They say successful leaders surround themselves with smart(er) people. Norman “Norm” McKibben agrees and that’s exactly what he set out to do in each of his many ventures. And at almost 90 years old, he’s still doing it.
Norm McKibben, known by his colleagues and friends as “Stormin’ Norman,” is one of the founding fathers of Walla Walla’s successful wine community. McKibben first came to the valley in 1989, having just retired from a career in engineering, intent on becoming an apple farmer. At the time, only 40 acres of vines were planted in the region — enough to catch McKibben’s attention and convince him it was time to “figure out grapes.” He spent a lot of time talking with other grape growers, inquiring, learning, working and eventually planting his own vineyard. In 1991, together with his wife and son, McKibben planted Cabernet Sauvignon — the roots for what would become Pepper Bridge Vineyard.
In 1994, he bought into Seven Hills Vineyard with several partners. At the time, Seven Hills was a mere couple dozen acres of vines. McKibben and his partners slowly expanded the vineyard throughout the years — in both acreage and reputation. During this time, McKibben continued his personal mission to not only expand viticulture throughout Walla Walla, but also to help anyone else interested in doing the same. He served as a partner and director at Canoe Ridge Vineyards and Hogue Cellars, worked closely with a number of Walla Walla’s leading vintners and, by 1996, with several partners, had grown his vineyard holdings to 200 acres.
Watching some of the area’s top and rising vintners turn his grapes into quality wine, McKibben decided it was time for his next adventure: winemaking. He established Pepper Bridge Winery in 1998 with his partner Ray Goff, a longtime executive at Anheuser-Busch. But while the business was in place, McKibben also knew that he wasn’t a winemaker. So, in 1999 he reached out to a renowned Swiss-born winemaker working in Napa Valley, Jean-François Pellet. Pellet accepted the invitation to visit Walla Walla, mostly out of curiosity and with no real intention of leaving Napa. McKibben, however, has a way with people. His enthusiasm was contagious, and Pellet stayed, becoming the third partner and leading the winemaking since.
That’s really the story of the entire Pepper Bridge Winery team: longevity. McKibben, still seeking to surround himself with smarter people, hires his team based on their different skill sets and expertise. As a result, his team feels empowered and trusted — not to mention charmed by McKibben’s welcoming and encouraging personality, as well as his passion for grapes, wine and community. In fact, most of the team has been a part of the Pepper Bridge family for more than a decade, including the viticulture team, winemaking crew and even the longstanding hospitality team. The newest addition to the team came in 2021, when Dennis Murphy joined the partnership team with the retirement of Ray Goff. Together with McKibben, his son Eric McKibben, and Pellet, they continue to guide Pepper Bridge Winery towards sustainable, regenerative farming, terroir-driven Bordeaux-style wines and unrelentingly welcoming hospitality.
That same care for people shows up in the vines, too. As for those first acres McKibben planted, they are now part of an extensive network stretching hundreds of acres across numerous vineyards. For Pepper Bridge Winery, however, only about 35 acres with the majority between Pepper Bridge Vineyard and Seven Hills Vineyard are used for their small-production, premium wines. The grapes are selected from the best plots within these vineyards, known for being prime examples of sustainable agriculture, as are all of McKibben’s vineyards. The team, led by Pellet, the director of winemaking, employs numerous regenerative farming practices with two goals in mind: making high-quality wine and leaving the soil healthier for future generations.
In the cellar, Pellet, along with his longtime production winemaker, Horacio Enriquez, and cellarmaster, Brian Dennis, focuses on balancing tradition and innovation to craft wines expressive of both elegance and the Walla Walla terroir. Pepper Bridge Winery has always focused its wines on the Bordeaux varieties, producing six different labels. The “core four” include a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, the Bordeaux blend “Trine,” and a Sauvignon Blanc. They also produce single-vineyard Bordeaux blends from both the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards. Pepper Bridge wines are meticulously made with the intention to be ready to drink now, age well into the future and, most importantly, to be paired with a versatile range of dishes begging to be shared at tables of families and friends — maybe even in the tasting room.
Not surprisingly, McKibben’ generosity extends to Pepper Bridge Winery’s three tasting rooms, where the team repeatedly says — and exemplifies — “You are always welcome.” Sometimes even McKibben himself has a surprise appearance, saying exactly that, which is likely why many familiar faces are regularly found sipping through their favorite wines. In fact, McKibben and Pepper Bridge played a big role in why Walla Walla went from 40 to 2,800 acres of vineyards, and from a few budding wineries to more than 130, becoming a destination for wine, as well as community — a place built on heart that reflects just that, and where all are welcome.
Pepper Bridge Winery has three inviting Washington locations for wine lovers to experience a range of tastings beginning at $25. They offer year-round tours of the gravity-flow winery — Walla Walla’s first and one of only a few — coursed lunches, picnics, cellar tastings, as well as glass and bottle service. From April to September, guests can also opt for the Vineyard to Winery Experience, which includes a picnic in the vines, a cellar tour, and ends with a full portfolio tasting in the partners’ private library. Pepper Bridge Winery locations are found in Walla Walla as well as in Woodinville and Vancouver, Washington.
