Our Story

We’re James and Pearce Stickney — brothers, sommeliers, and founders of Madrona Bay. We didn’t grow up in vineyards or inherit a winery, but we did grow into a shared obsession with wine that runs deep.

If you ask anyone, we came into the wine industry backwards. James studied microbiology and statistics at the University of Washington. Pearce learned business leadership firsthand, managing Starbucks stores across Washington. Both of us earned our Diplomas from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in 2019.

Wine, to us, is many things. It's a beverage, an academic pursuit, a creative act. It’s also hard work — humbling, invigorating work — and a way to translate sunlight, soil, and weather into something worth sharing.

So here we are. Making the best wine we know how and sharing it with people who will appreciate it most.