Spokane’s Arbor Crest Has New Vision of the Horizon

Chances are if you have ridden a chairlift, that the name "Riblet" is somewhere in your psyche from passing one of the prodigious lift supports on your way up the mountain. Royal Riblet invented the chairlift, among other things, before 1924, when he built the 3 story Florentine mansion perched atop the volcanic cliffs overlooking the Spokane Valley. In 1927, he even had a tram built from his home to the valley floor some 450 feet below.

From where they began, some big things are going on up there again.

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars was formed in 1982 by two brothers divesting themselves of the cherry growing and processing business. David and Harold Mielke started the winery, and by 1984 bought Riblet's mansion above the valley. Today, the property is a testament to the vision and dedication of the brothers as the mansion's pristine condition is not how the Mielkes found the property. Today, it operates as an engaging, breathtaking special event facility as well as the winery's tasting room. As you travel on Interstate 90 through the Spokane Valley, the Cliff House, as it is known now, is visible to the north between the Pines Road and Argonne Road exits. In fact, it is the only building gracing the precipice of those cliffs, and its signature red roof acts like a beacon.

Last summer, Harold purchased his brother's share of the winery and has since embarked on somewhat of a different style of renovation. The biggest change comes in the form of his daughter and son-in-law who have moved to Spokane from Sonoma Valley where she was an assistant winemaker for the Ferrari-Carano winery. Kristina and her husband, Jim van Loben Sels, both graduated from the University of California at Davis and now tandemly manage the entire operation: he the business and she the winemaking.

There are a world of decisions that every winery and winemaker makes to set themselves apart from their counterparts. When new winemakers take the helm at an established winery, the opportunity exists to make any changes. Basic changes in the business of Arbor Crest will make changes in the flavors in the bottle, "Changes in our cropping patterns, yeast strains, and barrel program will influence the way wines are looked at from Washington in the future." Jim remarks. "Arbor Crest's first wines from Kristina will not resemble the past wines." Currently, the winery produces a wide variety of wines which run the gamut from dessert to picnic to everyday to candidates for the cellar. Jim and Kristina eventually see that variety narrowing.

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