Meet the Winemaker, Caleb Foster

Caleb Foster, Hyatt Vineyards Winemaker

Caleb is delighted to join Leland and Lynda Hyatt’s team to grow and renew the success Hyatt has enjoyed. Beginning in spring 2022, he arrived to develop not only an exceptional vintage, but also the great message of quality wines and service from the heart of Washington wines in Yakima Valley’s Rattlesnake Hills AVA.

Caleb’s professional winemaking career started 1991, in the Walla Walla Valley, assisting Rick Small at Woodward Canyon 8 vintages. He continued winemaking, traveling and consulting with over 10 wineries in Washington State, Marlborough, New Zealand and Stellenbosch, South Africa with brands such as Matua, Jackson Estate, Nautilus, Wairau River, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Glen Fiona, Abeja, Walla Walla Community College, Bookwalter, and Quoin Rock.

In 2000, Caleb created Caleb Foster Wines LLC producing the Buty and BEAST brands in Walla Walla. C designed and planted Rockgarden Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley Rocks District AVA in 2008 with Zelma Long and Phil Freese’s ten year consultancy. Since 2012, Caleb has begun new projects in Washington State, including Gunpowder Creek Winery, consulting for Delicato Winery, producing Double Canyon Cabernet Sauvignons with Will Beightol at the Crimson Wine Group, and supporting John Bookwalter in his wine and hospitality mission in Washington State.

Caleb welcomes visits with guests when they visit Hyatt Vineyards.

Wine Awards

Awards have been showered upon the wines Caleb produced. In 2018, J. Bookwalter Readers Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 achieved the Wine Spectator Magazine’s Top 100 Wines of 2018. Wine Enthusiast also place the Notebook red wine blend among its Top 100 Best Buys of 2019. Owen Bargreen, current Decanter Magazine Washington State contributor, placed the 2018 2nd Edition Sémillon white blend on his Top 100 wines of 2020. Wine & Spirits Magazine awarded his Buty Winery with Winery of the Year and Wine of the Year awards in 2012 & 2011. Food & Wine magazine and Seattle Magazine naming the Rediviva of the Stones Walla Walla Valley blend “Wine of the Year”. Caleb has wines Top listed year after year in Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Tanzer, Decanter, and the Food & Wine Pocket Guide. Caleb made wines for the Herbfarm Restaurant, the 2005, ’08, ’09 Designee Conner Lee Vineyard Cabernet Franc, and Canlis Restaurant’s 2006 & ’09 Peter Canlis Syrah Walla Walla Valley. He also developed Buty Winery to become the newest of the top 20 Best Washington State wineries in Paul Gregutt’s critical book – “Washington Wines and Wineries: the Essential Guide”. Currently, his 2018 Gunpowder Creek Winery cabernet franc is the #1 highest scored wine in Quini, a nationwide crowd-sourced tasting panel inclusive of 5 years of reviews.