Arbor Crest Wine Cellars

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars

About Us

Winemaker Kristina Mielke-van Loben Sels the second generation of the Mielke family to oversee Arbor Crest and brings both education and practical skill to her work. A University of California at Davis fermentation science graduate, Kristina came to Arbor Crest after several years at Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery in Healdsburg, California .

Her husband, James van Loben Sels, is an experienced viticulturist, which complements Kristina's skills nicely. Together, these two understand the complexities of grapes, soil, trellising, pruning, irrigation, and winemaking. They also share duties as the winery's general managers.

History

The Arbor Crest Cliff House truly is full of delightful surprises:

 

  • Built in 1924 by Royal Newton Riblet, the three-story Florentine house is surrounded by an arched gatekeeper's house, sunken rose garden, open-air pagoda, terraced flower and herb gardens, and a life-sized checkerboard.

  • Riblet's brother, Byron, a chairlift manufacturer, inspired Riblet to install a passenger tram from his estate to the river valley 450 feet below.

  • Riblet was an inventor and developed patented devices such as a pattern sprinkler system, a mechanical parking garage, and the square wheel tractor displayed at the Cliff House.

  • Things have changed some since Riblet's death. The tram is gone and no one swims in the 60,000 gallon pool but the charm still lives on.

  • Arbor Crest Wine Cellars purchased the National Historic Landmark in 1985. Today we welcome visitors to our tasting room and to share the beauty and whimsy of Riblet's home.

  • The Arbor Crest Cliff  House tasting room is open from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.



    Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Main - (509) 927-9463
    4705 N. Fruit Hill Road, Spokane WA 99217 Fax - (509) 927-0574

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars Main - (509) 927-9463
4705 N. Fruit Hill Road, Spokane WA 99217 Fax - (509) 927-0574