Mountain Dome Winemaker Leaves a Legacy
by Christina Kelly, Nov 1, 2006
Michael Manz Passed Away Wednesday AM
Michael Manz was a family man; so much so that he created a family business - Mountain Dome Winery - in order to work side-by-side with his wife, children and brother, hoping to leave a legacy that he could offer them someday. Dr. Michael Manz was also chief of the child and adolescent psychiatric unit at Sacred Heart Medical Center.
The gregarious winemaker, short and stout with a thick schlock of white hair and beard, loved Champagne and sparkling wine and set out in 1984 to build a winery on 85 acres in Spokane, WA. He recently promoted his son, Erik, as co-winemaker, planning ahead to the day when the 58-year-old could retire from sparking and still wines and concentrate on his special project, making brandy from the fruit in the region. He recently became the first legal distiller for spirits in Washington State.
Manz passed away unexpectedly in his sleep Wednesday, Nov. 1, but not before his legacy of a family-own business was realized. Mountain Dome Winery is the second largest sparkling wine producer in Washington, and the largest family-owned sparkling wine maker in the Northwest.
"Michael made one of the best sparkling wines in the country," said Jon Bonne, wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle. "He set a standard for how good American sparkling wines could be. He had incredible vision of the true méthod champenoise that few winemakers have. He was the soul of Champagne in the U.S."
In a recent interview a week before his death, Manz reiterated why he choose such an expensive, labor-intensive venue for a family business.
"I wanted to build a legacy for my family," Manz said. "Pat (his wife) and I love Champagne, and that is what we set out to do."
Mountain Dome will continue with Erik Manz.
"Michael made one of the best sparkling wines in the country," said Jon Bonne, wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle. "He set a standard for how good American sparkling wines could be. He had incredible vision of the true méthod champenoise that few winemakers have. He was the soul of Champagne in the U.S."
Mountain Dome's most popular sparkling wine, the image is a playful rendition of Michael, his wife, and their three kids
One of Michael's several sparkling wines
