A family, some grapes, and a Mountain

Grit, determination of will, and a dash of risky bravado; all are good descriptors of Grandpa John. He had the vision, the fortitude, the practical skills, and scientific mind that it took to make Kiona Vineyards and Winery a reality. With naysayers at every step, in every decade, John has looked them all in the face and said, “No. We’ll do it.”

Ann is the glue that holds this place together. She is everywhere, and she is nowhere. Always behind the scenes, anticipating needs before they are needs; thoughtful and considerate don’t begin to describe her contributions. She has called Red Mountain home since 1983.

Scott Is singularly responsible for making Kiona Vineyards and Winery what it is today. He took what his parents had created and made it his own. It takes a farmer to build a farm-first winery, and he is our guy. He has lived, farmed, and worked on Red Mountain for more than 30 years.

With a degree in Nursing from the University of Washington, Vicky ran the nursing department at Prosser Memorial Hospital for more than a decade. She kept the family fed while the farm was in its infancy and things were touch and go financially. Today she manages a one-acre U-Pick and frequents several local farmer’s markets as a vendor of fresh, healthy, family-farmed fruit.

Determined to learn as much as he could from as many people as possible, Tyler embarked on a decade-long winemaking intensive that brought him a Bachelor's in Biology, winemaking stints in 6 countries and 5 continents, and a Master's in Winemaking. He is perhaps the most experienced winemaker under 30 years old in the Pacific Northwest.

Since it’s weird to talk in the third person, I will out myself as your friendly website narrator. I grew up on Red Mountain, where my childhood was spent stacking and unstacking ladders, balancing shovels on my outstretched palm, and wondering why we couldn’t have cable television like “normal” kids.

Jesse graduated with a degree in Accounting from Washington State University. After wasting away at a cubicle at an insurance company for a couple of years, he joined Kiona in May 2011 and has been an integral part of keeping us sane ever since. His parents, Francisco and Josefina, have worked with us for the better part of three decades.

Junior has been with us since 1994. He keeps a journal of every wine he has ever tasted, which is pretty impressive. He is an integral player in both the winery and the vineyard, where his knowledge and experience come together in a way that makes everyone else’s jobs easier. He is on a constant quest to learn; in fact, he is nearly done with a Viticulture program at Yakima Valley Community College.

Michele is special in that she makes everyone around her feel special as well. She is considerate, kind, thoughtful, and quick with a smile, which made her the perfect person to send out into the world to spread the Red Mountain word. She has a Master's degree in natural health, which is pretty amazing.

Mellissa retired from a 16-year career with the Marines as a Staff Sergeant to begin her second career in wine and grape growing. She submerged herself in the industry as a part of the Kiona Family while working hard as a student of WSU’s Viticulture and Enology degree program, graduating in 2019. Her personality is akin to sunshine and rainbows and her post-service hobbies include all things Pinterest.

Sarah brings with her an extensive hospitality background and a front-of-house Je ne sais quoi. We rely on her to build our Direct-to-Consumer experience so as to emphasize customer satisfaction without sales tactics or pressure to buy.