Washington Wine Month is finally here! One of the great wine trade events each year in the Pacific Northwest, the Auction of Washington Wines is held each year in August in Woodinville. This year’s event will be at the gorgeous Januik/Novelty Hill winery. Last years Auction of Washington Wines raised over $4.1 million dollars and the Private Barrel Auction raised $135,000.00 for Washington State University’s viticulture and enology program. Limited to trade and a few chosen wine collectors, the auction event showcases some of the best Washington wineries. Wine collectors can also have wine retailers bid on their wines. One great thing is that wines from previous auctions are now available to consumers and can be located on their website. This years auction includes 31 lots from great producers like Col Solare, Leonetti Cellar, Betz, Baer and DeLille.
One of the state’s great winemakers, Bob Betz, MW, of Betz and Col Solare fame, explains “The wines from Washington have never been better and it is all driven by quality vineyards and quality winemakers. . . today Washington is home from over 900 wineries and over 50,000 acres of quality vineyards. The best opportunity for the trade to participate is the private barrel auction of Washington wines. You have about 30 of the very top wineries in Washington producing one of a kind, not to be found elsewhere, wine blends in five case lots the they will be offering only to the trade. These are barrel blends, these are single site blends, they are unique wines that the wineries and winemakers have put together simply fore the trade barrel auction and you can’t find these anywhere else.” This exciting video by Bob Betz is located here: Leonetti Cellar has offered a really exciting Cabernet wine for the auction, sourced from the Walla Walla Rocks AVA and their esteemed Holly Roller Vineyard. Superstar winemaker, Chris Figgins mentions that this is a truly one of a kind wine that has been made by Leonetti and goes into more detail here. If you are in the wine trade, you do not miss this special event. Learn more at https://auctionofwawines.org