C U R R E N T R E L E A S E S
A G O W I N E S
B O T T L E S H O T S
COR cellars. Photo by Kevin Scott.
Meg, olivia, delphine and luke bradford. photo by kelly turso.
W h o w e a r e
Born in New York City and raised in the wilds of Pennsylvania and Utah, Luke moved to Washington to attend Evergreen State College in Olympia. Studying sustainable agriculture, while exploring the mountains and rivers of Washington, he developed an interest in wine on a climbing trip to northern Italy. Guided by a desire to integrate his love for agriculture, history and art, he committed to a life in wine.
After working harvests for Tenuta di Trinoro in the Val D'Orcia in Tuscany, and Passopisciaro on Mt Etna in Sicily from 2000-2002, Luke returned to Washington, and went to work for Wind River Cellars and then Syncline Wine Cellars in the Columbia Gorge.
Seeing the enormous potential in Washington, and the Columbia Gorge in particular, Luke launched COR in 2004 by planting a couple acres of vineyard in Lyle, whilst arranging to buy grapes from various other sites in the Columbia Gorge, Horse Heaven Hills, and Yakima Valley AVA's.
In 2011, on a rainy spring day in Seattle, Luke met Meg Gilbert, and the energy of a chance encounter changed both of their lives forever. After plenty of windshield time traveling to be with each other, Meg moved down to the Gorge from Yakima, WA, where she had managed all the sales for her family’s Gilbert Cellars’ wines. Luke and Meg combined forces and now share all the responsibilities of COR and raising their daughters Liv and Delphine.
P r e s s
“There is an unquantifiable freedom of speech and entertainment; they feel liberated to share their opinions and love for wine and life. It’s like opening a valve on joyfulness.” - Seattle Magazine, November 2019
"On 23 scenic acres in Washington’s Columbia River Gorge area, the new Cor Cellars tasting room compels guests to linger for hours. " - Sunset Magazine, April 2017
"Washington's Frontier Winemakers Are Forging the Next Willamette Valley" - Winston Ross, Vine Pair, January 4, 2018
"36 Hours in Hood River, Ore." - Melissa Coleman, The New York Times, April 3, 2014
"Stepping into COR Cellars feels like stepping into your own home, and that’s exactly what owners Luke and Meg Bradford envisioned for the winery’s recently redesigned tasting room. " Grace Moen, Cellar Notes, Luxe Magazine