Just because Taste Washington was cancelled this year does not mean that we cannot still have our own event. Virtually.

Taste Washington, the largest, single region consumer wine event in the U.S., was scheduled to take place March 19th to 22nd but was cancelled this year due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This annual event brings together more than 200 Washington wineries along with scores of local restaurants and thousands of consumers.

Taste is an important opportunity for wineries to get in front of consumers, pour their latest releases, and, in some cases, launch their brands. It is also an opportunity for consumers to taste new wines, see old winery friends, and make new ones. Taste Washington’s cancellation, was a loss for the entire Washington wine community.

But just because Taste Washington isn’t happening this weekend doesn’t mean that we can’t still have our own as best we can amidst all that is going on. Here is what I am planning:

1. Bringing a taste of (Taste) Washington to you, virtually

On Saturday, March 21st and Sunday March 22nd, I will be posting here information about a number of the wineries that had planned to participate in Taste Washington this year. This information comes from the Washington State Wine Commission, as my efforts are in coordination with A Taste of (Taste) Washington, the “digital showcase” they launched last week in an effort to rally the industry. They’re spotlighting each winery that would have poured at Taste Washington across all social channels in different ways, so be sure to follow along on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, so give them your likes, loves, and support.

Information about wineries will be listed here as a series of posts. I plan to list them in groups, alphabetically, just like at Taste, so you can ‘browse the aisles’ and see what grabs your attention. I’ll do some on Saturday and then some on Sunday. My hope is that it will give you a small taste of some of what you might have seen and learned had Taste Washington taken place this year.

2. A Virtual Grand Tasting on Saturday and Sunday evenings

The main event at Taste Washington is a two day, grand tasting on Saturday and Sunday. As many of you know, each Friday and Saturday evening on my Facebook page, I ask what everyone is drinking that evening, and people share notes and post images of the wines they are having. This weekend, we’ll be doing something a little different.

Friday night will continue as usual. However, on Saturday and Sunday, we will be having a Virtual Grand Tasting. I am asking that people only drink and share wines from wineries and vineyards that were planning to participate in Taste Washington (see list below). This will not be enforced, but it is my very strong ask.

Don’t have a wine from one of these wineries? Try to make whatever wine you do share a Washington wine. Feel free to tag wineries and tell us what you think about the wine as usual. Also feel free to share this ‘What’s everybody drinking?’ Virtual Grand Tasting post with your friends. The more eyeballs the better.

My goal in doing this is to give these wineries some small measure of the exposure that they would have received at Taste Washington, sort of like when we all walk around at Taste, see friends, and say, “What have you tried?” “What have you liked?” We’ll be doing the same here. We’ll just be doing it on-line.

So please visit the blog on Saturday and Sunday starting at 1:30pm when I will post a virtual “browsing of the aisles.” Saturday and Sunday evening, starting at 6:30pm Pacific, join me on my Facebook page (or Twitter or Instagram) and tell us what wine you’re enjoying from a 2020 Taste Washington participant.

Here’s to a virtual Taste Washington! #VirtualTasteWA


N.B. This is obviously a very difficult time for all. Events are moving very swiftly in Washington and around the country. If events or reason dictate postponing this, I will do so. Note that this is intended as a virtual event. Please conform with all state and federal guidelines for gatherings.

Image by Richard Duval

List of Participating Wineries and Vineyards, Taste Washington 2020
See an on-line list here

4 Cellars by Little Big Town
Adrice Wines
AGO
Airfield Estates
Alexandria Nicole Cellars
aMaurice Cellars
Amavi Cellars
Ambassador Wines of Washington
Ancestry Cellars
Andrew Will Winery
AniChe Cellars
AntoLin Cellars
Aquilini
Armstrong Family Winery
Array Cellars
Auclair
Avennia
Baer Winery
Balboa Winery
Barons Winery
Barrage Cellars
Barrister Winery
Bartholomew Winery
Basel Cellars
Bayernmoor Cellars
Betz Family Winery
Bledsoe Family Winery
Boudreaux Cellars
Brian Carter Cellars
Browne Family Vineyards
Buty Winery
Cadence
Cairdeas Winery
Callan Cellars
Camaraderie Cellars
Canoe Ridge Vineyard
Canvasback
Cascade Cliffs Vineyard & Winery
Cascadian Outfitters
Category 5 Cellars
Cedar River Cellars
Chateau NoElle Vineyards & Winery
Chinook Wines
Co Dinn Cellars
Columbia Winery
Cooper
Cor Cellars
Côte Bonneville
Côtes de Ciel
Cougar Crest Estate Winery
Coyote Canyon Winery
DAMA Wines
Damsel Cellars
Darby Winery
Dead Crow Vineyards
Ded.reckoning Wine Co.
Descendant Cellars
Devison Vintners
Dillon Cellars
DiStefano Winery
Domaine Magdalena
Domaine Pouillon
Double Canyon
Drum Roll Wine
Ducleaux Cellars
Dunham Cellars
Dusted Valley
Eagle Harbor Wine Co.
EFESTE
Eight Bells Winery
Elephant Seven
Eleven Winery
Eternal & Drink Washington State
Fidelitas Wines
FIGGINS
Fletcher Bay Winery
Foolhardy Vintners
Forgeron Cellars
Foundry Vineyards
Gard Vintners
Genoa Cellars
Gilbert Cellars
Golden Ridge Cellars
Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery
Gordon Estate
Gorman Winery
Gramercy Cellars
Gravel Bar Winery
Grosgrain Vineyards
Guardian Cellars
Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards
Hedges Family Estate
Hightower Cellars
Horse Heaven Hills Wine Growers
itä wines
J Bell Cellars
Januik Winery
JB Neufeld
JM Cellars
Jones of Washington
Karma Vineyards
Kasia Winery
KestrelVintners
Kevin White Winery
Kiona Vineyards
Kiona Vineyards and Winery
L’Ecole No 41
Lagana Cellars
Lantz Cellars
Latta Wines
Lauren Ashton Cellars
Locus Wines
Lodmell Cellars
Long Shadows Vintners
Love That Red Winery
Luke
Lydian
Maison Bleue/Pambrun Winery
Mark Ryan Winery
Martinez & Martinez Winery
Maryhill Winery, Tasting Room, and Bistro
Matthews Winery
Mercer Bros & ICAN Wines
Michael Florentino Cellars
Milbrandt Vineyards
Muret-Gaston Winery
Naches Heights Vineyard
Nine Hats Wines
Nota Bene Cellars
Novelty Hill
Obelisco Estate
Ott & Hunter Wines
Owen Roe
Palencia Wine Company
Patterson Cellars
Pearl and Stone Wine Co.
Pepper Bridge Winery
Pollard Vineyard
Pondera Winery
Prospice Wines
Quilceda Creek
Radix Winery
Randolph Cellars
Reasons Wines
Red Band Cellars/Dave Harvey Wines
Reininger Winery
Revelry Vintners
Robert Ramsay Cellars
Rocky Pond Winery
Rotie Cellars
Ryan Patrick Wines
Sagemoor Vineyard
Savage Grace Wines
Saviah Cellars
Schooler Nolan Winery
Seven Hills Winery
Sightglass Cellars
Sigillo Cellars
Silvara Cellars
Sin Banderas Wines
Siren Song Winery
Skagit Cellars
Skyfall Vineyards
Sleight of Hand Cellars
Sol Stone Winery
somme des parties
Sparkman Cellars
Stottle Winery
Structure Cellars
Syncline Winery
Tamarack Cellars
Terra Blanca Winery & Estate Vineyard
Tertulia Cellars
Tetrahedron
The Bunnell Family Cellar
The Miscreant Project
The Walls Vineyards
Three of Cups Winery
Three Rivers Winery
Time & Direction
Tipsy Canyon Winery
Tranche
Treveri Cellars
Trust Cellars
TruthTeller
Tsillan Cellars
Tunnel Hill Winery
Two Mountain Winery
Two Vintners
Upchurch Vineyard
Upsidedown Wine
Uva Furem Winery
W.T. Vintners
Walla Walla Vintners
Warr-King Wines
Waterbrook
Waters Winery
Weather Station Winery
Westport Winery
William Grassie Wine Estates
Willow Wine Cellars
WineGirl Wines
WIT Cellars
Woodhouse Wine Estates
Woodward Canyon Winery