The Reininger story begins with Chuck’s early exposure to the great outdoors, sparking a deep connection to the natural world and a passion for adventuring among the elements of Earth. He loved the journey to the summit, the camaraderie, the thrill of discovery, the underlying connection always being the land itself. After spending years as a mountaineering guide on Mt. Rainer, Chuck developed a unique intuition about the environment that made him thirsty to find a new way to “bring the outside in.” After deciding a brewery wasn’t the right avenue, Chuck began experimenting with home winemaking and advancing his wine education with courses at UC Davis. He officially caught the “wine bug” when he literally got his feet wet crushing grapes for long-time friends at renowned Waterbrook Winery. Sharing the bounty of nature and the excitement of crush solidified a desire to become a part of the winemaking world, in a place where Chuck recognized amazing potential. After following Tracy—now Chuck’s wife—to Walla Walla, they launched their dream of owning a premier winery in a promising AVA. They ran Reininger Winery together for five years, successfully growing the business as team of two before joining forces with Tracy’s brothers and parents, fourth and fifth generation wheat farmers in Washington and Oregon.