Walla Walla wines to be sold in China

Wines from two Walla Walla wineries have been shipped to China for the first time. Transnational Ventures Inc., a Port Townsend-based trading company, has sold wine from Whitman Cellars and Reininger to the Mega Wine Company of Hong Kong, which plans to sell most of the Washington wine in Hong Kong.

Transnational Ventures focuses exclusively on the Chinese region and sees a strong future for Washington wine in the growing market, according to a press release.

Another wine-related business has also planted roots in Walla Walla.

A California-based provider of winery ecommerce software and services, eWinery Solutions Inc., has opened a regional office here. The office is managed by Becky Waggoner, who has worked in the wine industry and brings experience in consumer direct sales and marketing.

The local operation will be responsible for sales in the Northwest Region as eWinery Solutions expands into nationwide sales of its software and services.

Existing Northwest clients include Basel Cellars, Delille Cellars, Dunham Cellars, Desert Wind Winery and Duck Pond.

Waggoner had a five-year career with wineries in Walla Walla and the greater Columbia Valley. She managed all aspects of the consumer direct marketing process, gaining experience with applications developed by eWinery Solutions.

The company, founded in 2002, serves more than 200 winery clients in the country and major wine-producing regions of the world.