSM Blend Rhône-style GSM blend featuring Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre sourced from Washington vineyards including StoneTree, Heart of the Hill, and Sonrisa. Targeted at wine enthusiasts seeking Rhône-inspired Pacific Northwest wines.
• Purring Cat White Blend White wine blend offered under the Nota Bene label, sourced from Yakima Valley. Targeted at wine enthusiasts seeking a white wine option in the vineyard-designated portfolio.
• Wine Club Memberships (Cellars, Futures, Founders Club) Three-tier wine club program with recurring automatic wine deliveries: Cellars Club (quarterly shipments, 15% discount on additional purchases, $75-$120 per delivery, 12 bottles quarterly), Futures Club (annual pre-release purchase, 20% discount), and Founders Club Seventh Generation (three-year commitment, 30% discount, $774 per case every year). Targeted at wine enthusiasts seeking ongoing access to Nota Bene wines.
• MCM Wine Company Secondary wine sub-brand offering wines including Illumina Cabernet Sauvignon, Majestica Red BDX Blend, Spectaculuxe Syrah, Superlio Viognier, and multiple Rosé wines (Brillia, Divinia, Impetulance). Targeted at consumers seeking additional Washington wine styles under the MCM label.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ciel du Cheval VineyardcoreOthersLong-standing relationship since 2001 for sourcing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah from this premier Red Mountain vineyard. Founder Jim Holmes directs viticulture with vineyard managers Ryan Johnson and Kade Casciato supporting operations.
• Arianses VineyardcoreOthersGrapes sourced from 2002 to present from Bruce Zunser's warm Mattawa location. Source for Merlot and Bordeaux-style blends. Bruce Zunser is an engineer for Boeing's flight test program.
• Dineen VineyardcoreOthersGrapes sourced 2011 to present from Pat Dineen's Rattlesnake Hills vineyard. Sourcing Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Viognier from Catherine's Block and other areas.
• StoneTree VineyardcoreOthersSource of Rhône-style wines from 2006-2018, 2020, 2021. Tedd Wildman manages this vineyard near Mattawa with minimal water and vigor practices. Sourcing Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot.
• Heart of the Hill VineyardcoreOthersSourcing Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec since 2007 from the Williams family's pioneering Red Mountain vineyard planted in 1975.
• Washington Wine Technical GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Washington Wine Technical Group, a group of winemakers meeting several times yearly to discuss topics in enology and viticulture with collaboration between industry and academia.
• ASEV (American Society for Enology and Viticulture)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinemaker Tim Narby is a member of ASEV, a society of winemakers and winegrowers, and academic and industry leaders from around the world who meet regularly and publish leading edge information.
• Washington State University (WSU) Viticulture and EnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with WSU's Enology and Viticulture department through the Washington Wine Technical Group seminars where professors present on wine science topics.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• L'Ecole No 41: Historic Walla Walla Valley winery producing premium vineyard-designated Bordeaux and Rhône-style wines, with similar négociant sourcing, DTC and wine club programs, and trade distribution across WA.
• Gramercy Cellars: Walla Walla boutique winery producing Rhône and Bordeaux-inspired wines from Washington vineyards, similar in scale, premium DTC positioning, and négociant sourcing philosophy.
• DeLille Cellars: Woodinville-based boutique Washington winery operating a similar négociant-style model sourcing from top Red Mountain and Yakima vineyards, with comparable DTC and wine club focus and Bordeaux-style blend emphasis.
• Quilceda Creek Vintners: Premier Snohomish-based Washington producer of single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, with comparable low-volume boutique production, premium price points ($100+), and allocation-driven demand dynamics.
• Betz Family Winery: Boutique Woodinville winery producing vineyard-designated wines from Washington State AVAs with comparable production scale, DTC emphasis, and premium Bordeaux-style positioning.
• Avennia Wine Company: Boutique Seattle/Woodinville winery focused on single-vineyard Bordeaux and Rhône-style wines from Washington State, with similar small-lot production philosophy and DTC emphasis.
• Woodward Canyon Winery: Family-owned Walla Walla winery producing vineyard-designated Cabernet and Bordeaux-style blends, comparable in scale, premium positioning, and DTC/wine club distribution model.
• K Vintners: Charles Smith-owned Washington producer focused on Rhône varietals and vineyard-designated wines from Walla Walla and Wahluke Slope, overlapping with Nota Bene's StoneTree Vineyard sourcing and Rhône-style programs.
• Syncline Wine Cellars: Boutique Washington winery producing Rhône-style wines and blends from estate and sourced vineyards, comparable in scale, DTC focus, and grower relationships within the same regional ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Chateau Ste. Michelle: Washington State's largest and most established winery, operating broad portfolio across price points including premium single-vineyard wines from the same AVAs Nota Bene sources from; defines the regional premium wine category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/notabenecellars
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nota-bene-cellars-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nota Bene Cellars