SPARKMAN
CELLARS
"From start to finish, and all the way to success, Erik and the Metis team found the right move for every piece on the board. It's an intricate process, and the calm and resolve of the Metis team proved crucial to getting the deal done. Their creative vision during the exacting process, informed by deep experience and powered by intrepid moxie, gave us the right formula for a superb outcome for our family and business. We are forever grateful."​
-Chris Sparkman, Founder of Sparkman Cellars
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CLIENT
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In 2004, Kelly and Chris Sparkman, Tennessee natives, launched Sparkman Cellars in Woodinville, Washington, with a simple mission: to craft wines worthy of being enjoyed alongside the world's finest, while maintaining their focus on family values. They began in a modest warehouse, producing just 12 barrels of wine (under 300 cases) from three different varietals. The family-owned winery has since expanded to produce over 12,000 cases annually and has established a world-class winery destination in what was the old Redhook Brewery in Woodinville.
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The Sparkmans met during a ten-year courtship spanning five continents and now reside in Woodinville, maintaining a close relationship with their daughters Stella Mae and Ruby Leigh, who are now in college. The founding winemakers bring diverse backgrounds to their craft. Kelly's Wildlife Biology degree led her from Wyoming’s mountain tops with the Peregrine Fund to Alaska's icy waters, before transitioning to eight years as a veterinary technician. Chris holds a Master's Degree in International Environmental Policy and spent nearly 30 years in hospitality, including leadership roles at acclaimed restaurants like Commander's Palace in New Orleans and El Gaucho in Seattle, earning Seattle Magazine's Sommelier of the Year recognition in 2010. Their artisan handcrafted approach has garnered significant recognition, with Sparkman Cellars' Holler Cabernet Sauvignon appearing twice in Wine Spectator's Top 100 (#21 in 2013, #29 in 2018). The winery has been named one of Wine Spectator's Rising Stars, Wine Enthusiast's Cult Winery, and Wine & Spirits' Top 100 Wineries in the World, embodying their tagline: "Family. Good Livin'. Real Fine Wine."
CHALLENGE
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After building Sparkman Cellars into an award-winning winery with significant industry and consumer recognition, founders Chris and Kelly Sparkman found themselves facing critical sustainability challenges after two decades of intensive hands-on leadership. The husband-and-wife team had successfully created a premium brand through their unwavering personal involvement in every aspect of operations, but this intimate management approach had become increasingly unsustainable. With their daughters now college-aged and establishing independent lives, the Sparkmans recognized that their deeply personal, collaborative leadership style—while instrumental to the winery's foundation—had created a business model heavily dependent on their individual efforts. Committed to preserving Sparkman Cellars' legacy while ensuring its long-term viability, Chris and Kelly engaged Metis to explore strategic partnership opportunities that would establish a sustainable foundation for the winery's next chapter, one designed to endure and thrive beyond the founders' day-to-day involvement.
PROCESS
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Recognizing the importance of building upon existing relationships and established trust, Metis began by identifying key stakeholders who had been instrumental in Sparkman Cellars' development. On the top of the list were the partners they had worked with on the Redhook development. The entrepreneurs who redeveloped the old Redhook Brewery property were long-time friends and supporters of the Sparkmans, alongside whom the vision for the redevelopment of the property was conceived. In 2018, the Sparkmans collaborated with the new Redhook owners to reimagine the historic 22.5-acre former Redhook Brewery site in Woodinville as a destination winery complex. The Sparkmans believed in the project from the beginning and signed on as its first tenants. The mutual faith each had in the other laid the foundation for what would become both a game-changing relocation for the winery and the foundation for what has been the most successful winery-anchored real estate development in recent history.
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What originated as informal discussions during the construction phase evolved organically into what would become today's formalized partnership.
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Prior to pursuing external market opportunities, Metis approached the Redhook partners regarding investment in Sparkman Winery. Having seen firsthand the success that the Sparkmans created, they embraced the opportunity but were similarly insistent on determining a structure that laid all the pieces for the long-term success of the winery. They not only wanted the Sparkmans to remain closely involved as partners, but also wanted to make other key players who helped establish the winery’s success partners as well. The discussions progressed rapidly, with a Letter of Intent signed before the opportunity was offered to other parties.
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One of the key owners at Redhook was also an investor in Sigillo Cellars, where longtime Sparkman winemaker Linn Scott was also the consulting winemaker. Metis helped structure a comprehensive capital framework that enabled long-term employees to become shareholders in the company, ensuring operational continuity and preserving institutional knowledge. A new holding company (NW Holdings) was formed, allowing both Sparkman and Sigillo to benefit from shared operational resources and efficiencies. Longtime Sparkman employees became partners, including winemaker Linn Scott, who will continue as the key architect of the winery's acclaimed wines, and the established front-of-house and operations leadership team, led by General Manager Bryan Keay and Operations Manager Marlena Sherlock. The Sparkmans remain committed as partners and will increasingly focus on consumer and trade engagement, as most of their administrative duties can now be handled by the NW Holdings.
OUTCOME
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Following a comprehensive due diligence process, the transaction successfully closed in mid-July 2025. The strategic partnership structure ensures that Chris and Kelly Sparkman remain significant shareholders while empowering additional stakeholders to participate in guiding the winery's future direction. This outcome alleviates the founders from the full responsibilities of sole ownership, enabling them to focus more extensively on customer relationships, wine club member engagement, and serving as ambassadors for both Sparkman Cellars and Washington State wines.
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The partnership with NW Wine Holdings preserves Sparkman Cellars' family culture and commitment to quality while establishing sustainability for future growth and operational synergies for both Sparkman and Sigillo. Kelly and Chris Sparkman will remain actively involved in operations, maintaining their dedication to crafting world-class wines and delivering premium guest experiences, while the strategic structure positions the winery to build upon its award-winning legacy with long-term viability that extends beyond the founding generation.