Late last summer, a gala showcasing of food and wine from Spokane restaurants and vintners across the state took place at the Fox Theater. It was called “Savor the Columbia,” and it demonstrated the power and potential of the Washington wine industry.
The event is back, this time at the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane, and this year it is called “Taste Washington Spokane,” with a seminar on a varietal wine grape that is gaining in popularity preceding the early-evening fun. It all happens Sunday, June 22.
Taste Washington Spokane, a traditional pairing of wine and food, will feature more than 60 Washington wineries and 20 restaurants from across the state. The event will benefit the Davenport District Arts Board and the Washington State University Viticulture and Enology Program and the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management.
“Taste Washington Spokane has tripled the number of wineries pouring and doubled the number of restaurants serving,” said Greg Bever, chair of the event’s steering committee. “We are very pleased that this has come under the Washington Wine Commission’s umbrella and become a signature Taste Washington event.”
The Spokane fete is modeled after successful Taste Washington events held annually in Seattle as well as New York, Chicago, Tokyo and Bordeaux France.
“We are pleased to extend the reach of Taste Washington to the state’s eastern border by bringing it to Spokane,” said Jamie Peha, Taste Washington event director.
“This is important for the wine industry because it showcases the premium wine being produced throughout the state,” said Jim van Loben Sels, general manager of Arbor Crest Wine Cellars. Van Loben Sels is a member of both the planning committee for the event and the Washington Wine Institute.
Ticket proceeds benefit the Davenport District Arts Board, a key program to the restoration of core buildings in downtown Spokane, which is going through an incredible metamorphosis. A prime example of this change is the recently renovated Davenport Hotel. The magnificent luxury of this hotel is proof of the energy behind the emerging Davenport District, the arts board of which agrees with the Taste Washington Spokane event committee’s support of the region’s handcrafted wines and foods.
New this year is the “Experience Syrah” wine seminar. Two 45-minute sessions will educate those thirsty to learn more about the grape and the expectations for the wine it produces. Seminar goers will then compare and contrast the expressions of the wine from four different areas.
“America’s hottest new grape sensation has been growing on the banks of the Rhone River Valley for centuries,” said Denney Rutherford, Washington State University School of Hospitality Business Management professor. “Taste the Syrah experience across three continents and judge for yourself if Washington’s Columbia and Walla Walla valleys can play with the big boys of California, France and Australia.”
Another added feature to this year’s event is varietal wine bars. Four tables will be reserved for wine connoisseurs to compare and contrast varietals from more than 20 different Washington wineries.
A silent and live auction will add to the festivities of the evening, with proceeds benefiting the WSU Viticulture and Enology Program and the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management. Both programs provide skilled labor for Washington’s wine and hospitality industries. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on a number of packages including numerous large bottles of Washington wine, instant wine cellars, trips, open-ended airline tickets, a Broadway show and more.
Tickets are $75 each for the event and $25 each for the syrah seminars (limited availability) and can be purchased by calling the Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce at (509) 624-1393 or logging onto www.washingtonwine.org. A complete list of participating wineries and restaurants can also be found on this website. To preview auction items go to www.spokane.wsu.edu/News%26Events/auction2003.asp.
The Taste Washington Spokane steering committee consists of representatives from across the Spokane community including the Journal of Business, Davenport District Arts Board, Spokane Regional Chamber of Commerce, Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, Spokane Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Washington State University Spokane with direction from the Washington Wine Commission.
