Category Archives: Heard Through the Grapevine
Outstanding Wines Earn Chelan’s Mellisoni Vineyards Winery of the Year Honors
This article originally appeared in the June/July, 2021 issue of Bellingham Alive Magazine The transformation of Chelan’s Mellisoni Vineyards from small-town winery to one of Washington’s finest has been nothing short of amazing. When the winery opened its doors in 2010, husband-and-wife owners Rob and Donna Mellison were operating their tasting room from the couple’s […]
Washington Wine Reports Smaller Harvest, Good Quality in 2020
As reported by the Washington State Wine Commission: Washington’s wine grape crop may have been smaller in 2020, but according to farmers and winemakers—quality is high. The Washington State Wine Commission’s annual Grape Production Report, compiled with information provided by all Washington State wineries, showed 178,500 tons of wine grapes were harvested in 2020, an […]
In Memoriam: Gregg McConnell
It is with great sadness that I write about the recent passing of Gregg McConnell: work colleague, friend, and mentor. Gregg had a long and illustrious career in journalism, most recently as President and Publisher of the Tri-City Herald and Editor of Wine Press Northwest Magazine. I met Gregg in Hood River, Oregon in 2014, […]
Candy Mountain Becomes Washington’s “Sweet 16th” AVA
As reported by the Washington State Wine Commission: The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published the final rule for the Candy Mountain American Viticultural Area (AVA) on September 25, 2020, making it the 16th AVA in Washington. “Candy Mountain is small but mighty,” said Steve Warner, president of the Washington State Wine […]
Royal Slope is Washington’s 15th and Newest American Viticultural Area
_Stillwater-Creek-Vyrd-3.jpg)
As reported by the Washington State Wine Commission: Royal Slope is the newest American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Washington. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published the final rule for Royal Slope on September 2, 2020, to officially define it as a designated wine grape-growing region. “Many of our wineries and grape […]