Editor/owner of GreatNorthwestWine.com. Wine specialist for NatGeo/Lindblad Expeditions. Interests=Traci Degerman, Mount Rainier, golf, MLB, NFL, rescued cats.
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Articles by Eric Degerman
Idaho’s Clearwater Canyon Cellars climbs to No. 4 on Platinum leaderboard
Coco Umiker, winemaker/co-owner of Clearwater Canyon Cellars, in Lewiston, Idaho, presents a seminar to guests aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird. (Photo by Eric Degerman / Great Northwest Wine) Karl and Coco Umiker continue to blend their skills as grower and winemaker, turning Clearwater Canyon Cellars into one of the most decorated family-owned brands in the Pacific Northwest.
Chart-topping hits from 26th Platinum Awards
King Estate Winery near the Willamette Valley community of Lorane, Ore., led the 26th annual Platinum Awards judging with eight Platinum medals. (Photo courtesy of King Estate Winery) PROSSER, Wash. — As someone who has helped chronicle the Pacific Northwest wine industry for more than 25 years, the two questions I get most often are … What is your favorite wine? Which wineries are the best?
Bayernmoor Cellars turns Pinot Noir from Puget Sound into Best Red of 26th Platinum Awards
Larry Harris, winemaker/co-owner of Bayernmoor Cellars in Stanwood, Wash., has earned 21 Platinum Awards in the past four years from Great Northwest Wine — including Best of the Best Red Wine for his 2023 Bayernmoor Vineyard Clone 777 Pinot Noir during the 26th annual judging of Pacific Northwest gold-medal wines. (Photo courtesy of Bayernmoor Cellars.) PROSSER, Wash.
Thurston Wolfe, Evergreen Family Wines continue focus on value
Wade Wolfe, who moved to Washington state in 1977 to work for Ste. Michelle, shares his knowledge with peers at WineVit, the annual growers meeting in Kennewick, Wash. (Richard Duval Images) Another impressive performance in the Platinum Awards by Wade Wolfe prompts the panel of judges to consider the same question year after year … Could it be that Thurston Wolfe Winery in Prosser is pound for pound the best example of Pacific Northwest winemaking?
Best of the Best Red Wine / Double Platinum medal Bayernmoor Cellars 2023 Bayernmoor Vineyard Clone 777 Pinot Noir, Puget Sound $55.00 — 98 points Best of the Best White Wine / Double Platinum medal Chaberton Estate Winery 2024 Estate Siegerrebe, Fraser Valley $19.95 — 98 points + Best Buy! Double Platinum medal Clearwater Canyon Cellars 2022 Phinny Hill Vineyard Coco’s Reserve Spice Market, Washington $38.00 — 98 points Tucannon Cellars 2022 Estate Carménère, Yakima Valley $46.00 — 98 points...
Lawrence family transitions Prosser campus into Gård Estate Wines & Inn
Gård Estate Wines & Inn in Prosser, Wash., will be the next phase of the Yakima Valley destination formerly known as Desert Wind. (Artist rendering courtesy of Gård Estate Wines ) The uber-ambitious Lawrence family announced this week the rebranding of its Desert Wind facility in Prosser, Wash., as the future home of Gård Estate Wines & Inn while also expanding Gård’s presence in the Seattle suburb of Woodinville.
Maryhill Winery builds upon Platinum Awards lead
Maryhill Winery winemaker Richard Batchelor, left, continues to reel in Platinum medals for owners Craig and Vicki Leuthold. (Photo courtesy of Maryhill Winery) It’s inconceivable that any producer will supplant Maryhill Winery atop the all-time list of Platinum winners as long as Craig and Vicki Leuthold continue to own the Goldendale, Wash., winery and employ Richard Batchelor as their winemaker.
Spangler, King Estate lead Oregon winners at 14th annual Cascadia International
Patrick Spangler, owner/winemaker of Spangler Vineyards in Roseburg, Ore., used a Carménère from the Rogue Valley that was voted as the No. 1 wine of the 2026 Cascadia International Wine Competition in Prosser, Wash. (Photo courtesy of Patrick Spangler) PROSSER, Wash. — The Oregon wine industry made it a clean sweep in the sweepstakes portion of the 14th annual Cascadia International Wine Competition, topped by a Carménère from Umpqua Valley producer Spangler Vineyards.
Cross-border wine collaboration in jeopardy as BC considers ending tax exemption - Puget Sound Business Journal
The budding partnership between Washington vineyards and British Columbia wineries faces an uncertain future.
Great Northwest Wine names Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery as Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year
Great Northwest Wine Magazine selected Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley as the 2024 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year. Wines by Walter Gehringer, most of them from estate vines tended by his brother, Gordon, were awarded five Platinum Awards during the 2023 Platinum Awards. Last year, the Golden Mile Bench producer became only the second winery in the 24-year judging to have earned more than 100 career Platinums.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Bayernmoor Cellars as Washington Winery of the Year
Great Northwest Wine Magazine selected Bayernmoor Cellars, an estate winery and vineyard in Snohomish County with a particular passion for Pinot Noir, as the 2024 Washington Winery of the Year. Led by co-owner/winemaker Larry Harris, the Snohomish County-based winery dominated the 24th annual Platinum Awards, pulling down nine Platinums during the judging staged by Great Northwest Wine. No other winery matched that total.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Valo Cellars as Washington Winery to Watch
Great Northwest Wine Magazine selected Valo Cellars, a joint venture of restaurateur Michael Ruhland and Columbia Valley winemaker Matías Kúsulas as the 2024 Washington Winery to Watch. Last fall, Valo and other bottlings by the Chilean winemaker shined during the Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition, an international judging staged for West Coast wine buyers and sommeliers at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa in Hood River, Ore.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Iris Vineyards as Oregon Winery of the Year
Great Northwest Wine Magazine has selected Iris Vineyards in the Willamette Valley as the 2024 Oregon Winery of the Year. Aaron Lieberman’s craftsmanship with Pamela Frye’s Chalice Estate Vineyard led to a string of awards last year, and his creativity with the wine-based cocktails adds to the appeal of their young wine bar in downtown Springfield. Our profile of Iris Vineyards will appear in the Spring 2024 issue of Great Northwest Wine Magazine, scheduled to reach subscribers in early April.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Bluebird Hill Cellars as Oregon Winery to Watch
Great Northwest Wine Magazine has selected Bluebird Hill Cellars in the Willamette Valley as the 2024 Oregon Winery to Watch. Neil Shay recently retired as a professor at Oregon State University, but he and his wife Sue continue to impress judges with their young brand in Monroe between Corvallis and Eugene. They also have an exciting new collaboration with WNBA star Elena Delle Donne.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Veer Wine Project as the Idaho Winery of the Year
Great Northwest Wine Magazine has selected Veer Wine Project in the Snake River Valley as the 2024 Idaho Winery of the Year. California native Will Wetmore continues to mastermind some of the most exciting and decorated wines coming out of Idaho via Veer, which recently opened a tasting room and event space in Garden City, the edgy bedroom community of Boise.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Famici Wine Company as Idaho Winery to Watch
Great Northwest Wine Magazine has selected Famici Wine Company in the Snake River Valley as the 2024 Idaho Winery of the Year. C.J. Northrup, who chairs the department of geosciences at Boise State University, and his wife Janet have been inspired by the wines of Italy. They grow several varieties on their estate in the Sunnyslope Wine District, and yet they showed their versatility by using a Meritage-style red to earn their first Platinum last fall.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Van Westen Vineyards as British Columbia Winery of the Year
Great Northwest Wine Magazine has selected Van Westen Vineyards on the Naramata Bench as the 2024 British Columbia Winery of the Year. Rob Van Westen continues to team with winemaking Mike Sutherland and American expat Tom DiBello to produce a dazzling array of red and white wines. Last fall, Van Westen merited a trio of Platinum Awards from Great Northwest Wine’s 24th annual judging.
Great Northwest Wine chooses Garnet Valley Ranch as British Columbia Winery to Watch
Great Northwest Wine Magazine has selected Garnet Valley Ranch in Summerland as the 2024 British Columbia Winery of the Year. This fascinating project is the latest pioneering effort by Christine Coletta, husband Steve Lornie and their team, led by Okanagan Crush Pad winemaker Matt Dumayne. Our profile of Garnet Valley Ranch, written by Penticton journalist Allison M. Markin, will appear in the Spring 2024 issue of Great Northwest Wine Magazine, scheduled to reach subscribers in early April.
Dennis Murphy of Caprio Cellars acquires Figgins shares in Seven Hills Vineyard
Great Northwest Wine News, reviews and info about the wines of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho
Ackley Brands to build Demeter-certified custom-crush facility in Oregon
Ackley Brands to build Demeter-certified custom-crush facility in Oregon - Great Northwest Wine
Chelan-area winemaker Brock Lindsay dies at age 40
“The cause of death was traumatic injuries due to a utility vehicle rollover on Saturday, August 26,” according to statement from his winery companies. According to a Chelan County public information officer, the accident is under investigation. Lindsay and his team began to harvest the 2023 vintage on Wednesday, Aug. 23 with Chardonnay for sparkling wine.
Hedges family to receive Healthy Land, Healthy Communities award from Auction of Washington Wines
WOODINVILLE, Wash. — The Auction of Washington Wines, one of the top five charitable wine auctions in the U.S., has named Hedges Family Estate on Red Mountain as the recipient of its 2023 Healthy Land, Healthy Communities Award. This year marks the 36th annual Auction of Washington Wines, and the presentation to the Hedges family will be featured as part of the second annual TOAST! Honoree Celebration on Thursday, Aug. 10 at Château Ste. Michelle.
Ted Baseler to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from Auction of Washington Wines
WOODINVILLE, Wash. — The Auction of Washington Wines, one of the top five charitable wine auctions in the U.S., has named Ted Baseler, retired CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, as the recipient of its 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. This year marks the 36th annual Auction of Washington Wines, and the presentation to Baseler will be featured as part of the second annual TOAST! Honoree Celebration on Thursday, Aug. 10 at Château Ste. Michelle.
Duckhorn promotes winemaker Joe Czarny at Canvasback after Rudin leaves for Echolands
Great Northwest Wine News, reviews and info about the wines of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Idaho
Duckhorn promotes winemaker Joe Czarny at Canvasback after Rudin leaves for Echolands
WALLA WALLA, Wash. — The two Duckhorn Portfolio brands in Washington state will continue to be led by a graduate of Walla Walla Community College’s vaunted winemaking program with Joseph Czarny replacing Brian Rudin as winemaker for the Canvasback and Greenwing labels. However, Rudin won’t be leaving Walla Walla.
Fires threaten wineries, vines in Columbia Gorge, Yakima Valley
Fires east of the Cascades in Washington state continue to scorch wine regions in the Columbia Gorge and the Yakima Valley on Monday. First reports of the Gorge blaze — named the Tunnel 5 Fire because it began near Highway 14’s Tunnel 5 — were called into officials Sunday morning. Fire crews immediately were deployed to Cook-Underwood Road west of the community of Underwood. The road is linked to two wineries — Willow Wine Cellars and Hawkins Cellars — as well as historic Celilo Vineyard.
Fires threaten wineries, vines in Columbia Gorge, Yakima Valley
Fires threaten wineries, vines in Columbia Gorge, Yakima Valley - Great Northwest Wine
British Columbia wine industry prepares for widespread replanting
The winter kill that swept through the British Columbia wine industry late in 2022 will result in an estimated crop loss of 54% for the 2023 harvest and prompt the replanting of as much as 29% of the province’s vineyards, according to Wine Growers British Columbia. Miles Prodan, the group’s President and CEO since 2010, sent an update to membership on Thursday that framed the devastating findings within the Vintage 2023 Damage Report.
Hester Creek Estate Winery: 2023 British Columbia Winery of the Year
OLIVER, British Columbia — A remarkable passion project that began in 1968 spread vines across 76 acres of what is now Canada’s Golden Mile Bench, which makes Hester Creek Estate Winery a living museum for wine lovers in the Pacific Northwest. British Columbia businessman Curt Garland purchased the historic property in 2004, and he approached it as a curator and steward as well as owner.
Northwest wines win 148 gold medals at San Francisco Chronicle
CLOVERDALE, Calif. — Pacific Northwest fruit produced best-of-class winners in 21 categories and 148 gold medals during the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the annual judging staged in the Sonoma County town of Cloverdale that remains the largest professional critical tasting in North America at more than 5,500 entries.
Allen Shoup leaves long shadow across Washington wine industry
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Clearwater Canyon Cellars in Idaho turns Albariño into top wine at Great Northwest Invitational
HOOD RIVER, Ore. — In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising that some Pacific Northwest’s top wine buyers selected an Albariño from Idaho’s Clearwater Canyon Cellars and the 2018 Cabernet Franc by Lake Chelan Winery as top wines at the 10th annual Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition. Coco Umiker has won major regional awards in recent years with the Albariño grapes she and her viticulturist husband Karl Umiker purchase from Crawford Vineyard in the Yakima Valley.
A Vine Start: Ste. Michelle’s new owners add rather than subtract - Great Northwest Wine
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and its team have experienced turbulent times in recent years, but Sept. 7 sparked some celebrations when the largest wine company in Washington state announced its acquisition of two of Oregon’s largest brands — A to Z Wineworks and Rex Hill. The move makes Ste. Michelle Wine Estates the largest wine company in Oregon, and the shock and awe generated by the news will reverberate. It also means greater responsibility for Juan Muñoz-Oca, chief winemaker for Ste.
Visionary Allen Shoup left a legacy for the WA wine industry
Allen Shoup, whose leadership, background in marketing and eye for winemaking talent turned what is now Ste. Michelle Wine Estates into a national power while helping the Washington wine industry onto the global stage, died Monday of natural causes at his home in Seattle. He was 79.
The Northwest’s 20 best wines for under $20
THE MONSON FAMILY of Goose Ridge Vineyards near Richland wasted almost no time in hiring winemaker Maurine Johnson, who became a free agent three years ago in the wake of one of the largest transactions in the history of the U.S. wine industry. “When Hogue was sold to Gallo, there wasn’t a job for me,” Johnson says. “That happens.” The Utah State graduate honed her ability to make deliciously affordable wines on a large scale during her 29-year career at Ste.
Women lead Washington’s wine industry now more than ever
A DECADE AGO, I walked away from the newsroom, gave up a regular paycheck and dedicated the next chapter of my career as a journalist to sharing stories from the Pacific Northwest wine industry. The biggest wine-loving friend anyone could hope for — former Seattle Times Grapevine columnist Andy Perdue — and I began our news company in early 2013. A few weeks later, I wrote a story that leaned on crowdsourcing to list all the head winemakers in Oregon who were women.
Meet 3 women who are guiding the future of Washington’s wine industry
IN WASHINGTON, THE second-largest wine-producing state in the nation, more women are entering — and succeeding in — the historically male-dominated world of wine production. Women winemakers helped lead the rise of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in the late 1970s. Five decades later, five of the 11 largest brands in that company — the largest in the Northwest, with headquarters in Woodinville — have women calling the shots as the head winemaker.
The 20 best Northwest wines of 2022
IT’S A ROLL of the dice to enter a wine competition, particularly an international judging, yet Rocky Pond Estate Winery hit the jackpot this summer at the Las Vegas Global Wine Awards when its 2019 Stratastone red blend was voted best of show. That was just the latest West Coast award bestowed upon this stylish wine since its release, prompting us to select it as our No. 1 Northwest wine for 2022. Winery owner David Dufenhorst, who grew up in Boise, isn’t shy about taking calculated risks.
Tinte Cellars donation drive for Ukraine enters final week
Tim Gamble and Teresa Spellman Gamble of Tinte Cellars in Woodinville, Wash., are leading efforts to gather new supplies and raise funds to help the people of Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of Tinte Cellars) Teresa Spellman Gamble, her husband, Tim, and their customers at Tinte Cellars are doing more than sending thoughts and prayers to people of war-ravaged Ukraine.
2022 Idaho Winery of the Year: Holesinsky Vineyard and Winery
James and Caitlin Holesinsky share the winemaking duties at Holesinsky Vineyard and Winery in Buhl, Idaho. Their wines won a trio of Double Platinums at the 2021 Platinum Awards, leading to their selection as our 2022 Idaho Winery of the Year.
2022 Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year: DeLille Cellars
CEO Tom Dugan, left, and director of winemaking Jason Gorski have teamed up to help DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, Wash., become the 2022 Pacific Northwest Winery of Winery for Great Northwest Wine magazine. (Richard Duval Images) WOODINVILLE, Wash. — As DeLille Cellars celebrates 30 years of historic achievements in 2022, its storied wine program and business never have been better. Five years ago, our team named DeLille Cellars as the 2017 Washington Winery of the Year.
Dobbes Family Estate hires Derek Einberger as winemaker
Derek Einberger takes over as the winemaker at Dobbes Family Estate in Dundee, Ore., after spending more than a decade as the winemaker at Patton Valley Vineyards in nearby Gaston. (Photo by Carolyn Wells-Kramer of CWK Photography/Courtesy of Dobbes Family Estate) A brand featuring one of the well-known names in the Oregon wine industry has hired Derek Einberger to take over the cellar at Dobbes Family Estate in Dundee.
Sagemoor group hires Aryn Morell to spearhead all winemaking
Sagemoor Vineyards, a group with holdings that include some of the Northwest wine industry’s oldest vines, announced Wednesday the hiring of Aryn Morell to oversee all of the winemaking for its Selections By Sagemoor project. It means wines such as the Stars in a Row Cabernet Sauvignon will be made by Morell in Walla Walla. The Selections By Sagemoor brand has featured some of the region’s top winemakers — John Abbott, Ali Mayfield and Chris Peterson — since its launch with the 2014 vintage.
Bill to create Washington wine license plate moves to state Senate
The Washington State Wine Commission helped to develop a mock-up of a special Washington wine license plate that features a landscape involving one of the state’s wine growing regions. Here, it is the Horse Heaven Hills American Viticultural Area with the Columbia River as the backdrop. (Image courtesy of Washington State Wine Commission) State lawmaker Kelly Chambers and her husband, Jeff, make wine from their vineyard in Washington’s Lake Chelan American Viticultural Area.
Idaho lawmakers consider allowing 17-year-olds to serve alcohol
Juniper Restaurant on Eighth Street in Boise, a longtime supporter of the Idaho wine industry, is just a few blocks from the state Capitol. (Photo by Eric Degerman/Great Northwest Wine) BOISE, Idaho — Lawmakers in Idaho, the fastest-growing state in the country for the past five years, are reviewing legislation that would make theirs only the second state to permit a 17-year-old to serve alcohol.
Top Twelve Northwest Rosés
It’s a style that’s been derisively dubbed as “California Kool-Aid,” those cloying blush wines many U.S. consumers long have associated as rosé. But just as not all Riesling is sweet, the same goes for pink wines. Fortunately, the Pacific Northwest wine industry is a leader in this country’s awakening to rosé, and Barnard Griffin Winery in Richland, Washington, is proof of that.
Washington Vineyard Stays
THE INN AT ABEJA - WALLA WALLA Abeja and its eight lodging options offer a Walla Walla Valley wine country experience that ranks among the best on the West Coast. Portland businessman Ken Harrison and wife, Ginger, purchased their farm in 2000 after having stayed at what was then known as Mill Creek Inn, a property with a history that stretches back to 1863.
Seven Rising Star Winemakers
Seven rising star winemakers in the Northwest are making their mark in a highly competitive and growing industry. From more than 1,700 wineries, four are from Washington, three are from Oregon. All are passionate about their journeys, career choices and humble beginnings, ranging from harvest interns, growing up in a family of chefs, wine educators, personal fitness, research, singers, pilots, and bartenders.
Oregon Vineyard Stays: A Weekend Among the Vines
Winemakers see the red volcanic soil of Oregon’s Dundee Hills as prime Pinot Noir producing property, but wine lovers have been appreciating this peaceful view of the Willamette Valley and the Cascades since the late Joan Davenport began to transform the property in 1990. She found Riesling vines dating to 1970, a planting along Breyman Orchard Road that’s believed to be the third-oldest in the Dundee Hills American Viticultural Area.
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