Meet Darby English, the man behind the wine.

I am a 1st generation Washington grown winemaker and proud 20+ year resident of the incomparable West Seattle. My passion lies in the Rhone varietals, think Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne; but I enjoy making a killer Cabernet and Cabernet blends.

I believe in low intervention and minimalistic wine making; and I believe in winemaking as an art form, not just by the numbers. I believe in starting with the best fruit, and I don’t compromise on fruit quality so I put a lot of of energy into sourcing fruit from the best vineyards in WA for the specific varietals that I want to work with, fruit that has a sense of place. I love and believe in Washington wine.

My first commercial vintage was 2005, and I still touch and have a hand in processing each bin of fruit that comes through our doors; I am happiest when my hands and feet (yes, we still foot stomp all our Red Rhone varietals) are purple and my eyes still light up when someone tells me about a new vineyard in The Rocks District producing killer Syrah. I believe wine is meant to be enjoyed and not overanalyzed. I also believe wine is meant to be shared and enjoyed with family, friends, food, music, in an unpretentious way, for the sheer pleasure of it.

When I am not in the cellar you can find me with my daughter Ella, throwing the ball for Ash or cuddling with my cat Ros, cooking, fly fishing or golfing. Thanks for coming on this journey with me and thank you for bringing Darby Wines into your lives and homes.

During harvest, I will taste the grapes a few times each week to pick at the most optimal time. To ensure consistency in quality, Darby Winery partners with five of the best vineyards in Washington state – Dineen (Yakima Ava), Quintessence (Red Mountain), Discovery (Horse Heaven Hills), Stonetree, and Stillwater Creek (Wahluke Slope) utilizing only the best French oak to create delicious wines.