Washington Wine Commission Hosts First "Road Trip Washington Wine"

September 27 through October 1, the Washington Wine Commission hosted 49 wine buyers and wine directors in an in-the-vineyard program loosely modeled after Oregon's successful Oregon Pinot Camp.

The group began in Seattle, with an evening reception at the Space Needle, and a tasting from Seattle area-based wineries.

Ted Baseler addresses the participants.

Sunday morning all participants were flown to Walla Walla, where they were divided into small groups, seeing different wineries and vineyards.

From there they traveled to Tri-Cities and Red Mountain, and then to the Yakima Valley before a comparative Riesling Tasting at the lovely Suncadia resort in Cle Elum, on the way back to Seattle.

In Seattle the group was again divided for winery exercises looking at yeasts, malo-lactic fermentation, oak and filtration, including some exercises that looked at barely fermenting lots. That last afternoon featured a round-the-world blind tasting of cabernet-based wines.

Participants thought the program was useful.

"The camaraderie here is impressive", said Ann Marie Delaney, wine director of New York City-based Rosie O'Grady's and Harbour Lights restaurants. "I was impressed with Christopher Baron of Cayuse and the Hedges wines really were an example of letting the land speak for itself."

She found the trip different from what she expected, "I thought Washington was green and wet, not the desert the wine regions really are!"

Steve Wells from the BR Restaurant Group in New York City thought that being in the vineyards puts a face on wine labels. He made a lot of new discoveries, but said, "I may not have room on my list right now, but I will be filling in, with the bits in my back pocket now."

William Moss from Circo/Le Cirque in Las Vegas also has Washington wines on his wine list, but claimed, "Seeing the soils and seeing the people really makes a difference in understanding the wines."

Participants were given a very well-organized thick spiral notebook, with their travel routes, all winery information, maps, and each other's contact info. They also made Road Trip song CDs for all.

The Washington Wine Commission staff seemed happily satisfied with the event. Communications Director Gary Werner said, "There has been such overwhelming positive response to this event from both producers and participants that we will absolutely be doing this program again."