PULLMAN, Wash. – The annual Artist Expression release of a Cougar-connected wine with artwork created by a Washington State University graduating senior is available to order; wine will ship the week of April 23.

 

The artwork decorates the wine’s label and is selected through a competitive process. The result is a distinctive collector’s item that celebrates the enduring connection between art and wine.

 

The annual, limited-edition offering is sponsored by Wine-By-Cougars (WBC) and the WSU Alumni Association (WSUAA).

 

This year’s wine is William Church Winery’s award-winning "Sur La Mer” Bordeaux-style blend offered by WSU alumna Leslie Balsley of Woodinville, Wash. The wine is named for the seaport city of La Rochelle, France, where Balsley was born, and includes a blend of merlot, cabernet, cabernet franc, malbec and petit verdot.

 

Aged for 18 months in French oak and 12 months in the bottle, the sumptuous wine evokes flavors of black cherry, chocolate and smoky oak.

 

"This is an elegant wine with supple textures that pairs will with many foods,” notes Balsley. Sur La Mer was awarded 90 points by Seattle Metropolitan Magazine.

 

Adorning the bottle is a digitally created rendering of a sparkling aquamarine coastline, complete with a "lighthouse” that resembles WSU Pullman’s famed Bryan clock tower.

 

Lauren O’Neal ‘12, a nursing student at WSU Spokane, created the image on a tablet computer and added special effects with Photoshop software. She was inspired by the coastlines in her hometown of Los Angeles and in Balsley’s native France.

 

"I’m so busy with schoolwork that I don’t get the chance to paint or draw much these days,” says O’Neal. "This competition inspired me to create something new; I really enjoyed it.”

 

She received a $500 scholarship from WBC and the WSUAA.

 

WBC anticipates high demand for the wine, which was produced in a limited quantity (56 cases). Previous years’ releases have sold out quickly, so WBC recommends ordering promptly. Bottles will sell for $42 each. To order, call 509-526-7700 or email info@winebycougars.com.