People Behind the Pour: How Fortuity Cellars Brings Sustainability and Community to Every Bottle

Emily and Lee Fergestrom, Fortuity Cellars

Fortuity Cellars in the picturesque Yakima Valley symbolizes what happens when passion, opportunity, and community collide. Founded by Emily and Lee Fergestrom, Fortuity Cellars is more than just a winery; it’s the realization of a dream born from a shared love of wine, food, and meaningful experiences.

“Our whole dating period was about food and wine,” says Emily. “We’d spend our vacations tasting wine, joining clubs—my limit was always five, but sometimes I went over. Wine was a big part of our lives from the start.”

Fortuity’s inception blended thoughtful reflection and a spontaneous leap of faith. After getting married in 2016, Emily and Lee started to consider their future. They both had great careers in tech but craved for something different. “We asked ourselves, ‘What do we want the next 20 years to look like?’” Emily recalls. “Lee got out the spreadsheets, and we started talking about different ideas.”

The pair initially considered taking a sabbatical, traveling, or starting something entirely new. During one of these deep conversations, while wine tasting in the San Juan Islands, they had a revelation: “Why don’t we make wine?”

Despite their excitement, Lee, with his background in product management, quickly pointed out the obvious: they didn’t know how to make wine. Fortunately, they had a family friend in the winemaking industry, and after a casual text exchange, their journey began.

“He said, ‘Let’s talk after the Seahawks game,’ and that was it. We started making plans,” Emily laughs, reflecting on their start on October 23, 2016, now celebrated as Fortuity Day.

From the beginning, Emily and Lee approached the winery with the business acumen they had sharpened in their careers. But as they’ve grown, sustainability has become a central pillar of Fortuity’s mission.

“We've made several changes to align our practices with sustainability,” Emily shares. One of these adjustments involved sourcing domestic, lighter glass for their bottles to reduce environmental impact and support local jobs. “We used to source heavier, more ornate bottles, but we realized the environmental cost just didn’t align with our values,” she says. They also switched to Diam corks, which use all of the cork bark and minimize waste, further aligning Fortuity with their eco-conscious goals.

Fortuity’s sustainability efforts don’t stop at the winery’s operations. They are also committed to fostering long-term relationships with their vineyard partners, many certified through Washington’s Sustainable WA program. “We want our business to have a lasting, positive impact on the environment and the community,” Emily adds.

Beyond the vineyards and production, Fortuity Cellars has deep roots in the Yakima Valley community. They created the Fortuity Gives program, which allows them to partner with local nonprofits and foster mutual growth through shared storytelling and fundraising. It’s their way of making a small impact while increasing awareness for local organizations.

Emily highlights the importance of treating both the land and its people well: “We live in the Yakima Valley, where agriculture is the backbone of the economy, and many of our laborers are Hispanic. We need to treat them well and pay them well. We support a number of organizations in town that help provide better services to these communities, like Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic and the Hispanic Chamber.” 

This sense of community is also reflected in Fortuity’s customer base. Contrary to popular belief that wine is losing appeal with younger generations, Fortuity’s data shows otherwise. “Our demographic is primarily between 30 and 50 years old,” Emily notes. “They’re excited about the connection, the story behind the brand, and the sustainability piece.”

Fortuity is in the midst of its eighth harvest in 2024, and the excitement is palpable. “2022 and 2023 were exceptional vintages, and 2024 is shaping up to be beautiful,” Emily says. “We’re especially excited about expanding our sparkling wine offerings and releasing more Red Willow Bordeaux blends.”

Fortuity Cellars continues to be a shining example of what can happen when passion and purpose align. From their humble beginnings to their thriving winery, Emily and Lee’s journey is a testament to the power of fortuitous moments and the beauty of embracing the unknown.

Fortuity Cellars is a must-visit for those seeking a genuine experience with heart. WeRise is thrilled to share this wine with you over at our online bottle shop, and we’re counting down the minutes to pour it for you at the WeRise Wine bar in the very near future. Join our Wine Club to experience the wine from wineries like Fortuity every month. To learn more about Emily and Lee Fergestrom and Fortuity Cellars, check out their website and plan your trip to visit Central Washington at their Ellensburg location or in Yakima Valley. Sign up for the WeRise newsletter so you’re the first to know about our grand opening and more exciting news.