SuLei Cellars (Winemaker & Founding Member)

Tanya Woodley, Winemaker and Founding Member of SuLei Cellars, moved to Walla Walla to complete the Enology and Viticulture Program at Walla Walla Community College. A former marketing representative and buyer in the music industry, she had spent time with people who loved wine and found herself building a wine cellar and wanting to try her hand at winemaking.

She worked as an enologist at various wineries in Walla Walla and as a winemaker at Whitman Cellars for three years before launching SuLei Cellars in 2007. It is the 60th bonded winery in Walla Walla. Her philosophy in making wine is to intervene minimally, allowing the fruit to develop with guidance, thereby revealing the true essence of the grape.

A Wine Press Northwest “Washington Winery to Watch”, SuLei wines have received awards and accolades from Seattle Wine Awards and the Cascadia Wine Competition, among many others.

Tanya produces a variety of wines, including her award-winning Albarino, Roussanne, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Rosé of Petit Gris. The day we visited, Tanya shared the story behind her two labels—SuLei, a name derived from Sulis Minerva, a Celtic Mother Goddess, and Roller Girl, a name reflecting love for the sport of roller derby.