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Eat That Frog First
Red Wine Headache - Take An Aspirin And Call Me In The Morning
Bucket List or Afternoon Delight?
I love, love, love your wines. Hubby and I come out to PA a couple of times a year and we make a stop all the time to restock....and I always seem to find something unique in the little 'gift' shop too! :-)
Greetings, I LOVE your website, philosophy and energy!
Read More....., 
Recent Articles, Radio & TV spots featuring Olympic Cellars and the "Working Girls":
AAA Magazine - Oct. 2011
Olympic Peninsula: Among the eight wineries between Port Angeles and Port Townsend, Olympic Cellars Winery captures the celebratory nature of wine. In addition to producing great Washington wines and the easy-on-the-palate Working Girl series of blends and varietals, the winery hosts concerts and helps organize Working Girl Roadtrips.
Forbes.com - May 2010
Even the savviest businesswomen get their inspiration from somewhere. Find out what's on their nightstands.
If you"re looking for some summer reading, take advice from the experts. We asked 21 women entrepreneurs what business books were most influential to them. Responses range from recent bestsellers like The Four Hour Workweek to feminist classics such as Games Mother Never Taught You. Read on to see what books Kathy Charlton, Nell Merlino and other women in business recommend Read Full Article
Olympic Cellars makes list of Top 78 Corporate Philanthropists
Puget Sound Business Journal - May 2009
The Puget Sound Business Journal has named Olympic Cellars to its 2009 List of Top Corporate Philanthropists in an expanded Corporate Citizenship Program that recognizes companies of all sizes for their staunch support of philanthropic causes and organizations.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for our philanthropic efforts,” says Kathy Charlton, owner, Olympic Cellars. “Giving back is ingrained in our overall business philosophy, and we look forward to continuing our support for women and families in the future.”
If you haven't been to Olympic Cellars Winery on the Olympic Peninsula, I have one word for you: GO!
Located in a fabulous century-old barn, the winery is a comfortable, cozy gathering place that invites you to leave the daily hustle-bustle at the door and enjoy "the sweet life". Winery owner Kathy Charlton says "Although we're a small winery, we have a wine to suit every palate. I drive my winemaker crazy making small lots of numerous blends and varietals. It pays off in the end beause no leaves the bar without tasting something they like."
This entry was posted on Friday, August 15th, 2008 at AAA Journey, by Rob Bhatt
Olympic Cellars
The producer of the Working Girl and La Dolce Vida wines hosts its “No Labor” Day celebration on Aug. 23. Stop by to sample wines and food, including Texas chili, and listen to live music. Intrepid visitors can also sign up for tandem skydive jumps that take place throughout the day. The fun continues with an evening barn dance featuring the country sounds of Nathan Chance. The winery is located in a restored barn alongside Hwy. 101, just east of Port Angeles.
On Sept. 13, the winery hosts its 6th annual Grape Stomp and Harvest Festival. The afternoon celebration features a contest in which two-person teams attempt to crush the most wine from grapes with their bare feet (à la Lucille Ball). Live music and wine tasting round out the fun. Read Full Article
Olympic Cellars Winery reached an agreement with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) on June 17, 2008 regarding the commercial use of its business name and the framework under which Olympic Cellars could operate its business.
This agreement was reached nine months after receiving the USOC’s first letter dated September 11, 2007, citing Olympic Cellars for violation of the 1998 Ted Stevens Act. Final signed paperwork was received July 17, 2008. Read Full Statement
"Ladies, I'm exhausted," the former corporate executive finally announced to her minority partners, Molly Rivard and Libby Sweetser. "This working girl has got to go home."
The phrase stuck. They were three middle-aged women, all in their second careers, and they found themselves cleaning barrels, punching down and shoveling grapes, working with truckers -- jobs they never previously imagined themselves doing. So they created the Working Girl series of wines. Read Full Article
A few miles out of town is the nicely renovated old barn that is home to Olympic Cellars, which in turn is home to Working Girl Wines. Founded by Texas Instrument exec Kathy Charlton, who took early retirement in 1999 at age 51, it makes a feminist statement. Giving pieces of the action to two female friends and hiring a French winemaker, she has parlayed it into a 25,000-case-a-year winery with distribution in 20 states. Part of the profits go to women's health charities, in return for volunteer help at harvest time.
It was after much debate that they chose the name Working Girl Wines. ''We know the name has implications,'' says retail manager Molly Rivard, grinning. ``We're willing to live with the consequences.'' Read Full Article
Women’s Connections Lunch Forum
Thursday, February 14, 12:00pm-1:15pm
Women for WineSense recently selected Kathy Charlton, co-owner of Olympic Cellars Winery in Port Angeles, to receive the organization’s Rising Star Award. In addition to her innovative marketing with products such as Working Girl® wines, she is recognized for her strong commitment to philanthropy and a focus on making wine more approachable. Please join us for a fun, heart-felt talk with special wine tasting
Your emails of support have been overwhelming!
Thank You... Kathy, Molly, Libby and Benoit
Many people have asked about writing our Congressional representatives or signing a petition. Your help and voice is very much appreciated. Contact information is at the bottom of this page.
You can read the Peninsula Daily News & Seattle Times articles below and my email to winery customers here. The winery is still in negotiation with the USOC but more informations will be posted as appropriate.
If you would like to stay updated on this issue please sign up for our Winery Newsletter
We’re all trying to find some humor in this challenge. And the title of the PDN article (U.S. Olympic Committee pops its cork over a certain peninsula's vintner and the 'O' word) gave me a thought...
...I guess you could send "a message in a bottle"
an Olympic Cellars Wine Bottle!
Contact Info:
| U.S. Olympic Committee | email: media@usoc.org |
| U.S. Rep Norm Dicks | Rep Kevin Van De Wege |
| U.S. Senator Patty Murray | Senator James Hargrove |
| U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell | Representative Lynn Kessler |
The U.S. Olympic Committee ought to take care not to alienate a good part of Washington state, which will be a neighbor to its 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.
For starters, the USOC has accosted Kathy Charlton for her use of the term "Olympic" in her business. The Olympic Cellars Winery, which sits atop the — hello! — Olympic Peninsula and looks out the back window at the Olympic Mountains. Read Full Article
Some people dream of being recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee. Others want to make wine that appeals to a national audience.
The owners of Olympic Cellars Winery between Port Angeles and Sequim have achieved both, and it worries them.
A lawyer for the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) wrote to the winery last fall saying its name infringes on the committee's turf.
"I was in shock," said co-owner Kathy Charlton. The winery is on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, has a view of the Olympic Mountains and has used the Olympic name since 1992. Read Full Article
A few months ago Kathy Charlton, principal owner of Olympic Cellars, received a warning letter from the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The letter, written by USOC attorney Kelly Maser, cited the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998, in which Congress gave the USOC exclusive commercial control of the word "Olympic." Read Full Article
And that makes the North Olympic Peninsula a viable place for vineyards, according to Greg Jones, a Southern Oregon University climatologist who specializes in identifying good grape-growing land. Read Full Article
You could say this is the taste of life in the Dungeness Valley. It starts with citrus - grapefruit notes tickle the palate - and then the essence of pear slips across the tongue. "The finish is very long and the fruit flavors stay in the mouth," say the tasting notes for Olympic Cellars' Le Vin Nouveau, the first commercial wine made from Dungeness Bay Vineyard grapes.
Read Full Article
If you're giving gifts of wine, eye candy-enhanced shopping has become the protocol this year. Yet choosing a good wine based on a label can be daunting. With the help of local wine shop owners and all-around oenophiles, we found a few bottles that are sure to amuse the receiver's palate and aesthetic sensibilities. Working Girl White - A "saucy little number" you can feel good about bringing to your girls' night out gathering - not only because it is smooth and slightly fruity with hints of pineapple and citrus - but also because buying it supports a national donation network that benefits centers dedicated to the emotional and physical well-being of women. Read Full Article
We are women doing what we know best and it's not just about the wine and the medals; It's about the power to turn a piece of gunny sack into velvet. Bubbly Kathy Charlton who acts as if she has never experienced a bad day and has more energy than a hummingbird on a honeysuckle high explains "the Working Girl Wine Series was created as a salute to working women everywhere". In the beginning we talked about having a fun label and we were three working girls. The label was founded on love not a marketing ploy. Written by Richard Carroll, Photographer Laura Weston Read Full Article
The NY Times interview with Kathy Charlton about being a baby boomer, starting a second career and living her dream. While she was working at Texas Instruments, Kathy Charlton had never really thought about owning her own business. " From semiconductors to grapes is not a natural career path,” she said, with a laugh. Ms. Charlton, who is now 56 and the majority owner of Olympic Cellars (two other women each have a 2 percent share), she is juggling many tasks at once. “I’m human resources, financial director, maintenance crew, barmaid and cellar rat,” she said. She has even been known to stomp on grapes.
Olympic Cellars was entirely women-owned and operated; there is now a young Frenchman on the four-strong team. Having introduced the Working Girl Wines series, designed "for sharing with co-workers after a long day in pantyhose and pumps", sales have gone from 1,000 to 3,200 cases a year, and growing. Last year the winery started the Working Girl Road Trips programme: present a receipt for accommodation on the peninsula, receive a goodie bag including a wine glass and discount vouchers to local shops, services and attractions. On a cork board are thank-you notes and group shots of happy-looking road-tripping women, wine in hand. "The Broads", "The 3 Amigos", "These teachers needed to get away". Read Full Article
People who wandered into the Olympic Cellars winery in a century-old barn on the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula typically had two questions for its owners. Where are the bathrooms? And where are the grapes? "We finally got smart and put up a sign for the restrooms," owner Kathy Charlton says. For the second question, they commissioned a study. Read Full Article
"Working Girl" is Catalyst For Olympic Cellars Turnaround. Olympic Cellars has prospered from taking a nontraditional approach, including supporting women's causes, screwcap packaging and nonvintage wine blends. The Working Girl Series highlights the winery's female ownership, which appeals to other women. The key for the brand's marketing is not to make a wine for a specific demographic, but to make a wine that "supports" a specific demographic.
Download Full Article (pdf)
In the May Issue, Winemaker's Woo Women
Divas Uncorked Review of Working Girl Wines: Working Girl Wines (labels) have made an honest attempt at ethnic and gender diversity with their character illustrations. Rose the Riveter: Pink Color, Honey and Strawberry Bouquet on the nose, tasting of melon and strawberry followed by a warm finish. Overall, a yummy wine that would go well with seafood 10/10.
"Girls just want to have fun!" That's the mantra from the only all-woman winery in Washington. Download PDF of story.