Bergevin Lane Indicative of Strong Women’s Presence in NW Wine Industry

Are women having a hand in shaping the Pacific Northwest wine industry? Absolutely!

Husband and wife teams share ownership, winemaking and management duties at dozens of wineries such as Hightower Cellars, Tildio Winery, and James Leigh Cellars. Olympic Cellars, located near Port Angeles, is currently owned and operated by three women. And a number of wineries boast women who are head winemakers including Marie-Eve Gilla at Forgeron Cellars and Three Rivers Winery’s Holly Turner.

in Walla Walla is another winery that has achieved critical acclaim due in no small part to the efforts of its co-founder/managers, partners Annette Bergevin and Amber Lane. The winery opened in 2003 and features one of the most pristine production facilities I’ve ever encountered. Their grapes come from some of Washington’s premiere vineyards and handcrafted attention to detail is fast becoming the winery’s hallmark.

Current releases include the 2004 Calico Red (about $18), a tasty Bordeaux-style blend of five red varietals at an affordable price. The 2005 Viognier (about $25) is a bold, complex white wine with flavors of peach and pear and touches of citrus and toasty oak on the finish. The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (about $25) is a heady, blockbuster red loaded with dark berry, currant and mocha flavors.

My personal favorite is the 2003 Alder Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel. This incredible wine is borderline port-like, with a 16.1 percent alcohol content, dark, ultra-ripe plum flavors and a mile-long finish. This wine may only be available with club membership, a service that is open to the public by signing up through the winery web site at www.bergevinlane.com.

Bergevin Lane wines are available at selected Haggen stores and can also be special ordered through several local grocers or any wine specialty shop in the Bellingham area.

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