Why Ste. Michelle sold Sonoma’s Patz & Hall
Patz & Hall, Sonoma, CA courtesy Ste. Michelle Wine Estates James Hall, the founding partner and winemaker at Sonoma’s Patz & Hall, announced on Monday that he had purchased the winery back from Read more...
Simonit & Sirch partners with Conner Lee Vineyard, first Washington venture
Conner Lee Vineyard, copyright Richard Duval Simonit & Sirch, an international vine pruning and training consulting company, is now working with Washington’s Conner Lee Vineyard. This is the company’s first foray into Washington Read more...
Serge Laville named winemaker at Reali Family Vineyard
Serge Laville (left) with Kristin and Ken Reali. Photograph by Kristina Reali. Reali Family Vineyard, a new project in Walla Walla Valley, has hired Serge Laville as the estate’s founding winemaker. Laville, one Read more...
Claire Jarreau named head winemaker at Brooks Winery
L to R: Janie Brooks Heuck, Chris Williams, Claire Jarreau, Brooks Winery. Photograph by Carolyn Wells-Kramer. Brooks Winery in Willamette Valley has promoted associate winemaker Claire Jarreau to head winemaker. Long-time winemaker Chris Read more...
Renowned grower Ryan Johnson to manage Force Majeure Estate Vineyard
Ryan Johnson, far from the sagebrush of Red Mountain Ryan Johnson, who has been farming on Red Mountain for 25 years and is one of Washington’s most highly-regarded growers, will now be managing Read more...
Washington growers assess impact of January freeze
Bud damage courtesy of Jeremy Petty. Walla Walla Valley and Lake Chelan appear hardest hit Growers across the Columbia Valley have spent the past few weeks assessing the impacts of frigid temperatures January Read more...
Looking at recent British Columbia hard freezes
The following article was written by Michael Fagin. Fagin is an operational meteorologist providing weather forecasts to clients in the Pacific Northwest and custom forecasts for groups climbing Mt. Everest and other major peaks. Fagin Read more...
What comes next for Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Woodinville property?
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, Washington. Copyright Richard Duval. On January 16th, the Woodinville City Council denied a request by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE), the parent company of Chateau Ste. Michelle, to consolidate Read more...
Lane Hoss retires after 42 years at Anthony’s Restaurants
Lane Hoss, vice president of operations at Anthony’s Restaurants based in Kirkland, Washington, has retired. Hoss spent 42 years at the company, almost all of that time overseeing Anthony’s wine and beverage program. “She must Read more...
WA State Wine Commission pivots toward distributors in new strategic plan
Comes with operating budget reduced by approximately one-third The Washington State Wine Commission, the state-mandated body charged with promoting Washington wine, has released a new, five-year strategic plan. Among the key shifts is a focus Read more...
What trouble at Vintage Wine Estates means for Washington wine
Earlier this month, Vintage Wine Estates (VWE) announced that it was reducing staff by 15%, restructuring the company’s business, and simplifying its business model. These moves come after the publicly owned company, like many large Read more...
Washington loses a link to its history
Charles Sleicher, the last surviving member of the 10 original founders of Associated Vintners (AV), passed away January 23rd. He was 99 years old. Sleicher was at AV when the winery purchased the land that Read more...