Submission #1575

Harmony Cellars was one of the first 20 wineries established in the Paso Robles AVA. Founded in 1989 by Chuck and Kim Mulligan, the winery has grown from a 2,000-case micro winery to a 7,500-case boutique production facility. The winery and tasting room are located in the rolling hills off HWY 1 in Northern San Luis Obispo County.
Though Harmony Cellars sits amid plenty of open land, due to a high magnesium content in the soil none of it is suitable for vineyards. But that suits Winemaker Chuck Mulligan just fine. Because Harmony isn’t tied to an estate vineyard, he is able to offer a diverse selection of wines, all of which are produced and bottled in Harmony. Harmony wines are made with fruit selected from vineyards along the Central Coast from Monterey to Santa Margarita.

Winemaking Philosophy
From determining when the grapes are picked, to hauling the full grape bins from the vineyard to the winery, to crushing and pressing the fruit, Chuck and his team meticulously tend to all the winemaking details from harvest to bottling. “My goal is to highlight the individuality of each variety—let the grape express its true character. I keep a tight rein on oak and use barrels as more of a spice than a main component……like you’d pepper a fine steak.” From a buttery Chardonnay to a crisp Riesling, spicy Zinfandel to a voluptuous Cabernet, Chuck strives to make something for every palate and even does a Port. He likes experimenting with different varieties and has plans to add very limited production wines like Sangiovese, Barbera and Tempranillo to his line-up.