Success Story _ The Storm Cellar

The Storm Cellar | Hotchkiss, CO

The Storm Cellar is an estate vineyard and winery, located in Hotchkiss, Colorado, that specializes in high-elevation white and rosé wines. Established in 2017, this collaborative vision between husband-and-wife team, Steve Steese and Jayme Henderson, is a project founded upon a love of Colorado, a desire to make world-class wine in this great state, and a goal of helping to put a relatively unknown, yet up-and-coming region, on the national map.

Since releasing its first wines in the summer of 2019, The Storm Cellar’s wines and story have been a cover story in both The Wall Street Journal and The Denver Post. Steve and Jayme’s wines have also been featured prominently in Wine Spectator, Forbes, 5280 Magazine, Spoke + Blossom, West of 105, City and Shore Magazine, The Broker, and The Delta County Independent. They were the featured winery in a video short produced by John Deere International and are highlighted in their most recent nationwide ad campaign, as well. Their wines have been awarded numerous medals at wine competitions, including double-gold medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, The American Fine Wine Competition, and the Colorado Governor’s Cup.

Prior to taking the plunge to become full-time farmers and winemakers, Steve and Jayme both spent many years in the Denver culinary scene, in roles as sommeliers and managers. Since this project is so multi-faceted, from farming to chemistry to hospitality to business, it was a dramatic leap for them both, with a very sharp learning curve.

They reached out to the SBDC in the early stages of their project to obtain help regarding the management of their financial reports and their ability to make sales projections for future years. The guidance and assistance of their SBDC counselor provided a solid framework, upon which they have based their current business. Knowledge of Quickbooks, integration of their financial reports, and solid, realistic projections have allowed them to obtain the investment capital that they needed and has provided a solid foundation for business necessities, such as refinancing the property and creating the plans for upcoming construction and expansion. They are also looking to further utilize the various tools that the SBDC provides for business growth in the upcoming years.

“Without assistance during our uncertain and formative years, we wouldn’t be where we are today. The time, tools, and guidance we received from Judy Martin, our SBDC advisor from Region 10, have given us the confidence to progress in our business. Judy had incredible patience with us, as we were both new to platforms like Quickbooks and its corresponding reports. We are grateful for her patience, care, and encouragement. This past summer of 2020, even while experiencing the taxing limitations of the pandemic, was a success for us because we had tools to help us maneuver in a quickly changing landscape. We are most appreciative for the much-needed support and resources we’ve been given."

For more information, visit The Storm Cellar.