First Annual Grenache Festival coming to Walla Walla Valley
Many varieties have gotten their due in Washington. Grenache’s time has finally arrived, with the First Annual Grenache Festival coming to Walla Walla November 3rd. “Grenache is my favorite variety,” says Carrie Alexander, who founded Read more...
Washington makes up ground, as bloom begins in Columbia Valley
Bloom has begun in Columbia Valley. Brittany Komm, vineyard operations manager at Sagemoor Vineyards, saw bloom in Weinbau Vineyard Chardonnay on May 22nd. Komm also saw bloom in Sagemoor Chardonnay and Bacchus Cabernet Franc on Read more...
Kristina Kelley faces opportunities, challenges as new head of Washington State Wine Commission
Today the Washington State Wine Commission – the state-mandated organization whose mission is to raise awareness and demand for Washington wine – announced the hiring of Kristina Kelley as executive director. Kelley starts the position Read more...
Ste. Michelle on Woodinville property – “We’re not going anywhere.”
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Woodinville, WA In 2022, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE), the Pacific Northwest’s largest winery, listed its 118-acre flagship property in Woodinville for sale in whole or in part. While the company Read more...
What the sale of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars means for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Northwest wine
Yesterday Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE) and Italian producer Marchesi Antinori announced that the latter purchased full ownership of Napa Valley’s Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. For the last 16 years, the two producers co-owned the Read more...
PRESS RELEASE: Marchesi Antinori will take over full ownership of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Editor's Note: In the interest of expediency at getting information out about a breaking news story, I am taking the unusual step of publishing the following press release in its entirety. Marchesi Antinori and Ste. Read more...
The evolution of Walla Walla Vintners
Walla Walla Vintners was founded in 1995 – 28 years ago – by Myles Anderson and Gordy Venneri, two long-time home winemakers. (Read an article about the winery from 2010.) As hard as it is Read more...
Brittany Komm named vineyard operations manager at Sagemoor Vineyards
Komm replaces Lacey Lybeck, who will now be grape sales manager Brittany Komm has been named vineyard operations manager at Washington’s Sagemoor Vineyards, one of the state’s premier vineyard groups. Komm takes the reigns from Read more...
Washington wine industry rallies to aid family of late winemaker Ross Mickel
Last Labor Day weekend, winemaker Ross Mickel of Woodinville’s Ross Andrew Winery died in a seaplane crash near Whidbey Island. His pregnant wife, Lauren Hilty, and the couple’s 22-month old son, Remy, were also killed Read more...
Kate Derby named winemaker at Spring Valley Vineyard
Long-time winemaker Serge Laville laid off as part of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates February workforce reduction Katherine "Kate" Derby, whose family founded Spring Valley Vineyard in 1993, has been promoted to winemaker. Derby, a sixth Read more...
A “kick-ass, old-school country bar” is coming to Walla Walla
Get ready Walla Walla. T-Post Tavern is coming. “The general idea is just a kick-ass, old-school country bar,” says owner Dan Thiessen, founder and managing partner at Denim Hospitality. Thiessen is also a managing partner Read more...
Dick Erath, Willamette Valley pioneer, passes away at 87
Dick Erath, Willamette Valley pioneer and founder of Erath Winery in the Dundee Hills, passed away March 29th. He was 87. No cause of death was announced. “His real gift, first to Oregonians and eventually Read more...
