At Covington Cellars, winemaker Morgan Lee brings a unique perspective shaped by more than two decades in the wine industry and a passion for crafting wines that are both thoughtful and approachable. While the winery’s roots are in Washington, Morgan regularly travels to the Texas Hill Country to work closely with Texas grape growers and continue expanding Covington Cellars’ connection to the Lone Star State wine scene. We are happy to present Morgan Lee as this month’s Winemaker Profile.
- What did you do before becoming a winemaker?
I went to college at Purdue University, dropped out for three years to travel, and then went back and finished. After that, I went straight into winemaking. No other career, unless you count years of landscaping while in school.
- What is the toughest challenge about being a winemaker in Texas?
Well, I guess it would be the flights! Living and working full-time in Washington State, it takes planning to get down to Texas, but I do so regularly and love working with our farming partners here.
- Is winemaking an art or a science or both?
I tell people all the time that winemakers fit into one of two boxes: scientist and artist. You have to have love and appreciation for both to make great wine, but each producer has a very distinct category that they fall into.
- What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
I always have a hard time with this one. All that matters, truly, is if the pairing makes you happy. No wrong answers. I will say that I once had a Pinot Noir with bleu cheese that blew my mind. Riesling with spicy Asian food is at the top of the list for me also.
- If you didn’t make wine, what would you do?
No idea. I did love landscaping. Whatever it would be, it would fall in the artistic box, and it would deal with being in touch with nature.
- What first attracted you to winemaking and how long have you been doing it?
My introduction was a course at Purdue called “Wine Appreciation” taught by a professor named Dr. Vine. No shit. I loved that class and it got me excited about how wine was made. I then saw how art, culture, agriculture, history, and hospitality converged to make something that gave people so much joy, and that was it for me. I first made wine at 25 years old and now it has been 21 years.
- What is the most common question you are asked as a winemaker?
“How did you get into winemaking?”
- After a long day in the winery or vineyard, what do you do?
Nothing better than being with my family. My wife Sally, and our kids Oliver (16) and Claire (11). I also spend a lot of time in the mountains with our dog Alice or on my bike when I get some time to ride.
- What’s the greatest part about being a winemaker?
As mentioned, it is a gift to make something, a piece of art, and see people get so much joy from it. If people would turn off the news, put their phone down, and just share more wine together, the world would be a much happier place.
- What is your winemaking philosophy, that is, what are you trying to achieve with your wines?
I take a minimalist approach to winemaking. Good in, good out. No manipulation. I want to make delicious wines, but I also want to make wines that make people think. I like to push the boundaries with unexpected varietals and winemaking styles. Anybody can just make Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Anything else you would like to add?
There is no room for pretension in wine. Wine should be fun, inviting, and inclusive. I consider our target market to be from legal drinking age to dead.
If you are a wine grower or winemaker, and have not been featured yet in a Grower Profile or Winemaker Profile, please contact us!
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