JM Cellars is our family's labor of love. We strive to craft exceptional wine that honors the land and celebrates the people who work it with us.

We take our winemaking seriously but have pledged never to become so resolute that we forget our original intentions - to love what we do and to share that passion with others. When we began this journey, we never imagined that the greatest gifts JM would offer us are the treasured community and friendships we have found. Thank you!

John & Peggy

JM Cellars Winery

JM Cellars is a family-owned winery focused on producing handcrafted, limited-release wines since 1998.

We work with a diverse collection of Washington’s premium vineyards to craft superior quality wines styled for balance, power, dimension and finesse. Small production lots allow John and JM's winemaking team the pleasure of producing a broad selection of distinguished wines that showcase the region in which they were grown.

JM Cellars values and implements environmentally sound practices. Margaret’s Vineyard, JM's estate vineyard located in Walla Walla is certified Salmon Safe and sustainable while the tasting room at Bramble Bump is organically gardened.

JM Cellars wines are sold in both of our tasting room locations (Woodinville & Snohomish), here on our website, and at select wine retailers and restaurants.

Winemaker

John and Peggy Bigelow began JM Cellars in the fall of 1998 after converting their basement into a small production space.  John took the UC Davis extension winemaking course, read every winemaking book he could find, and was able to source fruit for his first wines from the acclaimed Klipsun vineyard on Red Mountain.  Encouraged by the success of their first vintage, John increased production for the 1999 harvest to thirteen barrels of wine. The foundation of those first two vintages set the stage for the growth and evolution of John’s winemaking technique for the years to come.
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Twenty-three harvests later, John has increased production to 8,000 cases producing new world wines using old world winemaking techniques. Drawing inspiration from various wine regions across the world (France, South Africa, Portugal, Napa Valley, and others), John experiments and tries new approaches whenever he tastes something new that he loves. His sense of curiosity has unveiled staple techniques, such as whole berry fermentations, foot stomping, use of large French oak tanks for fermentations, and use of clay amphoras along with French oak barrels for aging.  
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John’s newest experiment, grenache fermented and aged in a clay amphora, is called Ancora Imparo, Italian for “Yet, I learn” - a perfect name to represent his winemaking ideology.
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Over the last ten years, more than 150 of John’s wines have scored 90 points or better with International wine critics including Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast Magazine and others. 

The History of Bramble Bump

From 1900 to 1935 the Bramble Bump was part of a 550 acre dairy farm owned by northwest lumber baron, Frederick Stimson.  The farm was called the Hollywood Farm and it featured two large barns with a number of houses. In 1935 the Stimsons lost the farm in the great depression. Abandoned, the farm fell into disrepair.

In 1938 the farm was purchased by George McBride, who re-built the dairy farm, making it one of the largest dairies in the state of Washington. In 1965 George gave seven acres of land to his daughter Jan.  Jan and her husband Smitty Smith moved from upstate New York to build their home on Bramble Bump. Jan and Smitty were avid horticulturalists who planted 120 Japanese Maples and over 400 rare conifers.  Among these rare specimens are a Chilean Fire Tree, a huge Himalayan Zebra Pine, and what is now one of the largest Cherry trees in the United States.

John and Peggy Bigelow purchased the Bramble Bump in 2000.    Under the guidance of their gardener Mary, they have transitioned to organic gardening to protect this beautiful and unique treasure that Jan and Smitty created.

Margaret's vineyard

In 2006, John and Peggy were presented with an exciting opportunity to purchase property in a beautiful location in the Walla Walla appellation located just above the renowned vineyard called Seven Hills.  Gary Figgins (Leonetti Cellars), Marty Clubb (L’Ecole Winery), and Norm McKibben (Pepper Bridge Winery) – long standing leaders who helped put Washington State wine on the map – had purchased 2,000 acres of property formerly owned by the Mormon Church.  Each partner was planting vineyards on the site and wanted a winery from the “west-side” to be involved.  John and Peggy were excited to be involved and chose a 40 acre parcel 1,300 feet high on the hill.  Margaret’s Vineyard was born!

Margaret’s Vineyard is a world class vineyard producing outstanding wines in a beautiful location in the Walla Walla appellation. The proportions of grapes planted here are intended to produce a blend unlike any found in North America. It is planted with the six grapes that were the original planted varieties of the Bordeaux region in France:

Three clones of Cabernet Sauvignon
Two clones of Merlot
Two clones of Cabernet Franc
A single clone each of Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere.