Applications are now open for the 2025 Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship for Writers and Communicators. The fellowship will award recipients with a stipend, a diverse selection of Washington wines, and an immersive experience in the state’s wine industry.

The Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship targets emerging wine writers and communicators. This is defined as someone toward the beginning of their career or a more established writer/communicator who is relatively recent to focusing on wine.

New this year, the fellowship has expanded to up to two recipients. Additionally, recipients will have an article placed in Decanter.

The fellowship, now in its second year, recognizes the life and legacy of Allen Shoup, who passed away in 2022. Allen was the long-time CEO of Washington’s largest winery, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. He also founded Long Shadows Vintners, one of Washington’s most respected wineries.

Allen spent his entire career advocating for the Washington wine industry. If there were a Mount Rushmore of Washington wine, Allen’s face would be on it.

The fellowship seeks to carry on Allen’s legacy of broadening the reach of the Washington wine industry and influencing emerging communicators. It is a collaboration across the industry that includes the Washington State Wine Commission, Auction of Washington Wines, Washington Winegrowers Association, Washington Wine Industry Foundation, individuals, wineries, and growers. The fellowship is funded entirely through donations.

Gwendolyn Elliott was the inaugural recipient of the Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship in 2024. Read a recent Walla Walla Union-Bulletin article by Elliot here; see her website here.

I am honored again this year to be among the panelists  who will determine the Shoup Memorial Fellowship recipients. Other panelists include Karen MacNeil (The Wine Bible), Clive Pursehouse (Decanter), Jordan Small (Woodward Canyon), and Ryan Shoup, representing the Shoup family. The panel and fellowship are overseen by an industry advisory committee.

Read more about the Allen Shoup Memorial Fellowship and how to apply here. The deadline for applications is February 28th.

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