Name: Trey Busch
Location: Twice Walla
Winery: Sleight of Hand Cellars
How long have you been at this: 12 vintages
Sleight of Hand Winemaker Trey Busch
1. Who or what inspired you to become a winemaker?
That’s an easy one. Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars. Eric hired in me 2000 knowing I had zero knowledge about making wine. He gave me and my family the opportunity to move to a small town, to slow things down a bit, and to learn a new craft from my previous life as a clothing buyer at Nordstrom. I am forever grateful to Eric.
2. If you weren’t working with wine what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I love this question. I am sure I would still be at Nordstrom had Eric not offered me the opportunity to come work for him. However, my other dream job would involve the music business in some capacity, most likely writing about music.
3. What current wine trend do you particularly like (or dislike)?
I will speak for Sleight of Hand since we experiment a lot in our winery. We have been playing with whole cluster fermentations on our Syrahs and love it. This is not a “new” trend, as they have been doing it for years in the N. Rhone, but I am seeing much more of this in Washington State and like the results.
4. What is your go-to wine (varietal, region) – other than Washington, of course!
Currently Chateauneuf du Pape, although Saint-Emilion is where my heart lies!
5. What’s your favorite wine and food pairing?
Riesling and almost anything!
6. What advice can you offer to a first time wine drinker?
Experiment with different varietals from different countries, figure out what you like and don’t like about certain wines, then enlist the help from your go-to wine steward to point you in the right direction.
Meet Trey Busch at the upcoming Auction of Washington Wines 25th anniversary celebration, August 16-18.
Visit www.auctionofwashingtonwines.com for more information.
