There’s an old Italian proverb that says, “One barrel of wine can perform more miracles than a whole church full of saints.” Mill Creek resident and Martedi Winery owner, Joe Miglino, has that on a sign hanging over his desk as a comedic reflection of his life’s work and passion.

Joe has lived in Mill Creek for over 12 years, has a lovely wife (Dolorata), 3 grown stepsons, and a 5th grandchild on the way. Joe himself is the youngest of 8 children. He was born in New York, moved to Florida when he was 10, and then back to the “Big Apple” when he was 20 to pursue acting and stand-up comedy. While working at a restaurant, an acquaintance who was a wine and spirits distributor offered him a job. He jokes that it was during that time that “wine found him” and his penchant for all things vino was born. He spent time volunteering at the International Wine Center in New York where he had the opportunity to taste a broad range of wines, quickly developing a discerning palate. 

Miglino eventually settled here in Washington and continued to build a career around the industry he’d grown to love. He was one of the first registered sommeliers in Seattle, has been Wine Director for Ray’s Boathouse, Director of Wine at Larry’s Market (that name will bring some of you back a few years!), and a fine wine manager and educator in distribution.

At some point, a foray into winemaking became a natural transition for Joe. His first vintage (a Sangiovese) was produced in a friend’s winery in Poulsbo. Fast forward to 2008 and he was an official vintner running a winery of his own. The logo and company name both have personal meanings to him… the bonsai tree is a nod to a favorite hobby of his. As for the name, the story goes that Joe, along with his three brothers and a few friends, used to gather on the second Tuesday of every month to catch up with each other, play cards, drink wine, and smoke cigars. Hence, Martedi (the Italian word for Tuesday), commemorates the coming together of friends and old traditions.

The grapes for Martedi’s wines come from vineyards in Yakima, the Wahluck, and Rattlesnake Hills. Miglino extols the virtue of Washington State grapes saying, in his opinion, they “hold a distinction and purity of varietal character that has caught the attention of the entire wine world.” His colorful catchphrase, “follow the grape,” illustrates his belief that each variety “should take you to specific places and specific foods.” Describing his own wines, he says, “They are quintessentially Washington but bow to their home region, style, and country,” so they naturally take their cues from Italian wines. In his words, they tend to be “elegant, softer in style, but bold in flavor and character.”

Joe explains that anyone can make wine, but making good to great wine is extremely difficult. So what takes it to that next level? Joe resolutely states, “It starts in the vineyard. It doesn’t matter what region it’s in. What matters is the people who grow the grapes, how they feel about the land, and how they tend to the fruit. The growers and I become a team.” In addition, there are other factors that go into bringing that level of excellence such as the barrels used, the aging process, and maybe even a little “divine intervention”. Miglino’s team goes so far as to pull their grapes from the same rows of vines each and every harvest.

Joe has adopted a phrase from his mother that he most certainly embodies. She would say, “I want to live another day to learn another thing.” He believes that if you’re curious about something, just go do it. Aside from his winemaking, he has dabbled in stand-up comedy and various genres of writing, is an ordained minister, and began learning the mandolin two years ago. In addition, he teaches classes at the winery. As for now, Miglino will continue to do what he loves best and alludes that there are always new wines in the works. To his community, he offers a hearty “Salute!”

Joe is offering a special deal exclusively for his Mill Creek neighbors. Mention this article when placing an order from Martedi Winery and receive 10% off 6 bottles or 15% off a case of 12. Best of all, to save you shipping costs (or a trip to Woodinville), Joe will personally deliver your order to your home.

Visit their website at martediwinery.com for information about upcoming classes and events, the Tasting Room location and hours, as well as a list of their wines.