The Story of Mongata Winery Unfolded - One of Serendipity, Grit, and Grace.
Neither Scott nor Vicki had ever grown grapes or made wine—but the vines kept calling.
Tammy de Weerd - Spoken Wines
This will hide itself!
The Story of Mongata Winery Unfolded - One of Serendipity, Grit, and Grace.
Neither Scott nor Vicki had ever grown grapes or made wine—but the vines kept calling.
We first met Scott Nokleby at Celebrate Walla Walla — one of those small, genuine moments that stay with you. While the crowd lined up for dinner, he stood tall, cradling a bottle of Mongata Syrah like an open invitation. One by one, he poured for anyone willing to step out of line and into conversation. Owner, server, storyteller — he carried each role lightly, buoyed by quiet pride and true hospitality. We knew we had to see Mongata for ourselves.
That visit came on October 3, 2025. On a golden autumn afternoon, we followed the South Fork of the Walla Walla River into a narrow valley. Vines lined the driveway, heavy with fruit, and a tasting barn stood warm against the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Two Great Pyrenees dogs guarded the door and soon Scott swept in with the same warmth we remembered from the event. Within minutes, glasses became bridges, and the story of Mongata unfolded — unlike any we’d heard.
The Vineyard That Wouldn’t Let Go
Scott and his wife, Vicki, hadn’t planned on becoming winemakers. They built their lives on the West Coast — Scott in insurance, Vicki in real estate. But nearing retirement, they began to feel a restlessness, a longing for a new rhythm of life. Walla Walla had always drawn them in with its open skies, its easy rhythm, and of course its wines. It felt like a place that invited reinvention.
When Vicki spotted a listing in early 2020 — a mature vineyard called Resurgent — the name itself felt like a sign. But neither of them had experience in grapes or wine. Through that quiet pandemic year, they returned again and again, watching the vines awaken, the grapes turn red. Tempted, then practical, they decided to walk away.
Driving through the valley one last time that October, Scott stopped alone. The fruit still hung heavy on the vines. When he called the owner to ask what would become of them, the reply was simple: “They’ll just fall to the ground.”
He stood for a long moment in silence. The grapes, he thought, were calling.
Within minutes the story of Mongata unfolded, unlike any we'd heard.
Storm, Strangers, and a Leap of Faith
Scott had made up his mind — they would buy the vineyard and save the harvest. His realtor, Ben, immediately mobilized the Walla Walla community. A picking crew was assembled, bins were borrowed, a crush facility secured, and winemaker Brian Rudin, who knew the vineyards well, stepped in to handle the fruit. But time was running out. A heavy storm was forecasted to hit within 24 hours.
When Scott returned the evening of the next day, rain was falling hard. In the dark he saw a trailer full of grapes and a man in a yellow slicker tying down the load. When the man lifted his hat, Scott recognized Ben — soaked to the bone but smiling. Against all odds, they had made it.
In that moment, Scott understood: this wasn’t about saving grapes. It was about saying yes to a calling — and to a new life.
An abandoned vineyard where the grapes were "calling."
From Camp Wine to Mongata
The early days were a sprint. Licenses and bonds in limbo, a Cabernet Franc rosé that finished near 16% ABV (blame the late pick and high Brix), bottled by hand and marketed on a hand-painted sign by their driveway: “Camp Wine.” It flew. Campers and hikers heading to the mountains stopped in, curious and thirsty. They left with bottles — and with stories. Many became the winery’s first club members.
They found Syrah with savory depths that love a ribeye, Cabernet with cool-vintage poise and dark-currant focus, and blends that spoke of minerality — the “voice of the vineyard.” They discovered a barn rebuilt with care and a patio where twilight lingers just long enough to hear the river and watch the sky open.
Today, they work with winemaker Peter Devison, who guides both the winemaking and vineyard care. Mongata has become a reflection of its founders — grounded, genuine, and open to possibility. A reminder that the best paths aren’t always paved; sometimes they appear in moonlight and momentum, in a storm forecast and unsold fruit, in a neighbor’s forklift at midnight and a community that says, “We’ve got you.”
