Hutterites sue Walla Walla winery over $19,000 in grapes

A lawsuit claims Patit Creek Cellars, which has a wine tasting room in downtown Spokane, hasn’t paid for more than 14 tons of grapes valued at nearly $19,000.

The Walla Walla-based winery is being sued by the Warden Hutterian Brethren, a religious colony that maintains a large agriculture operation in the small town of Warden, near Moses Lake.

The Hutterites claim they delivered 14.45 tons of merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc grapes to Patit Creek Cellars in October 2015 and expected to be paid in full by Dec. 15 of that year.

The winery didn’t pay, so the Hutterites filed a lien for the purchase price of $18,785 in early 2016, according to the lawsuit. They’re also seeking interest and “finance charges” accruing from Dec. 15, 2015.

Patit Creek, the Hutterites and their attorney did not respond to messages seeking comment.

The winery also has tasting rooms in Woodinville and Walla Walla. The downtown Spokane location, 822 W. Sprague Ave., opened in 2013.